Traditional interfaces in games communicate necessary information to the player. Although this tends to be the norm, these interfaces become disruptive if a feeling of immersion is trying to be achieved by the designer. However, using diegetic interface designs allows the interface to be integrated in a way that feels seamless to the game experience. These types of interfaces don't pop-up on the screen nor do they clutter it but they become a part of the game world itself. They give the impression that they are useful not only to the player but to the in-game characters.
Demonstrating Examples[]
Dead Space
In Dead Space, the health bar of the player is integrated on the spine of their character's suit. This technique makes the game feel more immersive as the health bar is a part of the game world and their character is attached to it. This design choice works in Dead Space because the player has to adjust their camera sometimes in high stress moments to keep track of their health.
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Far Cry 4
Diegetic interface is also used frequently in Far Cry 4
When the health of player becomes low, the screen starts pumping red. 3/4th of the screen has red blood like splatter on it. This design element indicates that the health of the player is critically low and he needs to regain his health back or he dies vey soon. The voices and sound around becomes muffled too after this effect is seen. This is shown in the below following screenshot.
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Alien: Isolation
The player uses a motion-tracking device to watch the movement of the alien. Rather than add a minimap like many games, the designers chose to show that information only when the item was in use by the player, which also served to ratchet up tension when players would equip other items as-needed.
Journey
In Journey, there is no player health bar or any resource UI. However, you do have a resource that you spend in order to fly through the air. This resource is represented through the player characters scarf with the shiny pattern representing how much of the resource you currently have. The length of the scarf itself is used to show how much of the resource the player can have at any given time.
