I thought I remembered reading some time ago that the HUD would be invisible most the time, but I don't remember exactly how it would work. My issue is that with a game where you manage many different things, a hud is, IMO, very important. I have been playing Fable 3, and althought it has had many of it's RPG elements stripped away, there are still a few things I like to keep up with. However, the HUD is completely non existent unless you are in the right context. For instance if I am just running through the world and I am curious how much money I have accumulated then I have to either enter a store and look at something I could purchase, or travel back to my sanctuary and load the map, and examine a building that is for sell. Only then does my money appear in the top left. Same thing with the guild seals,.. I have to be in the right context to see those as well. Also I would prefer to see a health bar (even if it does just regenerate) instead of my screen getting red. Who decided that gamers suddenly had a distaste for HUDs?

I wouldn't mind a HUD disappearing if there was a way I could make it reappear whenever I wanted.

It will not be visible when it is not needed and will become visible when it is (for instance when entering combat).

There is a HUD when you need a HUD and there is no HUD when you do not need a HUD.

So if you're walking around, happy as can be, there's no HUD. If you're in the middle of a fight with a giant troll, there's a HUD. I think also if you're walking around but have less than full health, the HUD will stay up to keep you aware of that.

I believe there's still a small compass visible at the top even when outside of combat, Todd Howard mentioned it in the podcast, but otherwise, it's as has been said. The other HUD elements are shown when they're needed, and dissappear when they're not. I'd assume that aside from in combat, the health, magicka and stamina bars are also shown if they're reduced outside of combat, like if you hurt yourself falling or if you cast a spell outside of combat.

To look at your gold, I'd assume that, like in past games, you can see it whenever you open your inventory, I'd imagine the factions you've joined and such are also shown under their appropriate menus. After all, Bethesda may have made the HUD elements only appear when needed, but that doesn't mean the screens displaying character stats, quests, inventory and such aren't readily available whenever you want them.

are you confusing the HUD and Menu together because we never has symbol of gold in the HUD that tell us how much money we have.

I guess my problem is not so much the HUD, once I think about it, but just being able to access the information I am more interested in easily. Obviously ES huds don't really give you money or experience information (apart from leveling up of course). It sounds like their menus are pretty user friendly,.. so i'm not too worreid actually. However, what about fatigue? Is running not going to affect fatigue? There would be no way to monitor that if your HUD disappears.

As long as there's a menu option to have it permanently enabled I'll be happy. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind HUDless games, it's just that given the option I'd rather have it on permanently.

Yes, I got confused with what I was saying... stoner moment.. Anyways, I'm not too worried. I believe that they will design the system well. It was more of a info accessibility issue I was thinking not a HUD issue. :rolleyes:

I do like my HUDs though...

From what they have already said, I don't believe running will affect fatigue. They have mentioned that there will be a 'sprint' capability, and I suspect that when you use that, you'll see the HUD stamina bar start draining on the screen.

The compass will always be at the top of your screen, and the rest only appears when needed.

If the previous games are anything to go by, you will be able to disable it completly too, just like in Fallout 3.

Read the podcast transcript in my signature.