Is Using caps in video games appropriate ?

[TalalAlgreby]

i've been wondering about this for quite some time.

i rarely see games that uses caps.

is it appropriate or does it actually ruin the game? (gives you that raging feeling?)

Sometimes i think the feelings won't reach the player without caps.

Ex. Like let's say a suicide scene in a game.

where you have to choose the right choices in order to convince the person not to suicide.

sometimes you need caps, like when he's calling his/her name out loud.

 

[ThatMaestroGuy]

Agreed. Caps are needed in certain situations. I recall Megaman X4 using caps during some key dramatic moments, so I wouldn't say it's a bad thing. =)

 

[Milennin]

Most games don't use caps in their dialogue, and those that do use it very sparely, only during a dramatic moment or so.

 

[bgillisp]

I use them only for when my characters are literally shouting at each other (which is pretty rare). Otherwise, I don't use them.

 

[JosephSeraph]

It all depends on the mood of your game. Even if you want to use emojis -- if it fits the tone and the game itself, do it!

I mean, even a few commercial games use emojis. (Disgaea I think... And Azure Dreams used little hearts and notes)

 

[TalalAlgreby]

Agreed. Caps are needed in certain situations. I recall Megaman X4 using caps during some key dramatic moments, so I wouldn't say it's a bad thing. =)

It is not a bad thing. but when overused, it can really destroy the game.

Most games don't use caps in their dialogue, and those that do use it very sparely, only during a dramatic moment or so.

Yes, i have rarely seen games that use caps (i don't even remember the last game i've played that had caps in it.)

I use them only for when my characters are literally shouting at each other (which is pretty rare). Otherwise, I don't use them.

That looks like a nice scenario i would enjoy

It all depends on the mood of your game. Even if you want to use emojis -- if it fits the tone and the game itself, do it!

I mean, even a few commercial games use emojis. (Disgaea I think... And Azure Dreams used little hearts and notes)

True, but i thought that caps would ruin the moment of the game itself.

Also Disgaea? it's my favorite series of all time and i've never seen Emojis in it, i've seen some in Azure dreams.

i think in Disgaea, they apply the Emoji to the character's face

 

[captainproton]

We are talking about capital letters, right?

Absolutely, you need capital letters, when writing proper nouns and the first word of a sentence. I've never played a game with all lower-case letters. In fact, many have no lower-case letters in their text.

 

[starcrescendo]

I generally ONLY use them for IMPORTANT things like THIS! I try not to make whole messages in all caps, just certain words. I pretend that the player is having some sort of magical sound leveling applied so even if someone is shouting they only see the words that are emphasized in all caps.

I draw the line at emojis though. How would someone say that? "Hi I really like you. Colon. Hypen. Closing Parenthesis" Its just weird. It's a personal pet peeve of mine when regular text boxes say things like *he glances at you*. Either show it with the sprite somehow or use the special dark background message window for that.

 

[Makio-Kuta]

I have seen games use emojis. I can't remember which ones off the top of my head? (Maybe Sal Manella in Phoenix Wright used one in the credits roll scene? But that felt warrented, considering the rest of his l33t sp33k) For the most part, anytime I see that in a game I find it tacky.

When it comes to writing words, phrases, sentences, paragraphs etc in all caps - it's very dependent. It is fine if used sparingly for emphasis, but if it is used a lot it loses its impact. If it's used for long sentences, it actually becomes harder to read. (or for things like headers in menus and such, I think that that is fine) I think it isn't as necessary in games with voice acting where the text is not in a box and displayed more as a subtitle though, the voices usually carry the emotion so the text doesn't have to. (anytime I've put on close captioning for TV, the tend to label when someone is (Screaming)?? rather than use caps. Though ... are close captions entirely in caps to begin with? I suddenly don't remember.)

 

[Ralpf]

I have seen games use emojis. I can't remember which ones off the top of my head? (Maybe Sal Manella in Phoenix Wright used one in the credits roll scene? But that felt warrented, considering the rest of his l33t sp33k) For the most part, anytime I see that in a game I find it tacky.

When it comes to writing words, phrases, sentences, paragraphs etc in all caps - it's very dependent. It is fine if used sparingly for emphasis, but if it is used a lot it loses its impact. If it's used for long sentences, it actually becomes harder to read. (or for things like headers in menus and such, I think that that is fine) I think it isn't as necessary in games with voice acting where the text is not in a box and displayed more as a subtitle though, the voices usually carry the emotion so the text doesn't have to. (anytime I've put on close captioning for TV, the tend to label when someone is (Screaming)?? rather than use caps. Though ... are close captions entirely in caps to begin with? I suddenly don't remember.)

They are in the USA, can't speak for elsewhere. It's consider standard in a few fields to use all caps all the time, such as on blueprints for engineers (In my experience anyway).

But in a game as others said I would use them very sparingly, but they can be good and effective.

 

[Archeia]

I use them only for when my characters are literally shouting at each other (which is pretty rare). Otherwise, I don't use them.

This is what I do as well.

 

[Ms Littlefish]

Count me in for "literally yelling and at the top of the most heightened emotion," otherwise it would completely lose effect. But, at the same time I don't think it's all that necessary. If your sprites are moving and reacting well along with a well evented scene, the viewer should understand. I'm more partial to just using an exclamation point myself. 

 

[Seriel]

I use them only for when my characters are literally shouting at each other (which is pretty rare). Otherwise, I don't use them.

Same here.

 

[Touchfuzzy]

I was working on a game where there were small robots that the main characters used and the only way they communicated other than "body language" was through a small screen on them that showed emojis.

... But yeah, all caps should be saved for literally yelling.

 

[captainproton]

I suppose another possible exception would be, like, Divine voices, that sort of thing. Not yelling, but words which are more than mere sound.

 

[Touchfuzzy]

I think for divine voices I might try to do something like a font change, or use small caps.