Stage Intro Title Card

1. Summary

A non-diegetic cinematic stage-introduction overlay that names the upcoming chapter or location over a letterboxed isometric scene. It uses a large centered title, optional subtitle/location line, and a small bottom-center `Skip` prompt when the sequence can be bypassed.

Overview

The Stage Intro Title Card is a cinematic overlay used to orient the player at the start of a chapter or location sequence. In the observed Byers Pass intro, the game places a large all-caps location title over the moving isometric scene, with a smaller subtitle directly beneath it. In the UI database capture, the same intro presentation also shows the bottom-center SKIP SPACE prompt, confirming the skippable-state version of this screen.

Live walkthrough evidence shows the same location-title treatment during the cinematic camera pan. The title group remains centered over the letterboxed scene and fades as the intro continues.

Job Story

When a new mission or chapter begins, I want a clear title card over the cinematic scene, so that I understand the story/location context before taking control.

Classification

• diegesis: Non-diegetic
• functional_type: Frontend shell
• component_type: Label/text

Wireframe

+--------------------------------------------------------------+
|                      cinematic letterbox                      |
|                                                              |
|      isometric mission/location scene continues behind UI     |
|                                                              |
|                 ROCKY MOUNTAINS                              |
|                    BYERS PASS, COLORADO                      |
|                                                              |
|                                                              |
|                         [ SKIP SPACE ]                       |
|                      cinematic letterbox                      |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+

Components

• Primary title label: large centered chapter or location name.
• Subtitle label: smaller centered detail line below the primary title, used for region/location detail.
• Cinematic background: live/isometric mission scene visible behind the overlay.
• Letterbox bars: black top and bottom bars frame the cinematic presentation.
• Skip prompt: small bottom-center control hint showing the skip action and bound key (SPACE).

Parameters & Audio

Navigation

• Entered automatically when a mission, chapter, or location intro cinematic starts. The player can wait for the sequence to continue naturally or use the visible skip prompt when it is available. The next destination is the subsequent cutscene beat or playable mission state, not a menu screen.

Dependencies & Logic

• Requires the mission/chapter intro sequence to provide the title string and optional subtitle/location string.
• Requires cinematic playback state to determine whether the skip prompt is currently shown.
• Depends on input binding data for the displayed skip key, observed as SPACE.
• Background scene and camera movement are supplied by the active intro cinematic rather than by the UI layer.

BDD Scenarios

Edge Cases

• Skip prompt may be absent on some frames or moments of the intro even while the title is visible.
• Bright or detailed backgrounds must not reduce title readability; the overlay relies on large white type and background contrast.
• Long chapter/location names must remain centered and legible without overlapping the skip prompt.
• If the skip input binding changes, the prompt text must update from SPACE to the current binding.

QA Notes

References

1. 1.

   Desperados III (L158-168 of 283) Game UI Database Stage Intro entries document the chapter title and Rocky Mountains location intro, including the bottom Skip prompt.Screenshot 25: Stage Intro Tags: Stage Intro Section: Game States Screenshot 26: Stage Intro Tags: Stage Intro

2. 2.

   Desperados III Static UI screenshot used for the annotated full-frame and tight crops showing the location title/subtitle plus bottom Skip prompt.

3. 3.

   Desperados 3 Let's Play Gameplay Walkthrough Pt 1 Prologue & Byers Pass [1440p w/ Commentary] (14:40-14:44) Live walkthrough frames show the Rocky Mountains title card centered over the cinematic Byers Pass scene during the mission intro.