What does a Space Marine's visor display look like?

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**legolooney**

Hey folks. I'm a digital designer and VFX artist. I've decided to design and animate a Space Marine visor display (in the Iron Man style) as a little side project.

My question is... how do you imagine the visor display looks? What sort of information would appear on it?

These are the only reference images we've been able to find so far;

Ultramarine (2010), Space Hulk: Deathwing (2016)

Dawn of War: Dark Crusade (2006)

Although they are all very different designs, they are a great starting point. I want to take these and add more to make it like Iron Man/War Machine/Falcon HUDs (which inspired this project).

I will also be using images from the Space Marine (2011) video game for stylistic inspiration. Although we never see a visor display, the screen/computer displays have a distinct visual look.

With help from other users, I've started compiling a list of quotes from Black Library books that describe elements of the visor display;

Through the green imaging of his visor, Loken saw armoured men with energy weapons ranged against them in the lower courses of the palace. - Horus Rising

Warning runes danced on his visor. There was a puncture somewhere in his wargear, a slow leak issuing air out into the dark. - Flight of the Eisenstein

Argel Tal glanced at the chron display counting up on the edge of his visor display. ‘Eight hours, forty-one minutes.’- The First Heretic

He could hear the visor displays of several team members clicking and humming as they accessed the memories of their data-packs for comparative images. - Prospero Burns

Branne glanced at the secondary chronometer display in his visor: 22.03 seconds until the main attack was in place. - Deliverance Lost

The black-clad warriors to either side of him were barely visible, but their armour transponders relayed their locations to a schematic in his visor. - Deliverance Lost

A shell burst hit the wall next to him, and Kroeger flinched as the impact caused his visor to darken momentarily. - Angel Exterminatus

Las-burns scorched his armour, and damage indicators flickered angrily on his helmet visor. - Angel Exterminatus

A fuzzed overlay on his visor told him another three stormbirds had broken through in other areas of the enemy ship. - Angel Exterminatus

His retinal display locked onto [a dead tank], spilling out a screed of data he didn’t need to see. As if he cared what forge world had churned out any particular Rhino chassis. As if he cared about the density of the alloys making up its hull. - Betrayer

His bolter snaps up and his visor is suddenly overlaid with tactical schemata, spatial signifiers and topographical data. - Mark of Calth

Ventanus brings a tactical overlay onto his visor. Gold icons close like a fist on Fell’s fortification. - Mark of Calth

Every helm visor lit up. High resolution enhancement searched the darkened Communication for movement. Auguston and his men saw the area as a green twilight. - Unremembered Empire

"Preysight," he demanded from his armour's soul. His vision blanketed in thermal vision, a facade of cold blues. - Soul Hunter

The numbers 2243, then 2244, blinked before his eyes. The ancient Gothic lettering of the digital death-counter, superimposed on Khârn’s field of vision, incremented quickly. - Wrath of Khârn

Erwin moved forward slowly. His helmplate display blinked up cautionary amber screed as acidic fog condensed on his armour. - Devastation of Baal

[Dante's] gaze flicked to the top corner of his faceplate display. His fuel indicator was running rapidly to zero. - Devastation of Baal

Vox requests beeped in his helmet, all of them marked as being of the utmost urgency. - Devastation of Baal

He reactivated his helm’s strategic displays. For the time being the second line was holding. - Devastation of Baal

Do you know of any other mentions of the visor display?

Thanks for all your help

++ EDIT01: Added some stills from the Dawn of War: Dark Crusade (2006) opening film. Thanks @Tygre for finding this! ++
++ EDIT02: Added some more quotes that mention specific visor displays. Thanks @Nightlord1987 for these! ++
++ EDIT03: Added a great quote from Betrayer. Thanks @=Angel= ++
++ EDIT04: Added some quotes from Devastation of Baal. Thanks @BrianDavion ++

**Tygre**

Dawn of War Dark Crusade intro was Marine point of view.

From a quick youtube search
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nodA5bxueyo

**legolooney**

Tygre wrote:
Dawn of War Dark Crusade intro was Marine point of view.

From a quick youtube search
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nodA5bxueyo

Ah great stuff. That's excellent. Thanks @tygre.

**Kawauso**

Look forward to seeing what you come up with.

It's always cool seeing more interpretations of this sort of thing - I don't know that any of the glimpses we've had of a suit's auto-senses thus far really do justice to the way they're described in some of the better stories. Seriously - what is with those doofy skull icons in the guy's HUD in Ultramarines? What do those even represent?

**AndrewGPaul**

Subject to the usual caveats, the auto-senses in a Marine's helmet don't project an image for the Space Marine to look at normally; they interface with his optic nerve and bypass his eyes entirely. They filter out extreme stimuli to avoid blinding and deafening light and noise. Ian Watson took this a step further in Harlequin; Marines with their helmets on were immune to the gaze of a Navigator's 3rd eye, as the autosenses filtered out whatever it was that killed (and even a dead navigator's removed eye would kill anyone who looked at it unshielded)

I'd need to go and find it, but I'm sure there's a reference to Ragnar Blackmane's vision in the 2nd edition Codex Space Wolves.

**Kawauso**

Wait, I wasn't aware that auto-senses bypassed the helmet. Got any decent sources on that?

I'm assuming they interface directly through the black carapace if that's the case - so does that mean a marine has some or most of his auto-senses available even with his helmet removed?

**legolooney**

AndrewGPaul wrote:
Subject to the usual caveats, the auto-senses in a Marine's helmet don't project an image for the Space Marine to look at normally; they interface with his optic nerve and bypass his eyes entirely. They filter out extreme stimuli to avoid blinding and deafening light and noise. Ian Watson took this a step further in Harlequin; Marines with their helmets on were immune to the gaze of a Navigator's 3rd eye, as the autosenses filtered out whatever it was that killed (and even a dead navigator's removed eye would kill anyone who looked at it unshielded)

I'd need to go and find it, but I'm sure there's a reference to Ragnar Blackmane's vision in the 2nd edition Codex Space Wolves.

Ooh that's interesting. I'd not even considered that the runes/info goes straight into the brain. I have read about the helmet lenses being able to adjust their opacity to filter bright lights, but actually interfacing with the optic nerve is next level. Thanks for this info.

Automatically Appended Next Post:

Kawauso wrote:
Look forward to seeing what you come up with.

It's always cool seeing more interpretations of this sort of thing - I don't know that any of the glimpses we've had of a suit's auto-senses thus far really do justice to the way they're described in some of the better stories. Seriously - what is with those doofy skull icons in the guy's HUD in Ultramarines? What do those even represent?

Thanks! It will be an interesting and fun process. Can you recall any specific stories that reference the auto-senses display?

**godardc**

legolooney wrote:
Tygre wrote:
Dawn of War Dark Crusade intro was Marine point of view.

From a quick youtube search
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nodA5bxueyo

Ah great stuff. That's excellent. Thanks @tygre.

«The monolith ! We destroy that and it's all over ! Charge !»

Such great games ! I miss you, DAW !

I will look into my Deatwatch rpg book, maybe there is something about HUD there.

**Kawauso**

legolooney wrote:

Thanks! It will be an interesting and fun process. Can you recall any specific stories that reference the auto-senses display?

The Horus Heresy is rife with examples, but the most recent story that comes to mind for me with detailed passages concerning auto-senses is Dark Imperium. Though they're from the perspective of Primaris marines in Mk X and Gravis armour so they may have enhanced auto-senses in comparison to older marks of armour.

**BrianDavion**

Kawauso wrote:
legolooney wrote:

Thanks! It will be an interesting and fun process. Can you recall any specific stories that reference the auto-senses display?

The Horus Heresy is rife with examples, but the most recent story that comes to mind for me with detailed passages concerning auto-senses is Dark Imperium. Though they're from the perspective of Primaris marines in Mk X and Gravis armour so they may have enhanced auto-senses in comparison to older marks of armour.

nothing about MK X armor says their auto senses are partiuclarly differant, and differant Marks of Marine armor have differant auto sense levels anyway, MK VI (or is is IV) is noted for having the best atuo senses

**chromedog**

The skulls are icons, nowt more, the meaning has just been lost to time. (or if it's from a game, it's a game status thing the meaning of which will be in the manual for it.)

In robocop, Robo has a decidedly pc-like startup sequence, including the POST and "load BIOS" lines.

In R2, Cain has a much more "apple" like menu system, complete with a small skull icon replacing the fruit with a bite taken out of it.

Sometimes they're just geeky in-jokes.

**AndrewGPaul**

Kawauso wrote:
Wait, I wasn't aware that auto-senses bypassed the helmet. Got any decent sources on that?

I'm assuming they interface directly through the black carapace if that's the case - so does that mean a marine has some or most of his auto-senses available even with his helmet removed?

I don't have access to Codex Space Marines for 8th or 7th edition, but it should be in a Codex somewhere. Definitely in 1st and 2nd edition, and I don't think it's been done away with after that.
My understanding is that the Marine needs to be wearing the helmet. There's mention of a "neural link", which I imagine operates somewhat like the Mind Impulse Units used by dreadnought pilots, knight pilots and titan crew, but on a much lower level

From Lexicanum, the Power Armour article:
"The helmet is fitted with automatic sensory devices developed on Mars, which allow the wearer to see and hear as though not wearing a helmet,[1] and, since all information is transmitted to a computer in the helmet before being transmitted directly to the wearer's brain via neural link, it enhances sight and hearing while dampening blinding lights and deafening noises.[8] The wearer is also able to see in the infra-red and ultra-violet spectrums, images can be zoomed in and magnified while noises can be enhanced.[1] The helmet was fixed in a single position, but allowed the occupant to turn his head inside.[8] "
1: White Dwarf 129 (UK), Space Marine Armour by Rick Priestley, reprinted in Warhammer 40,000: Compilation
8: Deathwatch: Rites of Battle, pgs. 149-152

I leave the explanation for how this worked in mark 2 and 3 suits where the helmet didn't move with the Marine's head as an exercise for the reader.

Mind you, since they appear to have done away with that bit of background (the artwortk and miniatures have plenty of examples of Marines in mark 2 and 3 armour with the helmets turned to one side or up or down), it's no longer a contradiction.

**Nightlord1987**

Also, from a few novels we know they have a Kill counter (Kharn), and Prey-sight (Night Lords) which i always figured was some sort of infared low light or something...

**jhe90**

Nightlord1987 wrote:
Also, from a few novels we know they have a Kill counter (Kharn), and Prey-sight (Night Lords) which i always figured was some sort of infared low light or something...

Like night mode, thermals and maybe motion trackers.
all makes sense for marine auto senses as discribed they have full low light, no light and hazed vision systems.,

Id imagine they can also filter out certain spectrums and have protection vs flash and other vitsial effects.

**legolooney**

Nightlord1987 wrote:Also, from a few novels we know they have a Kill counter (Kharn), and Prey-sight (Night Lords) which i always figured was some sort of infared low light or something...

jhe90 wrote:I'd imagine they can also filter out certain spectrums and have protection vs flash and other vitsial effects.

This is great stuff guys. Thanks for the info. I've started mapping out some ideas. I might move this post somewhere else on the forum so I can post WIPs of the project.

**Niiai**

It is not unlikly that they can r6n different software depending on the situation.

**=Angel=**

legolooney wrote:

Do you know of any other mentions of the visor display?

In Betrayer, Kharn has a Mk4 helm which keeps bringing up information on stuff he looks at (displaying information on a rhino- its weak points, world of maunfacture) which he doesnt care about but hasn't figured out how to turn off? He is being shown the kind of valuable info that a Ravenguard or Iron Warrior would translate into a tacticool advantage but he just wants to hit people with his axe.

**legolooney**

=Angel= wrote:
In Betrayer, Kharn has a Mk4 helm which keeps bringing up information on stuff he looks at (displaying information on a rhino- its weak points, world of maunfacture) which he doesnt care about but hasn't figured out how to turn off? He is being shown the kind of valuable info that a Ravenguard or Iron Warrior would translate into a tacticool advantage but he just wants to hit people with his axe.

Ahah that's great. It's exactly the sort of info I'm after. I had a look through my ebook of Betrayer and found the passage you are referring to (thank the emperor for ctrl+f). Thanks for the info

He approached a dead tank, an idle and silent shape manifesting from the choking dust. His retinal display locked onto it, spilling out a screed of data he didn’t need to see. Maximus-pattern armour was a technological marvel, but the autosenses took a great deal of tuning to meet a warrior’s personal preferences. Khârn usually ignored most of what his armour tried to tell him. As if he cared what forge world had churned out any particular Rhino chassis. As if he cared about the density of the alloys making up its hull, and how they differed by point-one per cent from others.

**=Angel=**

legolooney wrote:
=Angel= wrote:
In Betrayer, Kharn has a Mk4 helm which keeps bringing up information on stuff he looks at (displaying information on a rhino- its weak points, world of maunfacture) which he doesnt care about but hasn't figured out how to turn off? He is being shown the kind of valuable info that a Ravenguard or Iron Warrior would translate into a tacticool advantage but he just wants to hit people with his axe.

Ahah that's great. It's exactly the sort of info I'm after. I had a look through my ebook of Betrayer and found the passage you are referring to (thank the emperor for ctrl+f). Thanks for the info

He approached a dead tank, an idle and silent shape manifesting from the choking dust. His retinal display locked onto it, spilling out a screed of data he didn’t need to see. Maximus-pattern armour was a technological marvel, but the autosenses took a great deal of tuning to meet a warrior’s personal preferences. Khârn usually ignored most of what his armour tried to tell him. As if he cared what forge world had churned out any particular Rhino chassis. As if he cared about the density of the alloys making up its hull, and how they differed by point-one per cent from others.

Heh, one of ADB's finer moments. I also liked where Kharn knew about the problems with dreadclaws eating people and thought it was hilarious.

Incidentally- as a CSM Khan is supposed to have a kill counter on his 'HUD' that Horus gave him- (Wrath of Kharn by William King) so maybe he did get someone to look at that helm after all (probably while installing bunny ears on it)

**legolooney**

=Angel= wrote:
Incidentally- as a CSM Khan is supposed to have a kill counter on his 'HUD' that Horus gave him- (Wrath of Kharn by William King) so maybe he did get someone to look at that helm after all (probably while installing bunny ears on it)

Haha, Horus must have heard that Kharn was having trouble

**farmersboy**

AndrewGPaul wrote:
Subject to the usual caveats, the auto-senses in a Marine's helmet don't project an image for the Space Marine to look at normally; they interface with his optic nerve and bypass his eyes entirely. They filter out extreme stimuli to avoid blinding and deafening light and noise. Ian Watson took this a step further in Harlequin; Marines with their helmets on were immune to the gaze of a Navigator's 3rd eye, as the autosenses filtered out whatever it was that killed (and even a dead navigator's removed eye would kill anyone who looked at it unshielded)

I'd need to go and find it, but I'm sure there's a reference to Ragnar Blackmane's vision in the 2nd edition Codex Space Wolves.

This has been canon right from the very start - it's the whole point of auto senses. When a Space Marine puts his helmet on, he stops using his eyes and ears.

**Midnightmullen**

I remember Dante in the book had statuses on all his men and when is glowed red that meant a brother was lost. I can't recall if he also could see if a brother was about to succumb to the thirst or rage.

**legolooney**

Midnightmullen wrote:
I remember Dante in the book had statuses on all his men and when is glowed red that meant a brother was lost. I can't recall if he also could see if a brother was about to succumb to the thirst or rage.

Oooh this sounds cool. What book was it? Dante by Guy Haley? Thanks for the info.

**BrianDavion**

legolooney wrote:
Midnightmullen wrote:
I remember Dante in the book had statuses on all his men and when is glowed red that meant a brother was lost. I can't recall if he also could see if a brother was about to succumb to the thirst or rage.

Oooh this sounds cool. What book was it? Dante by Guy Haley? Thanks for the info.

Think it was Devestation of Baal...

Dante was seeing a lot of red in that book :(

**legolooney**

BrianDavion wrote:

Think it was Devestation of Baal...

Dante was seeing a lot of red in that book :(

Ah man, that was a bloody campaign. Thanks for the info, after a quick look through the ebook I found some great references. I'm gonna have to read this whole book again now though, love this one.

Erwin moved forward slowly. His helmplate display blinked up cautionary amber screed as acidic fog condensed on his armour.

[Dante's] gaze flicked to the top corner of his faceplate display. His fuel indicator was running rapidly to zero.

Vox requests beeped in his helmet, all of them marked as being of the utmost urgency.

He reactivated his helm’s strategic displays. For the time being the second line was holding.

A glint in the sky grew instantly in his vision, magnified by his helm lenses

**Keep**

I'm interested to see what you come up with

I would argue there is not "the one visor" - seeing as there are different marks and also the likeliehood of chapters tampering with this stuff on their own, like they do with all their gear to some extend. I would expect there to be just as much variation as there are different tactics and preferences.

I would also think that it would be quite configurable by design, so the 'super soldiers' could adjust it either for a specific mission, task, etc - exactly how they think they need it (they are the experts after all).

In case of that kharn thing with the detailed rhino weakpoint - clearly a case where it would have been very poorly configured. Those details he would have know by heart the first time he entered a battlefield (due to training with rhinos all the time). Displaying that level of detail on known stuff would spam their senses with useless data.

###
Top-Soil.
Usable as cover.
Poorly digestable, weak in proteine, rhich in minerals.
Wetness coefficient: Unknown
Load bearing capacity: 89% of norm predicted
###

**legolooney**

Keep wrote:
I'm interested to see what you come up with

I would argue there is not "the one visor" - seeing as there are different marks and also the likeliehood of chapters tampering with this stuff on their own, like they do with all their gear to some extend. I would expect there to be just as much variation as there are different tactics and preferences.

I would also think that it would be quite configurable by design, so the 'super soldiers' could adjust it either for a specific mission, task, etc - exactly how they think they need it (they are the experts after all).

Yeah I totally agree. The 'loadout' will probably be different depending on rank, mission, chapter, armour type and just personal preference.

Keep wrote:
###
Top-Soil.
Usable as cover.
Poorly digestable, weak in proteine, rhich in minerals.
Wetness coefficient: Unknown
Load bearing capacity: 89% of norm predicted
###

This made me laugh. May try and include this somehow