dear original poster
you are looking at a computer generated display of the instruments, not the real plane. you mentioned you sat in the passenger seat of the real plane, until you have sat and flown from the pilot's seat, you really have no idea.
instruments are SCANNED and in some ways this is different than READING them. the Tachometer (RPM) is not scanned all the time, especially when PERFORMANCE of the plane is meeting expectations.
Altimeters do take some understanding on how to read. First you see if you are above or below 10,000'. Then above or below 1000' and finally in the hundreds and less. Have you seen the zebra stripe?
The steam gauges are really quite readable and the already mentioned "T" setup is really very good. In most planes built in the last 40 years the T is the Norm. Prior to that it might have been haphazard a bit.
Look at the airspeed indicator. IF it is in the 12 o'clock to 2 o'clock the position the NOSE of the plane is probably "UP". IF it is from the 3 o'clock to 8 o'clock position the nose is level to down. SO as you look at it, you can tell UP or DOWN of the nose in your SCan. (this might be tough to understand)
The instruments are also placed in such a way so as to make you want to LOOK OUT THE WINDSHIELD which in MOST flying is what you should be doing most of the time.
I know some of this doesn't make sense. I mean, who uses the airspeed to judge if the nose is up or down...but it is useful ONCE you understand the plane and you really can't until you have taken some lessons or at least read, "STICK AND RUDDER".
good luck and remember, wiser minds than yours have come up with the instruments!