We’re nearing the third month mark, and audio glitches and shortcomings went from amusing to annoying to infuriating. There are events where I just turn down or turn off my audio, whether or not I do them or am near them. Has anyone on ArenaNet played Mass Effect? Do you guys remember “ENEMIES EVERYWHERE”? That’s what your audio is like, sometimes.
First off, the interval between lines spoken is ridiculously short in specific DEs. See attached image. I get that the idea here was to tell the players where krait are attacking, but the waves come so quick that the lines are spoken too often, and it doesn’t help that there’s zero variation (which in itself is fundamentally flawed, because if the gate attack has a line with a differently phrased beginning, a veteran player will immediately know what’s being attacked). In my opinion, events like these, with NPCs announcing the direction from where enemy attacks, only announce it when enemies come from a direction different from the last one.
Granted, some DEs suffer from redundant line repetition and they have zero information to offer. Southwatch Post in Sparkfly Fen has a DE event where the hylek keeps yelling something along the lines of “GET EVERYONE TO THE TEMPLE! NOW!” every thirty seconds or so. Makes me just want to stop doing the event. Doesn’t help that no one has to go to any temple, so this line only serves to confuse new players.
Second and arguably the biggest issue is the non-existent ratio of distance/volume. I get that everyone in the DE area has to hear potentially important information or an invitation to the event, but does everyone within a hundred mile radius has to hear it, as well? I already have DEs popping up on the top right, my mini-map, a big NEW EVENT NEARBY on the screen and NPCs running up to me and asking for help. I don’t need the krait witch in Timberline yelling ‘DESTROOOOOOY’ when I’m not even in the lake she’s in, with the volume too loud even if she were right next to me.
Since the associated distance/volume glitches have been largely fixed, I can only assume the rest is intended. If it is, please consider changing it. It’s not only driving me away from certain DEs, it’s driving me away from certain areas completely.
