Guild Wars 2

At the moment, weapon skills are assigned fixed positions in the action bar.

Though it is fine for players who use mouse and click gameplay, it compromises the gameplay of users who use the keyboard or multi-button gaming mice (mbgm, more than 3, up to 20 buttons).

To understand this, one needs to realize that mouse and click gameplay relies mainly on the sense of vision to recognize which icon corresponds to which skill. However, a keyboard or mbgm player uses mostly kinesthetic or tactile sensing.

For instance, say a crowd control skill appears in slot 4 and an AoE skill appears in slot 5 (for the ranger with a longbow for instance). As you switch weapon or go underwater, depending on your weapons type, the crowd control now appears in slot 3, and the AoE in slot 2 (for the ranger with a shorbow for instance).

For the mouse and click player, it does not really matter, because he recognizes which ability to use based on the way the icon looks. But for the other two who rely on the acquired kinesthetic reflex pressing on the same key or button does a totally different thing.

This can be easily overcome by allowing the user to move around skills for each weapons type in the “Hero/Skill and Traits/Weapon Skills” Tab.

At the moment it is very annoying for keyboard and mbgm players, it compromises reactivity, and confuses game-play.

Looking forward to seeing this addressed in the near future.

Cheers,

Looloop

“At the moment it is very annoying for keyboard and mbgm players, it compromises reactivity, and confuses game-play.”
This ^

Less than a week in and I miss bartender/dominoes. Not asking for anything close to that much flexibility but, just the ability to ‘drag’ skills to whatever buttons/slots I would like on-screen. So it matches my keybind order.

I can keybind the way I want but, they are then visually “out of order” from left to right, etc. on screen.

I really like the ‘no add-ons’ philosophy <dodges tomatoes> and would like to see it remain but, some of the most heavily used add-ons in ‘another game’ added features that players felt necessary. For example, GW2 map is awesome, it adds features that were only available via add-ons (Carbonite) in ‘the other game.’

Character name tag options would also be nice for those of us whose vision is waning due to ahh — maturity <g> Think “Tidy-Plates’esce”

+10 to adding fishing. Yes it’s not exciting but, it was a nice way to occupy time when one was too tired to ‘play’ but wants to relax for a bit.

What I like thus far:
Just a few days in I absolutely love the game design. Little conveniences such as mail/TP access anywhere. The way points (running gets old.) Being able to remain competitive while still having a ‘real’ life (from what I’ve been hearing.) The DE’s are a great concept. Individual resource nodes. Things that let the player spend more time playing and less time ’running errands/character maintenance are very nice for those with limited time.

Again, noobie POV and it might change several months in.

+1 for the request to reorder weapon skills.

The way they are set up seems random. Why is the leap on slot 2 on one weapon and slot 3 on another? Or a control skill is on different slots on different weapons. Why is a skill that causes vulnerability AFTER a skill that does a lot of damage.

It’s like there were different people who set up different weapons and none of these people talked to each other. Didn’t the people who tested this during design notice and comment on it?

I played a Spirit Lord Ritualist in Guild Wars 1. I had my skills ordered according to which spirits I wanted up first, the cooldowns and how long each spirit lived. It was a very flexible and intuitive system, which Guild Wars 2 lacks. The way it’s set up must have made sense to the weapon skills designers, but it doesn’t make sense to me and its a flaw in the gameplay.

“I had my skills ordered according to which spirits I wanted up first, the cooldowns and how long each spirit lived. "

Exactly! And if one is coming from ‘the game that shalt not be named’ years of muscle memory grabs AOE, buffs, self-heals/potions, etc. without even thinking about it.

While key-binding solves the muscle memory issue, it’s moot (at least for me) because I am looking at the on-screen buttons i.e. to see if a skill is nearing a cool-down, and I would be looking at the “wrong” button. So I bind in visual order and cry like a weak-sister about it here. :o)

I am liking the game more every time I play it but, I hate randomly ‘charging’ away from a pack of mobs because I hit ‘my’ AOE button. I’m sure it’s amusing to watch but, a bit frustrating to perform. ;o)

I don’t know how much work it would be to add that functionality but, it would sure be nice IMHO.

Agreed. I cant’ count how many times I’ve accidentally dodge-arrow’d on my Thief because I thought I had pistols out and went for an Unload. . .