Guild Wars 2

Hey all, it seemed to work once, maybe again if we can mention it soon enough (and if enough people agree). But could we dial back the “floatiness” of wings? They started off a cardboard, stiff but they felt like heavy wings, which frankly I prefered, but a little life was much welcomed.

But now they’re like flowing hairs, they float behind you in a very weird and ugly manner when moving and turning just looks silly. They certainly don’t look like wings anymore, as you could never flap these things against the wind, they’re basically paper.

I’ve attached some images that show what I’m referring to.
http://imgur.com/a/mQxgY

Just a bit stiffer, with maybe some flexibility to the lower feathers would have been nice, looks a bit silly now.

Anyone else agree, or am I crazy?

I’m happier with them flowing instead of jerking rigidly back and forth when running. I think of them as costume pieces, not functional wings, just something Tyrians have made to adorn themselves.

The previous stiff jerkiness was distressing to my eyes in the same way as ceiling fans, whirling orbs around characters, flickering wasp wings, swishing charr and drake tails, or any other back and forth strobing motion is. As in I get motion sickness. So I’m all for the physics that got introduced.

But that’s how the physics of back wings in real life work.

Donari.5237:

I’m happier with them flowing instead of jerking rigidly back and forth when running. I think of them as costume pieces, not functional wings, just something Tyrians have made to adorn themselves.

The previous stiff jerkiness was distressing to my eyes in the same way as ceiling fans, whirling orbs around characters, flickering wasp wings, swishing charr and drake tails, or any other back and forth strobing motion is. As in I get motion sickness. So I’m all for the physics that got introduced.

I don’t necessarily want it to go back to cardboard, but a little less floaty/papery would be nice. Right now it flows with movement like hair. Feathers don’t really do that, especially heavy wings. I’m sure they’re capable of finding a happy medium that doesn’t look super unrealistic like the added physics does.

Essentially, I think they overshot their mark.

Smooth Penguin.5294:

But that’s how the physics of back wings in real life work.

My version or Ronpierce’s version?

I don’t mind if the wings are a bit stiffer. But when a bird runs with wings out, the wings don’t jerk in unison right-left-right-left. (Heck, even a running human pumps the arms alternately, not in full unison with a torso swing). That’s what made them look super fake to me. It irritates me on the Sylvari cultural armor with the back petals, too.

The wings are quite clearly designed to be ornamental, and the fabric nature of the new physics showcases that.

Nothing wrong with the current physics on them, you don’t have wings on your character, you have an ornamental wing backpack

rapthorne.7345:

The wings are quite clearly designed to be ornamental, and the fabric nature of the new physics showcases that.

Nothing wrong with the current physics on them, you don’t have wings on your character, you have an ornamental wing backpack

Ah, but that annoys me. It’s a game full of legends, magic and so forth. Why look like you have on a cheap cos-play costume when you could just you know… look better and more realistic? o.O

The current animation on the wings looks great, you’re crazy if you think the old stiff wings were better.

The old ones were much better, the new ones just flop everywhere and don’t look like wings at all. At least having stiff wings makes some sense.

On topic of wings, I’d appreciate a checkbox in the options to hide all wing type back items… I’m sure plenty of you like them, but for me, they are an eyesore, floppy or stiff.

I agree with you.

I like that they move now, but they do move more like a cape, or hair, than wings and that is not ideal.

There again, I was kind of put off mine anyway, by seeing what other people’s looked like, in WvW, in lower res.

On the whole, I prefer the Daydreamer’s, which are smaller and more like a piece of jewellery, or some kind of wing-shaped ornament and also the upcoming butterfly wings.

Yes please. A check box option to hide all wings would be fab as more often than not they screen hog making visibility poor to say the least. Sure they look fab but when playing with others some consideration would also be fab-

I like that the wings are more free-flowing now. Before it looked awkward, I mean wings on players ARE awkward but I meant how rigid and stale they were prior was… out of place.

I for one don’t mind how ‘swishy’ and ‘flowy’ they are.

From a code/designer perspective it might be difficult for them to have it fade out from a bit stiff to subtle flowing ends. Just look at some of the armor skins in this game – there are clearly invisible structure/net-like appendages there and the whole thing moves either as one or has weird issues when moving.

Personally, I liked the old one better too.

Yes, of course the old ones were much better.

The new ones are much better.

Velimere.7685:

The new ones are much better.

Completely missing the point. Sure, the old ones needed a tiny breath of life into them to make them less stiff, sure. But they turned them into wings with hair physics. It looks ridiculous. That large of wings would be at least a little stuff. Some swish and movement to them was greatly accepted, but~ too far. It’s simply too much. Your wings bend backwards and wrap you up like a towel if you turn around. That’s not how things work. x.X

ronpierce.2760:

Velimere.7685:

The new ones are much better.

Completely missing the point. Sure, the old ones needed a tiny breath of life into them to make them less stiff, sure. But they turned them into wings with hair physics. It looks ridiculous. That large of wings would be at least a little stuff. Some swish and movement to them was greatly accepted, but~ too far. It’s simply too much. Your wings bend backwards and wrap you up like a towel if you turn around. That’s not how things work. x.X

I completely and wholeheartedly disagree.

Hair physics? Not even hair is that flowy! Those wings must be made of hot air wrapped in silk and just maybe a tiny little bit stuffed with fluffy cotton at some places.

I liked the cardboard version better. Those wings had a sturdy frame that wouldn’t break just from turning around too fast.

I don’t even have the wings but over the two options, the current one is a thousand times better. However, it may be just a tad bit too soft.

BunjiKugashira.9754:

Hair physics? Not even hair is that flowy! Those wings must be made of hot air wrapped in silk and just maybe a tiny little bit stuffed with fluffy cotton at some places.

I liked the cardboard version better. Those wings had a sturdy frame that wouldn’t break just from turning around too fast.

Exactly, it works a lot like very soft cloth, where turning canister ally wrap you up.

Okay, for example… For a wing to work, it should not be bending (and wrapping) backwards. Something like that would never catch air. And I get some people say “they aren’t real wings, just backpacks” but not even bad cos-play backpacks do this. It’s not even close to realistic.

And again for others who say they hated the cardboard version, I’m not asking for it to be perfectly stiff. I’m asking for a happy medium that isn’t overly ridiculous in the physics department.

First iteration wings were ugly.

Second iteration: Close enough. proceed.

they thing is, the floppy part is good but not on such a big area, they should keep it on the edge feathers while keeping the rest stiff.

sorudo.9054:

they thing is, the floppy part is good but not on such a big area, they should keep it on the edge feathers while keeping the rest stiff.

That’s exactly what I’m saying. Making them a bit more realistic.

Old cardboard wings looked bad, new flappity flappity cloth wings look bad, overall wing anatomy is rather poor (totally imaginary "i think this is what wings are like kind of" anyone?
http://orig03.deviantart.net/3410/f/2013/344/3/a/daydream_wings___silver_by_thy_darkest_hour-d5q7i9e.png
Wings based on real anatomy look so much better imo, more complex, strong, and functional. http://fc08.deviantart.net/fs10/f/2006/078/8/b/brrdtut.jpg. The kind of long pointy random feather wings look amateurish and fake to me. )

Even if there’s no hope for the fake costume anatomy design, having certain parts of the wing be more flexible and certain parts be stiffer would look better than this all or nothing laziness.

I thought this was about the wings disappearing when certain items are held or actions performed.

But yeah… They’re a bit too flappy/floaty. It’s kind of like wearing a swishy skirt hanging from your shoulders.

… “Cape” I guess, is the word I’m looking for.

Tuomir.1830:

On topic of wings, I’d appreciate a checkbox in the options to hide all wing type back items… I’m sure plenty of you like them, but for me, they are an eyesore, floppy or stiff.

Are you kidding? It’s great! In PvP and WvW it’s like having a bunch of players with big white/black targets on their backs.

I’d just dig an option to switch off seeing backpieces.

At times lately in hubs it’s like Pigeon Wars 2.

Ark Bladesteele.2943:

Tuomir.1830:

On topic of wings, I’d appreciate a checkbox in the options to hide all wing type back items… I’m sure plenty of you like them, but for me, they are an eyesore, floppy or stiff.

Are you kidding? It’s great! In PvP and WvW it’s like having a bunch of players with big white/black targets on their backs.

Let me guess… They’re max size Norn or Charr? And that’s why you’re wasting all your skills on tanks. ;D

I’d suppport a more realistic wing anatomy (like the one eyestraing posted a few posts up) for any wing back pack – that would make them LOOK awsome – and MOVE awsome!

The old ones were too stiff, the current one moves like hair underwater – way too floaty/loose. A golden middle would be the best for the existing ones since they lack the correct anatomy to make them move in a realistic way.