Guild Wars 2

So I wanted to get some stuff off’f my chest about the UI and game design in general.

The overriding sentiment (again repeated in the raid announcements) is that we’re to play the game, not the UI. That’s fine, to a point. However, ANet have taken several steps (or failed to take certain other steps) which makes something of a mockery of this design philosophy.

a) Cosmetics/legendary combinations which prevent the player from seeing much of anything, much less animations. 2 or 3 players with large character models, wings and trail weapons (especially Twilight) completely obfuscate any animations/visual prompts as to condition states etc

b) There are key visual indicators entirely absent, or almost impossible to see. Putting floating healthbars above players might “ruin the immersion” and encourage “playing the UI”, but the current system makes it impossible to work out when your teammates need heals. I know, this isn’t a holy trinity game, but still… it’s important information which is absent from GW2 but present in other MMOs.

c) ANet sell cosmetics which mean visual identification of classes requires examination of the GUI. The recent royal guard outfit (which btw is odd on Asura – looks like I’ve got a window on my forehead) and other outfits force a player to either look at player character ability use or the icon next to the player’s name to work out what’s going on.

So, given that ANet’s commitment to “play the game, not the UI” is patchy at best, could we please have the basic MMO UI functions such as healthbars so we can play better? We can of course use VOIP (and do in WvW) to work out when heals are required, but this information shouldn’t be hidden because some designer has a kitten for not having a visible UI.

Also, can we please cut cosmetic crap like wings from “competitive” game modes? As it is, in a WvW situation 4-5 players with large models and wings blocks the view to the extent that you’re reduced to counting name badges to work out zerg size. If we’re supposed to be able to play without referring to the UI, at least make it possible for us to see the kittening thing.

Yeah it’s kind of a sad state of affairs. Especially the whole “a bunch of effects means you can’t see kitten” problem. I’ve asked about it and complained about it in many forms but nothing’s changed.

Yup. Surprised more people aren’t reaching the point where the inanity isn’t obvious.

I love my wings and would like to keep it, thanks. Otherwise what’s the point of wearing them?

Somehow I immediately remember some nasty Veterans or Champs on the Cursed Shore. When they get ready to fire an absolutely killing attack – there is some notification over the target head. Or at least people say so, for in the zerg running around you never see it. As a result – always many people on the ground.

SupahSpankeh.8452:

but the current system makes it impossible to work out when your teammates need heals

oh lala…so much l2p, sorry to say that. a) you can unhide character pictures in your party list – that way it almost looks like a generic mmorpg raid bar and b) with just 10 people voice communication is still easy. Ever played GW1? “oh shait, spaitful on 6!” and off it was. Ofc in GW2 that requires more intelligent positioning and battlefield awareness. Which is good.

I really don’t see those UI issues a big deal at all.

SupahSpankeh.8452:

Yup. Surprised more people aren’t reaching the point where the inanity isn’t obvious.

Mostly maybe because they are afraid that all those ubergamers call them
noobs .. and “learn to dodge” .. because all those players out there can simply
dodge everything every time .. they either have no problems seeing through
the clutter .. or don’t need it

Oh .. and this :

Hylgeriak.8250:

so much l2p, sorry to say that.

Well I’ve seen multiple threads about reducing the amount of particles. There is even a setting in game that apparently does nothing.

As for cosmetics, simply making it so everything is affected by the character detail settings would solve all problems with huge skins.

I don’t know, having played other actionRPGs that have health bars, it’s still hard to tell what’s going on half the time due to effect spam, and that’s really ok. This is not a game about burst healing when people’s health is low, just keep yourself alive and pump out AoE heals whenever you’re able. “Not playing the UI” means not staring at bars going down and jamming the heal button when one of them drops below 25%, it means that even people who intend to heal just have to roll with the bosses moves and throw out heals as they’re able.

All I care is that when bosses have moves that must be dodged, that they communicate those moves with crystal clear indicators, and that these indicators are not used on tiny effects that can just be face-tanked.

Know What Cannot Be Known

What’s the problem? Just dodge when you see the visual attack cues you can’t see beneath the blinding layers of cosmetic bling and particle effects that completely obscure most bosses, even with “Effects LOD” checked and particle effects supposedly reduced.

Health is easy to gauge: if a player character is on the ground shouting “help me!” with a downed icon over their head, their health is low. If they stop moving altogether, they’re dead. Be sure to help them before any of that happens!

As for identifying classes, it’s easy as pie. If you see a character wearing, say, the Royal Guard outfit, that means he or she is definitely a Guardian, Warrior, Engineer, Ranger, Thief, Elementalist, Mesmer or Necromancer. Yes, it really is that simple.

So you see? No problems. No problems at all.

Majic.4801:

Know What Cannot Be Known

What’s the problem? Just dodge when you see the visual attack cues you can’t see beneath the blinding layers of cosmetic bling and particle effects that completely obscure most bosses, even with “Effects LOD” checked and particle effects supposedly reduced.

Health is easy to gauge: if a player character is on the ground shouting “help me!” with a downed icon over their head, their health is low. If they stop moving altogether, they’re dead. Be sure to help them before any of that happens!

As for identifying classes, it’s easy as pie. If you see a character wearing, say, the Royal Guard outfit, that means he or she is definitely a Guardian, Warrior, Engineer, Ranger, Thief, Elementalist, Mesmer or Necromancer. Yes, it really is that simple.

So you see? No problems. No problems at all.

^ Mostly this .. aaaannnnd .. a good player can dodge even with no monitor
attached to his PC because the game is sooo easy

While this is a game and is designed to fulfil certain criteria, I’d like to momentarily play devil’s advocate.

Wings, legendary effects, outfits, overlapping ability/spell effects, etc., all happen in a magical fantasy setting and by virtue of that fact any visual impairment owed to these effects is an emergent immersive quality.

Like smoke from musket fire obscuring soldiers in a Napoleonic setting game might.

/devilsadvocate

OP, I support this post.

You forgot to mention gratuitous particle effects which obscure literally everything but the UI with no functional scaling or hiding option

Anet, I really like this game.
I also really hate the lack of functional particle hiders, and basic UI stuff like a side hotbar for consumables.

dace.8019:

While this is a game and is designed to fulfil certain criteria, I’d like to momentarily play devil’s advocate.

Wings, legendary effects, outfits, overlapping ability/spell effects, etc., all happen in a magical fantasy setting and by virtue of that fact any visual impairment owed to these effects is an emergent immersive quality.

Like smoke from musket fire obscuring soldiers in a Napoleonic setting game might.

/devilsadvocate

Well tbh I prefer this to how GW1 was. People really did play the UI.

I’m not gonna say Anet didn’t go too far though. Most ridiculous extremes they’ve gone to are reactions to mistakes in GW1. They need to find a balance in a lot of cases.