Guild Wars 2

Llethander.3972:

The problem is that they’re not focusing on the culprit/root of the problem: I mean, just look at the size of the birds from the Ranger’s warhorn #4 skill…

That’s huge!

Daralii.8940:

The Greyhawk.9107:

You know, I still don’t get what is going through Anet’s heads. If we (or at least most of us) could figure out that its not the size of the projectile but the splash particles that causes this so called “visual noise”, why couldn’t Arenanet? I don’t get how they can look at things like the auras as being in need of “adjustment” when they don’t contribute to at all to visual clutter. Why does any of these seem like a good idea to anyone?

Because the changes were specifically targeted at gameplay where that doesn’t come into play. It’s purely for esports; Colin said as much in a blog post earlier this year.

But that still doesn’t make sense, minimizing visual effects should make it harder on the esports bullkitten. Viewers will have even more trouble seeing what happening on screen, especially in regards to the auras. I can hardly see the aura zoomed in on my own character, how can a spectator tell?

The Greyhawk.9107:

Daralii.8940:

The Greyhawk.9107:

You know, I still don’t get what is going through Anet’s heads. If we (or at least most of us) could figure out that its not the size of the projectile but the splash particles that causes this so called “visual noise”, why couldn’t Arenanet? I don’t get how they can look at things like the auras as being in need of “adjustment” when they don’t contribute to at all to visual clutter. Why does any of these seem like a good idea to anyone?

Because the changes were specifically targeted at gameplay where that doesn’t come into play. It’s purely for esports; Colin said as much in a blog post earlier this year.

But that still doesn’t make sense, minimizing visual effects should make it harder on the esports bullkitten. Viewers will have even more trouble seeing what happening on screen, especially in regards to the auras. I can hardly see the aura zoomed in on my own character, how can a spectator tell?

Maybe this is all an April Fool’s joke and they got it in too early..

Zoltar MacRoth.7146:

The Greyhawk.9107:

Daralii.8940:

The Greyhawk.9107:

You know, I still don’t get what is going through Anet’s heads. If we (or at least most of us) could figure out that its not the size of the projectile but the splash particles that causes this so called “visual noise”, why couldn’t Arenanet? I don’t get how they can look at things like the auras as being in need of “adjustment” when they don’t contribute to at all to visual clutter. Why does any of these seem like a good idea to anyone?

Because the changes were specifically targeted at gameplay where that doesn’t come into play. It’s purely for esports; Colin said as much in a blog post earlier this year.

But that still doesn’t make sense, minimizing visual effects should make it harder on the esports bullkitten. Viewers will have even more trouble seeing what happening on screen, especially in regards to the auras. I can hardly see the aura zoomed in on my own character, how can a spectator tell?

Maybe this is all an April Fool’s joke and they got it in too early..

Honestly, that seems to be the only thing that would make sense with this disaster.

I miss some of the insane visual effects. I know why people want things toned down, but obviously lots of us are disappointed with the way the changes were implemented. Maybe a toggle or slider for particle and VFX would be better, because the mandatory toning down of particle effects does have an effect on how much fun one can have with their character. You don’t feel as powerful.

I don’t hold out much hope of getting an answer on the weekend, but it would be very nice to get some official response to this issue. We’re concerned not only that the issue won’t be resolved, but also that it will get worse, as this is part of an ongoing plan.

I sure wish someone had the intestinal fortitude to post here instead of other forums.

Flood Control? I have to wait 5 minutes between post! More like Damage Control.

In Colin’s post they said they wanted to add FX sliders, so why have they implemented these changes now? Should have waited and been launched with the slider!

John.8507:

In Colin’s post they said they wanted to add FX sliders, so why have they implemented these changes now? Should have waited and been launched with the slider!

As you said, if graphics options were intended, they would have released it on November 17th when making the visual changes. On Reddit, Colin basically admitted it would make sense to give us options for full or partial special effects and maybe they would revisit that at some point, but there is no absolute YES or NO answer as to if ArenaNet will ever grant it to us.

It is very poor customer service and business suicide to ignore a simple inquiry from paying clients. All many of us want is a definite YES or NO answer.

Does anybody remember before this game was released on the official website under the class previews they had short 5-30 second videos of certain abilities/spells??? I remember watching them and linking them to a friend of mine and it made us both preorder the game. If you had shown me the new fireball, auras, and all the other god awful changes they’ve made since release I’m sure I would have had a different feeling.

How bout that?

It’s more than just compelling gameplay that makes people want to play a game, let’s not forget that. In fact I cannot play Rift because of the generic animations, even though the game has incredible depth to its combat and class system.

Surian.3946:

Does anybody remember before this game was released on the official website under the class previews they had short 5-30 second videos of certain abilities/spells??? I remember watching them and linking them to a friend of mine and it made us both preorder the game.

Yeah, I know the feeling very well. After all the hype & previews of the Heart of Thorns Elite profession powers for months (I was especially excited about the Chronomancer’s time-bending effects), my wife and I immediately pre-ordered two HoT Ultimate Editions for a whopping $200 USD.

I only got to enjoy my Chronomancer about a week before the Nov 17th patch destroyed her visual appeal in addition to trashing all of my other professions effects graphics. Can anyone see why I am extremely upset? The lack of a response just makes it worse. I guess ArenaNet doesn’t care since they already collected everyone’s money for HoT.

Some of the visual reduction I don’t mind too much but some others are kind of ridiculous. For instance I can barely tell if I have an aura on me or not. The outline of it is SO tiny. This makes it difficult also to tell if enemies have an aura applied to them also. Especially the fractal boss for the Dredge. You can barely tell if you got him with the lava bucket or not cause his aura is almost invisible.

I hope there’s an answer tomorrow – need to keep this on the front page.

Jax.4903:

Surian.3946:

Does anybody remember before this game was released on the official website under the class previews they had short 5-30 second videos of certain abilities/spells??? I remember watching them and linking them to a friend of mine and it made us both preorder the game.

Yeah, I know the feeling very well. After all the hype & previews of the Heart of Thorns Elite profession powers for months (I was especially excited about the Chronomancer’s time-bending effects), my wife and I immediately pre-ordered two HoT Ultimate Editions for a whopping $200 USD.

I got only got to enjoy my Chronomancer about a week before the Nov 17th patch destroyed her visual appeal in addition to trashing all of my other professions effects graphics. Can anyone see why I am extremely upset? The lack of a response just makes it worse. I guess ArenaNet doesn’t care since they already collected everyone’s money for HoT.

This might just go beyond false advertisement. Anet knew it was using these visuals to boost sales, and If Anet knew these visual changes were going to be implemented before the release of Hot then it’s was premeditated and that is now fraud. I would demand a full refund.

My Poor Elle the fire skills and aura’ so horrible now. This is all on max settings

“need to keep this on the front page.”

Still waiting for them to disclose if this kittening s*** is permanent or if they plan to implement an option for visual “clutter” in the future, or not.

I’m gonna give it at most till the next big update. If this hasn’t been resolved by then I’m gonna be freeing some major space from my SSD, even if regretfully. /sigh.

I was throwing fireballs yesterday in the midst of a battle and the only way I could tell I was throwing them was the damage numbers appearing on the target. They were lost amongst all the other visuals. Then again, maybe I wasn’t actually hitting the target and he was laughing himself to death.

@ Zoltar MacRoth Ino man, but it’s not just fireball that’s hard to see. Aura’s too got hit hard by the nerf. Not only do they look stupid with the new “egg” shape (Imho) but they are also pretty hard to see/spot and tell alike :/.

/sigh, R.I.P frost aura :V

Come to think of it, if the entire point of reducing ….shudder…. “visual noise” .. is to allow players to know what a monster is about to do, why not let the effects stay and have an announcer at each boss tell you what he’s going to do, as Teq does. Or are the other world bosses too cheap to get a personal announcer?

Zoltar MacRoth.7146:

I was throwing fireballs yesterday in the midst of a battle and the only way I could tell I was throwing them was the damage numbers appearing on the target. They were lost amongst all the other visuals. Then again, maybe I wasn’t actually hitting the target and he was laughing himself to death.

hahaha! I can see this actually happening..

Which is why I was playing my recently finished level 80 Revenant this weekend.

Zoltar MacRoth.7146:

Come to think of it, if the entire point of reducing ….shudder…. “visual noise” .. is to allow players to know what a monster is about to do, why not let the effects stay and have an announcer at each boss tell you what he’s going to do, as Teq does. Or are the other world bosses too cheap to get a personal announcer?

Downsizing is likely the culprit.

That audio clutter we spoke of pages ago. They’ll never implement it now!

btw, my newest 80 is my first non-Sylvari. I’m hearing a whole new range of audio spam, and I never thought it’d be kind of refreshing, but looting stuff is hilarious with a human female!

Phandemonium.5013:

Still waiting for them to disclose if this kittening s*** is permanent or if they plan to implement an option for visual “clutter” in the future, or not.

I’m gonna give it at most till the next big update. If this hasn’t been resolved by then I’m gonna be freeing some major space from my SSD, even if regretfully. /sigh.

This thread is approaching 600 posts & 15,000 views, but still no response from A-Net. I really don’t think a YES (we will definitely be releasing a full/partial effects option soon) or NO (we have no plans to do so) answer is too much to ask at this point.

The thread was almost off the front page…

BUT IT REFUSED

Surian.3946:

Does anybody remember before this game was released on the official website under the class previews they had short 5-30 second videos of certain abilities/spells??? I remember watching them and linking them to a friend of mine and it made us both preorder the game. If you had shown me the new fireball, auras, and all the other god awful changes they’ve made since release I’m sure I would have had a different feeling.

How bout that?

It’s more than just compelling gameplay that makes people want to play a game, let’s not forget that. In fact I cannot play Rift because of the generic animations, even though the game has incredible depth to its combat and class system.

Agree so hard with this.

The Greyhawk.9107:

But that still doesn’t make sense, minimizing visual effects should make it harder on the esports bullkitten. Viewers will have even more trouble seeing what happening on screen, especially in regards to the auras. I can hardly see the aura zoomed in on my own character, how can a spectator tell?

On the other hand, it’s easier to see what the player with an aura applied is doing.

John.8507:

My Poor Elle the fire skills and aura’ so horrible now. This is all on max settings

This makes me want to cry so much right now…
I wish the devs would just restore the visuals and gave us the option to reduce it if we wanted to. (I know I won’t)

Please ArenaNet, Mike Obrien, Colin Johanson, anyone who is in charge, Please respond and tell us it will be restored. =( Give me hope! Give us hope!

Now that I’ve gotten over the shock of the fireballs…. I started paying attention to the auras… and it’s true. They’re practically invisible, even zoomed up close. Clearly, the force is not strong with this patch.

Well, all given I think its time to just face it, Anet is not the same company that wrote that developer manifesto years ago, they are going for esports and nothing is stopping them, they dont even have the courtesy to respond to costumer questions anymore.

What a way to lose clients just because they can simply tell their are hearing our feedback, even if it is just ignored.

Aidenwolf.5964:

Can’t optimize well so they remove the cool effects. “People hate cool looking games….” Said no one ever.

Wait, it’s better-optimized now? I didn’t notice any difference… O.o

Swift.1930:

Aidenwolf.5964:

Can’t optimize well so they remove the cool effects. “People hate cool looking games….” Said no one ever.

Wait, it’s better-optimized now? I didn’t notice any difference… O.o

It is no better optimized.

hazenvirus.8154:

Swift.1930:

Aidenwolf.5964:

Can’t optimize well so they remove the cool effects. “People hate cool looking games….” Said no one ever.

Wait, it’s better-optimized now? I didn’t notice any difference… O.o

It is no better optimized.

Sure it is. Each nerf brings us closer to the ultimate optimisation: a black screen where we use our imagination! Imagine the fps on that!!

Siobhan.5273:

btw, my newest 80 is my first non-Sylvari. I’m hearing a whole new range of audio spam, and I never thought it’d be kind of refreshing, but looting stuff is hilarious with a human female!

Humans are dreadfully boring compared to Asura. Bam! Right in the cranium!

So when will WvW see this reduction in visual noise? I’m still seeing the godawfull blocks with numbers on the nametag in WvW that serve absolutely no purpose whatsoever outside sPvP.

Undo the visual nerfs and implement sliders. I don’t care how long that takes.

Dawdler.8521:

Siobhan.5273:

btw, my newest 80 is my first non-Sylvari. I’m hearing a whole new range of audio spam, and I never thought it’d be kind of refreshing, but looting stuff is hilarious with a human female!

Humans are dreadfully boring compared to Asura. Bam! Right in the cranium!

So when will WvW see this reduction in visual noise? I’m still seeing the godawfull blocks with numbers on the nametag in WvW that serve absolutely no purpose whatsoever outside sPvP.

Same on PvE, why do this tags have to be on while they make all the noise in the rest of the game, and auras that last just a few seconds have to be butchered.

Please undo the visual nerfs. I think that is a more practical approach right now. Add options/solutions in the future.

Zoltar MacRoth.7146:

hazenvirus.8154:

Swift.1930:

Aidenwolf.5964:

Can’t optimize well so they remove the cool effects. “People hate cool looking games….” Said no one ever.

Wait, it’s better-optimized now? I didn’t notice any difference… O.o

It is no better optimized.

Sure it is. Each nerf brings us closer to the ultimate optimisation: a black screen where we use our imagination! Imagine the fps on that!!

Will bring a whole new meaning to the Black Lion Trading Company, right?
“If you can imagine it, it can be yours..”

Dawdler.8521:

Siobhan.5273:

btw, my newest 80 is my first non-Sylvari. I’m hearing a whole new range of audio spam, and I never thought it’d be kind of refreshing, but looting stuff is hilarious with a human female!

Humans are dreadfully boring compared to Asura. Bam! Right in the cranium!

So when will WvW see this reduction in visual noise? I’m still seeing the godawfull blocks with numbers on the nametag in WvW that serve absolutely no purpose whatsoever outside sPvP.

I’ll have to try an Asura next. My son keeps telling me they’re like playing Gnomes in WoW, which really was difficult at times, especially at places like The Black Morass in the Caverns of Time. You run through water, and whoops, you’re swimming! He says they’re challenging with jumping puzzles too.

Oh, and yes on the tags. More and more tags and our other stuff is being nerfed..

Could a Dev or manager respond at all? It’s been nearly 600 posts!

Zoltar MacRoth.7146:

hazenvirus.8154:

Swift.1930:

Aidenwolf.5964:

Can’t optimize well so they remove the cool effects. “People hate cool looking games….” Said no one ever.

Wait, it’s better-optimized now? I didn’t notice any difference… O.o

It is no better optimized.

Sure it is. Each nerf brings us closer to the ultimate optimisation: a black screen where we use our imagination! Imagine the fps on that!!

Ah, classic Zork revertion. First we’ll go through the Super Adventure Box graphical stage – they already hinted at that by providing it to us. Then a bit later we’ll get to Zork.

I think this should be a Visual option preference… or a PvP thing… not a PvE… I did notice the lack of visual luster in elemental’s powers… hope they fix this soon.

Haven’t read the last 150 or so posts,
but is it possible that the skills that were affected were skills they got a lot of complaints about,
yet after checking they were found to be not overpowered skills,
so they reduced the visual “Strength” of the effect of those skills?

Tumult.2578:

Haven’t read the last 150 or so posts,
but is it possible that the skills that were affected were skills they got a lot of complaints about,
yet after checking they were found to be not overpowered skills,
so they reduced the visual “Strength” of the effect of those skills?

Either way it looks horrible now.
The skills don’t have to be overpowerful to Look and FEEL Impressing…
I liked how I felt powerful even though I know some of those skills where not.
It made me appreciate using the skill I need while knowing it had an effect in combat and the effect makes you feel satisfied.

This video is a tribute to GW2’s old Visual effects for those who miss it. It shows all 9 classes killing Svanir. Just look how powerful and beautiful each skill looks like:

Tumult.2578:

Haven’t read the last 150 or so posts,
but is it possible that the skills that were affected were skills they got a lot of complaints about,
yet after checking they were found to be not overpowered skills,
so they reduced the visual “Strength” of the effect of those skills?

The main thing is that rather than adding it as a graphical option, it has become the only setting. There’s no “make things prettier/make things less messy” slider. I couldn’t care less about visual mess… I absolutely loved the awesome animations.

This was the Guild Wars 2: Heart of Thorns – E3 2015 trailer. Check out the lovely fireball being cast 2:07 minutes in..

John.8507:

Could a Dev or manager respond at all? It’s been nearly 600 posts!

Serious as a heart attack when this became a [merged] thread it became dead to them.

This is where they send the complaints to die.

Siobhan.5273:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nKnkySDrvU

This was the Guild Wars 2: Heart of Thorns – E3 2015 trailer. Check out the lovely fireball being cast 2:07 minutes in..

Ah, the marketing. Funny how it picked up sales with the fireball, eh? People didn’t look at that and say “yeah, no way I’m going to play a game with that kind of visual mess”. They paid $50+. Where’d the fireball we paid for go? =(

Aaand forum bug.

It’s great and all that the devs prefer to post on reddit but I prefer to hear from them on here. How about a little quid pro quo, anet? If you communicate here at least as much as you do on reddit, I will read reddit at least as much as I read this forum.

I wonder if Anet is thinking that if they ignore the problem, it will eventually go away.