Guild Wars 2

I wasn’t sure where to post this so I’m posting it here!

Cancelling things in this game with escape is very useful for some specific things that stow weapon will not cancel, and I myself have a habit of using escape for cancelling most things anyways.

My problem is that sometimes I’ll lose target to stealth or something other randomly when I’m trying to cancel my spell, or detarget, or any other function the escape key does and then I’ll hit escape and the menu will come up. This typically isn’t a problem in other games cause then I just hit escape again and all is well. In this game unfortunately escape removing the menu screen is the last on the priority list.

The menu screen is small and I often will just target and start a new spell before I notice I have the menu screen in my face. And then the problem arises that I have to hit escape 3 times to finally remove the menu screen from the screen because of the priority list.

What I mean is this: Say I have a target, a spell channeling, and the escape menu screen up all at once. The first time I hit escape will cancel my channeling spell, the second time I hit escape will de-target, and then finally the last escape will remove the menu screen.

This priority list needs the menu screen on the top of it rather than the bottom. It’s very awkward to have escape effect the rest of the game while you have a menu screen in your face.

Playing a sound when the menu screen is brought up/removed would also help clarify to me what is happening. I’ll hit escape 1 too many times often because I’m not sure how many times I need to hit escape and the menu will just come back up.

EDIT: This is already in the post but some people seem to be overlooking it so I’ll put it here so maybe those who like to not read the actual post can maybe be more aware. I’m aware stow weapon is in the game. The escape key can do things that stow weapon cannot.

Use “Stow/Draw Weapons” instead of escape.

Gakeman.5296:

Use “Stow/Draw Weapons” instead of escape.

Sounds like you didn’t even read the first part of my post.

They need to simply have a self-interrupt button that can be bound to something of your choosing, so you don’t need to use Escape for in-combat purposes. Although yes they could do a work around, its silly that they don’t just give us an interrupt button when we’re already doing it ourselves.

Interrupt and drop target bind that doesn’t open the escape menu plz

move menu to F12 – Problem solved

Prysin.8542:

move menu to F12 – Problem solved

I don’t see this in the “Control Options” “User Interface” section anywhere. If there is a way to remove opening the menu from the escape button please someone tell me exactly how.

I think there’s a menu option somewhere for turn off escape for menu

Moobs.8231:

I think there’s a menu option somewhere for turn off escape for menu

I searched for something like that for about 5 minutes and I didn’t find it. I’m known to be blind to things right in front of me if someone wants to point me in the right direction though.

it seems like you are unaware of the stow weapon function.
by default, it is not bind to any key.
i bind mine to the X key

press F11
Control Options (left side bar most bottom mouse icon)
scroll all the way down
check under Miscellaneous
find Stow / Draw Weapons

set a key that you are comfortable with.
i use X

for me, pressing the X key (bind to Stow / Draw Weapons function) is the same effect as pressing escape to cancel, without calling up the kitten menu buttons that block the game.

are we clear now?

Phantaram.1265:

I wasn’t sure where to post this so I’m posting it here!

Cancelling things in this game with escape is very useful for some specific things that sheath weapon will not cancel, and I myself have a habit of using escape for cancelling most things anyways.

My problem is that sometimes I’ll lose target to stealth or something other randomly when I’m trying to cancel my spell and then I’ll hit escape and the menu will come up. This typically isn’t a problem in other games cause then I just hit escape again and all is well. In this game unfortunately escape removing the menu screen is the last on the priority list.

The menu screen is small and I often will just target and start a new spell before I notice I have the menu screen in my face. And then the problem arises that I have to hit escape 3 times to finally remove the menu screen from the screen because of the priority list.

What I mean is this: Say I have a target, a spell channeling, and the escape menu screen up all at once. The first time I hit escape will cancel my channeling spell, the second time I hit escape will de-target, and then finally the last escape will remove the menu screen.

This priority list needs the menu screen on the top of it rather than the bottom. It’s very awkward to have escape effect the rest of the game while you have a menu screen in your face.

Playing a sound when the menu screen is brought up/removed would also help clarify to me what is happening. I’ll hit escape 1 too many times often because I’m not sure how many times I need to hit escape and the menu will just come back up.

Dodge rolling cancels things too

Deimos Tel Arin.7391:

it seems like you are unaware of the stow weapon function.
by default, it is not bind to any key.
i bind mine to the X key

press F11
Control Options (left side bar most bottom mouse icon)
scroll all the way down
check under Miscellaneous
find Stow / Draw Weapons

set a key that you are comfortable with.
i use X

for me, pressing the X key (bind to Stow / Draw Weapons function) is the same effect as pressing escape to cancel, without calling up the kitten menu buttons that block the game.

are we clear now?

Phantaram.1265:

I wasn’t sure where to post this so I’m posting it here!

Cancelling things in this game with escape is very useful for some specific things that sheath weapon will not cancel, and I myself have a habit of using escape for cancelling most things anyways.

My problem is that sometimes I’ll lose target to stealth or something other randomly when I’m trying to cancel my spell and then I’ll hit escape and the menu will come up. This typically isn’t a problem in other games cause then I just hit escape again and all is well. In this game unfortunately escape removing the menu screen is the last on the priority list.

The menu screen is small and I often will just target and start a new spell before I notice I have the menu screen in my face. And then the problem arises that I have to hit escape 3 times to finally remove the menu screen from the screen because of the priority list.

What I mean is this: Say I have a target, a spell channeling, and the escape menu screen up all at once. The first time I hit escape will cancel my channeling spell, the second time I hit escape will de-target, and then finally the last escape will remove the menu screen.

This priority list needs the menu screen on the top of it rather than the bottom. It’s very awkward to have escape effect the rest of the game while you have a menu screen in your face.

Playing a sound when the menu screen is brought up/removed would also help clarify to me what is happening. I’ll hit escape 1 too many times often because I’m not sure how many times I need to hit escape and the menu will just come back up.

Sounds like you also didn’t read the first part of my post.

There are things the escape key can do that stow weapon cannot.

Phaeton.9582:

Dodge rolling cancels things too

ah yes, but that one burns a precious dodge.
i use the stow / draw weapons as advised by others before.

Phaeton.9582:

Dodge rolling cancels things too

Going into downed state does the same too btw

Avead.5760:

Phaeton.9582:

Dodge rolling cancels things too

Going into downed state does the same too btw

So does relogging

But in all seriousness I do roll sometimes to cancel the ‘unstowable’ stuff phanta is describing. Esportz.

oh i didn’t realize Phantaram was talking about some skills that even stow / draw weapon would not cancel.

what skills are those?

Deimos Tel Arin.7391:

what skills are those?

all kit skills on engie and conjured weapon skills on ele, and I think some utilities if you cast them with weapons already stowed but I’m not sure about that
there’s probably some more too

pOmf.5216:

Deimos Tel Arin.7391:

what skills are those?

all kit skills on engie and conjured weapon skills on ele, and I think some utilities if you cast them with weapons already stowed but I’m not sure about that
there’s probably some more too

ah i see. thanks for sharing!
i do not play engi / ele much in sPvP so i dun really know about those issues.

Downstate abilities as well (for example, when a thief shadow refuges me and I’m mid cast) but having a menu screen in front of you in downstate isn’t as big of a deal as mid fight.

Phaeton.9582:

Avead.5760:

Phaeton.9582:

Dodge rolling cancels things too

Going into downed state does the same too btw

So does relogging

But in all seriousness I do roll sometimes to cancel the ‘unstowable’ stuff phanta is describing. Esportz.

Done it with fiery greatswords #1 too many times haha.

perhaps a new function that cancels skill activation that can be bind to a key would be a good fix?

at the moment, the stow / draw weapon can cancel weapon skills but conjured weapon skills / engineer kit weapon skills seems cannot be canceled by such.

or make it such that the stow / draw weapon function can also cancel those skill activation?

Esc opening menu is annoying indeed.

In some games there is menu option to “disable open menu on ESC”. That would be good QOL improvement in GW2 also.

I’ve been thinking there should be a “cancel action” button too. It allows players to do so much more. I remember once I was watching a GW1 tournament match (don’t remember which guilds, I think one was [Evil]), and a ranger had been sent to kill the other team’s flag runner, who was a warrior. The warrior was really low, but if he could cast his healing signet he would make it back to the flagstand. The warrior player knew that the ranger had two interrupts on his skillbar, and knew that if his signet got interrupted he would die. What followed was probably the most intense few seconds of e-sports I ever saw, as the two faced each other in a standoff, the warrior repeatedly casting and cancelling the cast on his signet, trying to draw the ranger’s interrupt, until eventually, he saw it happen, cancelled just in time for his signet not to be caught by it, and immediately recast with no fear of being interrupted.

Bhawb.7408:

They need to simply have a self-interrupt button that can be bound to something of your choosing, so you don’t need to use Escape for in-combat purposes. Although yes they could do a work around, its silly that they don’t just give us an interrupt button when we’re already doing it ourselves.

They did have this in gw1….so yet another feature from gw1 not implemented within gw2.

+1 for a keybind for selfinterrupt

(btw on engi most of the kitskills can be interrupted by switch weapon(which drops the kit). But ofc that wont work for conjured weapon skills because you would lose the weapon and it also wont work for downstate abilitys)

I never cancel my skills really. I am sure there is a tiny tiny difference. But the extra you gain from this is probably lost by having that extra keybind on twitch

Lordrosicky.5813:

I never cancel my skills really. I am sure there is a tiny tiny difference. But the extra you gain from this is probably lost by having that extra keybind on twitch

Yeah no need to cancel your skills .Its only a tiny tiny difference indeed..
Only maybe a sec worth of downtime on each atuoattack ,or double healing rate by autoattacking ,or avoiding losing high casting time skills to blinds/blocks/immunities/los..
Its definately something someone that claims to be at the top should definately afford to skip learning

Avead.5760:

Lordrosicky.5813:

I never cancel my skills really. I am sure there is a tiny tiny difference. But the extra you gain from this is probably lost by having that extra keybind on twitch

Yeah no need to cancel your skills .Its only a tiny tiny difference indeed..
Only maybe a sec worth of downtime on each atuoattack ,or double healing rate by autoattacking ,or avoiding losing high casting time skills to blinds/blocks/immunities/los..
Its definately something someone that claims to be at the top should definately afford to skip learning

Do I claim to be “at the top”. Please enlighten me about this?

As for just attacking me, you must have a great life.

Other than that great post

They need a bindable button like smite has to cancel skills. After starting smite last nite, I have to wonder why people bother.

A keybind that officially self-interrupts (like people use stow weapon for) would be best honestly.

However, I do wonder if having skills be self-interrupt-able for a shorter CD should be a thing, as it does remove some counterplay. If you are fast enough with magnet-pull or earthquake, for-instance, you can ALWAYS cancel it (with swap kit) and infinitely use it to bait out as many dodges as you want. Since this is kind of a must-dodge skill in most cases, that seems really silly to me. It removes the counterplay that dodging is supposed to provide, and makes the game less animation-based. Further, things like cancel-casting mesmer GS, ele lightning whip, and canceling the aftercast on certain thief skills make them problematic with an un-intended behavior. Some would argue that this raises the skill-cap, while others argue that it just adds un-necessary perplexity that rewards micro-management as opposed to focusing on play/counterplay with your opponent.

“Should skills even be cancel-able in the first place?” is a valid question to ask, imo. I would argue, yes, in many cases (such as canceling down-state or channeled abilities when you get stealth or your target gets retal), and no in some others (like magnet-pull/earthquake that removes the counterplay of dodging). Perhaps self-cancelled skills should go on a longer cooldown? Also, just make things like mesmer GS and ele lightning-whip have their intended damage over the full-time of their abilities and get rid of the after-casts all together.

“Guys, help, s/d fresh air isn’t fast enough.”