Guild Wars 2

(spoilers ahead)

Zephyrite’s ships have crashed, and Morning just died in front of Marjory. Obviously, that’s the best time for Marjory to check if her hair looks alright!

Marjory’s sister is dead, and Kasmeer is delivering the sad news to the rest of the team. Must not be such a big deal, though, as she’s casually stretching herself.

Usually I’m the last person to complain about immersion in video games, but default idle animations like these were designed to make characters look attractive and somewhat “hot”. So it’s not at all surprising that it looks utterly jarring in completely inappropriate situations, which we have a lot (and will have more every 2 weeks) in the new LS S2.

I suggest adding another “neutral” set of animations for all races and genders (at least females) which can be used in story instances and similar situations. As a semi-solution, this set may even be a part of the usual animation with the most “casual” parts cut out.

Nothing to add here, I just simply agree

I completely agree and the NPCs are obviously using the same animations that all characters have. So I would suggest that a “serious adventurer” version of idle animations be added for all characters which the developers can choose for serious NPCs. The upside is that those of us who prefer our characters to be serious adventurers could also choose that set of animations for our Player Characters as well!

In addition to idle animations, the NPC comments that they make when you click on them are also inappropriate. Several times I am asked to talk to Marjory in both Episodes and she makes provocative comments each time.

On a related note, when I received my reward after Belinda died and I’m feeling sad watching Kas and Jory cry, there goes my character:

<cue maniacal laughter> Mine, alll mine!

I actually cringed.

Yeah, I hope they find a way to turn off the idle animation for those NPCs and then maybe replace it with more scripted movements.

What is with the deal with one where she squirms, looks around her, and kicks around on the dirt? The female humans do it a lot.

they did the same thing in GW1, instead of having animations appropriate to the situation all they used are basic animations.
i would actually like to see an option for more animations, not just idle but also walking/running ones. (not just NPC’s but also players)

take the running animation of the sylvari for instance, it’s like they can’t get forward without swinging their arms like an idiot…

sorudo.9054:

they did the same thing in GW1, instead of having animations appropriate to the situation all they used are basic animations.
i would actually like to see an option for more animations, not just idle but also walking/running ones. (not just NPC’s but also players)

take the running animation of the sylvari for instance, it’s like they can’t get forward without swinging their arms like an idiot…

Yep, Sylvari are children instead of serious adventurers. If there were two sets of character animations, “common” NPCs could have the current animations and “serious adventurer” NPCs and PCs could have the more serious animations.

Djinn.9245:

In addition to idle animations, the NPC comments that they make when you click on them are also inappropriate. Several times I am asked to talk to Marjory in both Episodes and she makes provocative comments each time.

I don’t remember a single time these random phrases from any NPC actually made sense in the context. Maybe they should be constrained to race cities only.

sorudo.9054:

take the running animation of the sylvari for instance, it’s like they can’t get forward without swinging their arms like an idiot…

I like the running animation, it’s cute and I like my chraracter being cute. What I do not like though is the animation for running with a sword (or dual swords) – it’s really lame and makes me want to facepalm every time I see it. Seriously, it’s more of skiing then running with an unsheathed weapon.

It would be neat if they did do separate animations for more serious npcs or at least when the story calls for it. Or they could at least turn off those animations for those specific characters. But yeah, I agree with you Op.

sorudo.9054:

take the running animation of the sylvari for instance, it’s like they can’t get forward without swinging their arms like an idiot…

I like the Sylvari running animation the way it is. It’s probably my most favorite out of the races.

Zalani.9827:

sorudo.9054:

take the running animation of the sylvari for instance, it’s like they can’t get forward without swinging their arms like an idiot…

I like the Sylvari running animation the way it is. It’s probably my most favorite out of the races.

to me it’s the worst and i can’t stand the charr run, that’s saying plenty.
with weapons they are not that bad, without they just look idiotic like a failed experiment.

I don’t know if anyone ever did the personal story where “that guy with the dog” dies.. and Debs (possible player sister if you picked the option) is just idly stretching.

I laughed and then promptly wished she had died instead of that guy with the dog.

It’s not just the movements, it’s their ambient dialogue. All of the biconics have some ambient dialogue that triggers in certain circumstances (I think it’s when they sheath their weapons or when you click on them) and some of them are very immersion breaking for the moment. I know one of my run-throughs where Morning died Marjory said one of her flirty lines (I think it was sugar or something like that) another time Kasmeer says her post-combat line which didn’t fit the scenario.

Sweetblue Huntress.9856:

On a related note, when I received my reward after Belinda died and I’m feeling sad watching Kas and Jory cry, there goes my character:

<cue maniacal laughter> Mine, alll mine!

I actually cringed.

Same here, the whole sad scene played out… my character remaining appropriately and stoically silent… Kasmeer looks at me as i clikc on her to try and say something, and then I come up with:

“YOU CAN NEVER HAVE TOO MUCH TREASURE!”

I laughed, then felt a little guilty.

sorudo.9054:

they did the same thing in GW1, instead of having animations appropriate to the situation all they used are basic animations.
i would actually like to see an option for more animations, not just idle but also walking/running ones. (not just NPC’s but also players)

take the running animation of the sylvari for instance, it’s like they can’t get forward without swinging their arms like an idiot…

But that’s how I run IRL…

PopeUrban.2578:

Sweetblue Huntress.9856:

On a related note, when I received my reward after Belinda died and I’m feeling sad watching Kas and Jory cry, there goes my character:

<cue maniacal laughter> Mine, alll mine!

I actually cringed.

Same here, the whole sad scene played out… my character remaining appropriately and stoically silent… Kasmeer looks at me as i clikc on her to try and say something, and then I come up with:

“YOU CAN NEVER HAVE TOO MUCH TREASURE!”

I laughed, then felt a little guilty.

All I could come up with was.. “Soooo… about that sword. Could I have it? What..? Too soon?”—On a related note, I really liked the cutscene itself though, there was a good amount of custom animations in it which was really nice to see, so good job to whoever did that cutscene. Keep the cutscenes coming, yay for cutscenes!

Absconditus.6804:

PopeUrban.2578:

Sweetblue Huntress.9856:

On a related note, when I received my reward after Belinda died and I’m feeling sad watching Kas and Jory cry, there goes my character:

<cue maniacal laughter> Mine, alll mine!

I actually cringed.

Same here, the whole sad scene played out… my character remaining appropriately and stoically silent… Kasmeer looks at me as i clikc on her to try and say something, and then I come up with:

“YOU CAN NEVER HAVE TOO MUCH TREASURE!”

I laughed, then felt a little guilty.

All I could come up with was.. “Soooo… about that sword. Could I have it? What..? Too soon?”—On a related note, I really liked the cutscene itself though, there was a good amount of custom animations in it which was really nice to see, so good job to whoever did that cutscene. Keep the cutscenes coming, yay for cutscenes!

You misunderstand sir. My character literally said those exact words without my prompting him to do so (because he looted a rare from the reward) It’s one of the male human “rare loot” voice lines.

I have to agree. Even someone like me that’s not especially into immersion finds the sensuous stretching and idle dirt kicking jarring and inappropriate during these scenes.

Totally on board with separate animations, though between those and the idle quotes/default response, I find the speech much more intrusive. Can’t stand it when, in the midst of some epic discovery, one of them pipes up with an obnoxiously cheery “What can I do for you?”

I found it funny that I once saw Scarlet smiling and doing the female Sylvari animation of looking like their high and seeing the world.

I agree, but I think that Kasmeer had a custom animation when she was confronting Marjory when her sis died. Like she was in shock, with both hands over her mouth. So that’s a step in the right direction, I guess?

The separate idle animations is a good idea and would help the story telling a lot honestly.
It could even be extended to the player by tying it to the personality system they have making the animations which fit who/what the character is supposed to be like.

http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Personality

Would really make all the characters feel like they had a lot more depth personally as well as improving story telling/immersion.

a pielord.3127:

The separate idle animations is a good idea and would help the story telling a lot honestly.
It could even be extended to the player by tying it to the personality system they have making the animations which fit who/what the character is supposed to be like.

http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Personality

Would really make all the characters feel like they had a lot more depth personally as well as improving story telling/immersion.

+1000 to this. I want to feel noble, kitten!

a pielord.3127:

http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Personality

Yeah, why did they ever add this in the first place? They never used it. So bizarre.

But anyway +1 to this thread. Also +1 to how much I giggled at some of the posts.

All these people were murdered on the Zephyrite ship!
Hey sugar~

sazberryftw.3809:

a pielord.3127:

http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Personality

Yeah, why did they ever add this in the first place? They never used it. So bizarre.

But anyway +1 to this thread. Also +1 to how much I giggled at some of the posts.

All these people were murdered on the Zephyrite ship!
Hey sugar~

It got “iterated out” basically.

They wanted it to be a much more important part of the character, for instance opening dialogue options or special vendors (and it did in some places) but they likely decided that it was too much work/balancing to make it as meaningful/fair as they wanted, or that it felt more like a ‘stat to track’ that took away a percieved element of player choice (e.g. if you know you want you character to be charming, you’d always feel like you had to take the charming option or lose the “charming” options.)

I’ll admit I did this a lot, every time I had an alignment altering option I always checked my character sheet and too the one that kept my balance at scoundrel, despite not really getting anything meaningful for being a scoundrel.

PopeUrban.2578:

(e.g. if you know you want you character to be charming, you’d always feel like you had to take the charming option or lose the “charming” options.)

Yes I always did this too. They should use this feature for a slightly less time-consuming idea. Kinda like I wish your choice of Order effected your dialogue in some way.

there are two things that could improve how your character is while making them unique, i do have to say they are things that are quite time consuming.

1.) choose and alter voice tone/pitch
i see so many ppl complain that their character just feels like the next one and i agree, this has to do with the voice your character has.
if i make 3 human characters of the same gender it doesn’t matter what happens, they are practically the same character in an alternate universe.

if we could change how our character talks and sounds it makes for a whole different level of uniqueness, it really makes you feel that you are playing a different character and you can adjust it according to the lore you added your self on the character.
i ones made a child engineer, she was suppose to be a prodigy being that she is as smart as a young asura, totally uncommon for a human.
when i played that character she didn’t even reach the lvl 15, the voice is just to grown up and heavy but if i could adjust the voice i would’ve given her a younger voice to fit.

2.) more PS options in CCS
when i was making my main character i already made quite a huge lore for her, the choices however doesn’t fit my character even a bit.
her parents died a loooooooong time ago by age, she is a lone child and the circus is the last thing on her mind.
i would suggest a forth choice that doesn’t ruin anyones lore, something like that your character ones saved someone you shouldn’t have or you were exploring an ancient cave and activated something by accident.

it’s lore for your character but it doesn’t add anything from your past, only a recent past experience.
that’s why the norn PS choices are better, it focuses on something that happened not so long ago.

so yeah, we really need some changes in the PS and character to improve the personality of our character, a character should be something you want to keep close to you not something you can easily ignore.

PopeUrban.2578:

Absconditus.6804:

PopeUrban.2578:

Sweetblue Huntress.9856:

On a related note, when I received my reward after Belinda died and I’m feeling sad watching Kas and Jory cry, there goes my character:

<cue maniacal laughter> Mine, alll mine!

I actually cringed.

Same here, the whole sad scene played out… my character remaining appropriately and stoically silent… Kasmeer looks at me as i clikc on her to try and say something, and then I come up with:

“YOU CAN NEVER HAVE TOO MUCH TREASURE!”

I laughed, then felt a little guilty.

All I could come up with was.. “Soooo… about that sword. Could I have it? What..? Too soon?”—On a related note, I really liked the cutscene itself though, there was a good amount of custom animations in it which was really nice to see, so good job to whoever did that cutscene. Keep the cutscenes coming, yay for cutscenes!

You misunderstand sir. My character literally said those exact words without my prompting him to do so (because he looted a rare from the reward) It’s one of the male human “rare loot” voice lines.

You misunderstand, sir. I understood your character stated this. That is what I said though.

Definitely agree with the suggestion of being able to have different types of animations, whether as a toggleable option, tied to the personality system, or something that I can reasonably alter. It gets tiring how I’m always supposed to have some air of cuteness or sexiness. Who the heck would normally sit like female characters do?

Sweetblue Huntress.9856:

On a related note, when I received my reward after Belinda died and I’m feeling sad watching Kas and Jory cry, there goes my character:

<cue maniacal laughter> Mine, alll mine!

I actually cringed.

To be fair, there are enough players salivating over Belinda’s sword that this would work perfectly if they received it.

Seems they fixed this problem for all player characters too.

good work complainer of minor stuff

They confirmed that the missing idle animations was a bug.

I totally agree with this but it isn’t limited to just the new living story. It’s been around since the beginning.