Guild Wars 2

Earlier this year, before Heart of Thorns, many of us noticed an increase in screen loading times. Since my PC specs haven’t changed it must be something that A-Net added in an update during that time.

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.

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.

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.

TheKFDCase.7068:

I’ve already spent (too much) money on this game, it’s expansion, and various cosmetic trinkets. (The pricing for many of these are absurd, though that is a different topic.) For example, I just bought “The Witcher III” for PC for half the asking price of “Heart of Thorns”, and that game has a lot of similarities to “Guild Wars 2” and plenty of content (that I don’t have to pay extra for) to keep me busy for at least as long as GW2, if not longer.

I would like to continue playing GW2 and support Anet in making it a compelling and importantly a fun experience.

Well spoken, counselor! What say ye in your defense, ArenaNet? Nothing? As far as I am concerned, the TheKFDCase is closed. Judgement for the players.

RoRo.8270:

I mainly pvp and balance has just gotten so bad it’s not even worth playing any more. I realise no game is 100% balanced but most competitive games achieve some form of balance. Anet refuses to split pve/pvp skills so the pvp aspect of the game will never be great because of this and many other factors

Totally agree! Many great MMORPGs ceased to be fun and died because of applying PvP class balances to PvE content; they should remain separate.

Kravick.4906:

Daharahj.1325:

Actually the people who designed those dungeons left the company, so technically #2 is wrong.

This is wrong. They didn’t leave. They got laid off. AKA, ANet fired them because they no longer wanted to support dungeon content.

Granted this layoff happened in 2013, but surely a talented game designer could shift his focus from dungeons to other world content.

Oblivion.9032:

*TL;DR: This is a long post.

Wow, Oblivion, in your case TL;DR = Too Legit; kitten Right! Your comments should be a sticky… this entire topic should be a sticky!

Here’s what killed GW2 for me:
1) Nerfing rewards across the board in several ways.
2) As of the Nov 17th patch, my client is crashing & being kicked to my desktop a few times everyday (usually happens in major events like Octovine & Vinewrath).
3) The nail in the coffin, the visual nerfs to special effects (which according to Colin have nothing to do with E-Sports).

Because of the visual nerfs, I can no longer play in spite of some of my family & friends still playing GW2. Since ArenaNet is refusing to address the nerfing of special effects & to give players a graphics options for full effects, I feel I would have been better off buying a PS4 instead of the excessive gem store purchases I have made. I hope A-Net proves me wrong, but after nearly 600 complaints and 15,000 views, I highly doubt ever seeing one response from the Developers. Very sad.

TheRandomGuy.7246:

Jax.4903:

Linken.6345:

Wolfeng.3784:

Daharahj.1325:

Actually the people who designed those dungeons left the company, so technically #2 is wrong.

I’m not thanking the people that did them, but the company that hired them.
If a company loses a team responsible for one of its products, it’s their responsibility to find replacements, not throw it into a corner and pretend it never happened.

So again.

Thank you Anet for taking such good care of your product.

They dident lose them, they fired them so that kinda states they dont want to fix said content.

How do you guys know the dungeon creators quit or were fired?

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Robert_Hrouda

Thanks for the link!

Linken.6345:

Wolfeng.3784:

Daharahj.1325:

Actually the people who designed those dungeons left the company, so technically #2 is wrong.

I’m not thanking the people that did them, but the company that hired them.
If a company loses a team responsible for one of its products, it’s their responsibility to find replacements, not throw it into a corner and pretend it never happened.

So again.

Thank you Anet for taking such good care of your product.

They dident lose them, they fired them so that kinda states they dont want to fix said content.

How do you guys know the dungeon creators quit or were fired? In companies that I worked for, the management never announced terminations of employees or the reasons they were let go. Usually, you come into work and notice not only is your coworker Milton absent, but a new employee is sitting in his cubicle and using his red Swingline stapler.

Willowfalls.9814:

What Anet doesn’t seem to realize is that some things are sacred in a game like this. When players create a character and put time and money into making that character be what they want, you don’t just pull the rug out from under them….

But please, please get a clue and don’t mess with people’s characters, of which spell effect visuals are a BIG part. They’re what makes the character “feel” powerful and magical. With this silly flaming pea shooter, I feel like my character has been neutered, and it’s downright embarrassing and depressing.

Quoted for truth! This is exactly how I feel. I really don’t have a good feeling about the direction ArenaNet is taking and more troubling is their lack of any response. It makes me wonder if they care at all about their loyal customers and if we are just seen as expendable players who can be made up for with the new free-to-play numbers.

I have been playing MMORPGs since Ultima Online and have seen the rise & fall of them all, including City of Heroes, and it is sadly feeling like the beginning of the end for Guild Wars 2. I really hope ArenaNet proves my feelings wrong by rolling back all the visual nerfs prior to the Nov 17th patch and later releases an effects slider that will allow players to choose full or partial special effects.

I really don’t think it is too much to ask that we keep the effects graphics that have been in this game since it launched in August of 2012 as well as the newer elite professions artwork that made many of us pre-order Heart of Thorns the minute it became available.

At the very least, ArenaNet, give your players the dignity of a straight YES or NO answer if you are definitely soon going to restore our full special effects with graphics options or you have no plans to do. Some of us have spent a small fortune supporting GW2 with gem store purchases and multiple accounts. I really love this game and would hate to leave, but I cannot play it as is with castrated graphics.

Amins.3710:

Black Desert BETA in NA.

kitten poor testing on HoT ruined this game.

I don’t know anything about Black Desert to comment, but I absolutely love all the mighty Visual Noise the Witch class is displaying in this video:

It’s no longer just about unlucky RNG, but deliberate A-Net nerfs in the form of Diminished Returns affecting multiple map events, less materials from salvaging, less rewards for completing dungeons/fractals, and the list goes on & on. The majority of substantial rewards in GW2 cost real money and/or endless grinding which is unreasonable for many people. Again, we have another major deviation from GW2’s original philosophy.

Colin Johanson on January 15, 2013:
This means we need to give reasons for players at all levels to explore these areas, to reward them for their time, and to encourage them to play in locations where they will run into each other and experience the community-driven features that make Guild Wars 2 shine.

Having said that, massive reward was never my reason for being devoted to GW2; I felt a strong connection to my characters (I have a level 80 of each profession) and loved the diversity of their combat skills & powers displayed through the former beautiful special effects & artwork… now that all the visual splendor is gone, I don’t have much reason to keep playing because it certainly isn’t because of the poor loot drops.

Fernling.1729:

Visual effect nerfs is something myself and many other players have been asking for since the game’s release. I stick by wanting the effects lessened. I do think a slider would be make things just peachy.

If I had to choose between nerfs or no nerfs without a slider, I would choose the nerfs. World bosses(and sometimes even 5 man bosses) just had too many effects to see the tell of certain attacks.

Can you not press the tab key to cycle thru your targets, or left-click directly on the world boss to lock onto target? It is really necessary to see your individual attacks land on a boss when you already know which attacks you are executing? Seriously, dude?!

Since the visual noise reductions have nothing to do with the Pro League, A-Net should just roll back all the visual special effects nerfs prior to the Nov 17 patch until they can implement Colin’s “programming solutions” & “options” (alluded to in his Reddit post) that would allow each player to tailor the special effects to his/her liking.

No new coding would have to be programmed because it already existed. Since 2012 GW2 players have happily coexisted with full beautiful special effects and the majority of players prefer how they were opposed to what they are now.

It is especially such a waste to see all the gorgeous special effects artwork created for the elite professions downgraded to shadows of their former glory. I was so excited about finally getting to play as a Chronomancer and casting her new artistic-looking time-bending powers only to have it stripped from me a few weeks later. Honestly, I haven’t been able to log in since the last patch because I am so disappointed.

Not so long ago Colin posted the following:

Colin Johanson on Guild Wars 2 in the Months Ahead

As we push the boundaries and do new things with what an online game can be, we’ll likely hit some bumps along the road on the way. With your feedback and support, we’ll learn from those mistakes, grow from them, and be as transparent about them as possible. We’ll also have some amazing moments, and hopefully craft gaming memories you and we will never forget. And though you may not always know it, we’ll be right there in-game playing next to you as well.

https://www.guildwars2.com/en/news/colin-johanson-on-guild-wars-2-in-the-months-ahead/

Does ArenaNet still believe in player feedback & support, learning from mistakes, and being transparent? It’s hard to tell when major game changes are made without a chance for feedback & Developers are no longer available for response; but, I really hope so since so many of us have so much time & money invested into Guild Wars 2.

Since the visual noise reductions have nothing to do with the Pro League, A-Net should just roll back all the visual special effects nerfs prior to the Nov 17 patch until they can implement Colin’s “programming solutions” & “options” (alluded to in his Reddit post) that would allow each player to tailor the special effects to his/her liking.

No new coding would have to be programmed because it already existed. Since 2012 GW2 players have happily coexisted with full beautiful special effects and the majority of players prefer how they were opposed to what they are now.

It is especially such a waste to see all the gorgeous special effects artwork created for the elite professions downgraded to shadows of their former glory. I was so excited about finally getting to play as a Chronomancer and casting her new artistic-looking time-bending powers only to have it stripped from me a few weeks later. Honestly, I haven’t been able to log in since the last patch because I am so disappointed.

Not so long ago Colin posted the following:

Colin Johanson on Guild Wars 2 in the Months Ahead

As we push the boundaries and do new things with what an online game can be, we’ll likely hit some bumps along the road on the way. With your feedback and support, we’ll learn from those mistakes, grow from them, and be as transparent about them as possible. We’ll also have some amazing moments, and hopefully craft gaming memories you and we will never forget. And though you may not always know it, we’ll be right there in-game playing next to you as well.

https://www.guildwars2.com/en/news/colin-johanson-on-guild-wars-2-in-the-months-ahead/

Does ArenaNet still believe in player feedback & support, learning from mistakes, and being transparent? It’s hard to tell when major game changes are made without a chance for feedback & Developers are no longer available for response; but, I really hope so since so many of us have so much time & money invested into Guild Wars 2.

I felt a great disturbance in the Force, as if millions of GW2 players’ voices suddenly cried out in Nerf Terror and were suddenly silenced by A-Net.

I am venturing to guess that Arena Net management has recently changed because GW2 has lost its original spirit, philosophy, and direction that used to be focused on providing players with a very rewarding, interactive world that was extremely fun & without the endless grind feeling typical of many MMORPGS. More importantly, we used to have a voice that the Developers heard and responded to when it came to Guild Wars 2 evolution.

Now it’s nerf map events with Diminishing Returns (using bots as an excuse), nerf salvaging to make crafting harder, nerf dungeon rewards because A-Net doesn’t want players doing them anymore, nerf all professions beloved special effects because of “visual noise” that no one has ever complained about… and if you don’t like it as a player, too bad it’s our game; you no longer have a voice.

As I said before, I dealt with getting less rewards for doing PvP, WvW, Dungeons, & Fractals, but when A-Net stripped my heroes of all their visual appeal, what do I have left? What purpose if left for me to keep playing all my level 80 heroes if I no longer enjoy the graphics which were a big part of my fun? It certainly isn’t for me to get 1-2 exotic drops a day or an ascended chest every 2-3 months or maybe a legendary weapon after a year of grinding.

Colin Johanson on Guild Wars 2 in the Months Ahead
by Colin Johanson on January 15, 2013

To make playing in our open world worthwhile, we’ll make it rewarding enough for players to spend their time there across all levels. It’s extremely important that we stay true to our philosophy that you should be able to play Guild Wars 2 the way you want to play the game in order to reach the most powerful rewards.

As we push the boundaries and do new things with what an online game can be, we’ll likely hit some bumps along the road on the way. With your feedback and support, we’ll learn from those mistakes, grow from them, and be as transparent about them as possible. We’ll also have some amazing moments, and hopefully craft gaming memories you and we will never forget. And though you may not always know it, we’ll be right there in-game playing next to you as well.

https://www.guildwars2.com/en/news/colin-johanson-on-guild-wars-2-in-the-months-ahead/

I felt a great disturbance in the Force, as if millions of GW2 players’ voices suddenly cried out in Nerf Terror and were suddenly silenced by A-Net.

I am venturing to guess that Arena Net management has recently changed because GW2 has lost its original spirit, philosophy, and direction that used to be focused on providing players with a very rewarding, interactive world that was extremely fun & without the endless grind feeling typical of many MMORPGs. More importantly, we used to have a voice that the Developers heard and responded to when it came to Guild Wars 2 evolution.

Now it’s nerf map events with Diminishing Returns (using bots as an excuse), nerf salvaging to make crafting harder, nerf dungeon rewards because A-Net doesn’t want players doing them anymore, nerf all professions beloved special effects because of “visual noise” that no one has ever complained about… and if you don’t like it as a player, too bad it’s our game; you no longer have a voice.

As I said before, I dealt with getting less rewards for doing PvP, WvW, Dungeons, & Fractals, but when A-Net stripped my heroes of all their visual appeal, what do I have left? What purpose if left for me to keep playing all my level 80 heroes if I no longer enjoy the graphics which were a big part of my fun? It certainly isn’t for me to get 1-2 exotic drops a day or an ascended chest every 2-3 months or maybe a legendary weapon after a year of grinding.

Colin Johanson on Guild Wars 2 in the Months Ahead
by Colin Johanson on January 15, 2013

To make playing in our open world worthwhile, we’ll make it rewarding enough for players to spend their time there across all levels. It’s extremely important that we stay true to our philosophy that you should be able to play Guild Wars 2 the way you want to play the game in order to reach the most powerful rewards.

As we push the boundaries and do new things with what an online game can be, we’ll likely hit some bumps along the road on the way. With your feedback and support, we’ll learn from those mistakes, grow from them, and be as transparent about them as possible. We’ll also have some amazing moments, and hopefully craft gaming memories you and we will never forget. And though you may not always know it, we’ll be right there in-game playing next to you as well.

https://www.guildwars2.com/en/news/colin-johanson-on-guild-wars-2-in-the-months-ahead/

I am not concerned about why the special visual effects nerfs were done. The ONLY thing I care about is if A-Net will soon give us graphics options to restore our full effects for all professions prior to the 11/17 patch.

All the maybe speculation by Colin leaves us hanging in midair. A simple YES or NO answer will do. However, if effect options were planned, they would have been implemented along the “visual nose” changes. So, I am not hopeful that A-Net will revisit this issue, and, if that is the case, I will be requesting refunds for all four of my family’s GW2 accounts.

I am not concerned about why the special visual effects nerfs were done. The ONLY thing I care about is if A-Net will soon give us graphics options to restore our full effects for all professions prior to the 11/17 patch.

All the maybe speculation by Colin leaves us hanging in midair. A simple YES or NO answer will do. However, if effect options were planned, they would have been implemented along the “visual nose” changes. So, I am not hopeful that A-Net will revisit this issue, and, if that is the case, I will be requesting refunds for all four of my family’s GW2 accounts.

Hirosama Nadasaki.6792:

Makai.3429:

Colin replied to this issue on Reddit:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Guildwars2/comments/3v24hg/the_reduced_visual_noise_changes_have_to_stop_gw2/

FINALLY something from Arena net. The greatest of kudos to NocturnalQuill for dragging it out of them.

As for Colin’s response, I disagree with 90%, maybe 95% of what he said, but I don’t even care anymore, he can say he’s the Queen of England, as long as he says this:

“That’s the type of stuff you should be seeing in the future as this project ramps up, and looking at more options so you can opt into more noise if you want seems pretty logical.”

Still not letting this thread go though, not until the matter is fully resolved. Toggle option or Death.

Yeah, half of Colin’s response was about how the visual nerfs have nothing to do with the PvP Pro League, but because all players in general have complained about the visual noise. Disgruntled players cannot be blamed for believing the Pro League is the reason due to the precise timing of these patches.

I am a part of the largest guild on Yak’s Bend, and I have yet to ever encounter ANYONE who has ever complained that their profession’s powers were too noisy & dazzling needing to be toned down. Yet I know of many who are going to put GW2 on hold or are contemplating quitting GW2 for good because of the last two patches. How visual noise is a problem in PvE, other than congested World Boss battles, I cannot comprehend.

Even though Colin attempts to offer hope in that we SHOULD SEE more programming solutions in the future and IMAGINING they will revisit our graphics concerns at a later time, I feel that if A-Net was planning to implement such a logical effects options system, they would have done it before making these abrupt & major visual changes.

If the developers are really concerned about how we feel, they will roll back the last two patches and later re-release the visual changes when having graphics options in place that will allow players to see their characters’ full special effects (the way they were before 11/17).

Jax.4903:

ArenaColin:

I will say last time I saw the backlog of combat visibility cleanup work, the vast majority of stuff was along the lines of what you’re all suggesting below. More programming solutions at the systemic level and going after a lot of the side-FX like noise generated by other players rather than directly impacting your own FX 100% of the time. That’s the type of stuff you should be seeing in the future as this project ramps up, and looking at more options so you can opt into more noise if you want seems pretty logical. Along with that I imagine they will have opportunities to revisit some of the concerns raised here in relation to needing to see stuff that is important and how some FX have now become unreadable that should be, it’s (mostly) great constructive and totally fair feedback imho.

ArenaColin:

Thanks folks, I passed this discussion along to the folks driving the project on combat visibility.

Combat visibility in general isn’t driven by any sort of “esports” stuff though I realize that’s the easy out that’s cool thing to blame things on this week. Despite some of the insane assumptions I’ve seen lately, the PvP pro league is pretty much entirely a marketing team thing and has almost no impact on the dev team. Though we all think it’s really cool, and seriously some of those games monday were awesome!

From a marketing standpoint, it (and the ESL weekly cups and WTS tournaments before it) has been extremely successful so far, among the most successful projects our marketing team has ever launched to grow our title in the history of the Guild Wars franchise in return for the cost. If you don’t like it more power to you, don’t watch, but it’s absolutely helping our marketing folks make Gw2 a bigger game which I’d hope we’re all excited about. If you want to see the game fail I’m not sure what you’re doing here, but rooting against programs like pro league is basically rooting against Gw2 growing. When folks come here and rip on stuff like PvP, you’re basically hurting the games ability to grow – and personally I would say shame on you, if you truly love the game, be constructive and give awesome feedback and suggestions: but don’t knock it just cause it’s not PvE. And let’s be honest, it beats spending marketing funds on taxi confession ads or people spray painting wall cinematics if you ask me.

The reality about FX visibility is it’s consistent feedback we’ve had on every part of Gw2 for years that people can’t always see what’s going on in combat; our design, gameplay programming and FX team are putting a focus on resolving this issue together. This is most important in WvW and open world PvE where it’s the most problematic and where we need to solve this the most, though certainly impacts other parts of the game from Raids to Fractals to PvP.

Seeing what’s going on in combat isn’t a PvP problem – it’s a Gw2 problem, and it’s why our teams are trying to address it. I will say last time I saw the backlog of combat visibility cleanup work, the vast majority of stuff was along the lines of what you’re all suggesting below. More programming solutions at the systemic level and going after a lot of the side-FX like noise generated by other players rather than directly impacting your own FX 100% of the time. That’s the type of stuff you should be seeing in the future as this project ramps up, and looking at more options so you can opt into more noise if you want seems pretty logical. Along with that I imagine they will have opportunities to revisit some of the concerns raised here in relation to needing to see stuff that is important and how some FX have now become unreadable that should be, it’s (mostly) great constructive and totally fair feedback imho.

The Greyhawk.9107:

Earlier this afternoon I stumbled upon a player in LA with an Anet tag. I made my disappointment known to him/her.

I was hoping to run into Gaile Grey after the Nov 17th patch because she has always been very helpful. A few days ago I partied up with an A-Net employee in Auric Basin long enough to ask if they would restore full special effects and implement a slider option, but he just replied by saying “Sorry, I don’t wok on the game engine side of things so I wouldn’t know.”

Count me among those on the verge of quitting. Apparently the people in charge don’t understand the importance of keeping the former beautiful special effects. I am certainly not getting a substantial reward by getting a few exotic drops daily and an ascended chest every two to three months.

Stripping the visual appeal from GW2 doesn’t leave much else for many considering most players post level 80 are striving for a superior & unique appearance in the form of flashy weapons, armor, and effects. This is exactly why people invest so much time & money into obtaining a legendary and earning gold for gem store attire. How can Arena Net not be aware of this?

Like others, I find the timing for these visual nerfs very suspicious… after Heart of Thorns was released… after months of bombarding us with how cool elite profession combat skills & powers would be… only to have them taken away shortly afterwards. It’s both sad & infuriating.

Hopefully, Arena Net will come to their senses, but until then I’ll put GW2 on hold & devote my gaming time to Fallout 4, The Witcher 3, and Mad Max.

LunarWind.1659:

Everyone knows that the real “End Game” of Guild Wars 2 is looking good. Skins, auras, weapons, outfits, color coordination, these are the real marks of an end-game player. So then, why do they keep destroying the visual appeal?

The game was launched with a ‘painterly’ style. The map, the UI, the cut-scenes, it all has a very beautiful style that displays the talent and passion of the artists at work. So then why would they remove some of the best looking skill effects?

Honestly, this is a terrifying set of changes.
I now have a very real fear that the game I love is sick and dying, as I watch the things I adore about GW2 slowly be cut-out and discarded.

Apparently the people in charge don’t understand the importance of keeping the former beautiful special effects. I am certainly not getting a substantial reward by getting a few exotic drops daily and an ascended chest every two to three months.

Stripping the visual appeal from GW2 doesn’t leave much else for many considering most players post level 80 are striving for a superior & unique appearance in the form of flashy weapons, armor, and effects. This is exactly why people invest so much time & money into obtaining a legendary and earning gold for gem store attire. How can Arena Net not be aware of this?

Like others, I find the timing for these visual nerfs very suspicious… after Heart of Thorns was released… after months of bombarding us with how cool elite profession combat skills & powers would be… only to have them taken away shortly afterwards. It’s both sad & infuriating.

Hirosama Nadasaki.6792:

It’s not a terrible thought at all, ignoring the major playerbase is the worst thing they could do, and the sooner they snap awake from this demented delusion the better.

I wish I could have foreseen these visual nerfs before investing so much time & money into GW2, but I never dreamt that superb graphics art would actually be removed from this game. We were given a lot of new content with Heart of Thorns, but much was taken away too in terms of rewards & salvaging materials… I could have lived with that, but stripping my characters of their powers visual appeal is something I cannot accept or tolerate.

Hopefully, Arena Net will come to their senses, but until then I’ll put GW2 on hold & devote my gaming time to Fallout 4, The Witcher 3, and Mad Max.

Jax.4903:

We all know that the removal of “visual noise” is only for the benefit of PvP Tournaments, and so it should not apply to PvE players at all. All we are asking Arena Net to do is to restore the full special effects for all professions & elite specs to PvE.

azyume.6321:

Wrong, the visual nerfs aren’t for PvP players benefit but for the E-sports viewers. Have you tried to watch the matches without a profound knowledge of skills and class mechanics?

Spectators do fall under the broad “PvP Tournaments” category. People who have read my comments prior to and after this post would have gotten my point. Having said that, I’m glad to have been a small catalyst for more response in this much needed thread that seems to be falling on deaf ears.

Loli Ruri.8307:

Jax.4903:

According to some, this is being done to accommodate PvP Tournament spectators who complain about lack of viability in play-by-play scenarios.

So to hell the rest of the game and it’s player base because of spectators who are not even playing the game? Wuuut?

I totally agree! To throw your majority loyal PvE player base under the bus to cater to a small minority who will participate in and/or view tournaments is totally whack. I hope Big E-$$$ports Money is worth alienating so many diehard supporters & fans.

IIIxVxIII.2135:

Jax.4903:

We all know that the removal of “visual noise” is only for the benefit of PvP Tournaments, and so it should not apply to PvE players at all. All we are asking Arena Net to do is to restore the full special effects for all professions & elite specs to PvE.

I play ALOT of pvp and i can tell you that these visual nefts an not AT ALL beneficial to the pvp players.

According to some, this is being done to accommodate PvP Tournament spectators who complain about lack of viability in play-by-play scenarios.

I play mostly as a Chronomancer in PvP, and I used to be able to tell which Well I was casting by the artwork. Now all my Wells look like generic blobs. So, I would agree that the visual nerfs to Player vs Player are also unbeneficial.

Whichever way you try to slice & analyze this, it certainly makes no sense for Player vs Environment which has never suffered due to the abundance of special effects since GW2’s creation. World boss fights have always had poor viability & slow frame rates, and players are willing to accept that is what happens when hundreds of fighting characters are gathered in a small area; although, I’ve never had lag issues on bigger maps like Tequatl or Jormag.

We all know that the removal of “visual noise” is only for the benefit of PvP Tournaments, and so it should not apply to PvE players at all. All we are asking Arena Net to do is to restore the full special effects for all professions & elite specs to PvE.

I’ve been a loyal GW player since 2005, but, because of this, I am losing interest in playing. These visual nerfs are like removing color from a rainbow; the heroes of Tyria have lost their majestic power & splendor.

Seriously, Arena Net, please rethink & address this issue. Say something…

Cerby.1069:

WHy won’t they revert it? The game runs terribad ever since that patch. It looks terribad ever since that patch. ANd it still is a resource hog!

I was running GW2 64 bit which was an improvement in performance for me. When I started experiencing crashing after the infamous Nov 17th patch, I thought it might be a 64 issue and switched back to the normal client; but, GW2 is still crashing & kicking me to my desktop multiple times a night. So, not only do the visual nerfs look terrible & are glitchy (turning invisible at times even when soloing), we also have a major instability issue brought on by that patch.

I totally agree with everyone else. Bring back our full special effects, give us players an effects slider so we can choose visuals to our liking, and roll back that horrific, unstable Nov 17th patch!

Nexxa.7306:

This is a horrible decision. Always got to love how e-sports somehow ends up stepping all over the good time of the people who couldn’t care less about that stupidity. Wish they’d stay out of our games and find something else to ruin.

Following the money usually answers many questions in life. Has GW2’s PvE player base been thrown under the bus because there is big money to be had in E-Sports? It is looking that way. A-Net is saying nothing to the contrary.

LanfearShadowflame.3189:

To be fair, players from all modes have asked (loudly) for the sparklies to be toned down a bit (read: lot). People often post pictures on here of the mass of shinies when trying to fight bosses, complaining they can’t even see them, and as such can’t see the tells that they need to dodge.

When hundreds of players are gathered around a world boss, lag & poor visibility are givens. As long as players can easily lock their attack cursors onto the boss, does being lost in a crowd or endless explosions really matter? Too many special effects never hindered my ability to help our map win an event or to get an ascended weapon chest from Teq. A-Net already provided a particle effects slider to remedy that.

I’ve never heard one person in my guild of 500 complain about their combat powers being too majestic, dazzling, or artsy. In fact, people are now saying the opposite; combat is not as fun because some powers no longer look impressive or distinctive. Toning down the special effects is partially erasing the identity of each profession. Players who appreciate the art in computer graphics and feeling super heroic have really taken a big hit by these visual nerfs. A-Net should give us players the option to decide if we want to toggle on/off full or partial special effects.

I am shocked that A-Net is is seemingly prioritizing PvP $$$ Tournaments over their loyal PvE player base who want their special effects kept in-tact. Is GW2 becoming League of Legends deluxe with PvE taking a backseat?

A-Net really needs to go on the record about this special effects nerf. Is this temporary or are we supposed to just deal with it because this is what they have decided? Either way, I would like to have a straight yes or no answer instead of hanging in the air.

Darksabre Aldarion.4159:

Talk about being thrown under a bus. I don’t wish for my enjoyment of the game (which has drastically suffered as a result of my Tempest, Chrono, and DH being “visually nerfed” as they call it) to be dictated by the whims of the PvP crowd. Neither do I think they should bow to mine, so I think a slider is the best solution.

Darksabre’s entire post was right on target! Since this visual nerf is all about PvP, why not limit it to that (if a visual effects slider is totally out of the question by A-Net)? Why take away the visual enjoyment of everyone in PvE? Mesmer wells were truly a work of art, but now all five look like generic blobs; I can’t even tell which well I am casting by appearance anymore. I enjoy PvP at times, but enjoy my solo play much more… well, at least I did. Please A-Net bring back the full special effects… at least have the courtesy to reply to our concerns!

JaddynnStarr.5201:

Make an option in the graphics option tab that either has a bullet to click or slider bar that allows for 3 options: OFF>>>MIN>>>MAX.

That is exactly what will work & what everyone has been asking for, but the silence is deafening.

I view the powers as an extension of my character’s appearance & persona. Can you imagine how players would react if A-Net suddenly changed the appearance of races without rhyme or reason? Well, something similar has happened and apparently if we don’t like it, too bad.

Daralii.8940:

Jax.4903:

Amethyst Lure.5624:

It’s a bit puzzling why it isn’t a gfx setting, particularly since you can make different settings for raid etc.

The bad thing is Raids are such a small percentage of GW2 and many players will never participate in them; yet, everyone got a major graphics nerf across the board. Makes no sense. The special effects went from PS4 to PS2 quality. I really hope A-Net acknowledges this since many of us are upset over this issue.

The nerf was very likely targeted at SPvP, not raids. Readability is an issue when spectating, and they’d rather scramble to get a return on investment on all the money they’ve thrown into the esports toilet than do it properly or preserve the game’s art.

This makes a lot of sense, but to castrate our detailed special effects art just to accommodate spectators & tournaments is very wrong. The graphics card I bought for GW2 is now pointless.

As everyone said, special effects options will solve this; however, the lack of a response by A-Net doesn’t bode well for us. If this isn’t addressed, I will most likely move on. This issue is that important to me.

Daralii.8940:

Jax.4903:

Amethyst Lure.5624:

It’s a bit puzzling why it isn’t a gfx setting, particularly since you can make different settings for raid etc.

The bad thing is Raids are such a small percentage of GW2 and many players will never participate in them; yet, everyone got a major graphics nerf across the board. Makes no sense. The special effects went from PS4 to PS2 quality. I really hope A-Net acknowledges this since many of us are upset over this issue.

The nerf was very likely targeted at SPvP, not raids. Readability is an issue when spectating, and they’d rather scramble to get a return on investment on all the money they’ve thrown into the esports toilet than do it properly or preserve the game’s art.

This makes a lot of sense, but to castrate our detailed special effects art just to accommodate spectators & tournaments is very wrong. The graphics card I bought for GW2 is now pointless.

As everyone said, special effects options will solve this; however, the lack of a response by A-Net doesn’t bode well for us. If this isn’t addressed, I will most likely move on. This issue is that important to me.

Carighan.6758:

Chronomancer wells keep their ground art and the butterfly explosion at the end (good), but lost much of the pulses. Honestly these could be ok…

No, it’s really not okay. My Mesmer wasn’t my main character, but when HoT was first announced I created one and poured 835 hours into her in less than a year. If you compare the former full well art to its current minimized animations, it is just sad. In addition, I have one of every profession available in my roster and what A-Net did to the Elementalist & Engineer’s effects are pretty depressing too. Then we have the issue of effects being totally invisible at times even when I am soloing.

GW2 doesn’t have a monthly subscription fee, but my wife and I spend $40 a month on Black Lion Gems. So, after having spent so much time & money in GW2, one can see why I am so invested. I have equated the GW2 special effects graphics nerf to totally removing color from a comic book. How many of you would still play GW2 if it was only offered in bland Black & White?

It would be very nice to get some reassurance from an A-Net employee that this is only temporary and the special effects will be restored to their former glory.

Amethyst Lure.5624:

It’s a bit puzzling why it isn’t a gfx setting, particularly since you can make different settings for raid etc.

The bad thing is Raids are such a small percentage of GW2 and many players will never participate in them; yet, everyone got a major graphics nerf across the board. Makes no sense. The special effects went from PS4 to PS2 quality. I really hope A-Net acknowledges this since many of us are upset over this issue.

NinjaWursti.9627:

The problem really is that there is no solution in group battles larger than 10 or 15 players. No matter how small the effects are, you wont be able to fully tell what’s going on.

A-Net should have left that to the discretion of the player as a toggle-option. In addition, some players will never do raids; so, to nerf visual effects for such a small percentage of game content for everyone across the board is just wrong.

Losing the detailed visual effects feels like finally buying your beautiful pristine dream car, only to have it transformed into an ugly wreck by a speeding reckless driver who broadsided your car after he ran a red light. In other words, I really enjoyed the visual special effects, but now they feel generic & lackluster. Since the nerf, many times the effects are totally invisible. It’s a shame I bought an expensive graphics card for GW2; what’s the point now?

The visual nerfs to all classes are terrible and extremely disappointing. I really hope A-Net restores the previous animations giving each player the option to toggle them on (full)/off (lesser).

SpookyElectric.1507:

Today’s patch largely fixed the frequent crashing issue for me, but yeah this is a thing I’m afraid.

That is very odd since the last patch created the very first crashing I have ever experienced since resuming play in 2014. I recently crashed twice in two different breach events in Silverwastes.

Dear Anet, as a visual artist, a big part of GW2’s appeal to me was the special visual effects that truly made classes feel unique, powerful, and magical. I equate this visual nerf of my mesmer, elementalist, and engineer to removing all color from a comic book leaving a bland black & white world.

At the very least, please restore all visual effects giving each user the option of toggling them on/off. As of now, I am extremely disappointed to have this happen after investing so much time & money into GW2. Thank you.

I am clueless as to why the weakest elite spec Druid is the nerf-target & whipping boy of A-Net. I never cared for nerfs in MMORPGs and always preferred that other classes be raised up to par with the strongest professions as much as balance is possible.

In addition, in PvE events (like Mad King’s Labyrinth) in which killing = experience, loot, & rewards, Druids get NOTHING for playing a support role for their zerging team. As of now, there really is no incentive to focus on playing a Druid and further nerfs will make it a dreary, obsolete experience. Did I mention the fun of almost unattainable pets? Tiger, Electric Wyvern?

I have a Sylvari mesmer, but not really liking the Twilight Arbor or Warden sword skins. Any affordable suggestions for a sword that would go really well with Shield of the Moon? Thanks in advance!

Still wondering if I should cash in my Blooms or not. I hope A-Net at least gives a heads-up if/when the Durmand Priory vendor expires.

Should I save the Blooms I have for possible upcoming events, or just cash in my remaining Blooms at Durmand Priory vendor?

Any official word yet?

Thank you, Oxidia!

This Sylvari is wearing (minus scarf)? Thanks in advance!