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Way Too Many Particle Effects
Panossian
Member Posts: 94
in Guild Wars 2
GW2 is shaping up well, but the particle effects are totally ridiculous and detract from instead of enhancing the combat. I'm a WvWvW guy and in its current state, even with the built in option to lower them, WvW mass combat is going to be a total mess of particle soup.
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Comments
me-sa like da shinies
"If you're going to act like a noob, I'll treat you like one." -Caskio
Adventurers wear fancy pants!!!
I agree with you O.P. But the client is not exactly optimised as it stands. I don't think all the graphic options are there yet.
Edit* COF COF! Or so I have heard!
Just turn them off then.
Annoying and flashy particle effects are a plauge in most MMOs, try run a dungeon in AoC with 2 PoMs and effects on max, it is like a 70s disco.
I usually put effects on low setting, particularly for PvP.
Give me an option to turn all that crap off, and it's all good.
We all know this issue with the game... the devs know it. They are obviously working on a solution.
Yeah. As someone who gets distracted easilly, this might make instances a bit too difficult. It's hard to pay attention to floor circles when the guy right next to you is exploding in blue and purple light.
I think only about 10% of people on this board are cognizant of the fact that graphics are nearly the LAST, or the very last thing optimized pre-launch. Even though it's stated time and time again.
It's such a silly habit we need to break.
The excuse used to be, back in EverQuest, that you need big effects to know when a spell's being cast in a clusterfuck of a fight. I accepted that in the days of 800*600 or 1024*768 and giant opaque UIs, but here in the age of HD, I can't understand it. When I can see the wrinkles in that bare midriff's navel, I don't need DBZ effects to know someone is swinging their weapon a little harder than usual or that so-and-so was healed for 10%. Chill the hell out.
Not sure how this is relevant. It's not like he's complaining about a lack of AA or wonky shaders. Aside from adding polish like that, graphics tend to barely change so late in development as this. Also, how many times can you count that things have become less flashy before release?
Funny, I actually had a lot higher resolution 10 years ago then now. Old CRT screens were better in that aspect, even if a modern TFT screen looks better in many ways and doesn't make your eyes so tired.
I agree anyways, modern MMOs need to take away a lot of the effects. Why would a warrior even need effects when animations should be able to show things at least as good?
I really like the particle effects. I personally have no trouble with seeing whats going on so I hope they just add a slider for those that don't like them. Adds a lot to the combat for me and one of the main reasons I think combat looks very good in GW2.
They said they are working on this not long ago.
I heard in the cashshop you can buy a potion which dims them and that its not going to be available in game otherwise.
Yeah, you pay 20 bucks and AnET send a pair of sunglasses to your home adress...
The past beta it looked to be toned down some.. I'm not sure if that's true of if i am just getting used to it but i could tell what the group was casting and understand what was going on. Plus.. what MMO can't u turn down partical effects... you're going to be able to.. that's pretty much a given.
But again, it's not that it's too messy.. i'm sure over time of playing it, and understanding what skills are being cast, the big blob of particle effects would actually make perfect sense.
I also agree with the OP. I know people usually like flash, rainbow, super special effects all over the place, specially kids, but I yearn for the day when an MMO takes the approach that spells should be more sober; I never needed Gnadalf to be all flashy to think he was awesome, just a spell effect here and there is all it takes imo.
This topic is already boring. Particle effects here, particle effexts tehre... They will either put a slider or not, live with it...
... or dont
A lot of games try to go with "wizard pr0n" over the top flashy effects, I'm not a fan of those but neither am I a fan of ultra-minimalist effects.
Effects can be done in many ways, all of which are relevant if used in context to the effect trying to be portrayed, many schools of magic & then there are melee effects to account for.
I've always thought the animation of the enemy post-effect was not utilised anywhere near enough, as a character runs lower on health should they not look more battered, bruised, dirty,?
If a character is hit by fire should they not progressively "soot up" (until a cleansing/healing ability renovates their appearance as well as their health bar) ? Their hair burn away?
If a character is hit by ice would their armour not become cracked/broken in appearance, hair/beards frosting up and becoming solid instead of moving (not that I see many games with hair movement - but one day...)
Could the character become more tired & lethargic in it's movements & have more "tiredness" depicted in it's animation as it becomes lower-health, breathing harder, grunting more with each movement, coughing, wheezing.
Context is important, animators & particle effects people should work together much more closely to lend a certain expectation of pseudo-realism to the effects, slightly over-tuned for dramatic effect but not too much or they become ridiculous & cartoon-like.
That said I've not seen too much GW2 play, actively avoiding it to not ruin my experience when I try it, just giving my thoughts on the general subject.
Almost all MMOs let you turn down them, yes. But far from all let you do it during the beta.
I agree it looks like they toned it down or players just figured out that there is a slider for particle effects. It is already in there was a curse vid last beta weekend showing the difference. For me its only slightly too much, I like flash but better to be small and at the player and some small follow such as bolt spells or shots, sorta like the charged shots and effect from Lineage 2's combat, that was a near perfect amount of show off. The aoe will be the most difficult part.. aoes just dont need to be a dense storm condensed into a small circle >.<
Edit: oye forget that bit about L2.. I watched a vid to remind myself and its too flashy as well.
To turn them off is not really a option, because usually they have a purpose.. to say, what effect is around you, will be used against you. But a option to reduce the particle effects, or overall reduce of particle effects would be good. Because as it stands now, this is/will be really annoying in WvW gameplay, and most probably in DEs with a few more players, too.
This is a known and common complaint and the Devs have stated they are working on it before release.
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You can tweak particle effects down through the settings menu... It was in one of teh Yogcast videos that showed the graphical settings
But i guess during the pressbeta those peeps all played on their high end gaming machines with all things set to max, not realising that they could tune down particle effects. On the lowest setting they still looked resonable, but did not cluter the whole screen anymore
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I find that even when they clutter the screen I still can't tell what's going on, and some mmo's have effects that are way too subdued. If I cast a fireball, I want it to look impressive. But aura's and pets and group effects should be a little less noticeable.
At least one. SWTOR anyone? High res textures to, well... not high res textures.
To hell with the graphics! I say they should do it up old school style and make it a text adventure.
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