Particle Effects

[DrakeWurrum]

So... I'm sure everybody has watched a lot of GW2 gameplay footage from the press beta, and I'd love to get a discussion going on this. This might be the only major problem that I currently see with the game - it's too flashy!

I know this became a problem as WoW evolved more and more, and now there's options to, say, only show YOUR particle effects, and animations/effects in game keep getting altered/toned down.

Thoughts on this?

[grandpab]

I don't see them leaving out an option to turn down the effects. They seem to be pretty good at getting stuff like that right.

[ambigiouslynamed]

i doubt there wouldnt be any adjustment options

[Guilegamesh]

I agree, the particle affects do appear to be a bit much sometimes. I don't know how toning it down will affect CPC though.

[Squirrelbanes]

I thought this too when I watched the ascalon videos. Then, I put it on full screen and it was much much better. It's still a bit crazy looking, but I think it will seem less crazy once we're used to it.
The combat model not being necessarily directional creates a sense of chaos as well, but once we get used to it I think it will feel very natural.
Massive difference between playing and watching, and you can't really draw conclusions from watching press testers as opposed to watching gamers play, let alone playing it yourself.

- but yes...I do expect some kind of particle filter.

[DrakeWurrum]

Well, for example, I was watching TB's Guardian gameplay video... and there was this large boar that ended up on fire... it just looked downright ridiculous, and as TB's commentary tends to go, he spent a good 5 minutes talking about it.

[Deleted]

Yeah this issue is well known. Here's a good example of the fire animation:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjDJX...tu.be&t=11m37s

As you guys have already stated though, if they don't reduce the effects altogether, there will surely be a way to reduce particle effects individually in the graphics settings. Some people might enjoy the very graphic combat effects I guess.

[Throrion]

I thought this too when I watched the ascalon videos. Then, I put it on full screen and it was much much better. It's still a bit crazy looking, but I think it will seem less crazy once we're used to it.
The combat model not being necessarily directional creates a sense of chaos as well, but once we get used to it I think it will feel very natural.
Massive difference between playing and watching, and you can't really draw conclusions from watching press testers as opposed to watching gamers play, let alone playing it yourself.

- but yes...I do expect some kind of particle filter.

Except it has been noted by people who actually played the beta as well. In TB's guardian video, for instance, it was remarked how absurdly ridiculous it looked when you lit large mobs on fire, and how extremely distracting the particle effects spam was when large groups of people quested together. So it's not a matter that only appears when watching videos on youtube, but probably moreso of beta being beta and certain things in the game being hands-down silly at this point in time.

It'll get fixed though, so I wouldn't worry about it.

[grandpab]

They're so focused on aesthetics, it's really one of the biggest and best things about the game. I can't imagine that they'd let overly done particle effects ruin it at all.

[Fortuitous]

I think the particle effects are slightly too distracting but I don't see it being a bad quality just yet. I don't want it looking as bland as "non-explosive" effects in TOR are. But, Mr flaming porkchop was ridiculous.

[Deleted]

Yeah this issue is well known. Here's a good example of the fire animation:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjDJX...tu.be&t=11m37s

As you guys have already stated though, if they don't reduce the effects altogether, there will surely be a way to reduce particle effects individually in the graphics settings. Some people might enjoy the very graphic combat effects I guess.

Well I guess it's down to personal preferences ;s.

Since I pretty much know every single ability in the game those effects are actually.. helping me. I know that Mesmer just used Y, so I don't need to use X etc. If you watch it ON THE FULL SCREEN and actually know the abilities (at least of one profession) you will recognize an order in that chaos.

Anyway, like I said, personal preferences, I like current level of effects =].

[trakbob]

Probably gonna be a console command to turn it down, just as it is in many other MMOs.

[Deleted]

Couldn't you just go to the options and turn wichever one does the particle effects down?

[trakbob]

Couldn't you just go to the options and turn wichever one does the particle effects down?

Maybe, but I know that tweaks beyond what you can do in the options can be made with console commands in many games.

Man, I remember when I played with this for the first time on wow. I turned up the effects so much, that when I used volley shot with my hunter, there was just one solid column of arrows instead of the occasional one. Couldn’t see a thing inside of that column.
And of course, I forgot what the default was. Volley shot was never the same after that.

[iCandy]

I LOVE the flashy and "epicness" of the particle density. I hope they don't change it and I really don't see them NOT adding a slider bar to change it's density.

[Deleted]

Well, for example, I was watching TB's Guardian gameplay video... and there was this large boar that ended up on fire... it just looked downright ridiculous, and as TB's commentary tends to go, he spent a good 5 minutes talking about it.

Yeah they are crazy atm, I expect either a fix or a scale down option for release though.

[iCandy]

Yeah they are crazy atm, I expect either a fix or a scale down option for release though.

Prays for a slider scale option.

I want to have a seizure when I'm playing.

[Zeek Daniels]

I think with all the reaction this is getting i think their will be a way to turn them down, they will prolly be working on that right now and if i get into beta i will definately put in a request for them to have an option to turn them down and anyone else that gets in should do the same.

[Deleted]

It scales up too much on bigger foes, I think ArenaNet have noticed themself and will probably do something about it, I hope. Otherwise I will send a letter to them personally and explain to them

Also, if you watch these videos on fullscreen it's a lot easier to see, so it isn't as overwhelming as if you look on a smaller screen.

[Maarius]

I see this as a problem too.

People whined about the red aura. So they got us a 2nd option (don't know if you can still play with the red aura). Now the aura was there for a reason: you could make out the target, even if there is a lot going on. Now without it you can't anymore.

Watching the Ice-Shaman elite-event it looked like they toned down the particle effects, because the fight was pretty clear.

min. 13, you can see the boss even during the snowstorm and while a lot of people attacked him:


, but somehow the particle-effects weren't toned down in the narrow corridors of the catacombs. Seems like they tried it (for now) in boss-battles and elite-events. Not sure.