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Current animations are too much

GarrtokGarrtok Member, Alpha Two
Hi,

is it just me, or are the current animations of spells and weapon attacks just too much?
I get that some magical spells need some effect, it has to be visible etc. but does some Ranger skill really need some green stream that is of the size of a character, or does a standard hammer attack really need some big cleave animation?

You could see it in the last live stream, that even with just four people it's super chaotic and everything is flashing and exploding. What should happen with eight people or even while 500vs500? I feel like it's very close to a jrpg, and I have to admit that visually this is just too much for me. I don't say remove it, but pleaaase decrease the size and flashyness alot!
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Comments

  • I literally just made a post stating the exact same thing.

    Yes, they are way too much.

    Way over the top.

    And these were just low level characters.

    Just imagine what a burning christmas tree juggling with electric chainsaws the higher levels characters will be.

    They need to tune the animations and attacks down a lot to make this work with 8, yet alone 300 players on the same battle-field, at the same time.

    The way it is now just looks blinding, overwhelming, visually exhausting and challenging and honestly, silly.
  • SarkgpSarkgp Member, Alpha Two
    I agree, the animations should contain less light effects, I don't want to imagine a war like it would look like with 500 people casting this type of spell. Epilepsy in each player.
  • LudulluLudullu Member, Alpha Two
    They already said that we'll be able to tone the vfx down. They've also stated before that they have exaggerated effects during testing, just to overburden the processing power, and it'll be toned down later in development. And iirc we've already seen examples of this before.
  • GarrtokGarrtok Member, Alpha Two
    NiKr wrote: »
    They already said that we'll be able to tone the vfx down. They've also stated before that they have exaggerated effects during testing, just to overburden the processing power, and it'll be toned down later in development. And iirc we've already seen examples of this before.

    But I feel like the standard should be on a much less flashy level. I don't want to customize everything until I have a non annoying experience 😅
  • Still feel the mace/hammer looks a bit to "light"
    There are no resistance when you hit the enemy at all and the hammer just goes from point A to point B. I would like of there to be more "crunch" in the hits.
    Also the animations should be smoother, its very jerky robotic where it starts at point A, accelerates to 200 miles an hour and the stops abruptly at end.

    Dark Souls has good hammer/mace animations but still not "meaty" enough
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wd5Ia4h26cU
    and For Honor (still not perfect either)
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWO3pgkfWhU
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  • Exactly what I said myself @Selo

    Yes the attacks should look less cartoony, less asian-mmo-rpg and more realistic, more like Dark Souls or The Witcher.

    Or at least World of Warcraft Classic.

    Nobody wants to look goofy or silly or even over the top.

    The best look in general is a natural, paced and smooth one.


  • SongcallerSongcaller Member, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    NiKr wrote: »
    They already said that we'll be able to tone the vfx down. They've also stated before that they have exaggerated effects during testing, just to overburden the processing power, and it'll be toned down later in development. And iirc we've already seen examples of this before.

    Wow. I'm really pleased they exaggerated the effects for groups of 4 when we'll face groups of 500. Really makes the game feedback worthwhile at such a minimal strain. End of sarcasm.
    2a3b8ichz0pd.gif
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  • SongcallerSongcaller Member, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    Yeah. I love the way toons get illuminated by the skills at night. I would take a darker night to increase the effects.
    2a3b8ichz0pd.gif
  • novercalisnovercalis Member, Founder, Kickstarter, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    edited January 2023
    yes pls, Less Michael Bay (explosion) and more Martin Scorsese
    {UPK} United Player Killer - All your loot belongs to us.
  • superhero6785superhero6785 Member, Alpha Two
    I think it's fine, albeit at the top end of flashiness. I wouldn't mind a slight decrease but I do like the over-the-top Korean style gameplay so I wouldn't want them to scale back to be too "realistic".
  • NerrorNerror Member, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    edited January 2023
    Yeah it's way too much. I'd like not to be blinded every two seconds please. Like I wrote in the tank thread, we're not playing CSGO with flashbangs here. I find this from the tank video to be unacceptable levels of flash:
    Qm1jlfe.jpg

    I can't see any of the characters in the combat, just a big annoying flash. It's not even pretty or anything, it's just BRIGHTNESS INTO YOUR EYEBALLS NOW!
  • mrBokmrBok Member, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    True too much. I hope we will have control over this in settings tho.
    f59ll57jllom.png
  • AzheraeAzherae Member, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    Oh, actually, you know what we should ask for?

    Since the answer to this is 'we have a system for toning this down'...

    We could ask for a showcase of the Work in Progress of THAT alongside some other things, right?

    A longish development video with a lot of combat could definitely dedicate some time to 'showing us how the slider affects it'. Even if the slider itself isn't implemented yet, they probably have commands to change it and could just tell us.

    The worst feedback they would get is the 'That seems good but I would like a slider to control it!'

    As opposed to this.
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  • OkeydokeOkeydoke Member, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    edited January 2023
    The visual effects are borderline embarassingly over the top. I understand it's work in progress, and there will be a visual effects slider to adjust it. But this is what's being shown right now, voluntarily by you. Even after the community has asked at least a couple times to tone it down, "we can't freakin see anything," instead it's like you're toning it up.

    There wasn't even a magic class there. Imagine if a mage was there. It was 3 physical damage classes and a cleric. 4 players total, and at times you couldn't even see the mob they were fighting because there was so much vfx.

    Edit: Oh just now seeing where Nikr said "They've also stated before that they have exaggerated effects during testing, just to overburden the processing power, and it'll be toned down later in development."

    If that's the case then ok. But man, if it's as easy as a button press, maybe tone down the effects for showcases. If not, ok fine.
  • OkilianOkilian Member, Alpha Two
    Selo wrote: »
    Still feel the mace/hammer looks a bit to "light"
    There are no resistance when you hit the enemy at all and the hammer just goes from point A to point B. I would like of there to be more "crunch" in the hits.
    Also the animations should be smoother, its very jerky robotic where it starts at point A, accelerates to 200 miles an hour and the stops abruptly at end.

    Dark Souls has good hammer/mace animations but still not "meaty" enough
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wd5Ia4h26cU
    and For Honor (still not perfect either)
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWO3pgkfWhU

    These animations are way tooo slow for the style of game ashes is.
  • GarrtokGarrtok Member, Alpha Two
    Okilian wrote: »
    Selo wrote: »
    Still feel the mace/hammer looks a bit to "light"
    There are no resistance when you hit the enemy at all and the hammer just goes from point A to point B. I would like of there to be more "crunch" in the hits.
    Also the animations should be smoother, its very jerky robotic where it starts at point A, accelerates to 200 miles an hour and the stops abruptly at end.

    Dark Souls has good hammer/mace animations but still not "meaty" enough
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wd5Ia4h26cU
    and For Honor (still not perfect either)
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWO3pgkfWhU

    These animations are way tooo slow for the style of game ashes is.

    Aoc is much too fast right now
  • LudulluLudullu Member, Alpha Two
    Azherae wrote: »
    Oh, actually, you know what we should ask for?

    Since the answer to this is 'we have a system for toning this down'...

    We could ask for a showcase of the Work in Progress of THAT alongside some other things, right?

    A longish development video with a lot of combat could definitely dedicate some time to 'showing us how the slider affects it'. Even if the slider itself isn't implemented yet, they probably have commands to change it and could just tell us.

    The worst feedback they would get is the 'That seems good but I would like a slider to control it!'

    As opposed to this.
    YES! @Vaknar relay this to the team. Even a 1-minute showcase of "this is the current vfx and this is it diminished by 90% through a "slider"" would be amazing!
  • LudulluLudullu Member, Alpha Two
    Ironhope wrote: »
    Yes the attacks should look less cartoony, less asian-mmo-rpg and more realistic, more like Dark Souls or The Witcher.
    Except the biggest influences and inspirations for Steven are 2 korean mmos. Funny how that is, ain't it :)
  • SathragoSathrago Member, Alpha Two
    edited January 2023
    My biggest issue is the flash effects that for an instant darken the entire screen and brighten the effect causing it. Idk what exactly is going on there but its quite disorienting.

    I will also say that the fighter really, really shouldn't have that hammer move. It gives off too much of a paladin vibe.
    8vf24h7y7lio.jpg
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  • GarrtokGarrtok Member, Alpha Two
    Thread necromancer:

    the very good node war stream prove my point. In my opinion the spell effects are in this form plain horrible, sorry. Everywhere vulcanos, circles aoe, neon flashy multishots covering half of the screen. Seriously it's just not fitting for a game that wants mass battles. There are situations where you can't see anything for multiple seconds, you don't see anything about the enemy group. In this state it's just not good. Every spell effect should be less flashy and especially MUCH smaller. This ranger multishot is the worst.

    Especially none of these effects is doing significant damage, everything is exploding and noone is dying.
  • LudulluLudullu Member, Alpha Two
    This was waaaaay less visually cluttered than majority of other games. I could see other people/targets through the effects and the battle's flow was readable as well. And we'll be able to decrease the effects even further through settings.

    As for no one dying, that's a balancing thing, not an animation one.
  • GarrtokGarrtok Member, Alpha Two
    NiKr wrote: »
    This was waaaaay less visually cluttered than majority of other games. I could see other people/targets through the effects and the battle's flow was readable as well. And we'll be able to decrease the effects even further through settings.

    As for no one dying, that's a balancing thing, not an animation one.

    What other games? And that you can decrease it is really just an excuse, why not doing a propper default?
  • LudulluLudullu Member, Alpha Two
    Garrtok wrote: »
    What other games? And that you can decrease it is really just an excuse, why not doing a propper default?
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQGELZ-oKak
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ne95nU1haUw
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Li2WU8sMjWg
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAX7Du1YGG8
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfgwD5naNPs

    BDO is probably the worst one of those. L2's and AA's combat is usually seen from orbit, so it's slightly easier to read, but the same will be the case for Ashes as well, so its visuals will be even more understandable. FF14 only has 8 people, but all the effects are blinding. WoW's 20 can be at times less understandable than AoC's 30 vs 30.

    As for "proper default" - that's a very subjective thing. So it's easier to simply give players the option to control the vfx to some extent. Also, as Steven keeps saying each and every damn time - all of this is a WIP and none of the vfx are on their final passes. If enough people say that vfx are still too much - they'll get reduced.
  • GarrtokGarrtok Member, Alpha Two
    Can we please not compare it to Asia games with intented animeesque style? Make like to warhammer online, wow, daoc etc.
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  • GarrtokGarrtok Member, Alpha Two
    Hinotori wrote: »
    Garrtok wrote: »
    Thread necromancer:

    the very good node war stream prove my point. In my opinion the spell effects are in this form plain horrible, sorry. Everywhere vulcanos, circles aoe, neon flashy multishots covering half of the screen. Seriously it's just not fitting for a game that wants mass battles. There are situations where you can't see anything for multiple seconds, you don't see anything about the enemy group. In this state it's just not good. Every spell effect should be less flashy and especially MUCH smaller. This ranger multishot is the worst.

    Especially none of these effects is doing significant damage, everything is exploding and noone is dying.

    Game needs to be flashier. Muted spell effects are boring. Gotta live a little.

    https://youtu.be/eXt1XCOdFBw?si=_v1JblcXc_uTFrCr

    BS, it's a pvp game, it's important that you can see what is going on.
  • DepravedDepraved Member, Alpha Two
    Garrtok wrote: »
    Hi,

    is it just me, or are the current animations of spells and weapon attacks just too much?
    I get that some magical spells need some effect, it has to be visible etc. but does some Ranger skill really need some green stream that is of the size of a character, or does a standard hammer attack really need some big cleave animation?

    You could see it in the last live stream, that even with just four people it's super chaotic and everything is flashing and exploding. What should happen with eight people or even while 500vs500? I feel like it's very close to a jrpg, and I have to admit that visually this is just too much for me. I don't say remove it, but pleaaase decrease the size and flashyness alot!
    Ironhope wrote: »
    I literally just made a post stating the exact same thing.

    Yes, they are way too much.

    Way over the top.

    And these were just low level characters.

    Just imagine what a burning christmas tree juggling with electric chainsaws the higher levels characters will be.

    They need to tune the animations and attacks down a lot to make this work with 8, yet alone 300 players on the same battle-field, at the same time.

    The way it is now just looks blinding, overwhelming, visually exhausting and challenging and honestly, silly.
    Sarkgp wrote: »
    I agree, the animations should contain less light effects, I don't want to imagine a war like it would look like with 500 people casting this type of spell. Epilepsy in each player.
    Selo wrote: »
    Still feel the mace/hammer looks a bit to "light"
    There are no resistance when you hit the enemy at all and the hammer just goes from point A to point B. I would like of there to be more "crunch" in the hits.
    Also the animations should be smoother, its very jerky robotic where it starts at point A, accelerates to 200 miles an hour and the stops abruptly at end.

    Dark Souls has good hammer/mace animations but still not "meaty" enough
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wd5Ia4h26cU
    and For Honor (still not perfect either)
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWO3pgkfWhU

    they literally said probably 5 times or more (and that was just during yesterday's stream) that they know they have to fix the animations, effects, etc. to please provide feedback about other stuff and not that. they arent showing the final product, they are showing the stages of development of the final product. things arent refined yet.
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  • RocketFarmerRocketFarmer Member, Alpha Two
    To some the effects are so distracting that they take away from the focus of the showcase. Or the fans of the game see them as not good at all, which is an obvious issue for a fan who may be trying to convince their friends to play at some point.

    Others may like them or want even more intensity. Since they can’t use strobe lights on their cars in real life, they need an escape. Because, after all annoying other players is “winning”.

    Understand testing with the intensity set to 100% (or even higher), but not for a showcase which I hope would be set at an average level. Looks like there’s a gap between the developers and many would be customers on what “average” intensity means.

    On several showcases they’ve had different POVs. Perhaps they could do a showcase where each view shows the different levels of effects/intensity so that everyone can decide which one they like. May not be the focus of a showcase, but it should reduce the distraction effect and yet another month where we are talking about it.
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