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New Ability Bar Cooldown effect


Sammojo

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In the previous iteration (before 1.1.2), abilities that were usable still appeared "lit up", even though they were on CD/GCD. The cooldown indicator still scrolled down the ability, but the ability itself was actually lit up, indicating it is usable the instant it comes off CD.

 

This was PERFECT for me. It let me actually predict the next ability I would use before I used it.

 

I don't quite understand this. Aren't ALL abilities usable the instant they come off CD? I mean, unless you are out of focus or endurance... But then you wouldn't want them lit up anyway?

 

I don't see how this is easier especially for a focus-based character. By my way of reckoning, I want abilities to light up ONLY if they are usable RIGHT NOW. I can't see the point of lighting up an ability that will be usable some time in the future, whether 1 second or 10. When it's lit up it should mean "you can use this now." Otherwise, what's the difference between "lit up and can be used" and "Lit up but can't be used yet?" For long-cycling abilities the GCD "line" that goes down the button is too hard to see in the heat of battle, IMO.

 

It seems to me this should be very, very simple... Grey = can't be used. Lit up = can be used. I'm not sure I understand the obsession over whether something is on the GCD or its own CD. Either it can be used or it can't. WHY it can't be used really doesn't make a hill of beans to me.

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My only issue is that the waterfall animation of the new cooldown doesn't complete when the cooldown is up (especially GCD) so it can cause players to hesitate waiting for skills to "light up" again when they are actually available.

 

An idea to fix this for all would be to add a toggle in preferences that would give you a simple numeric counter on skills cooling down and turn off the bright waterfall effect added this patch.

Edited by Selethar
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I just have to say the players saying this new change is great and they love it? Chances are dont use any sort of rotation at all. If you cant see if something is useable to be able to use it because of a big bright white flash on all corners of your screen then your just mashing buttons. For those of us that do and have to pay attention to our cool downs and procs? We have issue with it.

 

The other issue is the constant strobe lighting as if im at a photo shoot. It does cause head aches for some people. That doesnt mean we have epilepsy or whatever. It just means the flashing over and over strains the eyes after awhile. No light saber attacks or force lightning does that to me in the game. The UI does.

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Real simple.. Pull the servers down. Revert the failpatch, go back to the drawing board.

 

or just insert a quick patch to allow the strobe affect to be turned off for those with epilepsy. Personally, I like the new ui cooldowns, guess that makes it a successful patch in my eyes. :rolleyes:

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The new ability bar imo is poorly done. The entire time you are fighting you get confused by the new cooldown animation because everything is flashing.

 

Not to mention, my girlfriend has seizures and the game is unplayable for her now because of this new ability bar. It hasn't caused her to have one, but she can tell right off that this is something she shouldn't be playing.

 

Please fix this.

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I don't get home for about 6 hours to try this new CD effect, but from what I have seen on video it does not look good at all. The original system was fine, I don't even know what they changed it. I hated the CD effect they did before this one where the abilities stay lit, now this looks even worse.

Here's an idea Bioware, for abilities still on CD grey them out, or, if you want to keep them lit put a numeric value above the ability that counts down until it finally comes off CD and is able to be used. That isn't rocket science.

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Look, a proper Toolbar:

 

as posted in another thread, this is what it should look like,

 

simple, elegant, non obstructive and informative.

 

Bioware is going from bad to worst in this issue when they just could go simpler.

 

What is so hard in putting damn numbers on the buttons that they can't figure it out.

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as posted in another thread, this is what it should look like,

 

simple, elegant, non obstructive and informative.

 

Bioware is going from bad to worst in this issue when they just could go simpler.

 

What is so hard in putting damn numbers on the buttons that they can't figure it out.

 

That video is EXACTLY what I'm talking about, that looks like a very good CD system and should be used instead of what they did with this patch.

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Can we please just revert back to the way it was until you find a better solution? I'm finding my characters almost unplayable with this new "improved system". It's flamboyant as hell, annoying, and makes it impossible to tell which abilities are usable if the GCD is active.

 

For a possible fix, maybe not showing this ridiculous curtain for GCDs would work, and just for actual cooldowns. But maybe consider putting your **** on the test realm first so people can give you this info before you actually release it? Wouldn't that make sense?

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Be sure all you people getting headaches don't raid in wow :/ there is alot of flashing spells while trying to kill a boss, it might hurt your eyes

 

OK I guess turning the preferences down on bloom and spell effects would NOT have an issue then...

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Be sure all you people getting headaches don't raid in wow :/ there is alot of flashing spells while trying to kill a boss, it might hurt your eyes

 

Thing is you don't always stare at the playfield, your eyes break off to look at the bars sometimes to see what is available for use. With this hotbar design you now have to look constantly at the hotbars, which means your eyes aren't getting a break during combat. You don't get to see what is around you or appreciate the animations in combat because you're having to constantly stare at the hotbars to see what ability is available to use because they're flashing so brightly you can't just tell from the corner of your eye if certain spells are off cooldown.

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Be sure all you people getting headaches don't raid in wow :/ there is alot of flashing spells while trying to kill a boss, it might hurt your eyes

 

I have raided in wow for 7 years and never had dizziness. this new ui has made me dizzy

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Be sure all you people getting headaches don't raid in wow :/ there is alot of flashing spells while trying to kill a boss, it might hurt your eyes

 

At great risk of being flamed, I played WoW for 5 years as a Resto Druid. I did end game and pvp and never had a problem. Never once have I had an issue with ANY game for that matter. This new GCD graphic has me in tears and squinting like I'm looking into the sun. This isn't just an "all games have flashy effects so people like you need to stay away." It's a problem that even "normal" people/players are having.

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In the previous iteration (before 1.1.2), abilities that were usable still appeared "lit up", even though they were on CD/GCD. The cooldown indicator still scrolled down the ability, but the ability itself was actually lit up, indicating it is usable the instant it comes off CD.

While this was perfect for you, it was precisely my problem. I have diabetic retinopathy, which has degraded my vision to the point that the state requires an annual written recommendation from my eye surgeon if I'm to keep my driver's license. For me, abilities with a long cooldown that had a few more seconds left were indistinguishable from those that were ready to fire. The icon flash wasn't a good indicator for me because if I'm not looking directly at the icon there is a chance I'll miss the flash or be unsure which one flashed.

 

I play a juggernaut, and I use the actual Rage bar as my indicator for when I should change my rotation. I find it much easier to see at a glance, and knowing when I'm running low or maxing out is more helpful to me than is a lit icon that could represent two different states.

 

And I didn't notice the white border at all when I was playing this morning. I'll have to look for it this evening.

 

I'm not claiming my approach is better than yours, but I for one find the new system much easier to use, and I suspect your preference for the former style to be a minority view.

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