Poll: What do you think about the new changes made to global cooldown UI in 1.1.2?

[DTuloJr]

If any indication on how quickly the threads are snuffed out on the main forum. It gives your company an unfair view of what people are saying and the general population that the test server is in agreement. It also is shortsighted to ignore someone bringing up a valid point.

 

There are multiple reasons why posts are hidden/deleted or rewritten by Forum Moderators. Nearly all of the reasons for the moderator action seem to NOT include "because the gushing Fanboy was attempting to shout down criticism of the game." The lack of forum moderation going after those attempting to cheerlead the developers into thinking that everything is perfect, while attacking those of us who honestly point out real problems with the game, is quite telling. While I doubt its deliberate... it certainly might be. Gotta prop up the corporate stock by showing everything is jusssst fine, right?

 

Because it is more than obvious you just wanted our money and would rather ignore us instead of owning up to shortsighted coding mistake that will have farther reaching game crippling issues in the long run on your subscriber base. Somewhere there is a disconnection of dev to testers and the testers being ignored and the devs just doing it anyways.

 

There is absolutely no disconnect. James Ohlen's September 23, 2011 Gamasutra interview pretty much solidified that yes, they WERE ignoring their testers, because they, as devs, knew what was best for us and the game. Its only now, well after the fact, that they're coming to terms with the fact that NO, they did NOT know what was best for us, and that if they had listened to their testers in the FIRST place, they wouldn't have to go back and fix things; right out the gate they've created a situation of fix, test, fix again, test again, etc., that they claimed to be avoiding. Oops.

 

Then again, many of us told them they were releasing the game at least 3 months too early. Unlike other professional entertainment software companies, the release date was obviously at least partially driven by sales and marketing concerns, not by quality concerns. There's a lot of people at EA and BioWare Austin that need to be fired for kicking it out the door too early.

 

One poster got it correct about the cycle of us and them mentality that is overwhelmingly clear to us now.. You guys are going to do what you want when you want to do it instead of correcting the issues that are at hand, the rest of us be damned.

 

James Ohlen...

Edited February 8, 2012 by DTuloJr

[Braste]

I dislike the new UI a lot.

 

There are two main problems:

 

One: The Global Cooldown causes ALL abilities to flash when it's up. This means all of your bars will flash white every 1.5 seconds.

 

Two: Using ANY ability causes all of your abilities to go grey and they don't fade back in until after the Global Cooldown is up. This is a huge problem when you're a class that spams abilities every second, such as a Jedi Sentinel. Basically, the abilities never light back up and are in a constant state of fading grey and flashing. Because of this, you can't tell what abilities are ready, whether or not you're in range, or if you have enough resources to use the ability.

 

I play a Sentinel and it is almost impossible to determine when abilities are off cooldown. During my hardmode raid last night, my entire UI was constantly greyed out or flashing, which made it impossible to determine which abilities could be activated.

 

I could not monitor Merciless Slash, Cauterize, Overload Saber and Zealous Strike properly. I basically had to guess when each was ready to use. The other raiding Sentinel in my guild was having the same issues.

 

And don't get me started on the flashing every 1.5 seconds...

 

I totaly agree with this statement.

[dntawfik]

Please just give us the ability to put cooldown numbers on any skill with a cooldown longer than 1.5 seconds. You can grey out the button when we don't have enough of the appropriate resource, and turn it red if we have enough of the resource but we're out of range.

 

If we have to stop and think about what the highlights and shadings mean the UI isn't doing its job.

 

+1 on this.

[Tripnutz]

I dislike the new UI a lot.

 

There are two main problems:

 

One: The Global Cooldown causes ALL abilities to flash when it's up. This means all of your bars will flash white every 1.5 seconds.

 

Two: Using ANY ability causes all of your abilities to go grey and they don't fade back in until after the Global Cooldown is up. This is a huge problem when you're a class that spams abilities every second, such as a Jedi Sentinel. Basically, the abilities never light back up and are in a constant state of fading grey and flashing. Because of this, you can't tell what abilities are ready, whether or not you're in range, or if you have enough resources to use the ability.

 

I play a Sentinel and it is almost impossible to determine when abilities are off cooldown. During my hardmode raid last night, my entire UI was constantly greyed out or flashing, which made it impossible to determine which abilities could be activated.

 

I could not monitor Merciless Slash, Cauterize, Overload Saber and Zealous Strike properly. I basically had to guess when each was ready to use. The other raiding Sentinel in my guild was having the same issues.

 

And don't get me started on the flashing every 1.5 seconds...

 

Couldnt have said it better!

[Slightlycampana]

A good system should show you the following, with the score for the current UI in brackets:

 

• Show the GCD cooldown (N)
  
• Show individual ability cooldowns in such a way that you can see clearly whether a skill is ready or not, and if not roughly how much longer it has to go (Y)
  
• Show whether you have enough force/focus for a skill, irrespective of whether the GCD is in effect or not (N)
  
• Be visually discrete (N)
  

 

The current cooldown effect rates a 1/4

[GamewizX]

You weren't only saying that Bioware can't do the fix immediatly. For all anybody knows they could shut down the servers and do a rollback right now. Equally it might be impossible. In which case Bioware should just say so.

 

With coding as complex as an MMO, there is no way they can implement a fix immediately. Even huge game-breaking exploits have taken 24 hours or more to fix.

 

 

You were also saying/implying that because the people who find the game unplayable are a minority that even if they can do this they shouldn't.

 

I absolutely never made nor hinted at that statement. I have explicitly said the exact opposite on multiple occasions.

 

 

I tried explaining to you that just because an issues affects a minority doesn't mean servers shouldn't be shut down to fix it. In other words to me 10% of paying customers not being able to play for 10 hours = 100% not being able to play for an hour. Yet you insist on arguing with me.

 

You are trying to explain something to me that doesn't need explaining. A problem (especially when it's physical) that effects a small minority should obviously fixed in due process. And if I recall, you were the one to reply to me in the first place, thereby starting this debate between us. I'm not insisting on arguing with you, I'm continuing the conversation that you began between the two of us.

 

To clarify: Nobody is saying bioware should indescriminantly shut down servers.

 

Then either you haven't read the posts I've read or I've misread them. Regardless, I'm not going to go back through the 250+ pages this particular topic has generated just to try and prove this one point.

[GamewizX]

What he and others want is a simple acknowledgement that they're aware there are problems with the UI making people sick and that they're working on resolving that aspect. So far there's been nothing that remotely resembles that. "We're going to make changes" could simply be minor tweaks to make some abilities clearer doesn't address whether there's a fix enroute for those who are getting physically ill from their game. And the longer they wait to make that acknowledgement, the more people are going to believe that Stephen and BW just don't care or flat out don't believe them.

 

Thank you for the explanation. Yes, it would be polite for Bioware to acknowledge this to people. However, I think that as long as a change is inbound (which it is) that is the most important aspect of this all, wouldn't you agree?

[StrikeOfLight]

With coding as complex as an MMO, there is no way they can implement a fix immediately. Even huge game-breaking exploits have taken 24 hours or more to fix.

 

 

 

 

I absolutely never made nor hinted at that statement. I have explicitly said the exact opposite on multiple occasions.

 

 

 

 

You are trying to explain something to me that doesn't need explaining. A problem (especially when it's physical) that effects a small minority should obviously fixed in due process. And if I recall, you were the one to reply to me in the first place, thereby starting this debate between us. I'm not insisting on arguing with you, I'm continuing the conversation that you began between the two of us.

 

 

 

Then either you haven't read the posts I've read or I've misread them. Regardless, I'm not going to go back through the 250+ pages this particular topic has generated just to try and prove this one point.

 

I like you, but your posting color could compete on a low level with the flashing UI interface.

[Blaac]

I didnt like the first because although you could see the ability wasnt available you couldnt really see when it WOULD be available easily.

 

I didnt like the second because the abilities always looked like they were available.

 

I dont like the 3rd because the white color covers the ability making it almost resemble being available. Its "better" but at a quick glance it can be misleading. Plus all abilities randomly greying out is annoying.

 

I suggest a 4th option...

 

Darken the abilities (more than they darken now) and put a timer *with numbers* on top of it (instead of the white fader we have atm) that shows in minutes and seconds how much longer the ability has before its available. EDIT: And obviously fix the "everything is on CD" greying out of the abilities.

Edited February 8, 2012 by Blaac

[Fresnel]

I dislike the new UI a lot.

 

There are two main problems:

 

One: The Global Cooldown causes ALL abilities to flash when it's up. This means all of your bars will flash white every 1.5 seconds.

 

Two: Using ANY ability causes all of your abilities to go grey and they don't fade back in until after the Global Cooldown is up. This is a huge problem when you're a class that spams abilities every second, such as a Jedi Sentinel. Basically, the abilities never light back up and are in a constant state of fading grey and flashing. Because of this, you can't tell what abilities are ready, whether or not you're in range, or if you have enough resources to use the ability.

 

I play a Sentinel and it is almost impossible to determine when abilities are off cooldown. During my hardmode raid last night, my entire UI was constantly greyed out or flashing, which made it impossible to determine which abilities could be activated.

 

I could not monitor Merciless Slash, Cauterize, Overload Saber and Zealous Strike properly. I basically had to guess when each was ready to use. The other raiding Sentinel in my guild was having the same issues.

 

And don't get me started on the flashing every 1.5 seconds...

 

This EXACTLY. Well put my friend

[StrikeOfLight]

Thank you for the explanation. Yes, it would be polite for Bioware to acknowledge this to people. However, I think that as long as a change is inbound (which it is) that is the most important aspect of this all, wouldn't you agree?

 

I really feel like they owe people an apology. If even a canned heartless one like most companies come out with.

 

It is just a huge slap in the face for them not to even talk to us.

[Zannis]

I rather like the new system itself.

 

Feedback on how it could be improved:

 

Ability to customize the color and the opacity/brightness of the Cooldown/GCD effect.

 

An option to impose a numerical timer on quickbar buttons. Please allow us to choose the font size of the numbers as well.

[Ruhx]

I just spent about a half hour playing and came away once again with the feeling that I have been looking at bright light to long, and yet there is going to be a patch tomorrow for a PvP issue that doesn't even affect all level ranges?

 

Give an option to shrink the UI and this wouldn't be so much of an issue, as it is right now the UI owns so much screen area that the flashing and constant white light can't be avoided or reduced.

Edited February 8, 2012 by Ruhx

[Darka]

Had a couple of abilities show they were on cool down, but was able to use them

It basically stalled

It looks okay, but have no real preference either way on the look,

[Keta]

There are multiple reasons why posts are hidden/deleted or rewritten by Forum Moderators. Nearly all of the reasons for the moderator action seem to NOT include "because the gushing Fanboy was attempting to shout down criticism of the game." The lack of forum moderation going after those attempting to cheerlead the developers into thinking that everything is perfect, while attacking those of us who honestly point out real problems with the game, is quite telling. While I doubt its deliberate... it certainly might be. Gotta prop up the corporate stock by showing everything is jusssst fine, right?

 

 

 

There is absolutely no disconnect. James Ohlen's September 23, 2011 Gamasutra interview pretty much solidified that yes, they WERE ignoring their testers, because they, as devs, knew what was best for us and the game. Its only now, well after the fact, that they're coming to terms with the fact that NO, they did NOT know what was best for us, and that if they had listened to their testers in the FIRST place, they wouldn't have to go back and fix things; right out the gate they've created a situation of fix, test, fix again, test again, etc., that they claimed to be avoiding. Oops.

 

Then again, many of us told them they were releasing the game at least 3 months too early. Unlike other professional entertainment software companies, the release date was obviously at least partially driven by sales and marketing concerns, not by quality concerns. There's a lot of people at EA and BioWare Austin that need to be fired for kicking it out the door too early.

 

 

 

James Ohlen...

 

Tis Warhammer all over again for the long term beta testers. BTW, Like your sig.

[Pythoris]

I really feel like they owe people an apology. If even a canned heartless one like most companies come out with.

 

It is just a huge slap in the face for them not to even talk to us.

 

Why exactly do you feel they owe an apology?

[GamewizX]

I like you, but your posting color could compete on a low level with the flashing UI interface.

 

Lol, sorry. Been posting like this since 2009.

[skepticck]

I already posted this in another thread but since the devs are maybe checking this thread

i'll re-poste this again since this is the kind of changes i would like to see in this game:

 

Originally Posted by Xesha

Look, a proper Toolbar:

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.

Edited February 8, 2012 by skepticck

[Loggin]

just wanted to put my 2cents in on the ui, i play a marauder class , and this change makes it very difficult to see what abilities have enough resource to use while the gcd flash is active , which is constant on a melee class.by pressing one button it flashes the entire screen of bars, and darks them out at the same time . on the plus side it is easier to tell now what is on cooldown , just not what else can be used while the gcd is active, if only the button pressed would show the flash animation, and cd it would be improved, just not every button, this is total sensory overload. Fix : remove the gcd flash, and darkening from every button, just show it on the button used . thnx .

[GamewizX]

I really feel like they owe people an apology. If even a canned heartless one like most companies come out with.

 

It is just a huge slap in the face for them not to even talk to us.

 

Well, I can't speak for them (obviously) so I guess we will just have to see how they continue to handle the situation. Best they apologize mostly from their own accord, otherwise the apology is a forced one solely for damage control, rather than one that is more sincere.

[Cryptoling]

This new change is terrible.

[Scar]

I really feel like they owe people an apology. If even a canned heartless one like most companies come out with.

 

It is just a huge slap in the face for them not to even talk to us.

 

 

Jdimstr Brian Polit

@Rockjaw Mr. Reid...people are getting headaches and dizziness from the drastic changes to the new ui change for ability cooldownplease fix

16 hours ago

 

 

in reply to ↑

Stephen Reid

@Rockjaw Stephen Reid

@Jdimstr The UI team is looking at that, apologies if it's affected you at all.

5 hours ago via TweetDeck

Wont be accepted or good enough, but whatever.

[Tikonderoga]

So, we just learned that:

a) Polls help to get constructive feedback.

b) Different people like different things.

 

Not much a surprise, huh?

 

Hence next logical steps:

1. Make new poll like that at least once per week ("What do you think about...?", "Should we nerf... " etc.).

2. Implement some customization to the game. I.e. add-ons.

[keltonz]

1. 
    
   
2. Abilities on cooldown should use the same cooldown timer that BioWare used in Dragon Age Orgins with the grey becoming bright in a clock face sweep animantion. ( I suggest this because the sweep down animation can be difficult to see once in gets to the bottom)
   

 

Something like that is exactly what I suggested earlier. Thanks for pointing it out, made by Bioware no less!

 

Dragon Age Origins Cooldown

 

Check out the CD timer on the ability he has on the first slot. Great stuff!

 

Do this again!

[nullmiah]

I think it is an improvement. I just really don't like the big flash at the end of each refresh. That is annoying and actually makes everything look unavailable for a second.