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

[corbanite]

Changes are definitely going to be made to the UI in response to initial feedback we received after the patch was deployed. (Very little feedback was received on the PTS Forum before the patch was deployed to the live servers, otherwise changes may have been made before the patch's deployment.)

 

The primary purpose of this poll is to get more accurate numbers on player sentiment. Threads are very helpful for us to get an immediate idea of areas that need attention, but accurate numbers as opposed to post counts help us present a more accurate picture of those affected (threads/post counts can easily be inflated by multiple posts from the same person, opposing points of view, and so on).

 

If you'd like to give us constructive feedback on changes to the UI and the global cooldown animations, we'd welcome that in this thread. Discussions about the poll or other aspects of development aren't appropriate.

 

Excellent, just what I wanted to hear.

 

For me personally it has become very unclear what abilities I will be able to use once GCD has finished due to the darkening.

 

If this is fixed then this is half the problem of what people are talking about.

 

The other half of the problem which does not affect me is the brightness of the CD animation

[hace]

It was a good idea in theory, it's just that in practice the GCD is way too bright. I think the current brightness works for showing abilities that are on cooldown, it's just too bright when it's going off on all your abilities at once.

 

As a long time OmniCC user in WOW, having numbers in front of abilities that read out the cooldown would be ideal.

[neonshadow]

I absolutely love the change, I don't understand why so many people have problems with it?!?

[Gasrim]

Hi folks,

 

We recently implemented a change to the global cooldown UI with Patch 1.1.2 and we realize that it has been a hot topic here in the Forums. In an effort to prioritize any new changes to the UI, we wanted to poll the community on their opinion of the current global cooldown UI. Please vote in the poll above! As a reminder, please only vote with the cooldown UI changes in mind.

 

I appreciate that you are trying hard to give the players what they want, IMO the changes just previous to the ones implemented yesterday were perfect. Thanks for your concern!

[grandmthethird]

i find it better now than i did on monday.

[Greencorn]

If you'd like to give us constructive feedback on changes to the UI and the global cooldown animations, we'd welcome that in this thread. Discussions about the poll or other aspects of development aren't appropriate.

 

Personally I think the best course of action would be to immediately take the servers down and revert the UI back to it's state at launch so that we can at least get back to playing this great game.

 

Long term I don't think anything which makes the skill buttons any more or less bright based on the GCD would be a good idea because there are such a huge array of skills which are needed on the skill bars, many of which depend upon the GCD, also it occurs at a very high rate making it very obtrusive. A better solution could be something simple like a GCD "cast" bar, so you can monitor when the GCD tick will be at a glance without it being in the way.

[Edgecase]

Seriously why is the issue of dizziness, headaches, and nausea being ignored? Its not that I just do not like the new UI its that the game has become unplayable for me with it. The strobing effect makes me dizzy after 15 minutes of play and I have to stop. I didn't even check if the effect would get worse. I never get dizzy or sick from other games and I am not the only one with this issue.

 

THIS IS NOT A PREFERENCE ISSUE THIS IS A HEALTH ISSUE.

 

I am honestly furious at how this has been handled by EA/Bioware.

 

Out of curiosity, how many actionbars do you have open on your screen? Is it all 4? Do you get motion sickness in other titles with lots of screen movement, or are you prone to ill effects from strobe lights?

[Sholagar]

Changes are definitely going to be made to the UI in response to initial feedback we received after the patch was deployed. (Very little feedback was received on the PTS Forum before the patch was deployed to the live servers, otherwise changes may have been made before the patch's deployment.)

 

The primary purpose of this poll is to get more accurate numbers on player sentiment. Threads are very helpful for us to get an immediate idea of areas that need attention, but accurate numbers as opposed to post counts help us present a more accurate picture of those affected (threads/post counts can easily be inflated by multiple posts from the same person, opposing points of view, and so on).

 

If you'd like to give us constructive feedback on changes to the UI and the global cooldown animations, we'd welcome that in this thread. Discussions about the poll or other aspects of development aren't appropriate.

 

So take the poll but don't talk about the poll. Do no look directly at the poll. Ignor the poll behind the curtain!!!! Do not taunt the poll!!!!

 

Uh oh, am I going on a vacation?

[Benfynyn]

Changes are definitely going to be made to the UI in response to initial feedback we received after the patch was deployed. (Very little feedback was received on the PTS Forum before the patch was deployed to the live servers, otherwise changes may have been made before the patch's deployment.)

 

The primary purpose of this poll is to get more accurate numbers on player sentiment. Threads are very helpful for us to get an immediate idea of areas that need attention, but accurate numbers as opposed to post counts help us present a more accurate picture of those affected (threads/post counts can easily be inflated by multiple posts from the same person, opposing points of view, and so on).

 

If you'd like to give us constructive feedback on changes to the UI and the global cooldown animations, we'd welcome that in this thread. Discussions about the poll or other aspects of development aren't appropriate.

 

Options. All you need to do is give people options. Let us decide for ourselves which UI we would prefer to use.

[Ataruu]

368 QQers so far.

 

The new CD UI is very good.

The graphic effect is not bad at all, and I can follow without problems my cds.

 

People will never be happy in something.

Edited February 8, 2012 by Ataruu

[Retadine]

I almost fell out of my chair laughing last night when I saw the UI change.

 

It made the game look really really tacky

 

The flashes in principal are a good idea. But having the entire bar flash is a bit much.

 

If they can make the ability that's coming off cooldown flash once, that'd be pretty cool I think. Maybe with a softer flash too. That would be nicer

[NRaySI]

The change overall is a welcomed one. I really had a "What. . why?" moment when all of the cooldowns were initially changed a few patches ago. The 1.1.2 change is a much needed improvement to what it once was, however I'd change one particular thing.

 

When you activate an ability that utilizes the global cooldown, every ability that shares the GDC has the "wipe" effect occur to show that the ability cannot be used until it's ready. However, at the end of the GDC each and every icon that had the wipe has that light-up effect applied. The lighting up should only occur for abilities that were triggered by the user, and are now available again.

 

If you stop this from happening with the GDC wipe effect, I don't think I could complain about the implementation. Thanks!

Edited February 8, 2012 by NRaySI

[lukesneeringer]

Cards on table: I voted "terrible". I would like to elaborate, however.

 

The current change obscures rather than enhances abilities that can be used. Because the cooldown glare thing is so bright, it draws your eyes to exactly the abilities that you can't use at the time. This is made even worse by the fact that it shows this eye-drawing animation for global cooldowns in addition to "real" cooldowns. It's basically a minor case of information overload. The overarching principle should be: Show me what I can use, not what I can't. The current implementation fails this test.

 

The goal of this UI change is to enhance contrast between usable and on cooldown abilities. I get that. But the solution is to make usable abilities brighter or unusable ones darker...basically the opposite of what was done.

 

In an attempt to be more forward-thinking, if you want to improve the action bar UI, the next thing you should consider should be calling attention to reactionary or otherwise special use abilities when they become available. For instance, if I can only press a button when a mob is stunned or dotted, that button should flash at me when that's happening. That said, that's a different problem and somewhat off topic.

 

The previous action bar UI wasn't perfect, but the current iteration is worse. I humbly request that it be reverted and action taken in another direction.

[Rhila]

I just don't want a migraine and eyes that feel like they're going to explode when I play anymore.

 

I'd like to enjoy playing again.

 

This is the real reason I can't take the new UI. It causes me actual pain it did not cause before.

 

In case it wasn't clear before.

 

=/

[Zumlar]

the way they were at release was just fine. Maybe put in an option that allows players to choose which style they like. win/win for everyone

[kryator]

Reintroduce the previous UI cooldown visual..it was much better than this one. Edited February 8, 2012 by kryator

[EscVelocity]

Just add count-down numbers

[Aerithel]

I was immediately kind of irritated by it, but after questing for a bit I got used to it.

 

This was how I reacted, and I did get used to it. However, instead of using grey, I think what would be a wiser choice of coloring would be dark red (for Empire characters) and dark blue (for Republic characters) - I'd seen this suggested on another thread and thought I'd offer it as a possible alternative.

[Dragonexadon]

So I guess they didn't bother reading through any of the 1000s of posts about why this UI is so bad.....

 

As stated they are trying to look for numbers. One or Two posters posting in a thread over and over again does not give a clear number. Sifting through a post to find UIDs would also be a pain.

[StrikeOfLight]

Where is option #4: CAUSING HEALTH ISSUES.

 

I need to click it. Migraines are destroying me.

[Arkerus]

As I noted in our Twitter discussion Stephen, this UI is causing health issues for players, it's not a matter of who likes it or dislikes it, it's a matter of people's health on the line. You said that you prioritize bugs you consider gamebreaking, well isn't someone getting a seizure from these flashes considered game breaking?

 

I'm sorry. I don't buy this at all.

 

Until someone posts a doctor's examination that tells them they are not to be looking at the "UI" in this game, I call BS.

 

You are only reporting it this way so you get your favorite bugs fixed faster than others.

[gryhmr]

Out of curiosity, how many actionbars do you have open on your screen? Is it all 4? Do you get motion sickness in other titles with lots of screen movement, or are you prone to ill effects from strobe lights?

 

I have all 4 bars since I have to to play. I have never gotten dizzy from any other game and I have been playing them over two decades. The constant strobe at the edge of my vision on the bars is what is causing it in me and others.

[DarthKeredias]

368 QQers so far.

 

The new CD UI work is good.

 

People will never be happy in something.

 

I have defended this game to the death, this isn't people being QQ'ers, I am having eye strain and massive headaches as well because of the flashes, much like the 2000 people that posted in the thread.

[Grimhand]

I like being asked for feedback, and it really sticks it to those who say BioWare actually doesn't care.

 

But if you want my honest opinion, you are going to learn the hard way what it is players want in their UI. And the answer is there is no answer, everyone processes data and stimuli differently. Until you release your custom UI, you will always get negative feedback.

 

And I'm not talking about just the ability to move and resize bars and UI elements, people also are more sensitive to certain colors/animations on their cooldowns.

 

So unless you manage to offer complete customization in your UI then at some point you are going have to make possible the ability to create GUI specific addons. You don't have to allow the ability to make things like DBM, or anything that affects gameplay, but the UI will have to be completely customizable down the road.

[Konjure]

My first Post:

 

The problem that I'm having is not with the color of the spells during cool down or the flash that people are referring to.

 

My problem is with the flow of combat itself.

 

As of today, it seems like the flow of combat, which was very quick and fluid, has been changed to where combat seems delayed and the animations end and pause before another one starts. The best way to describe it is that it seems like they added a 1/2 second onto the global cool down timer.

 

With my guardian for instance, I force leap to a group of mobs. Usually I hit force sweep immediately and the skill goes off without a moments hesitation between the two skills. Today, I hit Force Leap to get to a group of mobs, then I have to wait about 1/2 to 1 second before I can use Force Sweep. A delay that's noticeable.

 

I use my strike spell, and the animation finishes before the spell is off cool down, and I have to wait a second to use it again. This makes my animation end and then my character stands there in a pose for 1/2 second or so before the next strike animation starts.

 

Switching mobs produces the same result. I kill a mob in a group, tab to target another mob, and have to wait for the cool down to end before I can start a new skill. Again I just stand still for a second before the next animation starts.

 

I always look at my screen when fighting and watch the fights, I don't look at the skill bar as I know my skills by keybinds and have adjusted to the cool downs. But as of today, I found myself staring at the skill bar waiting for the cool downs to finish, and my character would stop for up to a second between animations. I use skills as they come up, and don't "queue" skills. As of today, I can't do that without a visual delay between attacks and animations.

 

In a nutshell, before today combat was very fluid in action as well as visually perfect from a timing point of view. It was fast and responsive and I thought of it as one of the best done aspects of the game. As of today, it seems like combat is "broken" and the timing between spells and the fluidity of visual animations is "wrong" or has been made inaccurate.

 

Please revert back to the system as it was before today concerning the cool downs and animations. Keep in mind that I have no objection or opinion in this thread pertaining to the color or flash of the skills, this is entirely about the change to the cool downs and animation timings...

 

After 30 minutes of fighting mobs, I just went back to the fleet station, as I can't/won't adapt to something that feel so "wrong" when before today it felt so "right"...

 

Thank you Bioware for your time and for listening to our opinions.

My second Post:

 

To follow up on my earlier post on page seven in which I stated that I don't look at my action bars I look at the action. Please let me expand...

 

I watch the action on the screen while I'm fighting as a guardian. I have my proc skills like Riposte and Resolute on the top bar of my skills bar. I use my peripheral vision to notice when Ripost or Resolute procs, at which time I press the appropriate keys to activate one skill or the other. I also use this technique to notice if a mob starts a spell cast so I can kick them, or to see how much focus I have left or built.

 

I never had to look directly at my skill bar until today, because as of today my skills which were previously available when needed were now grayed out due to the cool down not being finished when the current skills animation ended. This is the problem for me, and it's a major one.

 

Again, I don't queue skills for the exact reason that if a proc goes off, I need to use it immediately and if i have a spell queued I must cancel it if possible or miss the proc.

 

This results in me personally having to now stare at cool downs on my skill bar, and in my having animations stop before another one starts, creating an awkward "pause" between skill animations.

 

So I don't say I don't utilize my skill bar visually, I just never stare directly at it while I'm fighting or tanking mobs, until today after the changes went into effect. It made what was very fluid and fast paced accurate combat very awkward and jerky to me.

 

Sorry if I didn't explain myself fully in my first post...