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

[Yalnif]

I just hate how now moves that are out of range also light up mid fight. Needs fixing.

[Micadog]

Copy from my post in another thread:

 

"As far as the health issue is concerned, what you are seeing at the moment is people who are immediately affected by this change.

 

You also need to consider what the long term implications are.

 

Players who aren't currently experiencing any problems may well develope symptoms in the future as a result of prolonged exposure.

 

The current problems are a warning that should not be ignored.

 

I would also mention that some other games give players the option to tone down or turn off visual effects that they find distressing."

 

Player choice is the way forward, not being stuck with a UI that you have no in-game control over.

[DarthWarrior]

If I could tell what abilities were off cooldown when I hit something, I wouldn't have an issue with the new changes. I literally have to wait for the GCD/Animation to be over on the bars themselves before I can tell what to hit next, and that is downright silly.

 

This describes the problem the best. You need to see the cooldown on each individual ability. If you block out all the abilities at once you have no way of preparing for your next ability.

Edited February 8, 2012 by DarthWarrior

[KiboshHD]

Would be cool to have the versions that have been in the game so far as options you can choose in your game preferences. If new versions are introduced, just add them as new optiions. Then everyone can choose one that fits their taste.

[Grome]

Personally, the way it was at launch never posed any problems for me. Then after the first change people were saying that it wasn't easy to see which ability was available and which wasn't. This isn't the case anymore, but it can be a little too flashy, too bright perhaps. A more subtle approach would certainly be appreciated.

[JBChimera]

As I've stated in other threads about this issue, I am one of the people, which so far appears to be the majority, that has been affected by this UI change. But only two things need to change to make it better, and it's quite simple:

 

1) Remove the "flash" at the end of the cooldown.

 

2) Make it so that instant abilities that are available to use as soon as a CD is finished should be as bright as it was before you activated it, and only be greyed out if you do not have enough of your class's resource to activate it straight away.

 

In other words, similar to how it was before but keep the dark shading for non-instant abilities that require a timed cooldown.

 

you could even make it easier by reverting back to the old style and having the cooldown "area" of the icon in the hotbar shaded red instead of blacking it out.

 

EDIT: I would also like to add that if the original hotbar cooldown animations were a problem, then it would have been a major issue during the beta phase of development. I, like many others here was in the beta, and I do not remember any threads of significance in relation to this issue. So, why change it? I would love to know who's idea this was because I feel strongly that it wasn't from a customer, and more of an idea from someone internally that has little knowledge or experience of MMO gaming.

Edited February 8, 2012 by JBChimera

[Dopl]

As a Sniper I have many abilities that are the same time length as the Global Cooldown or less. This means that my bars are almost always dark except when using Ambush or Orbital Strike. What is the point of having bars when they don't provide feedback about when things will be ready to use again? Even every time I used the Rifle Shot (free attack) the bars all flashed. I definitely had to block them out while playing yesterday. I did not like the change.

[corbanite]

I voted that I don't care either way.

 

The graphics are interesting. I don't seem to have a problem knowing when my cooldowns are up and being able to use my skills.

 

Then again, there are very few skills that I use that I actually need to look at the button bars to see if the cooldown is up. Generally I know the timings on the skills and the rotations I use. I largely ignore the button bar visual feedback.

 

If forced to pick between pre-patch and current, I'd pick current.

 

The problem is knowing which abilities you can use once GCD has finished during GCD. Try playing on your Guardian to see what I mean by this.

[JediJoeK]

Doesn't bother me at all. Hasn't affected my gameplay whatsoever. Don't see why it's such a big problem.

 

I like it.

[bagleymj]

I don't really so much care. I would just prefer that you guys pick a solution and stick with it. I had become okay with the 'no-fade' style, once I realized that all of my skills were not, in fact, active. I'm sure I could learn to live with the current format as well.

[Invalid_Integral]

Personally I like the idea of a clock-like cooldown indicator. It's hard to describe, but imagine that an ability on cooldown starts with a complete white tint covering the entire icon. Then imagine you take a clock needle at 12AM and slowly sweep it around clockwise, and as it sweeps the area it covers loses the white tint.

 

 

Another issue I have is that abilities are clickable / pressable even while on cooldown, and it still flashes and looks like I pressed it. If an ability is on cooldown, the button should feel like it's disabled. Pressing it should do nothing. Furthermore, there's been certain times (pretty frequently actually) that I press the button when the ability is CLEARLY on cooldown, and it waits until after the cooldown is over and then fires the ability. This should not happen.

[WiltenRose]

I voted "Terrible" because that was the only negative option. Really, I think the concept behind the most recent implementation is a step in the right direction in the following way:

 

- A long cooldown timer now can more accurately be seen to end both by a more clear descending shield over the ability and by the flash when the ability is ready again.

 

This is great. I would be happy with a little flash on my abilities with cooldowns, be they 2 minutes or 6 seconds.

 

What is NOT good, and in fact quite terrible, is the fact that the GCD operates on the same principal. It should not. The version before this was much better for showing the refresh of the global cooldown, just a slightly grey sheen descending while the ability remained fully colored.

 

So I would advise using both the method from the previous iteration and the new method together using an if/else kind of function:

 

IF the ability used has a cooldown that is longer than the GCD, use the new cooldown animation

ELSE use the cooldown animation from 1.1.1.

 

I would also suggest that when an ability that has a cooldown finishes its cooldown, if requirements for resources or range are not met then the ability should NOT flash. Let the bar expire, but keep it darkened with no flash. When it becomes available again, just let the normal color return.

 

So the only time we should see flashes are for individual abilities that have cooldowns and whose requirements for range and resources are currently met. This would make the notification of the flashes imminently useful. Without this kind or restricting though, the flashes lose their meaning and just become an eye-sore.

[Lightning_Flik]

I think you've made a poll like this too early to provide a fair and measured responce from people. It's only been ....has it even been 24hrs? People don't like change. Make this poll a week from now then see where the votes go.

 

Orrrr just do the easy thing and add the option to pick either.

[SWTORO]

Quite honestly, I still don't understand what was wrong with the way abilities were animated on launch. This wasn't ever raised as a problem during beta (that I remember) and post-launch didn't seem to be an issue with anyone either.

 

Both of the UI ability animation changes that have gone through on live seem to be an attempt to hide/justify the ability lag, animation lag, instant abilities being interrupted, and general clunky feeling combat. Stop wasting time with these changes, stop trying to improve the UI, it is painfully obvious that whoever is responsible for the UI doesn't actually play MMO's or quite possibly any game for that matter. Take the time to add in some type of UI API and make it so that the modding community can re-skin it and customize it's function. Because you're clearly not up to the task.

 

This gets my vote. Make the UI "moddable".

[Bidj]

All abilities grayed out during GCD. This is terrible. It makes iv VERY hard to know what ability is going to be usable due to resource.

 

Old one was better.

[RivAngE]

Here's my though. Keep the animation as it is except the flashing when the global cooldown is over. Instead, use that exact flashing effect for the skills that come out of cooldown (not global cooldown)

[thefinaledge]

I am generally very positive about the game and enjoy it immensely. I can wait for other improvements to the game because I don't have to deal with those aspects on a consistent basis. However, combat is a pervasive element of the game, and the increased difficulty of identifying which skills are available while the GCD animation is taking place just completely saps my enjoyment.

 

This is a statement that echoes my sentiment nearly exactly. You can't keep changing this aspect. Figure out what the issues are (confusing one ability for another, not knowing if an ability is on timer cooldown or combat cooldown - that drives me insane: keep clicking till something happens, waste of time - and generally what others have been voicing) and fix them and stop working on it. There are more important aspects to be worried about. In addition, I'd like to throw my 2 cents in that the 1.0 iteration was fine, I had none of the previous issues I mentioned until patches started appearing. Hears hoping someone's listening...

[StrikeOfLight]

I think you've made a poll like this too early to provide a fair and measured responce from people. It's only been ....has it even been 24hrs? People don't like change. Make this poll a week from now then see where the votes go.

 

Orrrr just do the easy thing and add the option to pick either.

 

I almost pulled a wad of hair out until I read your second response.

 

Don't EVER encourage them to take longer on this. Even in jest. For serious. My brain can't take the eye strain.

Edited February 8, 2012 by StrikeOfLight

[Kawolski]

I like the IDEA of the flashing/white-border effect, but I wish that was reserved for when special abilities proc like Retaliation on my Sith Warrior or a free Consumption when I proc Force Surge on my Sith Inquisitor.

 

Right now, it's too flashy to be on everything that's on cooldown/GCD.

[Jivefenix]

I think you've made a poll like this too early to provide a fair and measured responce from people. It's only been ....has it even been 24hrs? People don't like change. Make this poll a week from now then see where the votes go.

 

Orrrr just do the easy thing and add the option to pick either.

 

The problem with waiting is that some of us can't even play cause of the UI and it's current effects on our eyes and head.

[Creedon]

The change is in the right direction, but it does NOT compliment (imo) the UI and makes it extremely hard to determine what CD is up... I generally know what hotkey is what, but at times i cant tell if the ability is ready or not.

 

 

As we all see things differently, the UI, especially HOTKEYS, need to be customizable to easch players needs.

 

Having one way is just not good business...

 

"Sometimes whats good for the goose, isn't good for the gander"

Edited February 8, 2012 by Creedon

[StrikeOfLight]

Firsly, in response to the UI changes, i like it, if a little just tone down the whites a bit on it, it's a little bright when all your skills are flashing, if you could look into that, that'd be great.

 

On a second note; you guys (the community) are a bunch of pre-pubescent whiny insatiable idiots and your replies make me want to gouge out my eyeballs.

 

Really? That's what hundreds of people like me feel like when we play the game and get these migraines!

 

 

 

Bioware. We aren't going away. Address the health issues.

Edited February 8, 2012 by StrikeOfLight

[ptwonline]

There are many ways to alleviate this issue:

 

Leaving the icon bright and not having the flashing

 

Reducing the contrast between the icon and the bright wipe line

 

Using a DARK wipe line over a brighter icon

 

Using a numerical overlay for abilities that are close to ready

 

Making the GCD and the ability CD different visually instead of two similar implementations

 

 

Any of these will help. Having all of the things--bright overlay over almost every icon, darkened icons, so many icons flashing, similar graphics for two different kinds of cooldowns--all contributed to this being massive overkill visually.

[Merex]

Honestly, I don't think the changes to the GCD effect is terrible or fantastic. I think it's in between. I really think if Bioware just lowered the opacity on the effect so abilities are more visible when on CD or the GCD occurs the new effect would be great.

[Konjure]

At this point the poll shows that by a 2 to 1 margin, people dislike the changes.

 

The poll also shows that there are people who are happy and wanted a change.

 

Please consider reverting the UI back to the exact way it was before the patch yesterday, and then trying out some new changes on the PTR that you can poll on.

 

Once you get an approval rating of 80-90 percent, then run with it and make adjustments based on feedback to get everyone satisfied.

 

PLEASE DO NOT make a fresh change now on the live servers with something completely new and untested....

 

Many liked how it was before, but it needed work. Go back to that and work on ideas.

 

If you try to change it to something new again all of a sudden, we may end up with another disliked UI and we start this all over again.

Edited February 8, 2012 by Konjure