Change dark ward back

[SOULCASTER]

people will complain about everything.

oh believe me,i know your real reason,you are just mad because now in pvp people will notice that your dark ward is active.

 

Was this seriously a problem before this patch? I think people are pretty bad at pvp if you couldn't notice the assassin stance and charge stacks. You shouldn't need a BRIGHT PURPLE ANIMATION in order for your situational awareness to start kicking in......

[Altheran]

I don't know WHY they felt the need to change it. I thought it worked and looked great.

 

Because in order to optimize your tankiness, you don't use it when it's off CD, but when it wears off. Before, it wasn't a problem, because the CD matched the max duration, so you didn't have to think twice about it, your only option was to refresh it each 20s, whether it wore off early or not.

 

But since the CD doesn't match the max duration of the buff anymore, but now that the CD is shorter than the maximum duration, in order to optimize Dark Ward, you have to take care of when it wears off, because now you have a 5s window for the optimal moment for refreshing it.

Exemple : 15s have been spent, but you have 7 stacks left. During the next 5s if you don't refresh Dark Ward, you may use some of these "old stacks", while not spending the new 15 ones you'd get by reshreshing it, sparing them for later. In addition, you don't loose your 8 stacks of Dark Bulwark, and spend 5 more seconds with more Absorption percentage.

 

Assassins didn't have visual clues to help them to optimize Dark Ward, which would unbalance them with Shadows who have one.

 

 

That aside, I agree the animation is ugly (the shadow's animation is ugly as well), but the old one couldn't remain unchanged.

Edited June 14, 2013 by Altheran

[SOULCASTER]

That aside, I agree the animation is ugly (the shadow's animation is ugly as well), but the old one couldn't remain unchanged.

 

...it did for a year and a half now. It obviously wasn't a problem before. It is a problem now though.

[NotAnyOldName]

I actually kind of like it.

[Rieverre]

All of my yes. For a number of reasons:

- it's a Jedi holocron.

- literally comes out of nowhere.

- it's both distracting when cast and ugly

 

But most importantly it's _useless_ at best to downright _distracting_ at worst.

 

The former, because in more intense fights I seems to become nigh-unnoticeable with everything else flying around.

 

The latter, because it distracts from indicators that you're actually having to look out for - like the Energize/Conspirator's cloak procs, or Harnessed Darkness stacks.

 

If you need some kind of indicator for Dark Ward, make it a _sound_ one, sort of like the Agent's Tactical Advantage chuckle - that's an indicator done right, that doesn't interfere with anything and is pretty awesome as well. Just give Dark Ward a 'breaking' sound when it runs out/times out. Problem solved.

[Caereth]

I haven't played my assassin since before this last update. And she's the one class I absolutely love to play now.

 

Lo and behold though, when I log in and go into a boss fight and activate my dark ward... I see this new animation. Not only did it distract me from what I was doing but also (and I don't think anyone has considered this) it made me dizzy and nauseated. The shadow's effect doesn't do this because it doesn't float around so fast but this...

 

If you won't change it back can you *please* give us the *option* of turning it off. This would make everyone happy - both those who enjoy the new ani and those who can't handle it be it for taste or for health reasons.

 

It would be greatly appreciated if you can do something and soon so that I can use this skill again and play my assassin properly.

 

Thanks for reading!

[Simmerr]

Looks absolutely ridiculous, but I'm gonna keep on keeping on. Fix our PVE spikiness ebfore any kind of visual problems plx.

[Shadowseve]

I can't agree with this more. I FREAKING HATE the new dark ward. I LOVE the playstyle of the tankasin, but refuse to have the purple datacrons going around me. If you want a graphic why not dark smoke swirling around or something..... Give me something that makes me look bad ***.

[HoboWithAStick]

All of my yes. For a number of reasons:

- it's a Jedi holocron.

- literally comes out of nowhere.

- it's both distracting when cast and ugly

 

But most importantly it's _useless_ at best to downright _distracting_ at worst.

 

 

 

Agreed change it back

[Shadowseve]

I'm sorry I forgot that you didn't want to get focused being a "TANK"

 

Yeah its bright, big and draws attention to your toon, isn't that what you want? I love the change now characters start attacking me and allows me to do my job.

 

It's ugly and inappropriate for a Sith. As others have pointed out those are pink Jedi holocrons, thus inappropriate. I think it needed some graphic, but NOT this. A swirling dark cloud of force energy would have worked just fine.

[Caereth]

for those of you who would support my suggestion of an "off switch" or another animation:

 

click here for the suggestion box post

 

I was asked to put it there by a GM as they want the developers to see it

[Shadowseve]

for those of you who would support my suggestion of an "off switch" or another animation:

 

click here for the suggestion box post

 

I was asked to put it there by a GM as they want the developers to see it

 

I supported it.

[paowee]

keep it. i like the visual q for dark ward stucks. maybe tone down the glow a little but thats it

[Lacedemon]

Yes please get rid of this horrible eyesore of an animation. Doesn't look star warsy or sithy in the slightest. I look like some sugar plum fairy.

 

What happened to: If it ain't broke don't fix it. It sort of seems like they figured out how to do X with the engine and so changed it because they could regardless of how bad the result was.

[SOULCASTER]

its TERRIBLE. Please change this animation.

[Luckeyduckey]

Don't change it back, but give us something new. Old one was bland.

[Trollokdamus]

I don't understand why devs are ignoring the feedback on this. Not a single word about their plans on what are they planning to do with the current atrocious animation. Edited June 21, 2013 by Trollokdamus

[cool-dude]

They could of done better with the animation...true. However, pvp can get very messy sometimes, and it's hard to keep track of whether or not dark ward is active. The current animation does help me to know when to activate it again, without having to look at my UI.

 

In my opinion, I think your character should look like he's imbued with lightning during dark wards effect, rather than having a cheesy holocron surround him. What gave me this idea, was the effect your lightsaber has, when your charge ticks.

Edited June 22, 2013 by cool-dude

[Snapsix]

I like it maybe the glow 'could' be toned down a bit, but the pink spinning stuff goes really well with my pink lightsaber

 

I'd rather they spend their time fixing our spikyness tbh...

Edited June 23, 2013 by Snapsix

[tXHereticXt]

This new update totally 'broke' assasin for me. I'll be going back and playing my other alts now.

 

I do NOT like glowing bright purple with this new holocron shield that is ''dark ward''

 

Anyone else a bit peeved they changed it?

 

The holocron is neat but I have issue with the glowing aura. Not because of its color but because it washes everything out. I rather just have Kinetic Ward at this point, pulling up rocks and floating them around. Or lifting one giant rock from the ground before splitting it apart. Otherwise I can tolerate the holocront just fine, if hopefully one day they allow us to exchange graphic affects so I can take some shadow skills instead, it's just the aura needs to leave. I'm sure if Kinetic Ward allowed dust to surround the person in the same fashion that currently exists on Dark Ward, I'd be just as annoyed.

 

They could of done better with the animation...true. However, pvp can get very messy sometimes, and it's hard to keep track of whether or not dark ward is active. The current animation does help me to know when to activate it again, without having to look at my UI.

 

In my opinion, I think your character should look like he's imbued with lightning during dark wards effect, rather than having a cheesy holocron surround him. What gave me this idea, was the effect your lightsaber has, when your charge ticks.

 

Why didn't they just make that initial first casting effect be sustained. So you have a translucent blue shield? I loved that casting effect.

 

I'd rather they spend their time fixing our spikyness tbh...

 

Agreed. While this is cosmetic I rather see them focus on the gameplay that is actually harming players as opposed to harming our "tastes".

Edited June 23, 2013 by tXHereticXt

[SOULCASTER]

Don't change it back, but give us something new. Old one was bland.

 

I'd be ok with that too. I dont want any kind of glowing aura that covers and washes out my character though.

 

I'm SEMI-OK with the holocron, although I think its very cheesy and more WoW than Star Wars. But the glowing purple aura has GOT TO GO.

[Drivenapollo]

The glow should be toned down and have the ability to color with your crystal. The spinning cube does not bother me as I look past it, and hardly notice it. But many people in my guild and in this post have said it needs to go or be changed. I like the idea someone posted about having the dark ward look like the holo looking purple flame. I forget the name of the ability as I just started tanking with my assassin, but that does look really cool, and is it not distracting. Just my thoughts, but agreed bright pink / purple and jedi holocron does not go together at all.

[Nemarus]

Why bother dying any of my armor when my character is going to be glowing hot pink during all combat? The new Dark Ward "animation" completely drowns out any color choices I make for my character.

 

And that's on top of its other problems:

• Lore: why is it a Jedi holocron (cube) instead of Sith (pyramid)?
  
• Sense: Where is this giant Jedi holocron coming from? At least Shadows build their orbiting rocks from surrounding terrain.
  
• Clutter: It's hard to tell when other effects, such as the Energize proc or Kephess lightning debuff, are on me.
  
• Aesthetic: Every other Assassin power involves shadow, lightning, or dark purple light. This giant holocron and hot pink totally clash with the rest of the class motif... if not all of the class effects.
  

 

I understand the need to have a visible, persistent effect to tell us when to refresh Dark Ward. But right now, this effect makes me want to drop the class, or at the very least respec out of Darkness.

[Hxxr]

They went from no persistant animation to turning your entire character into nothing but a walking Dark Ward where two lightsaber edges point out on both sides.

 

There was little need for any change in the first place, since the Dark Ward icon stands out quite nicely on your buff bar, but they felt the need to do so and went 300% overboard.

The very same animation, just smaller on the hight of your ankles (dropping down from your head when activated) would've done the trick nicely and not make any costume choices close to obsolete.

 

Next to the GCD-with-nothing-happening bug this is probably the worst thing in the game right now.

[Hockaday]

I just don't like it because people can see when I get lazy and or forget to refresh DW lol.