So, what happened to the Esc button in conversations?

[BenKatarn]

I've already submitted a ticket for this, but nothing has changed so far. Actually, I believe the release fo 2.4 made this issue worse.

 

Since 2.3.3a, it has become impossible to abort a conversation once the screen starts fading to black. Some might wonder what the problem with this might be. I'm personally having a problem with this because it makes it very, very difficult to record all the different dialogue options during companion conversations and other quests. This may not really affect most players, but for people like me, or say FluffyNinjaLama (which some out there might know from YouTube), it presents a problem when recording stuff.

 

I've already "lost" 2 variants of a Treek conversation to this because I couldn't tell when the conversation was about to end and when the screen started fading, hitting Escape no longer aborts the cutscene.

[BenKatarn]

I'd still like to see this addressed since it's still happening.

[Cawyden]

This is still an issue and for people who like to record different combinations of conversation choices or to try different conversations to find the combination that feels right for the character really annoying. Please fix this.

[Rivenbunny]

It works fine for me.

[BenKatarn]

It works fine for me.

 

So you're saying you can still abort a conversation while it is already fading to black? I still can't do that.

[Vorna]

I am going to bump this thread, I doubt it will do anything unless we manage to get the ear of a Dev or CM, but this issue is highly distressing.

 

I have recently returned to doing some story content after not really touching it for a year, and run into this rather... problematic issue. Although BenKatarn has described the issue quite well, and the history of it, I feel I must add some more definite specifics and theories.

 

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Previous to this issue arising (all the way back to beta), when conversations were "fading out" you could hit the escape button (or as I know I did, pound on it repeatedly), and the conversation/cinema would abort, most of the time AFTER the fade out completed.

IE- the conversation starts fading out->you hit escape->fade out completes->conversation/quest does not complete->you can start conversation over again

 

Now (as our OP states, after 2.3.3a), the game locks out your esc key/keyboard during the fade out. And this issue is still present on the current PTS build for 2.6.

IE- the conversation starts fading out->you hit escape->escape does nothing->conversation/quest completes

 

So something, somewhere along the line changed. Perhaps how the game considers key presses during the fade outs, instead of considering the key press before conversation/quest completion, it considers it AFTER. Perhaps the fade out itself is now locking out key presses. Perhaps something else.

 

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I would also like to note here, something that probably isn't connected, but worth noting as it might be. I haven't tested it for a very long time, but I remember a peculiarity in the native in game screenshot function. Once upon a time (and possibly now as well), the game refused to take screenshots during cinemas, you had to use an outside application to do so, except in one specific case- in cinemas that continued AFTER a fade out. Yes, if the cinema faded out to a different scene, you could take screenshots of the rest of the cinema after the initial fade out. I never understood why, but in most instances, I could. I'm not certain it has anything to do with this esc key issue, but it's yet another peculiarity associated with fade outs.

 

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So, with all of that said, I sincerely hope the Devs get alerted to this issue or are working to fix it. It has more far reaching effects than just people who want to record every option, because the fade outs often begin before the final line of dialogue in the conversation is actually completed by the npc/pc, locking people out of being able to escape from choices they did not wish to choose, but wished to see the dialogue associated with them or just didn't like the dialogue their character spit out (I know I personally have massive hate for the dialogue wheel summaries for this reason). This is especially egregious when said line is one or two words, which happens QUITE OFTEN (It is very hard to escape a conversation when the last line is "We do." and the fade out begins during "do").

 

So please BioWare, revert this change or fix the bug that's causing it. Or put in an optional toggle that activates a confirmation box at the end of quests asking us if we want to finish the quest or revert back to the start of the last conversation. It's hard enough to navigate the minefield of not romancing or romancing companions, don't make it any harder.

Edited January 29, 2014 by Vorna

[FluffyNinjaLlama]

I guess it’s my turn to bump this thread, it needs more attention. This is a serious problem, and it’s been ignored for too long. It’s still present in game update 2.7 on PTS, so 6 months have passed, we’ve had 4 big updates, and no one seem to care. After all this time how come it doesn’t even figure on Known In-Game Issues list?

 

I’ve been a subscriber since Early Access days, I love this game and I posted around a thousand SWTOR videos on youtube, I’d love to start a new storyline, a new character, but unfortunately this bug is preventing me to do so. I know I will never be able to lead my storyline, conversations and romance the way I want to without a fully functional Esc key, so I’ve been patient and I waited 6 months, but now I seriously consider unsubscribing. Meaningful choices with consequences and romances are what I love most in this game, but all I can do now is browse GTN, and check out the new content every time there is an update or event. That’s not enough.

[Narratja]

Although it seems, that they don't read this, I have the urge, to join the request, to bring the "Esc-key-function-during-fading" back!

 

I think it is a pity, that the developers, story-writers and voice actors spend so much time and made such a good job and now we are not able to enjoy it, because we must be afraid of logging the wrong answer in.

 

Just an attempt to convince anyone who has something to say and might read this someday, that it might be worthwhile putting "repair the during-fading-Esc-key" on the to-do-list:

I can understand, that it might seem like we are only a few players, who are bothered by this.

But I think compared to the "max-dps-raiders / higher-bigger-faster-progamers" the "story-enjoying-gamers" are mostly the older ones with little spare time on their hands. Therefore we normally don't spend much time writing in forums. So for everyone, who writes here with any "non-progress-game-issues" there are many, who have the same issues, but remain silent (like I did until now).

They are silent, so why should you care? Because after a while they silently change the game and therefore the company which they give their money to.

And who do you think is more likely to buy your packets with decorative stuff? Someone who enjoys a good video sequence and wants to see all dialog options or someone who skips through the videos, just to get as fast as possible into the next operation or rated battle?

I wonder, if there are any statistics, but I would bet, that we "story-enjoying-gamers" are not only more likely to spend real money at the cartellmarket, but also less likely to play as non-subscribers, just because we want to play as comfortable as possible.

 

So it might pay off, to do something for this normally silent group of gamers.

 

@ BenKatarn: I would be glad, if I only had missed Treek-conversations: I nearly unsubscribed, when I hit the Esc-button too late, forcing my poor Consular to break up with Iresso.

... hm ... maybe it would have been better for me, if I really had done it back then ... at least it would have saved me lots of money I spend for virtual things like decorative armour and furnishings ... or maybe not - I guess I would have spend it than in other games