Ability Delay -- Character Responsiveness (This will make or break SW:TOR)

[Xcore]

Actually you just described queuing or the lack there of.

IF you cast something and hit another cast before the first one completes it's cycle then one of 2 things will happen.

 

One if the game ques the next ability it will go off as soon as the first one completes it cycle.

 

Second No que means it will ignore ALL cast requests until the current ones cycle is complete.

Your example above describes a no Que condition.

 

The problem is it doesn't smoothly queue anything, the second ability (being spammed) instead will trigger its CD without animation and without effect on the target... or it will be delayed because the first ability's animation goes PAST its cast time... which makes the second ability (being spammed) appear unresponsive (late).

[tehmoose]

Except it does make sense. It just doesn't make sense to you. It's not that the GCD is only applited to instant-cast abilities, it's applied to every action you make. However, most animations are longer than 1.5 seconds so it only seems that way. It's really that simple. The GCD exists as a governor to control the flow of combat.

 

Which is absolutely fine. I don't have a problem with there being a GCD. I tend to feel that this one's about a half a second too long, but eh.

 

What I *do* have a problem with is "instant" skills and skills with a cast time longer than the GCD either get interrupted or clipped because the interface tells me they're done when they're really not.

[Elboc]

I see this problem throughout the game. Everything is just a few milliseconds behind. Can't tell you how many times I have died right next to the fire because it thinks I am still in the fire.

[Mandemalex]

Except it does make sense. It just doesn't make sense to you. It's not that the GCD is only applited to instant-cast abilities, it's applied to every action you make. However, most animations are longer than 1.5 seconds so it only seems that way. It's really that simple. The GCD exists as a governor to control the flow of combat.

 

But should animation override gameplay? To me: No. To most people i've met: No. To you:...?

[Neverdyne]

Actually you just described queuing or the lack there of.

IF you cast something and hit another cast before the first one completes it's cycle then one of 2 things will happen.

 

One if the game ques the next ability it will go off as soon as the first one completes it cycle.

 

Second No que means it will ignore ALL cast requests until the current ones cycle is complete.

Your example above describes a no Que condition.

 

It's not a queue problem. I use 0 queue time, and have this latency all over. Here's an example:

 

I am spamming Saber Slash with my Marauder. I try to use a defensive cooldown in between them, press it once and nothing happens. Press it twice, and still nothing. The GCD is off, and the ability still doesn't go off. I press Saber Slash again and while the GCD is going, I press the defensive ability again and this time it goes off. But the first times it didn't. This, while having 60+ FPS and low latency. This doesn't happen in WoW, and it feels incredibly unresponsive.

 

Add to this that often times the animations stutter, specially Vicious Slash. If you chain many of these abilities one after the other they animations start to stutter.

Edited December 26, 2011 by Neverdyne

[Nanotech]

Actually his logic is well in check, where is your evidence disproving what he is saying? You say a bunch of rhetoric nonsense about he is 'probably' bad, but actual points disproving him? Fact of the matter is, the longer things take to do, the longer you have to evaluate your next move.

 

Actually, it isn't, but i'll tell you once again to L2Read so that you can see how ironic this statement of yours is.

[Mandemalex]

Except it does make sense. It just doesn't make sense to you. It's not that the GCD is only applited to instant-cast abilities, it's applied to every action you make. However, most animations are longer than 1.5 seconds so it only seems that way. It's really that simple. The GCD exists as a governor to control the flow of combat.

 

Also I should add, how exactly is a GCD 'controlling the flow of combat' when actually it's animation that controls the flow of combat - NOT the GCD

[Nanotech]

But should animation override gameplay? To me: No. To most people i've met: No. To you:...?

 

That's your opinion and in no way supports the argument that gameplay is "unresponsive" or "broken."

[Nanotech]

Also I should add, how exactly is a GCD 'controlling the flow of combat' when actually it's animation that controls the flow of combat - NOT the GCD

 

Because if an animation is under 1.5 seconds it's countered by the GCD? Essentially, Bioware has set the GCD to 1.5 seconds because that is the earliest possible moment that they want combat to initiate.

Edited December 26, 2011 by Nanotech

[Dodia]

Well said, OP.

 

This is extremely noticeable as a healer in PvP, I play a sawbones healer and sometimes I will key a heal and it will show the spell animation but the spell is actuallly not being cast. The worst is the Take Cover ability, half the time it doesn't even work irregardless of GCD, I could be keying nothing at all for a good 10 seconds and Take Cover will not work.

 

 

Instead of a new Flashpoint BioWare should be working to fix the countless number of bugs in this game, some of them quite game breaking. I like the story in this game a lot, but I don't see myself playing for long if all of this continues for long.

 

What's the most disturbing is the rabid BioDrones coming to this thread to tell us it is our computers...LOL.

[dcinnitt]

I cannot believe people like you, this is the single worst reply in this thread... I am sorry but your lack of "everything" is disturbing...

 

THESE are the kind of people who really, really make me angry. If he was a troll, he'd be a great one.

 

They think they are the white knights defending the game but really they are ruining it for everyone by being blissfully ignorant to the standards that we deserve.

 

WOW.

[Mandemalex]

Actually, it isn't, but i'll tell you once again to L2Read so that you can see how ironic this statement of yours is.

 

You say his logic is terrible, yet he says nothing illogical and in fact backs up his point with examples. You do nothing but deny what is an obvious flaw in the gameplay AND resort to such petty comments as 'L2Read' whilst I try to hold a genuine discussion.

 

You're either a troll, very young - or very dense.

[Xcore]

Because if an animation is under 1.5 seconds it's countered by the GCD?

 

You're one hell of a Troll... well done sir. Either that or the worst Bio-Drone I have seen to date.... incredible.

[baznasty]

That's your opinion and in no way supports the argument that gameplay is "unresponsive" or "broken."

 

Answer this simple question: If the GCD is 1.5 seconds, should an animation last longer than 1.5 seconds and the next move be dependant on the first move finishing its animation, which then in-turn negates the 1.5 GCD causing there to now be untold 1.8 GCD?

 

Is that Ok? yes or no.

[dcinnitt]

THESE are the kind of people who really, really make me angry. If he was a troll, he'd be a great one.

 

They think they are the white knights defending the game but really they are ruining it for everyone by being blissfully ignorant to the standards that we deserve.

 

WOW.

 

I was talking about the other guy saying it's a computer -> chair issue... if that wasn't clear

[Nephrahim]

Arguing is pretty pointless at this point. I mean, I'm all for it because it keeps the thread up here, but what we really need is a response at this point.

 

I don't beg for dev posts very often, but it's very justified here.

[Taboo]

Wrong and wrong. There's nothing unresponsive about the gameplay, you just don't get it. You only think it's unresponsive because you sit there spamming buttons waiting for the GCD. That's now how this game works -- for ANYONE. Stop fixating on your own personal bias and what WoW did, then maybe you could get this concept through your thick skull.

 

People aren't even doing that. People have posted that they have to wait for a delay after an ability has finished before the other starts, even when the animation and GCD has finished. Why are you even argueing the point that a slow and clunky game would be better than a polished smooth one? Why?

[Xcore]

I was talking about the other guy saying it's a computer -> chair issue... if that wasn't clear

 

Its all good

[Priakk]

OP is spot on, totally agree.

[fixit]

I don't beg for dev posts very often, but it's very justified here.

 

You will never see an official response from BW ever on this forum unless its to close a thread. And certainly not to answer issues like this or even the shoddy UI which will also make or break this game eventually if not improved.

[Ryzerion]

Bravo OP bravo. I agree 1000000(infinite zeros) percent.

[Nicodareus]

Excellent post.

 

I would also like to add that it seems like animations have been interfering with the players ability to activate abilities.

 

Some abilities just seem like they have too long of an animation, and if you try to do anything during that animation, even if the GCD is ready, it will not fire.

[Rokkimies]

The only "problem" is people thinking that the GCD should always indicate when you can prompt your next attack. It doesn't work that way with SWTOR. You follow the animation cycle and not the flashing lights on your toolbar. Since it affects everyone the same way, it isn't imbalanced or broken whatsoever. It certainly isn't "unresponsive" or "clunky." Anyone like myself who figured this out within the first 10 minutes of beta hasn't had problems. L2P.

 

20 years of gaming since C 64. I did not figure it out. I think myself as average intelligent person but the logic behind this mechanic remains me a mystery. If we need to watch animation closely, why even have gcd? There is enough stuff to worry about in pvp and endgaming even without having to worry about interrupting myself by being too hasty pressing keys.

[neppe]

I'm signing this.

 

/Signed

[Neverdyne]

The developers must respond to this. They have to realize that for a lot of players, this issue takes precedence over new flashpionts, warzones, etc., in determining if they'll stay subscribed or not. We need a developer blog, or forum post, responding to this issue and how it'll get fixed.

 

If it cannot be fixed, or the developers are unwilling to do so, then I'm afraid this will be the end of what would have been otherwise a very strong contender against WoW.

Edited December 26, 2011 by Neverdyne