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

[Olzmo]

Ive read what a very small few are calling an "ability-delay" or lack of responsiveness in combat. I've tried to recreate the issue and can't. Im not sure there is any ability-dalay whatsoever; however there may be a "learn-to-play" issue. This is not meant to be argumentive so please keep it civil. What I mean is that some are really used to just button smashing combat (WoW), or being able to queue abilities (LOTRO), and are missing one of the neatest features of SWTOR: The Combat.

 

In this game, to maximize your damage, you really need to focus on your character and watch their swing (Im speaking as a Marauder here). You CAN NOT start another swing until your last one finishes. This is not "ability-delay" this is actually having a game that is trying to move the genre away from button smashing and into something a little more logical. Watch your toon and time your swings -- works great and is much more fluid than a simple button smasher style combat. I love it!

 

I for one hope they change nothing about the combat system. The combat is the most fun I have had in an MMO and I have played the majority of them.

 

I also hope they realize only a very small, vocal minority, are complaining and leave it alone.

It is evident that not all people are able to spot the delay and incredibly improbable that on some hardware configuration it'd really run as responsively as e.g. WoW (as it should). No one intelligent and knowledgeable agrees with you. Beyond reasonable doubt, your post is false.

 

I have a strange urge to make trolls believe that I actually fell for them.

Edited January 1, 2012 by Olzmo

[badchx]

Ive read what a very small few are calling an "ability-delay" or lack of responsiveness in combat. I've tried to recreate the issue and can't. Im not sure there is any ability-dalay whatsoever; however there may be a "learn-to-play" issue. This is not meant to be argumentive so please keep it civil. What I mean is that some are really used to just button smashing combat (WoW), or being able to queue abilities (LOTRO), and are missing one of the neatest features of SWTOR: The Combat.

 

In this game, to maximize your damage, you really need to focus on your character and watch their swing (Im speaking as a Marauder here). You CAN NOT start another swing until your last one finishes. This is not "ability-delay" this is actually having a game that is trying to move the genre away from button smashing and into something a little more logical. Watch your toon and time your swings -- works great and is much more fluid than a simple button smasher style combat. I love it!

 

I for one hope they change nothing about the combat system. The combat is the most fun I have had in an MMO and I have played the majority of them.

 

I also hope they realize only a very small, vocal minority, are complaining and leave it alone.

 

Hi Klarick

 

Any chance you can post a video of your gameplay? Fx pvp?

Just want to compare to my Siths gameplay.

Edited January 1, 2012 by badchx

[jtype_sw]

Ive read what a very small few are calling an "ability-delay" or lack of responsiveness in combat. I've tried to recreate the issue and can't. Im not sure there is any ability-dalay whatsoever; however there may be a "learn-to-play" issue. This is not meant to be argumentive so please keep it civil. What I mean is that some are really used to just button smashing combat (WoW), or being able to queue abilities (LOTRO), and are missing one of the neatest features of SWTOR: The Combat.

 

In this game, to maximize your damage, you really need to focus on your character and watch their swing (Im speaking as a Marauder here). You CAN NOT start another swing until your last one finishes. This is not "ability-delay" this is actually having a game that is trying to move the genre away from button smashing and into something a little more logical. Watch your toon and time your swings -- works great and is much more fluid than a simple button smasher style combat. I love it!

 

I for one hope they change nothing about the combat system. The combat is the most fun I have had in an MMO and I have played the majority of them.

 

I also hope they realize only a very small, vocal minority, are complaining and leave it alone.

 

You're trying too hard man

Edited January 1, 2012 by jtype_sw

[AlexRose]

Klarick, your post is an obvious troll.

 

Is there anyone that can say a certain class is better than another with the delay? My 41 assassin is becomin actually brutal and frustrating to play.

 

Obviously he created a new thread and his thread was locked. Now he is on his crusade here and for the love of Yoda I dont know what is he hoping to achieve.

Edited January 1, 2012 by AlexRose

[Zeetofox]

It's been commented on already by BioWare reps, and I think BioWare is still trying to ... figure out how to respond more appropriately, if that makes sense.

Generally you'd have someone actively watching such a huge thread answering questions and trying to let the community know that you are in fact listening.

[AlexRose]

Obviously he created a new thread and his thread was locked. Now he is on his crusade here and for the love of Yoda I dont know what is he hoping to achieve.

 

With this

Ive read what a very small few are calling an "ability-delay" or lack of responsiveness in combat.

he meant this thread where "only few" of us are having this problem.

[Klarick]

Nope. Quite a lot of ppl actually.

 

The last count I saw showed sales had reached the 2.5 million mark. I have no idea if thisa is true, so lets use BW's number and say there over 1 million players. If this is true, then yes those on this thread would represent a very very very small percentage of the player base.

Edited January 1, 2012 by Klarick

[AlexRose]

The last count I saw showed sales had reached the 2.5 million mark. I have no idea if thisa is true, so lets use BW's number and say there over 1 million players. If this is true, then yes those on this thread would represent a very very very small percentage of the player base.

 

Now please tell me how many of them said they dont have problems with delayed abilities?

Edited January 1, 2012 by AlexRose

[dcinnitt]

http://wiki.heroengine.com/wiki/Combat

[Wintor]

I've really enjoyed this game so far and will continue to do so, but yeah, healing has it's challenges.

 

It feels like I have to watch health bars, watch then environment, and also make sure my character has completed his action before I hit another action. I'm finding myself cutting off my heals constantly... though the more I play the better I get at it.

 

It doesn't feel intuitive however, and takes me out of the game to concentrate on UI/keyboard/mouse considerations instead of just reacting to what's happening on the screen. I hope they "fix" this, but it's not a game breaking issue for me personally. I could easily see how it could be for many gamers though.

Edited January 1, 2012 by Wintor

[DRLukasPHD]

That's it guys. i loved this game, but enough is enough. After wiping for 2 hours today on some easy 4-man quests i had just enough. I don't know why there is this fcking delay, and i know there wasn't any delay for me before recent patch, but now this game is just unpleyable. I did the very same quest on other toon like 8 days ago or so, and i didnt have any problems, but now i COULDN't even heal my party memeber.

 

I play as operative, and believe me, most of the time i cannot utilize my core mechanic, tactical advantage, simply beause it will wear off be4 the cast time completes and i get an error message that i dont have TA, that's just pathetic. I tried to play with this delay, i treid to adapt, but every time i engage a group of 4 mobs i will usually die, coz i cannot even use my medpack in time ....

 

Guess no MMORPG for me from now on.

[Aluthra]

Alright. I'm going to stay out of the egregious e-peen flailing that's been going on in these threads (as tempting as it is to join in at times) and just say that I am experiencing this issue on my sniper and would like to see it resolved. Please.

[DRLukasPHD]

Would you rather they let the thread die and not even attempt to expand it? They obviously care about the issue, just because they can't solve it in a week doesn't mean they don't care whatsoever.

 

U know how long is 1 week for starting MMORPG? certainly enough time to make most of the subscribers that enjoy pvp cancel their subscription.

[Lmaonade]

http://wiki.heroengine.com/wiki/Combat

 

abcde

Edited January 1, 2012 by Lmaonade

[DRLukasPHD]

Massive Multiplayer Games (e.g. WOW, EQ etc) suffer different physical constraints where even if one were to ignore all of the hardware involved in the process of connecting a player to a remote server, the pure physics of speed of light become a consideration. A consequence of these constraints is that it may be necessary for the local client to initial local processing such as animation under the assumption that the server will agree that the action is allowed in order to provide the player with the illusion of responsiveness that is divorced from the reality of communication across the internet. In the case that the server disallows an action, the client can handle the rejection in a variety of ways either halting an action in process or allowing the visualization to continue even if the "result" (e.g. do 10 pts of damage) never actually occurs.

 

From Hero engine wiki.

[Mercury_Rose]

I'm glad I found this thread.

 

The responsiveness (or lack of) is noticeable.

However, given that the game is new and a BW representative has confirmed they're working to fix the issue, people should hang in there.

[Thrage]

abcde

 

Thanks for this

[badchx]

Massive Multiplayer Games (e.g. WOW, EQ etc) suffer different physical constraints where even if one were to ignore all of the hardware involved in the process of connecting a player to a remote server, the pure physics of speed of light become a consideration. A consequence of these constraints is that it may be necessary for the local client to initial local processing such as animation under the assumption that the server will agree that the action is allowed in order to provide the player with the illusion of responsiveness that is divorced from the reality of communication across the internet. In the case that the server disallows an action, the client can handle the rejection in a variety of ways either halting an action in process or allowing the visualization to continue even if the "result" (e.g. do 10 pts of damage) never actually occurs.

 

From Hero engine wiki.

Again, in red and big.

[Lmaonade]

Thanks for this

 

np just quoted from the guy from previous page so more people can read it

[poryan]

Even as a casual gamer I find this really frustrating as well.

 

You don't have to be in a warzone or flashpoint feel the pain of this. There have been several times I was trying to take down a tough boss in my class storyline and I died because I couldn't get off a finishing skill... ouch.

 

But in general, every fight I step into feels a bit laggy and awkward. And I'm not a "clicker" either. I hotkey everything and in fact, I have very nimble fingers because I play the harp!

 

And on that note, it makes think - Imagine how it would be if I were trying to play my harp but the strings didn't make their lovely "ding" each time I plucked one? Or they did but only 1 or 2 second later? Nothing would harmonize the melody would be ruined. Awful, just awful. Who could play like that?

 

It's the same in the game. You just can't play like that and expect to make "beautiful music" or rather, precision skill usage.

 

Great post, and excellent analogy about the issue we are all experiencing.

[Radagastimus]

As a solo play on mission delay on responsiveness is usually tolerable altho when i run to mob with my smuggler and while running dont use any ability so theres bo GCD or animation other than running on..

 

If i try to do dirty kick on mob it usually takes about second to happen. Character just stands still while "thinking" should it response to my command. In other abilities i see similar delays happening but in solo play it is usually tolerable.

 

While doing some group instance or heroic mission the situation differs. Sometimes even moving around feels like running is floor of sticky tar plus abilities are not happening at all at times. This is really frustrating to try and help group with this kind of character responsiveness.

 

Its not smooth and i feel often disconnected from my character because of this.

 

and yes, i have some years of WOW experience behind me and responsiveness there is absolutely brilliant. No delays and no frustration. It is not about button smashing in wow but more of "being in touch" of abilities cooldowns versus global cooldowns.

 

So yes better character responsiveness must be priority to make game more appealing to more gamers.

 

And no its not latency on network or incompetence of your hardware. I think it has to do with how data of used ability and response to that is calculated and communicated between server and client. In WOW much of these processes are handled on client side and then sent to approriate server to be "validated" or something as such.

[Thrage]

It definitely is a programming issue.

 

Fortunately, it does not appear to be a limitation of the game engine, based on the HeroEngine wiki.

 

Unfortunately, the game itself does appear to be programmed entirely incorrectly, and it is going to be a royal ***** to fix.

[Lmaonade]

It definitely is a programming issue.

 

Fortunately, it does not appear to be a limitation of the game engine, based on the HeroEngine wiki.

 

Unfortunately, the game itself does appear to be programmed entirely incorrectly, and it is going to be a royal ***** to fix.

 

we already knew that(as programmers at least)

 

the best solution i can think of is hiring some of the senior developers of hero engine. then this game would be unstoppable.

[Xcore]

@Xcore

 

Please make sure to include this video in the OP clearly demonstrating ability jamming.

 

Out of all the issues you have stated in regards to ability delay, this is by far the MOST frustrating. MUST SEE!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbFgyeRFbdo&context=C3d50270ADOEgsToPDskJYu1y-3uG_uWyCstMK7nMz

- Credits to Belliflop

 

Thank You for adding and contributing this. Incidentally when I was watching this video, I was holding my nephew's new puppy! (Christmas Present). I raged so hard that I snapped it's neck and threw it across the room...

 

Suffice it to say, I am no longer welcoming in my cousin's home... the child is traumatized it appears.

 

 

 

Either way, thank you for the video -- added to OP

[Erathar]

I support the original poster.

 

i hope this will be fixed someday.