PSA: You can hide other players' mount skins

[Erasculio.2914]

I'm amazed that ArenaNet actually added this feature to the game. It's a nice gesture of them, and I applaud it.

The settings that hide other player characters' armor and general appearance also hide mounts' skins. For those who are worried that the extra particle effects from mounts are going to slow their systems, or those who just would like to avoid the visual pollution, this is an option.

To activate those settings, press F11 to go to the Options menu. Then, pick the graphics settings (the second icon, with the little sun and the two mountains), and, on the option "Character Model Quality", pick "Lowest". Like this:

It has no impact on your own character and on the NPCs, but other player characters and their mounts will be replaced by generic, standard skins.

[Ayumi Spender.1082]

@Erasculio.2914 said:I'm amazed that ArenaNet actually added this feature to the game. It's a nice gesture of them, and I applaud it.

The settings that hide other player characters' armor and general appearance also hide mounts' skins. For those who are worried that the extra particle effects from mounts are going to slow their systems, or those who just would like to avoid the visual pollution, this is an option.

To activate those settings, press F11 to go to the Options menu. Then, pick the graphics settings (the second icon, with the little sun and the two mountains), and, on the option "Character Model Quality", pick "Lowest". Like this:

It has no impact on your own character and on the NPCs, but other player characters and their mounts will be replaced by generic, standard skins.

How many "other player characters" because I would like to rather see my friends at least because they're not incompetent fools who think a bright yellow flaming griffon with a red and blue face is "Good looking".

[Illconceived Was Na.9781]

good tip (also improves FPS for some people)

[Veprovina.4876]

Yeah, but that's a graphic option, not really a specific option. The fact that it hides mount skins is a side effect of its intended purpose. And i don't want to run around the world where everyone looks like a placeholder.

[Ayumi Spender.1082]

@Veprovina.4876 said:Yeah, but that's a graphic option, not really a specific option. The fact that it hides mount skins is a side effect of its intended purpose. And i don't want to run around the world where everyone looks like a placeholder.

This. I just want to hide gliders/mount skins. That's all. While some people have some ugly armour choices and infusions, they're tolerable as they're not blinding me.

[Erasculio.2914]

@"Ayumi Spender.1082" said:How many "other player characters"

Everyone other than you.

@Veprovina.4876 said:Yeah, but that's a graphic option, not really a specific option. The fact that it hides mount skins is a side effect of its intended purpose.

Sure... But keep in mind that it doesn't hide gliders or weapons. The fact it hides mounts is a side effect, true, but it's something ArenaNet didn't really had to implement, yet they actually used their resources to do it.

It's far from being a perfect option. But for those whose computers are suffering under the stress of the shinniest mounts, or for those who really cannot stand them, this is a viable option.

[Ayumi Spender.1082]

@Erasculio.2914 said:

@"Ayumi Spender.1082" said:How many "other player characters"

Everyone other than you.

@Veprovina.4876 said:Yeah, but that's a graphic option, not really a specific option. The fact that it hides mount skins is a side effect of its intended purpose.

Sure... But keep in mind that it

doesn't hide gliders

or weapons. The fact it hides mounts is a side effect, true, but it's something ArenaNet didn't really had to implement, yet they actually used their resources to do it.

It's far from being a perfect option. But for those whose computers are suffering under the stress of the shinniest mounts, or for those who really cannot stand them, this is a viable option.

And there's the problem then.My problem is both mounts and gliders. Not just mounts.

[Erasculio.2914]

I agree. I wish it could hide gliders, backpacks and weapons, too.

However, the fact it hides mounts is kind of amazing. Considering how agressively ArenaNet is trying to monetize them, I was expecting ANet to never allow us to hide mounts - it means people who try to buy skins to impress others will know that some players will never see their seizure-inducing trophy. Yet, ArenaNet went ahead with it, and actually added that funciontality.

[Inculpatus cedo.9234]

It may hide Mounts (skins) as Mounts become the player character, rather than the character sitting on a Mount. It's probably not something they really had a choice with.

[Teofa Tsavo.9863]

This "feature" has been in game a long time and it is nothing but a blunt force semi-solution for their incessant effects problem that fails to control a lot of them. It was certainly not introduced for mounts. If you do a search for "character model quality" setting you will find info dating back several years.

[Astra Lux.2846]

Should be able to reduce objectively obstructive visual elements without making my game look like garbage.

[MedievalThings.5417]

Guild Wars is literally the only game I have played in the last 15 years that didn't have the option to "turn off other players effects".Gilders, backpieces, weapons, etc. None of these things can be removed with lowest character model.Don't even get me started on boss fights. Everything is just a giant seizure-inducing light show mess. I still don't know what any of the bosses look like in the game because you can't see them through the effects blob.

[Teofa Tsavo.9863]

@Ubi.4136 said:Guild Wars is literally the only game I have played in the last 15 years that didn't have the option to "turn off other players effects".Gilders, backpieces, weapons, etc. None of these things can be removed with lowest character model.Don't even get me started on boss fights. Everything is just a giant seizure-inducing light show mess. I still don't know what any of the bosses look like in the game because you can't see them through the effects blob.

Requests for this have been made since beta and absolutely stonewalled. In the meantime, these useless cosmetic effects have multiplied like rabbits.Even simple harvesting is an explosion of glitter mounts and disco balls, followed by storms, fire, jesus beams, evil clowns and whatever other God Powers players have summoned to pick a carrot. Populated zones are simply terrible.

[Leo G.4501]

Some people will never be satisfied.

[starlinvf.1358]

@Ubi.4136 said:Guild Wars is literally the only game I have played in the last 15 years that didn't have the option to "turn off other players effects".Gilders, backpieces, weapons, etc. None of these things can be removed with lowest character model.Don't even get me started on boss fights. Everything is just a giant seizure-inducing light show mess. I still don't know what any of the bosses look like in the game because you can't see them through the effects blob.

First you must accept that others exist with agency, and not mere background noise....... only then can you make the choice to move forward, or forever be enslaved by a safe space of your own making.

[MedievalThings.5417]

@starlinvf.1358 said:

@Ubi.4136 said:Guild Wars is literally the only game I have played in the last 15 years that didn't have the option to "turn off other players effects".Gilders, backpieces, weapons, etc. None of these things can be removed with lowest character model.Don't even get me started on boss fights. Everything is just a giant seizure-inducing light show mess. I still don't know what any of the bosses look like in the game because you can't see them through the effects blob.

First you must accept that others exist with agency, and not mere background noise....... only then can you make the choice to move forward, or forever be enslaved by a safe space of your own making.

I just want to be able to actually see the game I'm playing.Do the bosses have tells? Are they wearing a tutu? What species is it? Are they wielding a cool weapon skin that could drop?

We can't answer these questions and it is getting worse every day. You can't even see your own attacks on boss mobs because it is just a blinding light blob.They keep adding cool things, but it seems more like they are doing an expirement to see how many people they can trigger seizures in.

[Substance E.4852]

While technically a solution, it's not much of a fix if the only way to turn off the "swirling ball of colorful light" is to make every other player's toon look like complete dog doo.

[Squee.7829]

These threads pop up repeatedly in the forums. Every single time it just devolves into both sides trying to convince the other that they're the selfish ones. I don't think this ones going to be any different.

[Teofa Tsavo.9863]

@starlinvf.1358 said:

@Ubi.4136 said:Guild Wars is literally the only game I have played in the last 15 years that didn't have the option to "turn off other players effects".Gilders, backpieces, weapons, etc. None of these things can be removed with lowest character model.Don't even get me started on boss fights. Everything is just a giant seizure-inducing light show mess. I still don't know what any of the bosses look like in the game because you can't see them through the effects blob.

First you must accept that others exist with agency, and not mere background noise....... only then can you make the choice to move forward, or forever be enslaved by a safe space of your own making.

Their graphics choices do not have to exist on my personal client. Nice virtue signaling BTW.Utterly silly and pretentious statement.

You do know that every existing option we choose in our game does not effect the settings of others in any way?

[Teofa Tsavo.9863]

@Squee.7829 said:These threads pop up repeatedly in the forums. Every single time it just devolves into both sides trying to convince the other that they're the selfish ones. I don't think this ones going to be any different.

How is it selfish to ask for a setting they don't even know I am using? Seriously, answer that. Anyone. I really should have just asked this and not Quoted though.

[OGDeadHead.8326]

@Squee.7829 said:These threads pop up repeatedly in the forums. Every single time it just devolves into both sides trying to convince the other that they're the selfish ones. I don't think this ones going to be any different.

That's because there are two very different categories of players - the ones that don't care much for the fluff of others and just want to be able to play as efficient as possible, so they want to tweak their game to maximum visibility (like what many people do in fps games like Quake, CS and so on).Then there's the Fashion Wars category that want to show off their stuff to others. The first group don't care about appearance (that much), and the other group will be annoyed if they know they can't brag about their costly skins because players just turn that stuff off which makes them look as generic as everyone else.

[Squee.7829]

@Teofa Tsavo.9863 said:

@Squee.7829 said:These threads pop up repeatedly in the forums. Every single time it just devolves into both sides trying to convince the other that they're the selfish ones. I don't think this ones going to be any different.

How is it selfish to ask for a setting they don't even know I am using? Seriously, answer that.

Not sure why you're demanding an answer from me. I actually am on the side that wants that option. But you automatically assuming I was against you is probably an indication that both sides are going to get too defensive and not get anything done. Like every time before.

[Teofa Tsavo.9863]

@Squee.7829 said:

@Teofa Tsavo.9863 said:

@Squee.7829 said:These threads pop up repeatedly in the forums. Every single time it just devolves into both sides trying to convince the other that they're the selfish ones. I don't think this ones going to be any different.

How is it selfish to ask for a setting they don't even know I am using? Seriously, answer that.

Not sure why you're demanding an answer from me. I actually am on the side that wants that option. But you automatically assuming I was against you is probably an indication that both sides are going to get too defensive and not get anything done. Like every time before.

Well, sorry if it appeared to target you. Not my intention at all.

[Squee.7829]

@Teofa Tsavo.9863 said:

@Squee.7829 said:

@Teofa Tsavo.9863 said:

@Squee.7829 said:These threads pop up repeatedly in the forums. Every single time it just devolves into both sides trying to convince the other that they're the selfish ones. I don't think this ones going to be any different.

How is it selfish to ask for a setting they don't even know I am using? Seriously, answer that.

Not sure why you're demanding an answer from me. I actually am on the side that wants that option. But you automatically assuming I was against you is probably an indication that both sides are going to get too defensive and not get anything done. Like every time before.

Well, sorry if it appeared to target you. Not my intention at all.

Ah. Sorry I misunderstood, then. But really, I am just confused as you are about why we're the selfish ones. But that's how it goes I guess.

[Tiny Doom.4380]

@OGDeadHead.8326 said:

@Squee.7829 said:These threads pop up repeatedly in the forums. Every single time it just devolves into both sides trying to convince the other that they're the selfish ones. I don't think this ones going to be any different.

That's because there are two very different categories of players - the ones that don't care much for the fluff of others and just want to be able to play as efficient as possible, so they want to tweak their game to maximum visibility (like what many people do in fps games like Quake, CS and so on).Then there's the Fashion Wars category that want to show off their stuff to others. The first group don't care about appearance (that much), and the other group will be annoyed if they know they can't brag about their costly skins because players just turn that stuff off which makes them look as generic as everyone else.

There's at least a third category: people who don't care what they look to others but are fascinated to see how other people choose to dress. I'm in that one.

Also I like to see the absolute maximum amount of visual fireworks my graphics card can show me. I don't care what the boss looks like - I want to watch the light show.

And I see no reason why I can't have that while everyone else has what they want. Client-side options ftw.