PSA: You can hide other players' mount skins

[starlinvf.1358]

@Teofa Tsavo.9863 said:

@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.

Its only pretentious if you are. :)

[Squee.7829]

@starlinvf.1358 said:

@Teofa Tsavo.9863 said:

@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.

Its only pretentious if you are. :)

Is that the snobby version of "I know you are, but what am I? "

[Gaile Gray.6029]

This is a helpful post, Erasculio. Thank you for sharing an answer to the exact request I've seen. I take on board that some players might prefer a different option, but the method you've outlined fulfills some player requests.

[Yamazuki.6073]

@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.

Playing for 15 years is irrelevant when the number of games played is low. While games have provided the option to limit player effects, that is almost always skill effects, not cosmetic effects. People here are complaining about cosmetics, not skill effects. I doubt someone having an "annoying" mount is going to disrupt your ability to fight a boss when players can't even mount in combat. Or why does it matter what glider someone has? etc. None of these things impact the ability to see mobs/bosses, it's skill effects in crowded areas.

Honestly, what's the point in playing MMORPGs if you don't want to deal with the drawbacks. It's mean to be a world where people get to have their own identity, which includes negative identities, annoying ones, etc. You may as well play single player rpgs if you do not wish to see annoying or 'ugly' characters/cosmetic options. Sure, there have been some stuff I would prefer to not have seen, but I find it a waste of resources and unnecessary to have the option to hide them.

[Ashen.2907]

@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.

Personally, what my character, and other characters, looks like matters a lot to me. I just want to be able to see those characters. Currently, in pretty much any fight, I have no idea what anyone else's character looks like and cant see my own either. Then there is the lack of ability to see mob tells in order to dodge those attacks that the game intends for us to avoid.

[Tekoneiric.6817]

I wish they would change it to a check box list on what to use default skins on.

[Zaklex.6308]

@Ubi.4136 said:

@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.

Really, you honestly can't see the boss your fighting, or your own attacks? I don't have that problem and all of my settings are on high, which means I see everything, including that "seizure-inducing" light show mess, which by the way doesn't cause seizures if you have them under control with medication(trust me, I know). As for the problem of my blindingly white blazing griffon bothering everyone, the thing blinds me too, but I find it funny as all hell.

[Teofa Tsavo.9863]

@Yamazuki.6073 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.

Playing for 15 years is irrelevant when the number of games played is low. While games have provided the option to limit player effects, that is almost always skill effects, not cosmetic effects. People here are complaining about cosmetics, not skill effects. I doubt someone having an "annoying" mount is going to disrupt your ability to fight a boss when players can't even mount in combat. Or why does it matter what glider someone has? etc. None of these things impact the ability to see mobs/bosses, it's skill effects in crowded areas.

Honestly, what's the point in playing MMORPGs if you don't want to deal with the drawbacks. It's mean to be a world where people get to have their own identity, which includes negative identities, annoying ones, etc. You may as well play single player rpgs if you do not wish to see annoying or 'ugly' characters/cosmetic options. Sure, there have been some stuff I would prefer to not have seen, but I find it a waste of resources and unnecessary to have the option to hide them.

Actually, you haven't a clue what you are talking about re. those options in Major MMO titles I've played. Cosmetic effects are affected as well as skill and passives.Actually, the "go play a single player game" is your defining statement. Your opinion re Effects is as dumb as stating "nobody needs a volume control, Noise is part of the Game."And finally, as a player of 17 years myself, you have no clue how many hours or how many games that may be.

[Teofa Tsavo.9863]

@"Gaile Gray.6029" said:This is a helpful post, Erasculio. Thank you for sharing an answer to the exact request I've seen. I take on board that some players might prefer a different option, but the method you've outlined fulfills some player requests.

I am Sorry, Gaile, but the revelation that a person can set their graphics to "potato" isn't new, isn't good, and fails to actually address anything. I highly doubt that a game full of all PCs as default males in pale pink noob armor is going to be a satisfying "setting" to very many people. You might want to try what he suggested and see.

I don't mean to be harsh or offensive, but this exactly the kind of "solution" I would dread telling a customer who is possibly already upset.

[Snowywonders.1378]

So the solution to make one thing not hideous is to make everything else hideous. Perfect. A real solution would actually be nice.

[SoulPariah.2856]

@Erasculio.2914 said:I'm amazed that........

and so on and so forth.....

What is this ?!? That option has been there for an absolute eternity, noone can be bothered to research anything about it or give an accurate depiction the effect it will have until people ask some basic questions and pull the veil back on whatever op's motivation was to sell it as something else.

Are all forums like this............

[Squee.7829]

@SoulPariah.2856 said:

@Erasculio.2914 said:I'm amazed that........

and so on and so forth.....

What is this ?!? That option has been there for an absolute eternity, noone can be bothered to research anything about it or give an accurate depiction the effect it will have until people ask some basic questions and pull the veil back on whatever op's motivation was to sell it as something else.

Are all forums like this............

Not really. Most people already knew this option was there and knew exactly what it did. But this subject has come up MANY times before on the old forums and on reddit, and the "We demand to be seen" side has ALWAYS defaulted on the argument that you can hide their shiny stacked auras by toggling that option. But that was usually after the "We want options" side had already made their points about why hiding other people's hard earned shinies should be blocked.

This thread is really nothing but a preemptive strike for the "we demand to be seen" side. Most people here have had this discussion over and over again, and this one will end exactly as the others have. Both sides will have good points, probably, but will just repeat those same points over and over until they get tired of it.

[Teofa Tsavo.9863]

I thought perhaps that mounts arriving would quash the ardor of the old "status quo or get out" hardcores but.. nope. They will fight anything and everything unless it comes directly from Anet, good idea or not. Mounts are a great example of how fast rabid opposition to a thing disappears, to be replaced with worshipful genuflection as soon as Anet actually did it... and it was no longer a player suggestion.

So tiresome and so predictable.

[Erasculio.2914]

@SoulPariah.2856 said:What is this ?!? That option has been there for an absolute eternity

See, the option to hide other characters' armors and physical appearance has been in the game for a long time. I have been using it for years.

The option to hide other characters' mounts was not in game - it couldn't be, because mounts were not in the game. Considering how the option of hiding characters' armors did not expand to the things that were added later in the games - backpacks and gliders -, the safer bet would be that it would not expand to mounts, either.

So, the ability of using the (previously available) feature that hides players' armors to also hide mount skins not only didn't exist, it was also unlikely to exist. Yet, here it is. It may be that Indigo's post above is correct and ArenaNet didn't have much of a choice, but it's nice to know we can do this.

[Teofa Tsavo.9863]

@Erasculio.2914 said:

@SoulPariah.2856 said:What is this ?!? That option has been there for an absolute eternity

See, the option to hide other characters' armors and physical appearance has been in the game for a long time. I have been using it for years.

The option to hide other characters' mounts was not in game - it couldn't be, because mounts were not in the game. Considering how the option of hiding characters' armors did not expand to the things that were added later in the games - backpacks and gliders -, the safer bet would be that it would not expand to mounts, either.

So, the ability of using the (previously available) feature that hides players' armors to also hide mount skins not only didn't exist, it was also unlikely to exist. Yet, here it is. It may be that Indigo's post above is correct and ArenaNet didn't have much of a choice, but it's nice to know we can do this.

It would be nice if you would just stop spinning this as some newly added feature. "Edited out unclear statement" Indigo Sundown explained it better. Senior moment, see below.

I don't see how gutting the graphics for every PC on screen to potato level is "nice" in any way, and it still fails to end a large amount of useless vanity particle spam.

[Erasculio.2914]

@"Teofa Tsavo.9863" said:It would be nice if you would just stop spinning this as some newly added feature. Mounted chars are usually treated as a variation of the character, not 2 separates, and so Player Char Quality would effect mounted PCs and not render the mount at all.. player with mount isn't default. Your setting forces Default. Ergo.. no mount.Errrr... That's not what happens. When I say "hide other players' mount skins", I didn't mean that the character appears with "no mount". The mount is visible, just with the default, basic skin instead of whatever skin it's using. Which is something new.

@"Teofa Tsavo.9863" said:I don't see how gutting the graphics for every PC on screen to potato level is "nice" in any way

The character models don't appear to be pixelated remains from 1993's Doom; they just appear to be under a default set of armor, with black features. It looks rather nice, actually. I have been using it for years and I only wish it would also expand to weapons, backpacks and gliders.

[Dashiva.6149]

But then how will I be able to silently judge the terrible Fashion Wars of other players?!

It is tho a valid, if unexciting option I guess.

[Ayumi Spender.1082]

@Dashiva.6149 said:But then how will I be able to silently judge the terrible Fashion Wars of other players?!

It is tho a valid, if unexciting option I guess.

I rather judge those that doesn't strain my eyes.I have no problem with someone with a green, red, purple Raptor. I mean I will wonder what is wrong with them, but I have no problem with a green/purple/red Raptor.When that Raptor is now Celestial, some kind of Bright yellow gold colour, and like Glowstick slimer green and flaring up... then there's a problem.

Same with pink/brown/mustered yellow griffon. Doesn't bother me as I can at least view it. Starglaring sparkling or faux-phoenix cooked chicken griffon in permafrost... yes... no... I want an off switch on that.

[Astralporing.1957]

@"Teofa Tsavo.9863" said:I thought perhaps that mounts arriving would quash the ardor of the old "status quo or get out" hardcores but.. nope. They will fight anything and everything unless it comes directly from Anet, good idea or not. Mounts are a great example of how fast rabid opposition to a thing disappears, to be replaced with worshipful genuflection as soon as Anet actually did it... and it was no longer a player suggestion.

So tiresome and so predictable.

Opposition is still there. It's just after Anet made their decision, fighting against mounts became an uphill battle. The chances of mounts being removed for any reason now are close to nil. Thus, people no longer post about this, preferring to concentrate on things that still can be fixed.

By the way: most of the fears that made people to not want mounts in the first place have been validated. Personally i'd rather been proven wrong than right, but unfortunately it seems that most of our predictions were spot-on (and some, like mount skin loot boxes, ended up even worse than anticipated).

[Leo G.4501]

@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.

Incorrect. I'm not in either group. I'm not a fashionista but regarding the whole "problem" of graphics overload, I've just adapted to the circumstances. If there's really THAT many explosions of graphics, likely there are enough people around that can tap F for 1/2 a sec to rez me if I go down from not being able to see. Basically, it's a "problem" with its own separate perks. I mean, I could cry about being BLINDED (but somehow I can see well enough to post on an internet forums!) but likely the event will succeed so what's the big problem, really?

But none of that really has much to do with people's bad sense of style or their insistence on using wing backpieces on everything or whatever flashy weapon they can manage to equip.

[Zeivu.3615]

Now if we could remove the particle effects, I would be set.

[Zionka.6897]

I have seen the option a long time, and use it when going to world boss fights or similarly massively packed events. But since not everyone wants to buy into the loud, painful look, I will always like to see individuality rather than a bland population. But a good thread for those who aren't aware of it.

[Darkwind.7823]

@"Teofa Tsavo.9863" said:

Even simple harvesting is an explosion of glitter mounts and disco kitten, 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.

Yeah as a returning player who left A LONG time ago after I did the main story missions I came back for PoF because HoT sucked badly. But I was sort of gobsmacked by how EVERYONE is glowing and shining and smoking and whatever... so much so that me without the particle effect spam stands out the most in the crowd. Funny how that works, innit?

The least spastic and obnoxious color schemes and effects stand out the most, that tells you things are way out of control. Also, the reason I quoted the above was I used my plain ole pick axe to mine some ore and this guy comes in and shoots some f-cking laser beam at it like Cyclops from X-Men with all these swirling particles and I just kinda laughed to myself at how absurd that is to "mine" with a laser beam in a fantasy game.