User Interface mechanics on new Map: Massive issues for Vision Impaired people.

[Tuna Bandit.3786]

Warning: Edited post to make it less hostile and more explanatory as rightfully suggested by some.

The new map, has during storyline and during snowstorm an affect on the interface that makes me want to turn off my screen.It makes the game completely and utterly unplayable for me.Arenanet, now that I calmed down, I will ask politely: Why are you deliberately making playing the game impossible?The ice effect is too much, WAY too much. It makes me wanna TP out of the map on the spot.

Once you hit half or more of a freezing stack, I cannot see anything anymore, No Enemy tags, no information inworld at all. I can only somewhat see the minimap and chat. That is it.It is as playing with your eyes closed.I have a vision issue and am colorblind.

This freezing effect on screen is blinding to me. Even with the screen fully turned down on brightness.

From what I hear I am not the only one struggling, so please consider us and put in an option that can tone down or turn off that screen effect, similar to the ability to turn off the shaking of the camera.

As suggested, edited in here, one of my follow-up posts:

My colorblindness is mostly red/green combinations. But not the only ones.

The sensitivity has to do with white/bright light. For example, I cannot read this forum on it's default. Got software that allows me to change over the colors on a browser because default black letters on white is very hard for me. Reversed is much easier.

I am one of those using a filter when driving at night, and avoid it if I have to due to blinding lights of opposite traffic.

The reason I started this, has to do with the ability to have the option.

By no means do I want this to be completely removed. I don't want to mess with the immersiveness when it's enjoyed by so many. And quite honestly, I enjoy it too in other situations.

The Dry Top example is a great one, I have no problem with the sandstorm at all. It's not white.

Nor do I have any issues with blackening of the edges or the red (despite it being one of the main colors of my issue with colorblindness)

We have an option for example that allows us to disable camera shaking to prevent some people from getting motion sick.

For those enjoying that form of immersion, nothing changed.

So why not with these kind of effects?

Option to help some of us, without breaking the game for others. That's all I propose here.

[LucianDK.8615]

It does not become a white out at all, you can still easilly see through it even at maximum whiteness. And once youve been frozen and breaking it it completelely fades. I think its your graphic settings if something have broken as you describe. I repeat, it does NOT fully obstruct vision, i can still see out, as well enemies..

[Randulf.7614]

It's just horrible. To obstruct that much of the screen and then even more with the raven bubble is a very strange design decision. There are various ways to show off these mechanics, but any excess visual noise or obstruction of the screen should never have been an option.

The biggest issue is that we have fed back about visual noise a lot for years and the situation is worsening

[Sobx.1758]

@LucianDK.8615 said:It does not become a white out at all, you can still easilly see through it even at maximum whiteness. And once youve been frozen and breaking it it completelely fades. I think its your graphic settings if something have broken as you describe. I repeat, it does NOT fully obstruct vision, i can still see out, as well enemies..

Yup, OP seems to be intentionally overreacting.

[Taygus.4571]

curious..have you tried a different post processimg setting?

[Sobx.1758]

@Randulf.7614 said:It's just horrible. To obstruct that much of the screen and then even more with the raven bubble is a very strange design decision. There are various ways to show off these mechanics, but any excess visual noise or obstruction of the screen should never have been an option.

The biggest issue is that we have fed back about visual noise a lot for years and the situation is worsening

You can avoid getting these stacks, you choose not to, so you deal with the consequences :O

[ZDragon.3046]

I would have prefered something like a 10-25% opacity of blue crystal like effect where you can see its there but still be able to see through it. the snow effect is a bit much once you hit 5+ stacks below this it does not bother me though.

[Gop.8713]

I too find this to be extremely annoying. It makes me want to do the mechanic that clears and prevents it. It is doing its job . . .

[yoni.7015]

@Tuna Bandit.3786 said:The new map, has during storyline and during snowstorm an affect on the interface that makes me want to put my fist through the screen.It makes the game completely and utterly unplayable.Arenanet, now that I calmed down, I will ask politely: Why are you deliberately making playing the game impossible?The ice effect is too much, WAY too much. It makes me wanna TP out of the map on the spot.

Once you hit half or more of a freezing stack, I cannot see anything anymore, No Enemy tags, no information inworld at all. I can only somewhat see the minimap and chat. That is it.It is as playing with your eyes closed.I have a vision issue and am colorblind.

This freezing effect on screen has to go... not asking, saying... If you have any regards to visually impaired people, you have to conclude it has to go.

Or optional turned off.Right now, whenever that happens, I TP out... ON THE SPOT... it is COMPLETELY AND UTTERLY unplayable. I simply went through storyline BLIND and where I am repeating storylines on multiple characters elsewhere, this one I will never EVER play again. And if future episodes have the same effect... I am out, I will quit.

This was a very poorly design decision. Whomever thought that was a great idea... Consider us next time please?!?! What a monstrocety!!

I god you are overreacting. I had no issues playing during snowstorm. It is a cool feature

[Moira Shalaar.5620]

I'd think there ought to be a middle ground, I can see what they are trying to do with the effect but the thickness around the screen border definitely seems over the top.

[Randulf.7614]

@Moira Shalaar.5620 said:I'd think there ought to be a middle ground, I can see what they are trying to do with the effect but the thickness around the screen border definitely seems over the top.

It is over the top. It can easily be reduced and achieve the same effect and maintain debuffs. Debuffs are a more important mechanic than visual pollution in this sort of game which already has a large scale problem with such things.

[Random Wax Orc.7695]

@Tuna Bandit.3786 said:I have a vision issue and am colorblind.

The 1st, 3rd and 8th reply are extremely inappropriate. Attacking or judging the OP based on your own experience and preferences is unfair. The original post was quite clear and just because the loss of focus and contrast isn't an issue for everyone, doesn't mean it isn't game-breaking for some people.

[LucianDK.8615]

@Random Wax Orc.7695 said:

@Tuna Bandit.3786 said:I have a vision issue and am colorblind.

The 1st, 3rd and 8th reply are extremely inappropriate. Attacking or judging the OP based on your own experience and preferences is unfair. The original post was quite clear and just because the loss of focus and contrast isn't an issue for everyone, doesn't mean it isn't game-breaking for some people.

The op claims not listening to 'us', he do not speak for everyone. Thats why people are speaking against him, especially with the claim that he cant see anything with the whiteout. It changes nothing in the center of the view.

[Fangoth.3164]

Play mech go to any raven sanctuary to get immuned to this frost effect ?

[Zaklex.6308]

@Tuna Bandit.3786 said:The new map, has during storyline and during snowstorm an affect on the interface that makes me want to put my fist through the screen.It makes the game completely and utterly unplayable.Arenanet, now that I calmed down, I will ask politely: Why are you deliberately making playing the game impossible?The ice effect is too much, WAY too much. It makes me wanna TP out of the map on the spot.

Once you hit half or more of a freezing stack, I cannot see anything anymore, No Enemy tags, no information inworld at all. I can only somewhat see the minimap and chat. That is it.It is as playing with your eyes closed.I have a vision issue and am colorblind.

This freezing effect on screen has to go... not asking, saying... If you have any regards to visually impaired people, you have to conclude it has to go.

Or optional turned off.Right now, whenever that happens, I TP out... ON THE SPOT... it is COMPLETELY AND UTTERLY unplayable. I simply went through storyline BLIND and where I am repeating storylines on multiple characters elsewhere, this one I will never EVER play again. And if future episodes have the same effect... I am out, I will quit.

This was a very poorly design decision. Whomever thought that was a great idea... Consider us next time please?!?! What a monstrocety!!

I have no idea what you're talking about, the only time I had anything on my screen was during the final boss fight in the story...and that was just around the edges. My graphic settings are maxed out on everything...so no help from me on this one.

[Randulf.7614]

@Zaklex.6308 said:

@Tuna Bandit.3786 said:The new map, has during storyline and during snowstorm an affect on the interface that makes me want to put my fist through the screen.It makes the game completely and utterly unplayable.Arenanet, now that I calmed down, I will ask politely: Why are you deliberately making playing the game impossible?The ice effect is too much, WAY too much. It makes me wanna TP out of the map on the spot.

Once you hit half or more of a freezing stack, I cannot see anything anymore, No Enemy tags, no information inworld at all. I can only somewhat see the minimap and chat. That is it.It is as playing with your eyes closed.I have a vision issue and am colorblind.

This freezing effect on screen has to go... not asking, saying... If you have any regards to visually impaired people, you have to conclude it has to go.

Or optional turned off.Right now, whenever that happens, I TP out... ON THE SPOT... it is COMPLETELY AND UTTERLY unplayable. I simply went through storyline BLIND and where I am repeating storylines on multiple characters elsewhere, this one I will never EVER play again. And if future episodes have the same effect... I am out, I will quit.

This was a very poorly design decision. Whomever thought that was a great idea... Consider us next time please?!?! What a monstrocety!!

I have no idea what you're talking about, the only time I had anything on my screen was during the final boss fight in the story...and that was just around the edges. My graphic settings are maxed out on everything...so no help from me on this one.

During the meta, there is a mechanic that builds stacks of debuffs. As the debuffs stack, a white border appears round the screen getting thicker and thicker until it covers at least a third if not 40% of the viewable area. It's kinda like the Vabbi brand effect but even more imposing.

[Funky.4861]

Would you rather have this visual clue of impending death or an audible countdown overlaid onto the music score, npc dialogue and ambient noise? As soon as you get the frosted effect, you know you have to get the raven shrine buff or tp back to Jora's keep. It's a combination of L2P/phiw and map/mechanic unfamiliarity in my opinion.

[crepuscular.9047]

wait...... is people complaining about immersion now?

[Randulf.7614]

@Funky.4861 said:Would you rather have this visual clue of impending death or an audible countdown overlaid onto the music score, npc dialogue and ambient noise? As soon as you get the frosted effect, you know you have to get the raven shrine buff or tp back to Jora's keep. It's a combination of L2P/phiw and map/mechanic unfamiliarity in my opinion.

An audible or small visual countdown would be better yes even if not ideal or a border which is less thick with a debilitating debuff. The debuff should be what the mechanic is, not something polluting the screen.

It is bad enough with the raven bubble giving a thick blue aura which also obscures things, but combined with the border is over-saturation

Or maybe, finally, a setting to reduce all this cluttered effects somehow

[Tukaram.8256]

@Random Wax Orc.7695 said:

@"Tuna Bandit.3786" said:I have a vision issue and am colorblind.

The 1st, 3rd and 8th reply are extremely inappropriate. Attacking or judging the OP based on your own experience and preferences is unfair. The original post was quite clear and just because the loss of focus and contrast isn't an issue for everyone, doesn't mean it isn't game-breaking for some people.

Yeah, they must not have caught the "I have a vision issue and am colorblind" & "If you have any regards to visually impaired people" parts. Or they did, and do not care. They have a problem with either reading comprehension or empathy.

I have no vision issues but do think they went overboard on the effect. Maybe make it 50% translucent? Still there but not as much visual clutter.

[Inculpatus cedo.9234]

I don't recall any laments about this effect before the Episode released, so it may have been difficult for the Devs to 'listen to us' before adding it to the game.

I do think, though, that the effect could be toned down, just a bit. Though, it's easily removed, and I can still play.

[Randulf.7614]

@Inculpatus cedo.9234 said:I don't recall any laments about this effect before the Episode released, so it may have been difficult for the Devs to 'listen to us' before adding it to the game.

I do think, though, that the effect could be toned down, just a bit. Though, it's easily removed, and I can still play.

The sheer volume of visual noise threads surely cannot have escaped you as a forum regular and this is very much a visual noise feedback issue - esp when the general consensus appears to be for less visual clutter. There were also a few post PoF posts specifically round the Vabbi brand one needing toning back.

[Inculpatus cedo.9234]

My bad. I was under the impression the OP was concerned about this particular effect. He/she didn't mention any others, or 'visual noise' in general.

[Dante.1763]

@"crepuscular.9047" said:wait...... is people complaining about immersion now?

Its not even really immersion though. I had to turn post processing off back when POF launched because of how -bright- everything was, especially with the brand-storm effect. Im used to having it off now so this effect wasnt bad for me thankfully. But i dont have issues the OP does.

Honestly, again. More options for visuals is not a bad thing. Having a toggle for "Vision Obstructions" would be nice, and it doesnt hurt anyone who likes the effect. I know id have it off however. The more graphics and effects i can enable/disable the better.

[crepuscular.9047]

@Dante.1763 said:

@"crepuscular.9047" said:wait...... is people complaining about immersion now?

Its not even really immersion though. I had to turn post processing off back when POF launched because of how -bright- everything was, especially with the brand-storm effect. Im used to having it off now so this effect wasnt bad for me thankfully. But i dont have issues the OP does.

Honestly, again. More options for visuals is not a bad thing. Having a toggle for "Vision Obstructions" would be nice, and it doesnt hurt anyone who likes the effect. I know id have it off however. The more graphics and effects i can enable/disable the better.

guess so... GW2's graphics settings is kinda a bit a mess, with some content having effects turn on will give you an advantagei.e. vale guardian the yellow border effect when you have blue rings under you...

but then there are other contents where you get punished hard for having effects oni.e. Liadri in Queen's Gaulet, your screen just turns black when she does her things if having your graphics up, but if you set to low nothing changes on your screen when she hits you