The visual clutter problem

[BENICE.3284]

We all know it's borderline insane just how bad the spells clutter an area, right? Its top-tier insanity and I can't believe it's still a thing. For the love of Balthazar fix this...

When you have to design fights for people to just zerg mindlessly instead of creating fights with proper mechanics because you know players can't see anything but flashy rainbows you have yourself the worst kind of game, one that people have to pretend they're playing. That's what world content feels like. This isn't "GW2 is too casual" this is, GW2 is too flashy. Which leaves it more "follow the light" than anything that requires player interaction.

It's really sad to see this still a problem because there's so much potential in the content they give us. One of the few games that offers world content, like a MMO should. The hint of mechanics with every fight held back because it's dependent on you wearing a blindfold to (pretend to) play. It's like if somebody shined a flashlight in your face while you're trying to play. This is the first game I've ever experienced with this problem on this level, and we all know how flashy mobile/korean MMOs are, right?

[LucianDK.8615]

in my oppinion the forced nameplates for your squad is far worser. A legion of bars obstructing everything in a meta group like Istan.

[Infusion.7149]

Have you turned on effect LOD in your graphics options?

The only thing that seems to not properly cull with it on is the flashy backpacks.

[Randulf.7614]

This chapter had some particularly annoying examples.

• Braham's protective bubble. It wasn't necessary. A bit of dialogue saying he was protected by the Spirits with a boon shown on the boon bar was enough. The game originally launched with a minimalist UI to prevent clutter on screen, but they are making up for it with decisions like this. I'd feedback this particular issue isn't necs and adds nothing to instance. In fact it detracts from the view quite a bit. It's the same with that horrible Raven spirit bubble in Bjora. It just doesn't need to be like that at all
• The final DRM was a bit visually cluttered. COuldn't make out what was going and the whole team kept getting downed because of it. It'll probably be fine when we get used to it, but it felt over the top

I've said it in almost every feedback thread for Living World - visual clutter needs taking seriously by the devs. I get flashing effects are something that are harder to solve (even though no attempt in the last few years has even been made to mitigate it), but actually adding in more visual clutter needlessly just beggars belief at times.

Please devs, think carefully when designing instances. If you are thinking of adding new effects in, rethink it and look to see if a solution exists that doesn't involve ramping up the visual noise.

[Astyrah.4015]

@LucianDK.8615 said:in my oppinion the forced nameplates for your squad is far worser. A legion of bars obstructing everything in a meta group like Istan.

name plates also eat lots of resources in this game (and can tank your FPS a little too). so an option to turn them off completely (and just show on keypress/bind, default:Alt) would be nice

[ShadowCatz.8437]

@Astyrah.4015 said:

@LucianDK.8615 said:in my oppinion the forced nameplates for your squad is far worser. A legion of bars obstructing everything in a meta group like Istan.

name plates also eat lots of resources in this game (and can tank your FPS a little too). so an option to turn them off completely (and just show on keypress/bind, default:Alt) would be nice

Agree as I turn off other players name plates when there is larger group around. It is also impossible to see what name everybody have as some are very long and crossover into other players name tag. It do also have an impact on FPS when there is large group around.

The negative part of this is that I can not see players health bar when this is turned off and I am not directing my camera directly towards player (in action camera mode). In party I have in the minimalistic mode all four players with their buffs and debuffs, but can not see their position (vs allied npcs) and need to look at minimap to see where party players are located. Minimap is located in the right upper corner as I prefer to see ground for AoE that need to be avoided.

[Arewn.2368]

99% of the time I have absolutely no reason to see the visual effects for players outside of my party in PVE.They are very plainly a detriment to my gameplay experience, and I would love to be able to turn them off like you can in FFXIV.

That doesn't resolve the issue in PvP, WvW, or raids though. They seriously need to find a way to reign in the visual clutter.

[Fuchslein.8639]

Sorry, but there can't be enough threads about this.Please Anet. Please. Is that really too much to ask?Let us decide what we want to put on and off. This is already well done in parts, but could go into more detail.Both in terms of skills, but please also in terms of the appearance of other players.In my opinion, Gw2 can be all about shiny and blingbling. Let people run around as ug*** fairy lights with stacked infusions but please let me decide what I want to see and what not xx.

[Astyrah.4015]

@Fuchslein.8639 said:Sorry, but there can't be enough threads about this.Please Anet. Please. Is that really too much to ask?

yes. this. we need to keep demanding for it.

the easiest they can implement ↓a setting to filter/toggle player skill and ground marker effects by: self -- party -- squad -- all

better name plate toggles (self/party/squad/all-players/npcs/enemies/objects)

that would be a start... now, being able to turn off shiny christmas lights, infusions and backpacks from another player's character model is nice too but the above should be easy to add into the game

[Hesione.9412]

@Arewn.2368 said:99% of the time I have absolutely no reason to see the visual effects for players outside of my party in PVE.They are very plainly a detriment to my gameplay experience, and I would love to be able to turn them off like you can in FFXIV.

That doesn't resolve the issue in PvP, WvW, or raids though. They seriously need to find a way to reign in the visual clutter.

Yep, a reason I died yesterday in WvW is I was up against the air keep ring wall for the lord, and there were lights, aoes, and I was looking through my character model. I think I might have been looking through the character models of other players as well. For most of the time I had NO idea what direction I was facing.

On the suggestion of others in my guild, I have turned down a bunch of graphics options (some won't allow me to turn off them completely). They have made my game less pretty, but I still can see barely anything in large fights because there is still visual clutter that I can't remove.

[Joote.4081]

Oh yes, the tactical side of GW2 combat. Throw stuff at the lights until the lights go out. Have you ever wondered what was inside all the rainbows and flashing lights? Some people say there's a powerful boss. Haha, yeah right, pull the other one. It's a rabid disco ball.

[Randulf.7614]

@"Joote.4081" said:Have you ever wondered what was inside all the rainbows and flashing lights? Some people say there's a powerful boss. Haha, yeah right, pull the other one. It's a rabid disco ball.

The legends are true

[BlueJin.4127]

I can't upvote this enough. This game has a lot of things going for it. Unfortunately, none of that matters when the overload of visual clutter reduces combat into a shallow, mindless, and barely interactive garbage. What's the point of all these new contents when everything is just the same incomprehensible mess?

Anet made it so that when other players use Tomes of Knowledge, the effects are much less visible than when the player uses his/her own tomes. We really need this for spell effects, and we need a slider that allows us to hide other players' spell effects completely.

That Anet has yet to fix this garbage after years of complaints from the players REALLY pisses me off.

[Cuks.8241]

Simple name tags from wvw to OW. I like to see who are the players around, especially when commanding but dont need to see their names.

[ShadowCatz.8437]

@Cuks.8241 said:Simple name tags from wvw to OW. I like to see who are the players around, especially when commanding but dont need to see their names.

I would to that I wish we could have only healthbar (thin mode) to show instead of nametags. It is useful to know when there is players that are low on health and might need help (Aegis, Blind or Regen just to list some boons or conditions that might keep players alive).

Why don't the Simple UI mode for party show, if player in group have food and utility as it is displayed in normal mode?