Just a quick note while watching my VoT guildies in their live stream this week that never caught my eye before but there was a request to refresh buffs during the feed....
I noticed that all the buffs had a yellow trim around them - I assume a count down timer, suggestions regarding such is that when the buff is just placed this should maybe be green, then when at 50% remaining turns to yellow and then again to red say last 20% of the timer left etc.
I just find normally when in groups and things are rolling pretty well the buffs get lost if you do or do not have them, clearly there are timers on them, however the trim border could be more helpfull if it mean something regarding colours?
more of a quality of life thing than anything
Kastor said: Anyone who has buffs... place them on yourself first, then the group. Once yours starts to fade, you refresh. Playing your class well will be noticed. Cool idea with the colors... but I wouldn't like any of my buffs to be outlined in red. Looks too much like a debuff for me. Red = bad
I agree. Making everything too easy means it less opportunity for really good players to differentiate themselves from the average player. Learning such techniques and being able to use them effectively is a valuable commodity.
Regarding the appearance of buffs, effects and cooldowns..
If there is a buff limit, then you need the ability to remove them.
If any buff can be a negative (and that's a situational condition) then you need to be able to remove them. Even things like illusions, faction modifiers, damage shields, invis, or run speed. All of them. Eventually, someone will figure out a way to weaponize ~all buffs in varying conditions, which is why so many EQ1 buffs were group only, because that implied consent to be buffed. (being in the group)
I'm a strong proponent of "if you're in a group, you provide this zone-wide group buff from your presence, without the need to recast it" but I understand, for certain buffs that can be weaponized, you wouldn't want this. But for some classes, it would definitely be something that you would want, even if it meant having an optional toggle on that buff that you could enable/disable persistently, or having global settings, per client, whereby you could accept or decline persistent group-always-on buffs.
As far as countdowns go, there are many good and bad ways to do it. IMHO, buff countdowns should have a variety of visual options, all of which are easy to implment. Swipe right/left/up/down, as an overlay with customizable opacity and color. This means if I want my buff timer to show an overlay of bright yellow with 50% opacity, and when it's at max it covers the whole icon, and then as it expires, the overlay edge moves from left to right, or right to left, or top to bottom, or bottom to top, I can choose those options in the client.
Similarly, timers should be shown in H:M:S or M:S or just :S, if below 60 or an arbitrary customizable value in all cases. (if any buffs actually last more than an hour)
And the countdown timer should either show underneath, or overtop, or mixed with the above mentioned color animation overlay; again with position, opacity, font and color options.
Edge based color overlays as well as whole-icon should also be options, with the same features as mentioned above.
Buff expiration flash, as a toggle option, would also be nice.
Buff owner (who cast it on you) is also required.Finally, in addition to the simple swipes: angles, spins, or other animation shapes should also be available.
If VR is unable or unwilling to provide such visual options, they should let UI modders do it, because it has absolutely no bearing on security or exploitation. If the information is already there, and approved, let me choose how I see it.
Vandraad said:Kastor said: Anyone who has buffs... place them on yourself first, then the group. Once yours starts to fade, you refresh. Playing your class well will be noticed. Cool idea with the colors... but I wouldn't like any of my buffs to be outlined in red. Looks too much like a debuff for me. Red = badI agree. Making everything too easy means it less opportunity for really good players to differentiate themselves from the average player. Learning such techniques and being able to use them effectively is a valuable commodity.
Vandraad. Yes!
raziel said: Avaen so my question then goes back to if you have say an Int or strength buff but those stats are no use to you would you really want to bother with it for yourself so you know when to buff others? Unless it's full group buff for me that's just poor quality of life stuff...
Good point!
vjek said:Regarding the appearance of buffs, effects and cooldowns..
If there is a buff limit, then you need the ability to remove them.
If any buff can be a negative (and that's a situational condition) then you need to be able to remove them. Even things like illusions, faction modifiers, damage shields, invis, or run speed. All of them. Eventually, someone will figure out a way to weaponize ~all buffs in varying conditions, which is why so many EQ1 buffs were group only, because that implied consent to be buffed. (being in the group)
I'm a strong proponent of "if you're in a group, you provide this zone-wide group buff from your presence, without the need to recast it" but I understand, for certain buffs that can be weaponized, you wouldn't want this. But for some classes, it would definitely be something that you would want, even if it meant having an optional toggle on that buff that you could enable/disable persistently, or having global settings, per client, whereby you could accept or decline persistent group-always-on buffs.
As far as countdowns go, there are many good and bad ways to do it. IMHO, buff countdowns should have a variety of visual options, all of which are easy to implment. Swipe right/left/up/down, as an overlay with customizable opacity and color. This means if I want my buff timer to show an overlay of bright yellow with 50% opacity, and when it's at max it covers the whole icon, and then as it expires, the overlay edge moves from left to right, or right to left, or top to bottom, or bottom to top, I can choose those options in the client.
Similarly, timers should be shown in H:M:S or M:S or just :S, if below 60 or an arbitrary customizable value in all cases. (if any buffs actually last more than an hour)
And the countdown timer should either show underneath, or overtop, or mixed with the above mentioned color animation overlay; again with position, opacity, font and color options.
Edge based color overlays as well as whole-icon should also be options, with the same features as mentioned above.
Buff expiration flash, as a toggle option, would also be nice.
Buff owner (who cast it on you) is also required.Finally, in addition to the simple swipes: angles, spins, or other animation shapes should also be available.If VR is unable or unwilling to provide such visual options, they should let UI modders do it, because it has absolutely no bearing on security or exploitation. If the information is already there, and approved, let me choose how I see it.
This was well put. I will however be surprised to see that much customization in the game as much as in this day and age it really should have it. I am not a big fan of many posts saying that will just make the game easier.... some things aren't about the game being harder or easier but nobody has ever once said I love standing up every 10 minutes to recast 6 buffs through the group then sit back down for 2 minutes to get that mana back, I'm not quite sure how that makes a player "better" than others. Some things really are just quality of life
The current buff display is fine, it shows time left, current buffs and debuffs, that's all the info you need, I hope VR doesn't go overboard and allow you to see buffs on your party members, they already give you a very easy time spoting negative debuffs on party members with those red icons under the players name, (which I still think should be hidden unless you directly target the player, as should the debuffs on ofensive targets be hidden unless you directly target an enemy)
jpedrote said:The current buff display is fine, it shows time left, current buffs and debuffs, that's all the info you need, I hope VR doesn't go overboard and allow you to see buffs on your party members, they already give you a very easy time spoting negative debuffs on party members with those red icons under the players name, (which I still think should be hidden unless you directly target the player, as should the debuffs on ofensive targets be hidden unless you directly target an enemy)
I disagree with this. All I play is buffing and support classes and not knowing what your party members have can be a bit chaotic when you're constantly asking in chat and voice every 22 mins or 26 or 30 or whatever they all are. And especially in a game where you have to completely re-memorize a spell in a limited ability bar. To me, this is a quality of life thing that shouldn't be ignored.
