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Forums > Home› Star Trek Online General Discussion

More subtle visual effects?

dewolf13dewolf13 Member Posts: 67 Arc User
edited September 2022 in Star Trek Online General Discussion
The over-the-top visual effects from player and enemy abilities are getting a bit much.

It wasn't so bad some years ago when the most obscene thing you would see was a triple gravity well. But now, between whatever abilities result in the (largely opaque) badlands-type super cyclone the size of a small moon, or the more purple (but also largely opaque) super cyclone the size of a small moon, or whatever new ability is creating what looks like the Delphic Expanse...it's all getting a bit much. This is the equivalent of overly seasoned food -- a little bit of salt does a lot, but dumping a tub of salt into a dish turns it into rubbish. Furthermore, having outer space obscured by all these obscenely extravagant effects at critical times -- like when your ship is low on HP and is being damaged or held by some lingering constriction anchor or solar flare that you are urgently trying to locate in three dimensions around you, only to be blinded by all this nonsense -- is incredibly frustrating. And the entirety of the third phase of the Battle of Procyon V TFO is essentially this feeling.

I even remember a time when the ground-based dampening field had a subtle effect, but then it became this (much more opaque) orange monstrosity.

Could the art team maybe look at dialing the effects back by 90% please? Subtlety goes a long way. Especially in the Star Trek universe.
Post edited by baddmoonrizin on
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Comments

  • protoneousprotoneous Member Posts: 3,174 Arc User
    dewolf13 wrote: »
    The over-the-top visual effects from player and enemy abilities are getting a bit much.

    Could the art team maybe look at dialing the effects back by 90% please? Subtlety goes a long way. Especially in the Star Trek universe.

    Funny you should mention over-the-top visual effects as two new ones were just added this year...

    The Kuumaarke Visionary Ground Set is my own choice of the #1 worse offender on ground maps in the form of a purple bubble.

    For space there's the console from the Cnidarian Defender that promotes sitting in one spot and doing very little. Another purple bubble.
    ...it's all getting a bit much. This is the equivalent of overly seasoned food -- a little bit of salt does a lot, but dumping a tub of salt into a dish turns it into rubbish.

    I agree.

    You can find their answer regarding visual effects in this thread or just read it here...
    Are there any plans to address the huge amount of VFX that happens in a space battle in game? After twelve years of adding awesome looking powers, we’ve reached the point where it’s very difficult to see what’s going on amongst all of the flashing lights, space tornadoes, etc. The ability to limit the amount of VFX we’re seeing would be greatly appreciated.

    Associate Art Director, Thomas Marrone: This is a really complicated issue. At one point we discussed really streamlining the VFX from powers and using a unified language (shield buffs always look like this, damage buffs always look like this, etc) but the cost of retrofitting that on existing powers meant it was a wildly expansive project. (in this case, "cost" means sunk time - all of this would have to be done on each individual power out of the hundreds we have in in game.) - Kael Also, one of the neat parts of getting a new ship is getting a console that looks really cool when you activate it. There's been a lot of discussions on this one, and they'll probably keep ongoing until we find a solution that doesn't also remove the coolness of your own powers, and also lets you know what powers your teammates are using.

    My interpretation of their answer is "that one of the neat parts of getting a new ship is getting a console that looks really cool when you activate it" is a powerful thing that drives sales and participation. The marketing dept always wins :smile:

    I don't really expect anything to change looking forward but feedback is always good.
  • dragon#2626 dragon
    dragon#2626
         Member Posts: 276 Arc User
    Best not to hold your breath. As I understand it, they've already said it won't be toned down, for reasons that I would call specious at best.
    I swim through a sea of stars. . . .
  • vetteguy904vetteguy904 Member Posts: 3,942 Arc User
    Unless and until the players start boycotting the worse offenders, the Devs will assume that's what the players want. The mycilial set where you can open the rifts.. I refuse to use it because of the dancing elachi that follow you around when you go to a ground map.

    All of the effects should be a small animation. There is no reason to have the humongous ones you see, because the area of effect does not need to be outlined. It is not with grav wells, so there is not need for any of them to do it. the only screen wide effect that should be huge is the beacon. I also think that if you use it you can be friendly fired on.
    sig.jpg
  • tmassxtmassx Member Posts: 831 Arc User
    Yes, I was at Counterpoint tfo today where were 3 players with jelly ships and all I could see was purple flashing. Without stopping. Other totally exaggerated effects such as neutronic eddy, beacon of kahless or plasma storm are at least temporary. Something terrible.
  • protoneousprotoneous Member Posts: 3,174 Arc User
    6m1zk7ri08d91.jpg

    Photo credit
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  • orangenee#2931 orangenee
    orangenee#2931
         Member Posts: 837 Arc User
    Sadly they seem to find '90s rave lighting amusing, or at least our reaction to it.

    They're really on a day-glo pink theme currently.

    I get the feeling they try to one up each other to see who can come up with the most obnoxious animation, guy who came up with the jellyfish console is clearly leading.

    They hate us with every ounce of their souls. Passive aggressive bunch.
  • baddmoonrizinbaddmoonrizin Member Posts: 11,023 Community Moderator
    protoneous wrote: »
    6m1zk7ri08d91.jpg

    Photo credit

    Ok. I legit LOL'd at this. :lol:
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  • shrimphead2015shrimphead2015 Member Posts: 536 Arc User
    corinthalas wrote: »
    Thus far, their actions regarding this issue can be summarized as, "TRIBBLE you guys, I do what I want." Or at least alarmingly close to it.

    That's the feeling I get as well.
    "There is iron in your words of death for all Comanche to see, and so there is iron in your words of life. No signed paper can hold the iron. It must come from men. The words of Ten Bears carries the same iron of life and death. It is good that warriors such as we meet in the struggle of life... or death. It shall be life." - Ten Bears (Will Sampson)
  • dragon#2626 dragon
    dragon#2626
         Member Posts: 276 Arc User
    shrimphead2015 wrote: »
    corinthalas wrote: »
    Thus far, their actions regarding this issue can be summarized as, "TRIBBLE you guys, I do what I want." Or at least alarmingly close to it.

    That's the feeling I get as well.

    Same here.
    I swim through a sea of stars. . . .
  • protoneousprotoneous Member Posts: 3,174 Arc User
    edited July 2022
    They think ESD is their mom :smile:

    263zydtoted91.png

    Photo Credit
  • doctorstegidoctorstegi Member Posts: 1,226 Arc User
    Be great to make an option where you at least can turn of other players effects. I remember games in the past used to have something like that. But I will not hold my breath on it. Same to be able to color your weapons most likely not going to happen.
    C-Store Inc. is still looking for active members on the fed side. If you don't have a fleet feel free to contact me in game @stegi.
  • dewolf13dewolf13 Member Posts: 67 Arc User
    protoneous wrote: »
    6m1zk7ri08d91.jpg

    Photo credit

    hahahaha I'm so glad someone made a meme about this issue!
  • dewolf13dewolf13 Member Posts: 67 Arc User
    orangenee#2931 wrote: »

    I get the feeling they try to one up each other to see who can come up with the most obnoxious animation, guy who came up with the jellyfish console is clearly leading.

    haha completely agree.
  • tmassxtmassx Member Posts: 831 Arc User
    Those totally exaggerated vfx effects are totally ruining my enjoy of the game and fps.
  • annemarie30annemarie30 Member Posts: 2,698 Arc User
    the ground version is as bad
    We Want Vic Fontaine
  • whistlerdavidwhistlerdavid Member Posts: 420 Arc User
    i am sure i will get some hate for doing this but i quit tfo if i see one of the defender ships in the team that pink bubble skill hurts my eyes. that and that new ground set skill. i am sure they could put something in option to scale the brightness of the special effects if they wanted to
  • whistlerdavidwhistlerdavid Member Posts: 420 Arc User
    i dont know about anyone else but that defender bubble and the skill from the new groud set hurts my eyes and gives me a head ace if i see that defender ship or someone on ground using that new skill i quit the tfo. if you guys will not tone it down could you at least put in the options on console to lower the brightness of special effects
  • nixie50nixie50 Member Posts: 1,350 Arc User
    another reason i refuse TFOs except as a grind for something I want. I go to the mission. I don't see migraine inducing visual spam, I collect my reward, I'm happy.

    I'm to the point now though I go into a TFO, if there is the spam like in that meme, I'll be joining the afk club
    u7acy6aymfw7.gif
    We Need BERETS in the tailor
  • deadlock8118deadlock8118 Member Posts: 37 Arc User
    So it's what, at least a year until the new jelly toy is replaced with something else and I can actually see what I'm doing in TFOs?
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  • baddmoonrizinbaddmoonrizin Member Posts: 11,023 Community Moderator
    /merged
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  • qultuqqultuq Member Posts: 989 Arc User
    I finally saw the “Jellyfish Effect” this week. After seeing it 4 times in Gravity Kills, I decided to turn off Lighting 2.0. It’s not so bad without the bloom. Someone in the in-game Reddit chat channel said there is a rumor that the developers were going to fix it. I had to laugh about that. But really I hope they do fix it.

    That effect and the ground equivalent really are too much. They clearly are reusing the effect. I mean it’s smart too. They are getting more mileage from the same amount of work, but from the player-perspective it is a little lazy. Especially considering how unpopular it was the first time.
  • orangenee#2931 orangenee
    orangenee#2931
         Member Posts: 837 Arc User
    Changing the dayglo pink to something more muted would be preferable.

    You can't see anything from inside it either, I'm using it to power level my Delta recruit. It's like entering a pink hell dimension.

    A translucent blue maybe.
  • jonsillsjonsills Member Posts: 10,475 Arc User
    So you're saying I shouldn't go into a TFO and hit the bubblegum field, then pop the Soliton Wave, Neutronic Eddy and BFAW and see how many ships I can take down alone?
    Lorna-Wing-sig.png
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  • krisxr400krisxr400 Member Posts: 154 Arc User
    The dev or toc (?) quote above made me feel alienated, or mocked at least. The- everyone likes to get a shiny new console and see it devastate the enemy. Ugh not me, and sounds like there's a few others at least. I got over shiny things right after walking. If it isn't sciencey or canon or make sense, im not a player for that. I made a pun there. Totally agree most matches i cant see anything. Flying at high speeds into things spinning the camera to see whats closest and most threatening. Ya real fun to decipher info in that mess. I love when every tfo starts and you can tell if the super noobs are on team. Out come all these consoles and i watch the stats, and ya some sci toons that know how to set up a ship can do laughable dps. Like stuff spawns in blowing up. That's only about maybe 20% (i might be generous on that assumption) the other percent is just tickling the enemy. Gosh shields still up sometimes when the "space hurricane" dust settles. Say that in your mind, space hurricanes, blue cone shaped (space farts) flaming bursts. I'm sorry there's no wind in space, or flatulence. And you have to hit all your magic at the start, hows the boss or final waves gonna be? Its like these builds are all over the place, but not doing well at anything. Ugh- just remembered that obnoxious loud space lightning... lightning bolt lightning bolt lightning bolt lightning bolt

    Idk maybe i've played it for too long, maybe things need to make sense, or make an attempt at sense. (thinks* did i use the right spelling for sense) Maybe we are being trolled. Maybe their pandering to kids. Or cbs somehow. Maybe, making sense isn't the norm anymore. Maybe there are adults that like all the pretty colors and flashy lights. Maybe I just fly outta that mess and let the aggro fall... >Pop< goes the cheese'll.

    signed- Eye Strain'd Disgruntled
  • baddmoonrizinbaddmoonrizin Member Posts: 11,023 Community Moderator
    qultuq wrote: »
    I finally saw the “Jellyfish Effect” this week. After seeing it 4 times in Gravity Kills, I decided to turn off Lighting 2.0. It’s not so bad without the bloom. Someone in the in-game Reddit chat channel said there is a rumor that the developers were going to fix it. I had to laugh about that. But really I hope they do fix it.

    That effect and the ground equivalent really are too much. They clearly are reusing the effect. I mean it’s smart too. They are getting more mileage from the same amount of work, but from the player-perspective it is a little lazy. Especially considering how unpopular it was the first time.

    Yes, tonight on the livestream, Kael did mention that they were looking at adjusting the VFX of the Cnidarian Defense Console.
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    Views and Opinions May Not Reflect the Views and Opinions of Gearbox/Cryptic
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  • protoneousprotoneous Member Posts: 3,174 Arc User
    edited July 2022
    baddmoonrizin wrote: »
    qultuq wrote: »
    I finally saw the “Jellyfish Effect” this week. After seeing it 4 times in Gravity Kills, I decided to turn off Lighting 2.0. It’s not so bad without the bloom. Someone in the in-game Reddit chat channel said there is a rumor that the developers were going to fix it. I had to laugh about that. But really I hope they do fix it.

    That effect and the ground equivalent really are too much. They clearly are reusing the effect. I mean it’s smart too. They are getting more mileage from the same amount of work, but from the player-perspective it is a little lazy. Especially considering how unpopular it was the first time.

    Yes, tonight on the livestream, Kael did mention that they were looking at adjusting the VFX of the Cnidarian Defense Console.

    This is good to hear. If they're looking at adjusting the vfx of the Cnidarian Defense Console it'd be nice if they looked at doing the same for the Kuumaarke Visionary ground set as well. It restricts vision just as much as the space console when doing ground and unlike space there can be less room to move around.
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