Spiral Knights - Improve visibility in bomb FX.

Improve visibility in bomb FX.

11 replies [Last post]

Mon, 06/20/2011 - 16:04

JCPedroza

Legacy Username

Please improve your FX design in bomb explosions. Seems that way too many people have problems with this.

I'm play bombs, I'm used to them, but the DPS members of the group constantly tell me how annoying the bombs are in terms of visibility. Common complaints are that it's impossible for them to see what they are hitting, or that they can't see when a hit will come from the enemy, among others. They all are visibility complaints. Some of those scenarios even end on the bomber being taken out of the group, not my case but it has happened to at least 2 of my non guild friends.

And all that thanks to a design flaw, that should be fixed as soon as possible in my opinion.

At least make it optional, create an option where we can choose to have clear FXs on the bombs, more transparent, less aggressive and annoying to the battle mechanics.

In short, let us see what's going on.

Also, release more bombs already! =D

Mon, 06/20/2011 - 16:13

Icee

FX are fine

I disagree, mostly. The bomb effects are nice and don't obscure visibility too much or for too long. I play with Nitronome, Ash, and Shivermist all of the time, and while some jerks will kick me out of the party because I'm not hack-and-slashing with a heavy sword, I don't think there's actually any visibility problem, just playstyle biases.

I'd be sad if the big boom of the blast bombs were toned down visually, and the haze bombs' mist needs to be visible to allow for effective luring of enemies into the haze (especially with the sub-5* versions of the bombs). It's ok if there's an option to turn it down, but I want to keep my effects as they are.

Mon, 06/20/2011 - 17:39

Vash_kun

Legacy Username

FX can be a bit much

I love having bombers in the party (and will soon have an 'Ash' myself) but I dislike taking damage because a monster's attack/damage cues get hidden by effects. Nitronome's camera shake (last time I saw it, anyway) is particularly annoying. Ash and Shivermist don't bother me unless the guy playing them has a high CTR and is stacking them.

Some of the other FX are a lot worse about this than bombs, though: particularly the fire effect from flamethrower gremlins/red rovers/oilers. For instance, in a hectic final stage of Flame Lash Arena, it's possible for the entire screen to just turn into one big sheet of flame, and players just die because a monster completely hidden by that sheet of flame (but mysteriously not being damaged by it) kills you with a normally dodge-able attack.

Mon, 06/20/2011 - 18:08

Undying

I'm a melee, and although I

I'm a melee, and although I enjoy having bombers in my groups I can't stand Blast bombs. If a bomber is using a blast bomb it impairs my vision far too much. Even for a split moment, that's all it takes for me to not be able to see a lumber smacking me in the head. It's like fighting in the dark for a split second, every time a bomb is dropped. Other bombs I'm perfectly fine with however.

Mon, 06/20/2011 - 20:24

Eeks

I just close my eyes whenever

I just close my eyes whenever nitronome is about to explode.

Mon, 06/20/2011 - 21:21

JCPedroza

Legacy Username

@Icee

@Icee:

First of all I want to clarify, I'm a bomber too. I've talked to a lot of people after and before run, the tendency (about 90% of them, if not more) thinks that the bomb effects have a negative effect on their play, traduced into low levels of accuracy, DSP output, visibility, etc. I've made some tests seeking for objective results, and on many scenarios the visibility is greatly affected. It depends on the bomb, the color of the stage, the color of the enemy, the colors you use as costume, the size of the enemy, the size of the FX (huge in the case of Shivermist, Ash, etc), and if there are stacked FX in a zone. The results are clear, the bomb effects are unnecesarly aggresive, it too many scenarios it will have a negative effect on your group.

It's "cool" to have some "awesome" effects though, for some people, and that's why I suggested the option to have less aggressive effects on them. Some of us, as bombers, look for the most optimum usage of bombs, and that means a lot of them being stacked. But the current approach of "awesomeness" over visibility is a step in the wrong direction, in my very humble opinion.

A lot of people consider the bombers more annoying that useful, and I don't blame them. I do blame the design choices made there though.

Hope I was clear, my English sucks. :)

Mon, 06/20/2011 - 21:23

JCPedroza

Legacy Username

@Vash_Kun

@Vash_Kun:

In T3, most of us will seek a max CTR, achieved easily with Volcanic Demo or Mad Bomber set. We'll stack a lot of them. That's something that will happen.

Tue, 06/21/2011 - 01:27

0ritfx

Legacy Username

True

Another thread of this kind and I second it. Give us some option to increase transparency of those effects.

Tue, 06/21/2011 - 16:39

JCPedroza

Legacy Username

At the very least add a

At the very least add a transparency option.

Tue, 06/21/2011 - 21:56

superkamote

Legacy Username

seconded. it's hard to see

seconded. it's hard to see spike floors when AoA/shiver are dropped

Tue, 06/21/2011 - 23:21

#10

Senshi

Legacy Username

Yeah...

A -lot- of things obscure the radiating-line attack cue, not just bombs. South walls, other critters in crowds, other players. Maybe the attack-cue should go to the top, not the bottom, of the stack of effects? Then you can have 'awesome' bomb effects -and- see if the critter is trying to wallop you. (spikes may need a separate solution... )

Tue, 06/28/2011 - 00:42

#11

JCPedroza

Legacy Username

@Senshi

@Senshi: I agree, visibility should be improved in general (including camera issues, like the angle). But as a bomber, i really see bomb visibility as a high priority.

Search

Improve visibility in bomb FX.