Please give us the option to keep the old skill use animation

[Tryplon]

Dear devs,

I've had my fair share of pleasures and annoyances when playing lotro but in general I could enjoy the fun times and largely ignore the changes I dislike. However, in this most recent update, you did something that I cannot ignore and it is something that pains me immensely. You changed the animations that happen whenever a skill gets pressed, now that change in itself isn't so bad if it wouldn't be such a headache procuring one!

Of all the changes that happened in the past that I disagree with this is very much the worst. This isn't ignorable and you didn't put in an option to keep it as it once was. I just started playing after downloading the new update and in just the short span of half an hour I started to get a headache from the flashy lights at the bottom of my screen and I had to stop because I felt a migraine incoming. It baffles me that of all the big changes you've made to lotro over the years this silly little thing is what will probably make me quit the game. Not because I hate the change but because I simply can't play without getting a headache, it's absolutely terrible!

Please, I implore you, help me (and most likely others) play and enjoy the game again by simply putting a toggle in the options panel to change it back to the old way.

With kind regards,
Tryplon

[Mirtiel]

I absolutely second this.

I just had to search and look closely if I had the toggles activated, or - as I'm also playing on LM and Captain, if I had set the signs, debuffs etc...

My hubs just complained to me that he can't see if he activated his hunter speed or not, his eyesight isn't the best.

So please, for those who have not 100% eyesight and are suffering repeatedly from migraines and have epilepsy.. please change it back. Or give those ppl a toggle to turn this flashy white thing off.

Thank you.

[Hobbit_bounder]

Edit: I realise this is about the animation of the skills on the skill bar itself. It's not too bad, but I can see why it would bother some. It used to be clearer. It's quite hard to see especially with toggle skills, so I definitely prefer the old animation.

[Oddessia]

OMG this.

I started another thread before I saw this one, but I posted a picture there in which I have SEVEN skills currently active. I'd like SSG to tell me which skills they are, because I can barely make them out. I hate this change so much that after 15 min of play I quit. I was looking forward to checking out the new area but this change makes combat so bloody infuriating for me I'm not going to bother.

Link to thread with pic https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthr...gle-Appearance

Screw it Ill just post pics here for visibility. SEVEN skills toggled active in this picture. 7.

[Brolad]

Completely agree with the OP, I'd pick the old animations a million times over the new ones. The new ones are arguably pretty but also incredibly confusing and unclear. It's a bit hard to believe that the toggle skill one managed to go through testing.

[Starsmith]

I prefer the old; can get used to the new...but *not* the "toggled skill" animation. I can't *see* it!

[Luinmir]

I've never complained in 14 years playing this game, and I've been playing since preorder day 1.

But you cannot do this.

The new effects are AWFUL, the needless sparkling sparkles that make everything much like these new generation games don't fit with Tolkien or Middle-earth. You don't change something that works already, do you? So why those useless (and ugly) changes? Don't you think you should invest the time of your Devs a little better?
I was upset already noticing the tracking skills and Follow the Path skill, but the travelling/active skills are UNBEARABLE. I had some vietnam flashbacks of me playing snake on my old Nokia phone while looking at them.

I understand this doesn't mean much to you, but to many that have been playing this game for a long time, some things DO matter A LOT. We should have any right to choose whether keeping things the old way or not, just like the character's appearance.

And please keep in mind that Tolkien is very much down-to-earth in... basically all the aspects and that's why we love him and his world. If we wanted flashy and sparkly stuff we would be playing something else.

[Nostro44]

+1

Really hard to see at a glance what toggle is on or off. And the skill waiting animation is so similar to when the skill executes I can hardly tell the difference.

[Rosadora]

[QUOTE=Nostro44;8066385]+1

Really hard to see at a glance what toggle is on or off.

YES -this! I am seriously struggling to see if my toggle skills are on or off. Its actually hurting my eyes straining to see the skills. Some of my kinnies are having the same issue. Please either revert back, or do something to make it far more obvious when the skill is on. Please!

[Ilostmypants]

I rarely complain about anything in this game - i even treat lag as feature of the game but this change is worst then anything done before.

[Moondog548]

I concur. It's an aesthetic step forward (and I'd probably keep using it given the choice), but it's a significant step back in terms of usability and accessiblity.

[thinx]

The new interface is lacking clarity and visibility, especially if skills are queued.

[Winnower]

Apparently this change was implemented without testing on people with limited eyesight and/or colorblind issues, and/or strobe issues (various medical issues).

I CANNOT SEE what is going on with the new skill icon borders due to a combination of issues with my eyesight and color issues.

This needs to be either:

a) given a toggle for which one is used

b) reverted to the old one.

Why was time even spent on this disastrous cosmetic change when real gameplay issues like B/P/E, Guardians, Wardens, etc. keep being pushed off for ever and ever down the road?

If it isn't corrected, my playtime here *at all* is under question.

[Arabani]

Absolutely! The changge is horrible. Everything is flashing, glimmering, sparkling. It's irritating and incomvinient. I understand where you get the idea from and I really hate such a thing in WoW.

Please give us an option to turn it off!

[Treadstone87]

Feedback for this change on Bullroarer was universally negative, why were these new skill bar animations pushed through anyway?

[Starkorm]

Feedback for this change on Bullroarer was universally negative, why were these new skill bar animations pushed through anyway?

It's pretty rare for BR feedback to actually get listened to. It's a preview server not an actual beta test

[Laurelinarien]

Apparently this change was implemented without testing on people with limited eyesight and/or colorblind issues, and/or strobe issues (various medical issues).

TBH, I don't have any serious medical issues, I do wear glasses but the correction I need is low (astigmatism).. and I did protest this change in the BR Feedback thread.

We get ignored all the time. Those of us able to express disagreement in a sensible manner and those who can't be polite. All thrown in the same ignore bag.

[Arabani]

Well, I've tried playing it for about an hour and I've had enough. I'm serious. There is a huge chance I'll take a break untill/if it is fixed.

[Treadstone87]

It's pretty rare for BR feedback to actually get listened to. It's a preview server not an actual beta test

Weird. They should change the part in the description where it's described as a "public test server which will be opened periodically to test new content", then.

[Nathrien_Estelenlaer]

/signed


Yes, I'd at least like an option to revert the new skill highlights to the old ones. I can barely tell the difference between what's toggled and what's not in use.


For comparison, the old toggle border on the left, the new one on the right. And yes, the new one is already active.

[Forthran]

Adding to the sentiment that the new skill boxes animations are quite hard to see at a glance. Never had trouble seeing the old one.
Today I've already turned off my "Find The Path" (twice!) because it looked like it wasn't on.

**In summary: "if it ain't broke don't fix it..."**

[LeRaginAsian]

+1

We said it in Bullroarer forums, hopefully they'll listen to, you know, the entire player base?

Lore-master Charged Air status is just invisible now and my captain's skill bars look like a bad disco.

[Thurallor]

I think they should revert this change. It's not an improvement -- functionally or aesthetically.

It's just blurrier, which makes it harder to distinguish the different states.

[KingsGuard]

It's like Christmas lights going round and round your skill buttons all the time, it's distracting and very annoying, please get rid of this as soon as possible, thanks.

Arason/Solid/Texas - Evernight

[Titiania]

I absolutely second this.

I just had to search and look closely if I had the toggles activated, or - as I'm also playing on LM and Captain, if I had set the signs, debuffs etc...

My hubs just complained to me that he can't see if he activated his hunter speed or not, his eyesight isn't the best.

So please, for those who have not 100% eyesight and are suffering repeatedly from migraines and have epilepsy.. please change it back. Or give those ppl a toggle to turn this flashy white thing off.

Thank you.

Agree completely! As someone with an eye condition and frequent headaches, I implore you to make this visualization an option! The new queued skill border animation is also incredibly difficult to see and rough on my eyes.

I hope everyone that's having issues posts so the devs get an idea of how many visually and/or color impaired people play this game. I love lotro and would prefer to keep playing it comfortably.