Opinions about the ranger combat effects?

[msgnomer]

<p>I'm curious what other people think about the ranger "light show".</p><p>I've often played rangers in games, so I have some preconceived notions of what I like my ranger to be.  EQ2 even met that prior to the recent changes.  When I created my ranger, the class options wasn't even on the same line as the other rogues.  This worked for me since I see my ranger more as an outdoorsman and adventurer rather than a rogue.</p><p>Because of that, I'm not happy with the changes that seem to have made her into a spell-casting mercenary.</p><p>Every time I start a heroic opportunity, there is the jingle of coins.  Aside from the sound itself being annoying, it doesn't seem to fit with the idea of a heroic opportunity.  There IS a skill called "bounty" for which the coin sound would be appropriate.</p><p>For straight use of a weapon or sword, I don't under stand all the spell effects.  The exception that would make sense to me would be when an extra magic effect on a weapon triggers.  This doesn't appear to be the case though.  Every slash of my sword seems accompanied by lighted movement effects and turning the opponent into an led light show.</p><p>To me combat arts should be about unique character animations, not lighted effects.  Is this just me?</p><p>It makes sense that a rangers movements aren't a light show unless a specific spell augment goes off.  Why would a ranger even want to advertise themselves in such a noticeable fashion?</p><p>I find I can't even enjoy combat anymore.  I'm not opposed to spell effects for spell users or when a spell augment triggers on a melee type character, but all these effects really seem a bit much for a ranger.</p><p>I have to wonder if this was because of some large request from melee players to have more magic effects or something?  I returned to the game and started enjoying it again not long before so many puzzling changes went into effect, so I don't know the history of why all this was done.</p><p>I'm curious about opinions.  I'm even curious if someone has worked out some RP explanation for why their ranger can create such a light show during combat.</p>

[Alenna]

<p><cite>msgnomer wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>I'm curious what other people think about the ranger "light show".</p><p>I've often played rangers in games, so I have some preconceived notions of what I like my ranger to be.  EQ2 even met that prior to the recent changes.  When I created my ranger, the class options wasn't even on the same line as the other rogues.  This worked for me since I see my ranger more as an outdoorsman and adventurer rather than a rogue.</p><p>Because of that, I'm not happy with the changes that seem to have made her into a spell-casting mercenary.</p><p>Every time I start a heroic opportunity, there is the jingle of coins.  Aside from the sound itself being annoying, it doesn't seem to fit with the idea of a heroic opportunity.  There IS a skill called "bounty" for which the coin sound would be appropriate.</p><p>For straight use of a weapon or sword, I don't under stand all the spell effects.  The exception that would make sense to me would be when an extra magic effect on a weapon triggers.  This doesn't appear to be the case though.  Every slash of my sword seems accompanied by lighted movement effects and turning the opponent into an led light show.</p><p>To me combat arts should be about unique character animations, not lighted effects.  Is this just me?</p><p>It makes sense that a rangers movements aren't a light show unless a specific spell augment goes off.  Why would a ranger even want to advertise themselves in such a noticeable fashion?</p><p>I find I can't even enjoy combat anymore.  I'm not opposed to spell effects for spell users or when a spell augment triggers on a melee type character, but all these effects really seem a bit much for a ranger.</p><p>I have to wonder if this was because of some large request from melee players to have more magic effects or something?  I returned to the game and started enjoying it again not long before so many puzzling changes went into effect, so I don't know the history of why all this was done.</p><p>I'm curious about opinions.  I'm even curious if someone has worked out some RP explanation for why their ranger can create such a light show during combat.</p></blockquote><p>sigh I was not able to log into eq2 when the new spell effects hit test and when they hit live I had been able to log on for 3 whole days before my New ATI Radeon 9800XT crapped out on me.  This after a month when the old one did the same due ot a faulty power source. I'm waiting to get an Nvidia card this time to log on again. I never got the chance to see what the combat arts looked like for my ranger if they are as you say I don't like it. as for effects CA except for maybe the searing shot, and ember strike I don't see why we shoudl need spell effects on them. I can see in the AAs explosive arrows and the like as havng some but not anything else we are not mages we are Scouts who do range attacks and soem melee attacks with regular weapons unless the weapon has a magic spell on it it should not need an effect to use it.I"m glad they got rid of the flash of light when we went into stealth.</p>

[msgnomer]

<p><cite>Alenna@Guk wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>sigh I was not able to log into eq2 when the new spell effects hit test and when they hit live I had been able to log on for 3 whole days before my New ATI Radeon 9800XT crapped out on me.  This after a month when the old one did the same due ot a faulty power source. I'm waiting to get an Nvidia card this time to log on again. I never got the chance to see what the combat arts looked like for my ranger if they are as you say I don't like it. as for effects CA except for maybe the searing shot, and ember strike I don't see why we shoudl need spell effects on them. I can see in the AAs explosive arrows and the like as havng some but not anything else we are not mages we are Scouts who do range attacks and soem melee attacks with regular weapons unless the weapon has a magic spell on it it should not need an effect to use it.I"m glad they got rid of the flash of light when we went into stealth.</p></blockquote><p>Sorry about your system.  However, I agree with you, something like searing shot would make perfect sense to have some sort of fire or flame effect.  I'll be interested in your reactions when you are able to log into the game again.</p><p>They may have got rid of a flash of light for going into stealth, but they now have a huge blast of dark black smoke.  I don't get that either.  If your going into stealth, why the showy effect.  Without the huge black puff, I would like the effect - I like the sound effect, and the shimmering disappearance.</p>

[Alenna]

<p><cite>msgnomer wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>Alenna@Guk wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>sigh I was not able to log into eq2 when the new spell effects hit test and when they hit live I had been able to log on for 3 whole days before my New ATI Radeon 9800XT crapped out on me.  This after a month when the old one did the same due ot a faulty power source. I'm waiting to get an Nvidia card this time to log on again. I never got the chance to see what the combat arts looked like for my ranger if they are as you say I don't like it. as for effects CA except for maybe the searing shot, and ember strike I don't see why we shoudl need spell effects on them. I can see in the AAs explosive arrows and the like as havng some but not anything else we are not mages we are Scouts who do range attacks and soem melee attacks with regular weapons unless the weapon has a magic spell on it it should not need an effect to use it.I"m glad they got rid of the flash of light when we went into stealth.</p></blockquote><p>Sorry about your system.  However, I agree with you, something like searing shot would make perfect sense to have some sort of fire or flame effect.  I'll be interested in your reactions when you are able to log into the game again.</p><p>They may have got rid of a flash of light for going into stealth, but they now have a huge blast of dark black smoke.  I don't get that either.  If your going into stealth, why the showy effect.  Without the huge black puff, I would like the effect - I like the sound effect, and the shimmering disappearance.</p></blockquote><p>a huge blast of smoke? sheesh we are going into stealth which means we don't want to be seen why just place a big huge sign saying here I am it's teh same thing. What were the Devs smoking when they thought this up.</p>

[llicah]

<p>While i don't really care what our animations look like, i doubt this will get changed any time soon, if ever. But im sure there is an option to turn them off/ make them invisible. i play on extreme performance most of the time and i dont see most of that stuff.</p>

[msgnomer]

<p>I wish there was such a way that I could find.  However, I want magic effects for the magic users and no magic effects for every swipe of a melee sword.  I don't know of a way to selectively disable effects.  That would take care of things, having an option like that.  That's why I was trying to find out what other rangers preferred.  Maybe I'm one of a handful that dislike having lots of magic effects for my essentially melee character.</p>

[kartikeya]

<p>Our effects are rather hit or miss, but I love the new stealth. It's awesome.</p><p>Puff of black smoke? Are you thinking of how it looked when they first launched? It's a bit more subtle now. We mostly just fade out, with our eyes briefly glowing.</p><p>Really, my only problems with our new effects are that bloody reminder is now the 'fist fart attack' and certain arts have a crazily huge, javelin sized heat seeking arrow or something. I will never get tired of Stream of Arrows though. Pftpftpfpfpfpffpf, it's now Arrow Machine Gun.</p>

[msgnomer]

<p><cite>kartikeya wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Our effects are rather hit or miss, but I love the new stealth. It's awesome.</p><p>Puff of black smoke? Are you thinking of how it looked when they first launched? It's a bit more subtle now. We mostly just fade out, with our eyes briefly glowing.</p></blockquote><p>No, I wasn't thinking about when they first launched.  It was only a matter of days ago I was bothered by this.  However, your comment got me to log back in and see if it looked any different.   I tested it and it does seem a bit less than before.  How noticeable the effect is, seems to depend on the the display settings, the background environment, the lighting, and whether you are using the personal torch or not.  I still would like it much better if you just faded out of sight, i.e. the effect as is but without the black stuff, but the smaller the puff of smoke the smaller my issue.  On the other hand, I don't mind that the "knock" at the end of the stealthing process is gone.  It was funny the first several hundred times or so, when you thought you didn't stealth in time and got hit, but after awhile it just became sound pollution. </p><p>I still wish I could think of a good reason why a simple movement of a sword is accompanies by a shimmer of light.  I tested this with a plan old cheap weapon with no runes, adornments, or any magic attached.    If that were the only lighting effectfor rangers, it would almost be tolerable (I still think someone really wants to design a comic book superhero game).</p><p>  </p>

[Alenna]

<p><cite>msgnomer wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>kartikeya wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Our effects are rather hit or miss, but I love the new stealth. It's awesome.</p><p>Puff of black smoke? Are you thinking of how it looked when they first launched? It's a bit more subtle now. We mostly just fade out, with our eyes briefly glowing.</p></blockquote><p>No, I wasn't thinking about when they first launched.  It was only a matter of days ago I was bothered by this.  However, your comment got me to log back in and see if it looked any different.   I tested it and it does seem a bit less than before.  How noticeable the effect is, seems to depend on the the display settings, the background environment, the lighting, and whether you are using the personal torch or not.  I still would like it much better if you just faded out of sight, i.e. the effect as is but without the black stuff, but the smaller the puff of smoke the smaller my issue.  On the other hand, I don't mind that the "knock" at the end of the stealthing process is gone.  It was funny the first several hundred times or so, when you thought you didn't stealth in time and got hit, but after awhile it just became sound pollution. </p><p>I still wish I could think of a good reason why a simple movement of a sword is accompanies by a shimmer of light.  I tested this with a plan old cheap weapon with no runes, adornments, or any magic attached.    If that were the only lighting effectfor rangers, it would almost be tolerable (I still think someone really wants to design a comic book superhero game).</p></blockquote><p>yeah I got the chance to check my stealth(yep back in buisness a for some reason the old video card I thought had been burned out was working) the small puff isnt' so bad but we really don't need it ranger have taught themselves to blend into thier environment not use tricks like smoke bombs and such.</p><p>haven't had a chance to try the others need to get ot my guild hall and test with a one of the dummys plan to do that later today.</p>