An option to reduce visual clutter

[ShardWarrior]

This is an issue that dates back to the release of issue 16 with powerset customization.  While an absolutely wonderful feature, powerset customization does come with drawbacks with regard to the amount of visual FX clutter from the numerous buffs being applied and powersets being used all at once in a team environment.  This is exacerbated during incarnate trials or Hamidon raids where there is so many colors and visual effects it is very difficult if not impossible to see your avatar.  

 

What I propose is an option - perhaps via Null the Gull - where a player can select a "minimal fx" option that either reduces or eliminates the visuals from buffs applied to us from other players.  This would only work from the individual players perspective, so those who like all the VFX can keep it and those who do not can disable them.  There are a lot of powersets that already have minimal FX settings, so I am wondering if it is possible to set somehow set this globally from our point of view only? 

Again, it would not cause other players to see any costume options or powerset customization change, this would just be from the perspective of those who select this option. 

 

Thanks!

[Outrider_01]

2 hours ago, ShardWarrior said:

option - perhaps via Null the Gull - where a player can select a "minimal fx" option that either reduces or eliminates the visuals from buffs applied

I would prefer an option baked into the UI, not Null the "Omnipotent guess he can do everything" Gull.  OMG do I hate some auras and want to turn it off.

[ArchVileTerror]

UI would be ideal, but word is that changes to the UI are a bit beyond the scope of the current team if we also intend the changes to make their way to the servers in a reasonable timeframe.  That's why Null is leaned on so heavily.  Creating in-game toggles from NPCs is apparently far less strenuous than implementing even a "simple" UI change.

[Chris24601]

The following takes care of what you're looking for;

 

/suppressCloseFxDist 300

/bind [key A] /suppressCloseFx 1

/bind [key B] /suppressCloseFx 0

 

Hit key A to turn off all effects centered on your character and key B to turn them back on.

 

I use it all the time for hurricane and similar effects I like to keep on, but find the graphics distracting.

[ShardWarrior]

1 minute ago, Chris24601 said:

The following takes care of what you're looking for;

 

/suppressCloseFxDist 300

/bind [key A] /suppressCloseFx 1

/bind [key B] /suppressCloseFx 0

 

Hit key A to turn off all effects centered on your character and key B to turn them back on.

 

I use it all the time for hurricane and similar effects I like to keep on, but find the graphics distracting.

Does this disable all the visuals from all characters not me?  Not sure if I remember this command.

[Parabola]

Oh absolutely yes please. I would love to go even further and be able to save customisations for certain powers that I could then use to overwrite what I see in the same way we can overwrite sound files we don't like. It is possible to make most powers far less intrusive than even the default settings using very washed out colours (not that you'd know it from the glaring eye assault most people choose).

 

14 minutes ago, Chris24601 said:

The following takes care of what you're looking for;

 

/suppressCloseFxDist 300

/bind [key A] /suppressCloseFx 1

/bind [key B] /suppressCloseFx 0

I have tried this but haven't had much luck. It didn't seem to have much effect on other people's powers? I tell you what does work though - turning all your graphics settings down to absolute minimum. The game looks terrible but it sure runs fast! It would be nice to not have to do this though.

[Sura]

I'm almost postive SuppressCloseFX only affects your own powers, not the powers of other people on you.  

 

I use it a lot, I'd love to have more LowFX/SupressFX options.

[Sura]

2 hours ago, parabola said:

Oh absolutely yes please. I would love to go even further and be able to save customisations for certain powers that I could then use to overwrite what I see in the same way we can overwrite sound files we don't like. It is possible to make most powers far less intrusive than even the default settings using very washed out colours (not that you'd know it from the glaring eye assault most people choose).

 

I have tried this but haven't had much luck. It didn't seem to have much effect on other people's powers? I tell you what does work though - turning all your graphics settings down to absolute minimum. The game looks terrible but it sure runs fast! It would be nice to not have to do this though.

You have to set a distance.  If you don't set a distance it may not seem to do anything.  I can't remember what I set mine to, but it removes Ice Armor, and almost all auras (of mine, but it doesn't suppress others' powers).  I feel like I set it to 35, but it's something that can be played with.  Turn on SuppressCloseFx and then set distances until you can see differences.  

 

https://paragonwiki.com/wiki/SuppressCloseFxDist_(Slash_Command)

https://paragonwiki.com/wiki/SuppressCloseFx_(Slash_Command)

[Chris24601]

1 hour ago, Sura said:

You have to set a distance.  If you don't set a distance it may not seem to do anything.  I can't remember what I set mine to, but it removes Ice Armor, and almost all auras (of mine, but it doesn't suppress others' powers).  I feel like I set it to 35, but it's something that can be played with.  Turn on SuppressCloseFx and then set distances until you can see differences.  

 

https://paragonwiki.com/wiki/SuppressCloseFxDist_(Slash_Command)

https://paragonwiki.com/wiki/SuppressCloseFx_(Slash_Command)

That’s why that first line I posted is important;

 

/suppressclosefxdist 300

 

The trick is that, by default, the distance is set to 0 and is based on camera distance from your avatar. So by default suppression will only occur when you’re in first person mode (i.e. camera distance 0).

 

Setting it to 300 allows you to scroll way out without passing the suppression distance (300 units in this case).

 

As long as your camera is closer than the distance all power auras on you, regardless of source, will not be rendered.

 

The in game reason for this feature was to have a way to shut off effects that would make first-person perspective problematic.

 

If there’s still too much going on, the graphics slider you need to turn down is the particle count (under advanced graphics settings); you shouldn’t have to set everything to minumum.

[ShardWarrior]

Ok so having tried this, it works to an extent.  However, it looks like it works by (albeit very limited) suppressing all VFX, including my own.  This is not what I was after unfortunately.  My preference would be for this to work on anything coming from other players and leave anything I have alone.  Turning the graphics settings down is not a good solution either. 

Edited April 6, 2020 by ShardWarrior

[Sura]

3 hours ago, Chris24601 said:

That’s why that first line I posted is important;

 

/suppressclosefxdist 300

 

The trick is that, by default, the distance is set to 0 and is based on camera distance from your avatar. So by default suppression will only occur when you’re in first person mode (i.e. camera distance 0).

 

Setting it to 300 allows you to scroll way out without passing the suppression distance (300 units in this case).

 

As long as your camera is closer than the distance all power auras on you, regardless of source, will not be rendered.

 

The in game reason for this feature was to have a way to shut off effects that would make first-person perspective problematic.

 

If there’s still too much going on, the graphics slider you need to turn down is the particle count (under advanced graphics settings); you shouldn’t have to set everything to minumum.

My brain totally edited out the dist line you had there, in both your post and parabola's post, sorry about that.  I just jumped to thinking the distance hadn't been specified when parabola said that it hadn't worked.

 

[ShardWarrior]

15 hours ago, Sura said:

I'm almost postive SuppressCloseFX only affects your own powers, not the powers of other people on you.  

I tried this last night and it has limited suppression of VFX on your characters as well as some powers of others.  Many powersets do not appear to be affected by the command and some look even worse.