[dev 1036] fix the console-style Action Bars...

[Evangela]

why we have this kind of action bar?

why we can't customize anything about it except moving it?


- they don't display all skills on the screen

- we can't click on the bar to use the skill (if you have a lot of skills and use more than one row action bar you'll understand my problem)

- pressing Up and Down to scroll between each row.... so horrible (same, if you using more than one row you'll understand) and after the new target mode it became worse with Up and Down button using for swap the target types

- we don't have an option to disable the "auto-hide" action bar, what's wrong if I want it to show all the time (and possible to click on the skill to use it)?


should be better if we have an option to change it, for the best for both players who using mouse+keyboard and who using controllers

[Abriael]

while I don't agree in the usual use of hyperbolic definitions, I agree that the action bar needs work, especially the ability to extend/collapse it in order to have quite a lot more abilities on the same bar (I would say 20) and the ability to display all 3 at the same time.

I would say that the rest isn't "necessary" (still it'd be good to have), but the inability to display more than 10 abilities on screen at the same time is quite inconvenient, and that's what I would adress first and foremost.

Personally, as a tank, I use two action bars and a half, with all the abilities used at least once every two-three fights, and half of them used every fight, and it's quite unconfortable to have to swap bars in between abilities.
Considering that holding aggro firmly is actually challenging in this game against good damagers/healers (something that I consider VERY positive, mind you, so please keep it like that), having to swap bars in between abilities makes the less twitchy tanks waste precious seconds that might cause in an unwarranted aggro loss. Not to mention the fact that not havng all cooldowns under costant watch isn't user-friendly.

Besides, more accessible abilities on the bar will go well with the additio of auto attack, since hopefully abilities (even less indispensible ones) will become more used. I'm actually amazed when I see many other tanks using only 2-3 abilities during fights (call it professional instinct, i always observe "colleagues" closely), not even bothering to raise their shields, and then losing aggro or dieing costantly.

[yukikaze_yanagi]

I'm ok for the guys using keyboards, but then you all turn into clickers. Do you remember ctrl and alt toggle macros right ? You should map your entire keyboard like this (if they release customizable hotkeys).

[Abriael]

I'm ok for the guys using keyboards, but then you all turn into clickers. Do you remember ctrl and alt toggle macros right ? You should map your entire keyboard like this (if they release customizable hotkeys).

Macros don't display cooldowns and aren't costantly displayed on screen. It's a placebo, Not a solution. Most modern MMORPGs have collapsible/extensible bars, and good players just place the most used abilities on the 1-10 slot and click on the rest that are used less often.

besides, there's absolutely nothing wrong in "Turning into clickers" kif someone feels like it. Players should be able to use the control scheme they feel more natural and intuitive,without falling prey of silly elitist labeling.

[yukikaze_yanagi]

That's not my point <_< as you can do what you say, a lot would use only the keyboard, then what you do ?You can't have a standard gui working only for you.
For the macros, i'm speaking the fact you can't hotlink nothing with that keys, so you can use only numbers

[Abriael]

That's not my point <_< as you can do what you say, a lot would use only the keyboard, then what you do ?You can't have a standard gui working only for you.
For the macros, i'm speaking the fact you can't hotlink nothing with that keys, so you can use only numbers

Extensible macros would help joypad users as well, removing the need to swap between bars. (I use joypad and keyboard indifferently or even in combination, depending on the situation).
If you use only the keyboard, it's your choice, but since the mouse exists, and it's a useful tool, it's nonsensical to artificially limit the action bar because the ones using the mouse too would have an advantage. Extensible bars and multiple bars display is a standard in nowadays' MORPG.

if a player want to guse ONLY the keyboard he can still not use the extensible part of an extensible bar. He's not forced to.

By your logic, we should completely remove number hotlinking on the current bars and force keyboard users to select abilities with the arrow keys because joypad-only users have to select them like that, so everyone should be limited in the same way.

[yukikaze_yanagi]

By your logic, we should completely remove number hotlinking on the current bars and force keyboard users to select abilities with the arrow keys because joypad-only users have to select them like that, so everyone should be limited in the same way.

Lolno

To keep it clear, i'm ok with extensible macro and bars, but then you need customizable hotkeys. Like that both joypad, clickers and keyboards have their fair share of gui.
Obliusly that means one can choose their layout

[Abriael]

To keep it clear, i'm ok with extensible macro and bars, but then you need customizable hotkeys. Like that both joypad, clickers and keyboards have their fair share of gui.
Obliusly that means one can choose their layout

I'm perfectly ok with that. I don't see it as a priority though, as most other MMORPGs work well without that.

As long as they don't hold back the most indispensible parts (extensible bars, multiple bars on screen, fixed non-disappearing bars), to add everything at once, then they can build over the system as much as they like. First things first, though.

[Evangela]

I didn't want it turn into keyboard+mouse style. just make it selectable....

[Gun_Anam]

I use a gamepad and use all 3 action bars fairly equally. I agree that it would be nice to have all 3 bars shown as it often takes me about 500ms longer to find the skill I want to use if I can't remember what action bar I had showing (e.g. When the action bar gets hidden when a mole goes underground and I need to find featherfoot quickly). The 500ms can be the difference between taking a lot of damage and taking no damage.

The bar hiding thing can get annoying too, although it is useful to be able to see when you're able to scroll through targets instead of scrolling through skills. Perhaps a nice solution to this would be to hide the action bar only while in passive mode. When in active mode have the action bar always showing, but have it greyed out when in targetting mode (ie. when the bar is hidden at the moment). Action bar would be reactivated upon selecting a target (or using a skill on the highlighted target for clickers). so, fairly similar to how it is now but with keeping the utility of the skill bar hiding.