Disappointing effects on Hollowsoul Steed

lurjuska · September 13

After saving up my endeavours for a long time, I finally found a mount worth spending on - the radiant apex mount Hollowsoul Steed from the new Dark Brotherhood crates. In it's idle state, the mount is relatively basic, apart from the small candles on it's head. After using the rearing up-option is when the magic really happens, and only then does the mount in my opinion become worthy of it's rank in the crates.

Sadly, the effects on it don't last. We've had mounts in the past, where the effect of rearing up stays active on the mount indefinitely, but for some reason this isn't the case on the Hollowsoul Steed. Is anyone else surprised/disappointed by this? Might this not be intended? I'm considering trying to get my endeavors refunded thanks to the effect not staying, which is a shame since the design of it is quite cool.

Before rearing up/without effects

After rearing up/with effects (duration maybe 15s)

emilyhyoyeon · September 13

While I would never get this mount since it's not something any of my characters would use, I think it looks much cooler at its base.

But something I thought a long time ago with another mount, is if it would be possible to make it so that, with mounts with rear up effects, rearing up turns the effect on until the player does the rear up again.

It's not really a perfect solution. And the mount I was looking at (the Lich Steed) has a much less drastically different rear up effect than this new elk.

SkaraMinoc · September 13

That would be obnoxious to see players running around with a permanent glow like that.

Sorry you didn't get what you wanted. But I think it's for the best.

Dragonnord · September 13

lurjuska wrote: »

We've had mounts in the past, where the effect of rearing up stays active on the mount indefinitely..

Like which one?

lurjuska · September 13

SkaraMinoc wrote: »

That would be obnoxious to see players running around with a permanent glow like that.

Sorry you didn't get what you wanted. But I think it's for the best.

I fully get that the flashy effects aren't everyone's taste, it can be immersion breaking for instance, but this would hardly be the only obnoxiously glowy mount strolling about. Thank you for the compassion though!

lurjuska · September 13

Dragonnord wrote: »

lurjuska wrote: »

We've had mounts in the past, where the effect of rearing up stays active on the mount indefinitely..

Like which one?

Off the top of my head, of the ones I personally own, Oldefire Elk comes to mind. Big beautiful flowers bloom on it's antlers (maybe elsewhere too?) after rearing up, and the effect stays.

Dragonnord · September 13

lurjuska wrote: »

Dragonnord wrote: »

lurjuska wrote: »

We've had mounts in the past, where the effect of rearing up stays active on the mount indefinitely..

Like which one?

Off the top of my head, of the ones I personally own, Oldefire Elk comes to mind. Big beautiful flowers bloom on it's antlers (maybe elsewhere too?) after rearing up, and the effect stays.

Probably a bug because it's 1 mount out of +1000 mounts available.

WiseSky · September 13

So is this a Bug or a Feature ?

It grew on me, I would prefer it was always flashy, but having the base be non flashy is acceptable not a deal breaker for me as I like to press space bar everything I summon it and ride around

lurjuska · September 13

That's what I'm wondering too, is this how it's supposed to work or is it a bug? Glad someone else likes the flashy part as well :') I'm thinking about for example riding longer distances, would be nice to not have to stop every X seconds to turn the effect on, if you like seeing that part of the mount more than the base form.

WiseSky wrote: »

So is this a Bug or a Feature ?

It grew on me, I would prefer it was always flashy, but having the base be non flashy is acceptable not a deal breaker for me as I like to press space bar everything I summon it and ride around

lurjuska · September 13

Dragonnord wrote: »

lurjuska wrote: »

Dragonnord wrote: »

lurjuska wrote: »

We've had mounts in the past, where the effect of rearing up stays active on the mount indefinitely..

Like which one?

Off the top of my head, of the ones I personally own, Oldefire Elk comes to mind. Big beautiful flowers bloom on it's antlers (maybe elsewhere too?) after rearing up, and the effect stays.

Probably a bug because it's 1 mount out of +1000 mounts available.

Could very well be, but then again there could be a lot more of mounts that function like this, I just don't have that many of these flashy/effect ones at my disposal.

Fischblut · September 13

When I saw the thread title, I was sure that this is about voice of this creature...

When I previewed it (with relogs on multiple characters), it didn't have any voice - only effect's audio. At first I thought that this was so lazy, but then I thought: "Hmm, it's the only mount who looks so uncanny that it doesn't have any voice. Understandable, I'll take it!"

... After I've purchased it and equipped, I hear horrible Elk voice from it

Yes, it has echo/reverb edit, so someone worked on it. But I would expect something unique and really different for such creature.
However, I also think that Elk animals/mounts sound like creatures from hell, so it actually suits to this image

Also, when I looked at promo picture and expressed my hopes to have a mount with such awesome black texture covering his whole body... I had no idea that it actually has whole body looking like Alien. And the fanged jaw from stamina upgrade really completes the look! So beautiful, thanks to the designer(s) who created these features

Special idle animation this time is so perfect that it actually sends shivers down my spine

Those unnatural fast movements, silence and creepy face!

I like purple glow, but I don't like implementation of cosmic/otherwordly texture. But the idea of changing the mount's appearance so heavily after rearing up is very cool! Keep it up!

It is so unique, and at the same time it reminds me of mix between Xenomorph and Boneskinner - both of my favorite monsters.
If it was done on senche/wolf body model (horses still slow down after jumping), I think this would become one of my most favorite mounts of all time

Showcase video:

https://youtu.be/aQNIM03PGhY

Of course, there are things which I would do differently:

1) For perfection, I personally would add full skull as the head (as stamina upgrade), and there would only be candles in the eye holes - not through the whole jaw.

2) I'm not sure if I would want purple light in the environment from candles... I would not be against it, at least.

3) Speed upgrades could add cool stuff (spikes) to legs. Current ones are too subtle and just resemble creepy socks!

3) Add unique voice.

4) Maybe add longer tail.

5) Make option to change color of all candles (when rearing up) to red, green, yellow.

As for mounts who have thir special effect trails forever after rearing up, they exist. I value those the most, and this was major part of why I bought them.

1) All radiant Apex mounts from Frost Atronach crates. Not only the best special idle animations of all I've seen, but the most fun to ride with effects!

2) Dark Delirium Senche from Grim Harlequin crates (at least based on showcase video, I don't personally own it).

@lurjuska Thank you for mentioning your Oldfire Elk! Now I wonder if all Radiants in Stonelore Crate have permanent effects as well.

I think all mounts with special effects should work like this. Some time is not enough to enjoy additional effects, and constantly rearing up is not pleasant.
Older Apex mounts are especially sad in this regard - Storm Atronach and Skeletal mounts barely have 5 seconds duration of their additional effects...

flizomica · September 13

I actually really, really like that the eye-blinding effects are not permanent, though I know many others specifically go after those sorts of mounts. I thought the promotional render was cool with the stag skull/floating purple candle motif, but was ultimately going to base my endeavors purchase on how loud the VFX were - which, happily, is not at all if I don't rear up. I would so much rather have radiant apex mounts that have unique models that fit into the general feel of the game than ones that reuse existing models and fill my screen with garbage. Just anxiously waiting to earn the final 2k endeavors!

SickleCider · September 16

I actually really love that it comes in two flavors, solid black and cosmic nightmare! I wouldn't be opposed to the effects staying after rearing, though. I think that should be the standard behavior.

Notes:

1. I really want the purple candles, and the cosmic effects, to produce environmental light. That aspect is really missing from this mount.

2. The voice isn't the worst, but I'd rather have something else. I think a sort of clicking or gurgling sound would be more appropriate, or even just the eerie silence from the preview. They could have borrowed the Servitor or skeleton mount sounds as an alternative and that also wouldn't be awful.

AnduinTryggva · September 16

I think I am happy that this mount gets this effect only temporarily - like the vast majority of mounts with any effect activated by making it rear.