Idea: Using D-pad to hot swap abilites

itscompton

I'm sure everyone would love to have access to more of the abilities they have unlocked but with the limited number of buttons on console controllers we're forced to pick and choose. Abilities that could be useful in certain situations don't get slotted because they don't have enough utility. But what if we could hot swap abilities on one button, say L1, by pressing down on the D-pad (which currently does nothing) and bringing out a wheel of choices the way we do with potions/siege equipment? With all those slots on the wheel we'd have access to twice the amount of abilities we currently have now and while it's not the easiest thing to do with practice I've learned to switch between different potions on my wheel quickly during a fight so I'm sure flipping to a particular ability would become second nature for most of us. Would everyone like to be able to hot swap one of their ability slots during combat?

nikigwil

Yes! Ive finally got used to it too and thats an awesome idea

willymchilybily

1. I feel this goes against some of what i enjoy about the game:
   Having to pick and chose your set up, because you are limited with your bar options brings in a need to optimize and sacrifice, creating this balance of rock scissors paper, even if the classes could be more balanced. After all if you knew specifically what you were fighting, you could build to beat it. but by being limited you expose weaknesses. I think this is key to my enjoyment, and I feel this suggestions moves away from the playstyle i desire
2. down on the d-pad switches between first person and 3rd person view, and moving the right joystick up and down whilst holding down on the d-pad allows you to adjust the character zoom. This is not a feature i would want to be without.
   

itscompton

willymchilybily wrote: »

1. I feel this goes against some of what i enjoy about the game:
   Having to pick and chose your set up, because you are limited with your bar options brings in a need to optimize and sacrifice, creating this balance of rock scissors paper, even if the classes could be more balanced. After all if you knew specifically what you were fighting, you could build to beat it. but by being limited you expose weaknesses. I think this is key to my enjoyment, and I feel this suggestions moves away from the playstyle i desire
2. down on the d-pad switches between first person and 3rd person view, and moving the right joystick up and down whilst holding down on the d-pad allows you to adjust the character zoom. This is not a feature i would want to be without.
   

Oh, I did forget about the zoom. Perhaps then tapping left switches bars, holding left brings up the ability hot swap. That way nothing is lost. I don't agree with your first argument. If everyone has the ability to hot swap the playing field is still level and at the same time it adds another layer of skill to combat.

nikigwil

Holding left sheaths weapons
I could prob do without emotes hotkeys when text chat is finally released and use that instead

Voxicity

I'm sure the game was designed with the 5 ability 2 bars system clearly in mind, so balancing issues would probably arise from this being added to the game.

laksikus

bad idea, if they would do that they could just allow more than 5 abilities on bar

itscompton

Vox wrote: »

I'm sure the game was designed with the 5 ability 2 bars system clearly in mind, so balancing issues would probably arise from this being added to the game.

How? the abilities can already be slotted if desired, it would just make the niche abilities more useful. And sorcs get a third bar when they use overload, that doesn't break the game and that's a whole extra bar full of abilities they have access too. I swear some people just come on these forums to disagree with other people to make themselves feel better.

itscompton

laksikus wrote: »

bad idea, if they would do that they could just allow more than 5 abilities on bar

OMG, another person disagreeing just to disagree, no real thought behind your reply.

lolo_01b16_ESO

I like the fact that whe have to choose our skills and can't swap them in combat. Otherwise everyone could just have every counter on one of his alternate presets, making the fight more about who can remember where he put which skill and less about having made good choices for his skill bar.
Additionally people could just use certain bars to get maximum passive damage buffs. Want to drop your ultimate as magicka build -> switch to the bar where you have all mages guild skills for 13% extra magicka.

Reb

itscompton wrote: »

laksikus wrote: »

bad idea, if they would do that they could just allow more than 5 abilities on bar

OMG, another person disagreeing just to disagree, no real thought behind your reply.

no they are disagreeing because its fine as it is ...and you not the first or the last person to want/ ask for more abilities

Voxicity

itscompton wrote: »

Vox wrote: »

I'm sure the game was designed with the 5 ability 2 bars system clearly in mind, so balancing issues would probably arise from this being added to the game.

How? the abilities can already be slotted if desired, it would just make the niche abilities more useful. And sorcs get a third bar when they use overload, that doesn't break the game and that's a whole extra bar full of abilities they have access too. I swear some people just come on these forums to disagree with other people to make themselves feel better.

I would recommend you don't start threads if you aren't open to crticism about your ideas. This is a place to discuss, not just simply state your thoughts and disallow any feedback.

NewBlacksmurf

I believe the idea of this game is to force us to make good decision prior to getting in combat.

If we can just utilize anything on the fly, it defeats any difficulty or strategy. I can't support this idea due to the purpose....but on PS4 what you suggest is already assigned.

willymchilybily

itscompton wrote: »

willymchilybily wrote: »

1. I feel this goes against some of what i enjoy about the game:
   Having to pick and chose your set up, because you are limited with your bar options brings in a need to optimize and sacrifice, creating this balance of rock scissors paper, even if the classes could be more balanced. After all if you knew specifically what you were fighting, you could build to beat it. but by being limited you expose weaknesses. I think this is key to my enjoyment, and I feel this suggestions moves away from the playstyle i desire
2. down on the d-pad switches between first person and 3rd person view, and moving the right joystick up and down whilst holding down on the d-pad allows you to adjust the character zoom. This is not a feature i would want to be without.
   

Oh, I did forget about the zoom. Perhaps then tapping left switches bars, holding left brings up the ability hot swap. That way nothing is lost. I don't agree with your first argument. If everyone has the ability to hot swap the playing field is still level and at the same time it adds another layer of skill to combat.

giving every one the ability to do so does not ensure balance as every class is different. The "hot swap" essentially allows 10 active abilities to become 18. You no longer have to make build choices. because 8 more slots in a game balanced around 10 gives you all the utility at once, with and no downsides. so the stratergy of the game for me is killed off.

add to this not every class has every ability a magicka templar and DK have no movement speed, a sorc has no gap closer, etc. then not only does it cause a loss of strategic play it also adversely affects some classes more than others.

A nice thought but its just not for me. I hope you can see why.

TequilaFire

Love it when people say the game is balanced around anything.