Ability Animation Updates - Animations look decent overall but some sounds feel lacking

Mashille · January 23

Been looking at some of the updated animations for the DK and 2H abilities. I think a lot of the new animations look decent, although I think a few of them have too many particle effects and too bright and big animation (Uppercut and Cleave feel a bit too much with the sweeping colour effects).

However, I feel like a general theme I'm sensing across a lot of the new animations is the new audio effects have less oomf on them. And for some of these abilities I think this significantly takes away from how satisfying the ability feels to use.

The main examples I'll use for this are:

Dragon Leap - This one I really notice. The original skill had one of my favorite sounds in the game. That crunchy booming sound on impact as you land felt so good. And the new landing sound definitely feels like it's missing that "boom" when landing.
2H Ultimate - Similar issue to DK leap. Original ability had this really good metallic "slam" sound. And the new one seems to have lost this.
Uppercut - Similar issue to 2h ultimate, lacking a metallic "hit" sound. Also animation and particle effects seem a little bit too flashy.
Cleave - Animation and particle effects seem a little bit too flashy and the arcing circle feels like it shouldn't extend all the way around the character.

Other than that I think most of the new animations looks pretty decent. However I am surprised that there hasn't been more work to make the animations fit in with light attack weaving and animation cancelling. If LA weaving is going to remain a core part of combat, then I feel like updated animations should try to take that into account so the character movements flow together more naturally.

coop500 · January 23

I agree, the audio defo tanked on these reworks. The animations are whatever, though I'd prefer for our two handed skills to use two hands more often.

However, YES, the audio really just isn't doing it for me. It's hard to pinpoint as to exactly what it is but it feels like they 'softened' them so they don't sound as aggressive for some reason?

MashmalloMan · January 23

I love the new 2H animations personally because it feels very slicey/dicey/anime. Like I'm Cloud from Final Fantasy using a gigantic sword in a fast, but heavy fashion, but I can totally understand peoples complaints about it.

It feels like the current design was made with only Swords in mind, it doesn't really fit the oomph that a Mace or even an Axe should have. Ideally, the sound effects would be slightly altered based on the motif you're using, where Swords slice, Maces crack, and Axe's gash.

If they could do that, it would add a huge level of polish thats currently missing.

Also, the ultimate just doesn't have the punch it did before, feels like a regular skill. That needs some post processing vfx and bass added to the sfx.

coop500 · January 23

Another problem is that ESO is not an anime game, or a JRPG or whatever. So having animations and audio that feel like anime feels very unfitting for a game like ESO.

MashmalloMan · January 23

coop500 wrote: »

Another problem is that ESO is not an anime game, or a JRPG or whatever. So having animations and audio that feel like anime feels very unfitting for a game like ESO.

Doesn't really break my immersion any more than the countless ridiculous mounts or the vfx for skills and sets. Suffice it to say, ESO is its own breed detached from the more grounded nature of other ES games. I wouldn't say their current animations have no place, but the sfx could definitely be modified to account for different weapon types.

coop500 · January 23

MashmalloMan wrote: »

coop500 wrote: »

Another problem is that ESO is not an anime game, or a JRPG or whatever. So having animations and audio that feel like anime feels very unfitting for a game like ESO.

Doesn't really break my immersion any more than the countless ridiculous mounts or the vfx for skills and sets. Suffice it to say, ESO is its own breed detached from the more grounded nature of other ES games. I wouldn't say their current animations have no place, but the sfx could definitely be modified to account for different weapon types.

The main difference is cosmetics are optional. Yes we see other people with them, but WE don't have to have them.

Combat however is very much something basically every player has to engage with. And we can encourage it to be a little more mindful.

MashmalloMan · January 23

coop500 wrote: »

MashmalloMan wrote: »

coop500 wrote: »

Another problem is that ESO is not an anime game, or a JRPG or whatever. So having animations and audio that feel like anime feels very unfitting for a game like ESO.

Doesn't really break my immersion any more than the countless ridiculous mounts or the vfx for skills and sets. Suffice it to say, ESO is its own breed detached from the more grounded nature of other ES games. I wouldn't say their current animations have no place, but the sfx could definitely be modified to account for different weapon types.

The main difference is cosmetics are optional. Yes we see other people with them, but WE don't have to have them.

Combat however is very much something basically every player has to engage with. And we can encourage it to be a little more mindful.

I would hardly say they're optional in the sense that it's an MMO and no matter what you do, you're surrounded by them. By that same logic, using a 2H is optional, there is numerous other skill lines and weapons available, frankly weapon skills aren't competing super well with the newer class skills as ZOS realizes we prefer things that way.

I mean I get your point, I'm being a bit factitious, but I also don't think the new animations are 100% anime, I'm just saying I lean in that direction, so I find it cool and can understand why some might not like it. I just think the SFX needs some work to make it less slicey, and more inclusive of the blunt nature you get from other 2H weapon styles.

It's the same reason the original Flurry, stabby stabby animation felt out of place so I could see why they tried to make it slices instead, however goofy it kinda looks now. Stabbing with Maces just didn't feel right, however iconic to our old rigid brains.

MincMincMinc · January 23

MashmalloMan wrote: »

I love the new 2H animations personally because it feels very slicey/dicey/anime. Like I'm Cloud from Final Fantasy using a gigantic sword in a fast, but heavy fashion, but I can totally understand peoples complaints about it.

It feels like the current design was made with only Swords in mind, it doesn't really fit the oomph that a Mace or even an Axe should have. Ideally, the sound effects would be slightly altered based on the motif you're using, where Swords slice, Maces crack, and Axe's gash.

If they could do that, it would add a huge level of polish thats currently missing.

Also, the ultimate just doesn't have the punch it did before, feels like a regular skill. That needs some post processing vfx and bass added to the sfx.

This is exactly what i thought of for the 2h animations. My big gripe is that offbalance doesnt fit at all. There is no telegraph for it and now the 2h animations are so particle effect heavy that visually there is no way to tell offbalance cooldowns. I'd rather just make every 3rd dizzy a longer cast with a guaranteed stun or something.

MashmalloMan · January 23

MincMincMinc wrote: »

MashmalloMan wrote: »

I love the new 2H animations personally because it feels very slicey/dicey/anime. Like I'm Cloud from Final Fantasy using a gigantic sword in a fast, but heavy fashion, but I can totally understand peoples complaints about it.

It feels like the current design was made with only Swords in mind, it doesn't really fit the oomph that a Mace or even an Axe should have. Ideally, the sound effects would be slightly altered based on the motif you're using, where Swords slice, Maces crack, and Axe's gash.

If they could do that, it would add a huge level of polish thats currently missing.

Also, the ultimate just doesn't have the punch it did before, feels like a regular skill. That needs some post processing vfx and bass added to the sfx.

This is exactly what i thought of for the 2h animations. My big gripe is that offbalance doesnt fit at all. There is no telegraph for it and now the 2h animations are so particle effect heavy that visually there is no way to tell offbalance cooldowns. I'd rather just make every 3rd dizzy a longer cast with a guaranteed stun or something.

Off balance is a whole other issue. That effect feels like a distant relic from the original design of the game. It's never felt like something I enjoy engaging with. No one enjoys timing DPS windows with it in PVE. No one likes being instant stunned from a partially charged heavy attack.

I'd totally be on board with every 3rd cast applies a stun.