*New Option* Gold Points & Skill Bar Variations

[Vilya]

So, a lot of people get confused when they receive their first gold point, as they don't really understand what it's for. To solve this problem, we've come up with a few solutions, but for once, we can't seem to agree on which one we think is the best!

Can you help us decide?

Option #1:

Keeping it as it is. Yes, this is an option as well. You get a gold point, but there's no way of telling what it's for until you've leveled a spell enough times to unlock its use - in the meanwhile you just have to keep guessing, or forget about it.

Visually, it's probably the best looking option.
​

Option #2:

Added silver and gold points to the leveling bar for clarity. This should make it clear that you can use gold points to level skills, but it could still confuse players: they get a gold point, and see that it can be used to level their skills, yet somehow they can't use it yet?

We worry that with this option, players will believe that they can use silver and gold points to level skills simultaneously, and in the worst case scenario, believe it's a bug or get frustrated when they can't use them.​

Option #3:

Graying out and putting a lock on the gold part of the skill bar. Our hope with this option would be that people will understand that they can use gold points to level skills, but that they're locked for now. Once you've put your 5 silver points in a skill, an animation + sound effect will play which unlocks the next 5 points (making the skill bar look like the one in Option #2).

Probably the most informative option - if people understand the visual cues - but also possibly the least visually pleasing.
​

Option #4:

It's basically a slightly less cluttered version of Option #3, where the grayed out portion of the bar will disappear, and the blue crystal will turn yellow once you start using gold points (as illustrated under the second skill above).

 

[GarlicJelly]

I like 2 or 3. Takes less than 5 seconds to understand what you're looking at.

 

[Galafrein]

I like 3 due to its straightforward nature. The locks help quite a bit.

 

[Patrick8a]

I vote 3

 

[A-Jay]

3 should work spot on, perhaps some dismissable text to explain it somewhere along the lines early into play.

 

[Kidef242]

Option 3 is better, more cleaning and gives more information to new players about the system as in option 2 it kinda looks off to me =P

 

[Enoen]

I like 3. It tells me that the Gold isn't unlocked yet and that if I want the gold charge; I have to COMPLETELY fill the gold.

MOLD the gold.

Be gold...What are we talking about again?

 

[Hyperlord]

I vote for 3 because I think it's very clear how it's meant to work.
But did you think about converting?

I mean you could "pay" 2 silvers with one gold and vice versa

 

[The Observer]

I vote for 3 because I think it's very clear how it's meant to work.
But did you think about converting?

I mean you could "pay" 2 silvers with one gold and vice versa

I think that would be counterproductive, from what I'm seeing, the point of silver and gold talents is to encourage the player to branch out instead of dumping all points into a single skill.

 

[Valkryx]

Option 3.

 

[Own]

After thinking about it, I prefer #2 over #3. Because it's obvious after even only a second of thought that "Well, I need to fill up this first bar before I can put things into the second half of the bar."

 

[Renothecollector]

While I agree that 3 gives the most information it also looks a bit cluttered. I feel like 2 gets the point across without the clutter. I vote 2!

 

[Enoen]

Well I dont mind the clutter because when you take the lock off it makes it easier to understand that you unlocked the gold charge because otherwise it could lead players to think they can put gold points anywhere without investing earlier points into the skill. 2 Makes it look like that where you can pour your gold in 1 skill and silver in another for seperate charges.

Edit 1: For example you might think hey I got a gold point so I can just put it in flamethrower and Ill immediately go into gold charge instead of silver. Y'know?

If I'm making any sense who knows I'm crazy. If I see a lock I being the naive gamer would immediately assume I need to work on the skill before unlocking its final state.

 

[GarlicJelly]

Well I dont mind the clutter because when you take the lock off it makes it easier to understand that you unlocked the gold charge because otherwise it could lead players to think they can put gold points anywhere without investing earlier points into the skill. 2 Makes it look like that where you can pour your gold in 1 skill and silver in another for seperate charges.

Edit 1: For example you might think hey I got a gold point so I can just put it in flamethrower and Ill immediately go into gold charge instead of silver. Y'know?

If I'm making any sense who knows I'm crazy. If I see a lock I being the naive gamer would immediately assume I need to work on the skill before unlocking its final state.

Well, even if your first thought is that you can put gold points into a skill before adding the required silver points to it you'll figure it out as soon as you try it. It's not like everyone would go "Hmm, why doesn't this work? I guess I will never figure out why."

 

[Enoen]

Well, even if your first thought is that you can put gold points into a skill before adding the required silver points to it you'll figure it out as soon as you try it. It's not like everyone would go "Hmm, why doesn't this work? I guess I will never figure out why."

Yes but the purpose of this was to discuss what visually would give the player the general idea. Obviously through the method of "Trying everything" you would learn this but in the beginning of the game you'd have no idea what gold skill points are even for wouldn't you? I dunno either way #2 and #3 look appealing to me.

 

[loobiedoobie]

I knew what they were for when I first got mine, but that's because I never put points in everything, I kept it in 1 skill till it was mostly powered up

 

[GarlicJelly]

Yes but the purpose of this was to discuss what visually would give the player the general idea. Obviously through the method of "Trying everything" you would learn this but in the beginning of the game you'd have no idea what gold skill points are even for wouldn't you? I dunno either way #2 and #3 look appealing to me.

I wouldn't say that you have to try everything to figure it out, I think most people would assume that they need all the silver points to use the gold points if they can't use the gold points with only 1 silver point in a skill. IMO the best visual would be to gray out all the "point slots" that you currently can't put points into, like a combination of 2 and 3 but without the lock.

 

[Enoen]

I wouldn't say that you have to try everything to figure it out, I think most people would assume that they need all the silver points to use the gold points if they can't use the gold points with only 1 silver point in a skill. IMO the best visual would be to gray out all the "point slots" that you currently can't put points into, like a combination of 2 and 3 but without the lock.

*Thinks of an argument*

You never like my posts.

*Wins the argument*

No but seriously I understand. But I mean if it's there already whats the harm in having a lock there. XD

 

[GarlicJelly]

*Thinks of an argument*

You never like my posts.

*Wins the argument*

No but seriously I understand. But I mean if it's there already whats the harm in having a lock there. XD

I think the lock makes it cluttered and I prefer to have simple and clean looking GUIs. Sometimes you can have too much things explaining the same thing to make the point clear and since you'll spend plenty of time in the skill/spell section anyways there's no need to use something that tell the player everything they need to know in an instant. Every player will do some thinking with the skill/spell menu up on their screen so why flood them with information they don't need to know right away.

 

[Enoen]

I think the lock makes it cluttered and I prefer to have simple and clean looking GUIs. Sometimes you can have too much things explaining the same thing to make the point clear and since you'll spend plenty of time in the skill/spell section anyways there's no need to use something that tell the player everything they need to know in an instant. Every player will do some thinking with the skill/spell menu up on their screen so why flood them with information they don't need to know right away.

Well considering I just bought a copy of the game for my friend and he was like "How would I know that I would get a different version of the spell if it didn't tell me I'm supposed to unlock it by completely filling the bar?

The lock gives a visual incentive for the not very observatory player who is trying the game for the first time as it indicates that it there is a reason to try to reach the midway point to understand without much reading that maybe the player should invest all of his points up to the middle point to then realize that by unlocking the gold points he can use the silver charge as well as work towards getting the gold charge which at this point the lock is no longer neccesary.

I don't like it when the reason for not implementing something so simple is because "It looks bad and cluttered" because to me it is visually appealing and to my friend as well who exclaimed that it would've made it easier for him to understand what he was doing rather than shoving points all over the place wondering why he hasn't learned anything new.

While like I've said like 3 times I don't mind option 2; I pick option 3 because it is newbie friendly and whenever I buy this game or convince others to buy this game if they are in it for the game play without thinking too much visual context helps. I like a game that teaches the player in it's game play and this game does it rather well but we have to assume that not everyone is going to read what something does at first or how to unlock the next charges.

I think the key here is that this visual update will help players understand. It's not for us to gaze at in amazement of how beautiful we think it looks. But here is where I will sound like a hypocrite for a second in favor of your argument.

The player will of course whether by leveling too much and investing points randomly that he will have a gold point and he can't put it in anything until he fully completes the silver bar. So that would be the reason why it wouldn't matter if a lock is there huh? And who knows how flashy it's going to be in arcade mode if each time we completely fill the silver we hear a clanging noise and small animation of the lock and chains vanishing or falling off which while sounding amusing can be immediately annoying.

I may reconsider my vote. I just wanted to share my thoughts. I would really like Vilya's input based on our discussion.

Edit 1: I stand by my decision after re-reading the first post of this thread. Just because it isn't the most visually pleasing doesn't mean it isn't satisfying when it reverts to option 2 (For said skill) after you train hard enough to unlock the gold charge. Although I'm concerned that we're not getting enough novice input.