Accessibility issues with Cambire Alchemy mission amphors

[CelestialVeggie]

I would really enjoy the alchemy mission type but these issues make it take a ridiculously long time for me to each rotation. These issues would be relatively easy to fix, but cannot be solved with any of the accessibility or interface options.

Issue number 1: Unable to distinguish between different amphor types.

Because of my colour vision deficiency, I can't tell the difference between cold and electricity, or between toxin and flame amphors. I rely entirely on the symbols. These symbols are easily blocked by effects, particles, distortion, etc.

To fix this they could be always drawn on top, and have clearer indicator symbols that fit in with the rest of the game. Note in the pictures how relatively easy it is to see the objective and gruzzling indicators, even without colour. Also compare these amphor symbols to how conduit dockets are drawn as clear indicators on disruption missions.

Issue number 2: Delay in throwing amphor

There is a delay between when you release your mouse when aiming an amphor, and when it actually throws. This makes it tricky for me with sometimes shaky hands to aim the amphors correctly, and just in general is not intuitive or good for anyone. I'd estimate the delay is a third of a second. I understand that it's already a widely known issue that the aim trajectory line isn't accurate, especially when you're close to the target, but this makes it so much worse as moving the view at all after releasing the mouse will change the aim, even though the line is no longer visible.

https://i.imgur.com/Apzum0O.mp4

To fix this, the delay could be removed by setting the aim at the exact moment the mouse is released.

[Zakkhar]

There is an icon/symbol when you pick up the Amphor (beside the minimap symbols). With the prompt:

Quote

Press Button to throw (symbol) Amphor.

 

[CelestialVeggie]

35 minutes ago, Zakkhar said:

There is an icon/symbol when you pick up the Amphor (beside the minimap symbols). With the prompt:

 

Oops, I forgot to mention that the minimap (and larger map) doesn't really help as it is too cramped and the symbols overlap. Thanks for reminding me!

As for the throw prompt, I don't find that particularly useful. If like me you can't tell the difference between certain amphors on the ground, you would have to run around and pick each up one until you find the right one, noting that they are constantly despawning. Furthermore, running around pressing 'x' to go through them all will just start mercy kills on any damaged enemies, and the prompt also gets covered up by the convergence orb message thing. I'm not sure there's a practical way besides a tweak to the way they are displayed.

Thanks!~

Edited June 15 by CelestialVeggie

[yoritomosomori]

The map and screen is an absolute mess, so I'm on board with these changes, even as someone with normal colour perception.

Minor thing I'd add - take off the elemental symbols on the maps underneath the objective marker. It keeps looking like there's an amphora next to the crucible. Also, hiding the crucible objective marker during the pressure phase would make it easier to orient towards the pipes and not lose anything since the crucible doesn't need defending at all.

[quxier]

3 hours ago, CelestialVeggie said:

Issue number 1: Unable to distinguish between different amphor types.

Because of my colour vision deficiency, I can't tell the difference between cold and electricity, or between toxin and flame amphors. I rely entirely on the symbols. These symbols are easily blocked by effects, particles, distortion, etc.

To fix this they could be always drawn on top, and have clearer indicator symbols that fit in with the rest of the game. Note in the pictures how relatively easy it is to see the objective and gruzzling indicators, even without colour. Also compare these amphor symbols to how conduit dockets are drawn as clear indicators on disruption missions.

First not sure about drawing on top of enemies (I guess that what you meant). It can be visual mess.

As for distortion particles etc. Have you tried turning them off? I'm not color blind and my pc can probably handle some stuff but I basically have everything on low. Game because much clearer to player. Last time I turned off particles and those horrible "flying pixels" doesn't appear anymore.

 

I've tried to play 1 rotation and with colors it's easy. Without differentiating between colors it's becomes super hard.

The symbol appears only when you N meters from them. When they are close or you are pointing at them you don't know what you are picking. Symbols changes into colorful "bottles" and text shows only "pick up".

IMHO the symbol shouldn't disappear (shows all the time). When you hover they get text e.g. "pick up electric" and/or they get bigger (like 1.25).

Not sure if that helps in your case

[ChangelingRain]

Even if you can differentiate between colors it's really, really easy for them to get mixed up or for it to be really hard to tell what amphors are where, even before you ask 'how many giant explosions is your squad creating'. So some change would be nice.

[CelestialVeggie]

15 hours ago, yoritomosomori said:

The map and screen is an absolute mess, so I'm on board with these changes, even as someone with normal colour perception.

Minor thing I'd add - take off the elemental symbols on the maps underneath the objective marker. It keeps looking like there's an amphora next to the crucible. Also, hiding the crucible objective marker during the pressure phase would make it easier to orient towards the pipes and not lose anything since the crucible doesn't need defending at all.

I definitely agree that the map doesn't work in alchemy in its current form. I can't really think of a solution though, without reducing the number of amphors required and reducing the drop rate to match, or without having it only indicate amphors that are relevant to the current crucible.

I also completely agree about the crucible marker being distracting when looking for distressed pipes! I thought it was just me so I didn't mention it. Unless I am missing something, you don't need to know where the crucible is by that point, so the marker is no longer necessary?

15 hours ago, quxier said:

First not sure about drawing on top of enemies (I guess that what you meant). It can be visual mess.

As for distortion particles etc. Have you tried turning them off? I'm not color blind and my pc can probably handle some stuff but I basically have everything on low. Game because much clearer to player. Last time I turned off particles and those horrible "flying pixels" doesn't appear anymore.

If the amphor symbols were drawn on top and were clearer, they could probably be made smaller to reduce the mess.

With the distortion and particles and effects, turning it off helps somewhat, but it's not a great gameplay experience to have to adjust your settings every time you go in and out of one single mission type, especially as the rest of the game doesn't have these issues. I generally find the particles etc fun and pretty and like to leave them on. I think it'd be better for everyone if they could tweak mission design for clarity.

15 hours ago, quxier said:

The symbol appears only when you N meters from them. When they are close or you are pointing at them you don't know what you are picking. Symbols changes into colorful "bottles" and text shows only "pick up".

IMHO the symbol shouldn't disappear (shows all the time). When you hover they get text e.g. "pick up electric" and/or they get bigger (like 1.25).

I agree.

15 hours ago, quxier said:

I've tried to play 1 rotation and with colors it's easy. Without differentiating between colors it's becomes super hard.

12 hours ago, ChangelingRain said:

Even if you can differentiate between colors it's really, really easy for them to get mixed up or for it to be really hard to tell what amphors are where, even before you ask 'how many giant explosions is your squad creating'. So some change would be nice.

Glad its not just me, thanks for the input! From what I can tell people like the concept of alchemy missions but generally hate the implementation. Changing these things would at least help make it less painful when doing them for specific drops or as an omnia fissure (which has even more visual distraction).

[quxier]

24 minutes ago, CelestialVeggie said:

16 hours ago, quxier said:

First not sure about drawing on top of enemies (I guess that what you meant). It can be visual mess.

As for distortion particles etc. Have you tried turning them off? I'm not color blind and my pc can probably handle some stuff but I basically have everything on low. Game because much clearer to player. Last time I turned off particles and those horrible "flying pixels" doesn't appear anymore.

If the amphor symbols were drawn on top and were clearer, they could probably be made smaller to reduce the mess.

But if they were smaller wouldn't it be problem? I mean, I can differentiate them via colors (I'm not color blind & such). Making them smaller would be probably ok for me. However symbols could become unreadable.

25 minutes ago, CelestialVeggie said:

With the distortion and particles and effects, turning it off helps somewhat, but it's not a great gameplay experience to have to adjust your settings every time you go in and out of one single mission type, especially as the rest of the game doesn't have these issues. I generally find the particles etc fun and pretty and like to leave them on. I think it'd be better for everyone if they could tweak mission design for clarity.

Yeah, if you like those then turning them on & off sounds bad. I think I had similar problem with Void fissures & some other effects some time ago (effect intensify option).

Game in general have problem with visuals. They're thinking about making it better. I've seen DE/Pablo thinkign about numbers NOT appearing at enemies (but around enemy).

28 minutes ago, CelestialVeggie said:

13 hours ago, ChangelingRain said:

Even if you can differentiate between colors it's really, really easy for them to get mixed up or for it to be really hard to tell what amphors are where, even before you ask 'how many giant explosions is your squad creating'. So some change would be nice.

Glad its not just me, thanks for the input! From what I can tell people like the concept of alchemy missions but generally hate the implementation. Changing these things would at least help make it less painful when doing them for specific drops or as an omnia fissure (which has even more visual distraction).

As not color blind, I don't find alchemy particularly good nor bad. It's just the rewards that sucks that I don't bother most of the time.