About The "broken Lights" In Grineer Tilesets

[.Talia.]

Hello level designers, you guys are getting better and better at this, congratulations and keep it up!

 

Also, i like the new laser detectors at Grineer doors, its a great counter part to the Corpus cameras.

 

I also liked the Broken Lights, these additions makes players slow down a little bit.

 

That being said...

 

 

Tell me more how a broken light is able to discharge a lightning bolt... xD

 

I suggest changing the name of the object to "Electrical Trap" or something like that.

[Xyana]

Personally I think the "Broken Lights" are a terrible thing to put in the game. That flash of bright really isn't good to have in a game, in my opinion. There are too many people who play games who have issues with such things. I don't mean epileptics, either. I suffer from chronic headaches/migraines and I find these flashes too bright and the "Broken Light" feature far too frequent throughout the ships. 

[bejuizb]

I have a natural tendency to develop serious migraines from bright lights. The in-game bloom is almost at my limits, but those damn flashes just screw with my head.

[Kaian-a-coel]

The doors are OK I guess, but the lights are terribad.

[.Talia.]

Guys, i agree that the flash bang effect is not healthy.

 

I think these traps are a welcome addition to the game, they just need to remove this blinding flash bang from it, and leave only the Tesla-like lightning strike. The idea of the trap is good, just the flash is not.

 

But the reason i made this topic, is because of the name of the object, and not its effect.

[Xigix]

I disagree about the broken lights being welcome.

 

At first I was fine with the broken lights. But then I used my Loki to level up my melee and I realized that broken lights discourage melee. To be able to melee you need to be ahead of the guys with guns, which also means you get to be the trap magnet (bad for low shield invis builds). I think it's a big oversight considering they've been touting melee2.0.

 

I think that the only ones it slows down are low level frames. I've seen an Excal drop dead from two consecutive bolts at the start of the level, even before we saw any enemies. High levels, who are usually the ones rushing, can just shrug it off.

[Nachino]

I think these traps are a welcome addition to the game, they just need to remove this blinding flash bang from it, and leave only the Tesla-like lightning strike. The idea of the trap is good, just the flash is not.

The lightning strike is too strong compared to the cameras and turrets and they are also a lot harder to spot, maybe i enter a room and the broken lights are right behind the doors and there you can find several in only one room. I often get killed in one hit with Loki in nodes of the same level as my Loki, this is without HP or Shield mods but still there`s no reason for that to happen, it should drain shields to about half like with the laser doors.

 

I think the number of broken lights per rooms should be reduced to 1 or maybe 2 per room but not more, and they should get their damage reduced or drain shields instead.

The sensor doors are okay i guess but unlike cameras there`s no way to avoid the effects when you walk through apart from destroying the sensors.

[ScorpDK]

Died twice in under 3 seconds because a Grineer Galleon had Ice on it, and I was forced to wander through a room where the lights are on the ceiling, impossible to shoot due to level architecture covering them up (same happens with door sensor bars every now and then)... so I got shocked, clicked revive, died the same instant. I finished the mission, sure - BUT! I'm no longer running Grineer Galleon tilesets until this is toned down. I can kill millions of Grineer, Corpus and Infested. I will and shall NOT stand for dying to a BUSTED LIGHT BULB.

[.Talia.]

Ok Maybe the damage have to be tweaked, personally i did not experienced it like you guys. Probably because i've been running missions fully modded and leveled.

 

But anyway, you guys are missing the point. What if the electrical trap system itself need some tweaking? Yeah sure. There are already lot of feedback about that.

 

But what i'm trying to say is, the name Broken Lights? It boggles my mind how  a broken light is capable if discharging a deadly lightning bolt and a blinding flash bang. Its a Electrical Trap, a defensive weapon used by the Grineer for Security of their Outposts and Ships, not a "Broken Light"... 

[Xyana]

The name "Electrical Trap" sends off a vibe of Corpus, though. "Broken Light" seems a lot more lazy and Grineer-ish. However, I do understand what you mean. I just think this addition needs a re-vamp or a removal. Lije ScorpDK said, "...lights are on the ceiling, impossible to shoot due to level architecture covering them up..." Also when you first walk through a door and *ZAP!* you're blinded. Not even a chance to look and see where they are to disarm them before they get you. 

[.Talia.]

The name "Electrical Trap" sends off a vibe of Corpus, though. "Broken Light" seems a lot more lazy and Grineer-ish. However, I do understand what you mean. I just think this addition needs a re-vamp or a removal. Lije ScorpDK said, "...lights are on the ceiling, impossible to shoot due to level architecture covering them up..." Also when you first walk through a door and *ZAP!* you're blinded. Not even a chance to look and see where they are to disarm them before they get you. 

 

Right, sounds like a pretty deadly trap the Grineer installed for secure their outposts an ships right?

 

Not a "Broken Light". I mean, what kind of lazyness is this that the Grineer let such hazard just laying there.

 

Its more likely that they installed these things, for their security against the sneaky and powerful Tennos that raid their Ships and Outposts, assassinating their leaders and sabotaging their operations.

 

EDIT: I'm sorry for my bad english, i hope everyone can understand what i'm trying to say.

 

Is the system perfect? No, that's why this game is in Beta, we are still testing things out.

Do these new features need some tweaking regarding the visual effects and the damage output? Definitely.

Are we excited for the stealth element that these features bring to the game, and how they kinda force us to slow down the pace? Yes, of course.

Will they actually completely remove this new feature? Nah i don't think so. So you guys better get used to this new gameplay mechanic.

 

I just think that these traps are not just some defective broken lights. They are Traps, meant to slow down the rushing Tennos. NOT BROKEN LIGHTS!

Edited March 8, 2014 by RexSol

[SeanC84]

Personally I think the "Broken Lights" are a terrible thing to put in the game. That flash of bright really isn't good to have in a game, in my opinion. There are too many people who play games who have issues with such things. I don't mean epileptics, either. I suffer from chronic headaches/migraines and I find these flashes too bright and the "Broken Light" feature far too frequent throughout the ships. 

 

I don't even suffer from anything like that, and I agree with you completely. Having my screen turn completely white at basically unpredictable times really is physically painful, especially if I'm in a dark room.

[Stephieee]

The energy doors are acceptable. I can see where they are and there's no dirty surprise. The broken lights are another story, though. Numerous times I've been insta-zapped by a light right when a door opens. There's no way I could have possibly observed the broken light through the closed door. Unavoidable traps are uncool, especially when they nuke for 300 damage -and- blind.

[KoshLovesYou]

There are too many people who play games who have issues with such things. I don't mean epileptics, either. I suffer from chronic headaches/migraines and I find these flashes too bright and the "Broken Light" feature far too frequent throughout the ships. 

It's annoying, but not in a skilled "S#&$, that was MY fault" way, especially due to how often it hits you before you can even see it. It's more a "stupid annoying sucker-punch mechanic" way.

 

The idea of the trap is good, just the flash is not.

 

But the reason i made this topic, is because of the name of the object, and not its effect.

I think you've sort of uncovered a dual problem there, really, RexSol: The 'broken lights' are intended to be something they're not. They're designed to be environmental hazards or even straight up traps, and their current implementation suggests that they suck at both.

I've got a sneaking suspicion the broken lights are what were being refereed to in the latest Dev Speak when they said "some unwanted stuff went through". Also, given that the Design Council is/will be voting on some mobile turret/anti-Tenno weapon designs soon, it FEELS like these broken lights were designed to sort of operate like turrets more than hazards.

 

Its more likely that they installed these things, for their security against the sneaky and powerful Tennos that raid their Ships and Outposts, assassinating their leaders and sabotaging their operations.

And honestly, not only would that be more effective and acceptable, that would also solve THIS problem...

 

The energy doors are acceptable. I can see where they are and there's no dirty surprise. The broken lights are another story, though. Numerous times I've been insta-zapped by a light right when a door opens.

...is that the lights feel like an unavoidable sucker punch, even though you can shoot them. The problem is NOTICING them. The walls of Grineer buildings are super busy, and many players don't even know that most Grineer maps have user-interface switches that they can trigger (the often bugged chasm-crossing elevator on some maps for instance). Noticing ONE faulty light, when there are already NON-TRAP based electric environmental effects on Grineer ships? Not likely to happen.

So lets look at all this together:

-What's Wrong With Broken Lights:

*Frequent visual glare is annoying/physically painful to user

*Environmental hazard doesn't feel like a skill-based threat to be avoid, "sucker punch" effect.

*Name doesn't fit concept/desired mechanic/doesn't make 'sense' that it'd hit only Tenno and not Grineer too

*Hard to see, doesn't stand out as visible threat due to busy background effects

*Frequently not located in places designed to draw the eye (doorways, center hallway fixtures, pits/stairs) like other hazards and 'enjoyable' traps

*Frequently doesn't allow player to counter/work around

 

-Suggestions To Fix Broken Lights:

*Change into more visual/conceptual trap (Specific anti-tenno turret/shield-focused trap) with better visual cues that it is a threat.

*Adjust damage type to make it support threats rather than being lethal

*Make a threat to the Grineer as well like other environmental threats are/sense why only Tenno are affected

*Shorten range it triggers

*Remove visual blinding effect/change visual cue to standard 'hud scramble'

[Stephieee]

KoshLovesYou, you hit the nail on the head with your post. Random sucker punches are all these 'traps' are at the moment.

[.Talia.]

Yep, that pretty much sums it up Kosh!

[Iatemyshorts]

Hate the new broken lights trap. Seems like they never test these sort of things and just add them in. Plenty of times the traps can't be countered, due to the placement, behind a door, on a ceiling just after a door, just around a corner etc. All these can't be countered and we are forced to run through them and take the damage.

[ZetaplusC2]

this is the only part of the game ive ever been unsatisfied with. even with the balancing complaints and end game content complaints, the only thing that has really bugged me is the addition of "broken lights". broken lights? broken tileset more like.

[TheOakTreee]

They should be renamed to "[Grineer] Shock Trap," remove the flash, make it look like a mini-tesla on the ceiling, and give it a windup noise and visual effect.

[.Talia.]

DE, thanks for fixing the damage and the flash bang of these traps. Now its much more reasonable.

 

Bumping this topic, because i still believe "Broken Light" is a bad name choice for this environmental hazard. 

[HideorEscape]

Broken lights are too common, its annoying!

 

How the hell can a broken light shock you when its "broken"?

This broken light idea was really stupid to implement. It should be removed.

[Aercascade]

So instead of making a new thread to clutter the forums I'm going to put in a fully detailed response here of what my issues are and how they can be fixed because I hate nothing more to read a post from some person complaining with no actual solution/replacement or compromise for the thing they are trying to fix.

 

So, here goes...

 

As an addition to the game I don't mind it existing however... currently the whole thing feels a lot more than a tesla coil than a lamp.

(Note, apparently they tried to fix it but honestly it still feels the same to me it really does.)

 

So here is a summary of how to make them better:

1.Prevent them from spawning in bad spaces.

2.Decrease either the damage or range in which they get you.

3.Take them out of lower level Survival/Defense missions or entirely.

4. Remove the flash when it hits.

5. Make them more visible

6. Decrease the rate at which they appear.

 

 

 

1. Spawning in bad places:

Here is an example of a bad spawning location:

 

This broken light so happened to in fact hit me through the lip of the door as I came towards it. There would be no possible way to counter it without the use of a Penta. (you know what players are like when it comes to the penta...)

 

 

2. I find the damage and range of these things to be ludicrous.

To me it makes little sense for these things to hit you in about a 4-5m radius. The range should either be decreased to either a 1m radius or even to on touch as it makes little sense to me why you'd get electrocuted by walking next to it.

 

The damage is hurtful to not only squishy frames but new players. I've died many times to these little blighters than anything else. I'd much rather play on Corpus maps than these with my new frames because of it.

 

3.There existence in Survival missions to me is just another way to waste lives and serves no other purpose than that(as well as to just infuriate me to no end.) If I'm on the last stretch with no life support left I expect to be killed by grineer that catch me off guard, but no I run straight into another bs placed broken light that takes me out in one go and you know there is more than likely going to be more. It doesn't even have to be in a bs place since they're hard to spot.

 

4. So apparently people are saying it's a massive flash that causes migraines or hurts their eyes. This might be something to look into for Health and Safety reasons.

 

5. As I pointed out on 3. They're difficult to spot. Even with a large screen I still have so much trouble trying to notice them. On that mission trying to find them, even when looking closely I still had a lot of trouble finding them all.

 

6. If they can't be nerfed anymore and if they can't have their range decreased at least make them a lot less frequent around the level. These things should feel more like a trap that exists to knock health off rather than have the ability to kill you. Even if not then, perhaps make it so it takes you right down to 1 Health instead of killing you.

 

 

 

Those are my 2 cents on the issue. I don't often find things that infuriate me. (Flappy Birds was more relaxing than anything) but this out of everything to me is. On that note. Sensors are fine don't remove them they work well and are easily noticeable.

On the point that it should stop you rushing:

I think the sensors do that fine, broken lights and how they are now feels broken.

Edited March 16, 2014 by Sutherland