Two Humble Suggestions For Electric Shield, And One Less So

[MushrooMars]

So, I just got Volt (Being probably the only player from U7 who hasn't used him), and I've fallen in love with him. I really only have one gripe, and that's with electric shield. The ability, now that Snowglobe has been whacked with a well-balanced and welcome nerf-bat, is quite decent stat-wise. However, in practice it is lacking in two things: Size and quality of life.

 

In terms of size, changing the model to be a parabola along the horizontal plane, and flat along the vertical axis, instead of an elongated bowl-shape, as well as an increase in overall size could help it out a little. Currently it is just too easy to either accidentally have it spawn halfway inside a hill and be completely useless, or jump while trying to augment cover and have it spawn too high. It's also plain tiny... Only the Volt casting it can use it, which may or may not be intended, and even then the caster can barely use it. I frequently end up dying even though I've laid down 2 or 3 of them in a tight corridor.

 

As for the quality of life aspect, the shield's effects are too flashy. It distorts your vision and has that annoying energy-colored bar in the middle of it. It's not so bad in close quarters and/or with a spray-and-pray weapon, but barring those two conditions it makes it hard to pick out enemies. I would suggest first of all that the shield's effects only manifest in the border, and the shield's shader has a uniform concave lense effect, so that whatever you are looking at through the shield is magnified.

 

Now for the less diplomatic suggestion. I'll be short with these because I don't expect anyone to listen: Make it so that all friendly projectiles that go through the shield get hitscann'd, instead of impacting. I know this one has been brought up before, and it's on the backburner. I'm guessing that it's an issue with parent/child heirarchy and is more of an issue with getting all the projectile classes to work, as opposed to an engine issue, and is one of those petty things that none of the programmers want to work on because it'll take a few hours to root out all the causes and bugfix everything. But I'm reiterating it anyways because I think Torid/Ogris + Electric Shield would be the coolest thing.

[Seasonsofclarity]

It's supposed to distort your vision.  That's the cost of using it.

 

You gain infinite range, electric damage bonus, and complete cover from enemy gunfire (sans explosives) if you're smart about placing it.  What's more, most enemies will be forced to pathfind around a placed shield, providing an easy way to lock enemies into a hallway for blasting.

 

I've used it to shield down the hallway during pro-Corpus invasions where you exit the vacuum portal into the launching hallway that's utterly overflowing with heavy gunners and napalms.  Place the shield, back up a dozen steps, crouch, and unload through the shield.  I've never even lost shields once the Electric Shield is placed.

[Mesyra]

the blur on it is insane, I cant see anything through the shield unless I turn off a bunch of graphics settings, not sure which one it is to make it go away :|

[Seasonsofclarity]

the blur on it is insane, I cant see anything through the shield unless I turn off a bunch of graphics settings, not sure which one it is to make it go away :|

Once again...that's intended.  It's the drawback to the Shield.

 

It's meant to be used tactically.  Not dropped at every hat.

[Flatlander]

How do you know the intentions of the Electric shield is to "Blind players completely while increasing gun damage that passes through it"

 

Nothing i've read on the electric shield says "Creates a completely opaque wall that you cannot see through but if you manage to hit something through it, it will do more damage". If the developers did say that please point me to it so I can read it myself.

[SIDESTRE4M]

the blur on it is insane, I cant see anything through the shield unless I turn off a bunch of graphics settings, not sure which one it is to make it go away :|

 

 

Once again...that's intended.  It's the drawback to the Shield.

 

It's meant to be used tactically.  Not dropped at every hat.

 

 

How do you know the intentions of the Electric shield is to "Blind players completely while increasing gun damage that passes through it"

 

Nothing i've read on the electric shield says "Creates a completely opaque wall that you cannot see through but if you manage to hit something through it, it will do more damage". If the developers did say that please point me to it so I can read it myself.

 

Guys... there is an easy solution: USE DARK ENERGY COLORS!

 

The shield becomes white as a result and 99% transparent.

 

It looks maybe S#&$ty on the frame... that's another story.

[Seasonsofclarity]

How do you know the intentions of the Electric shield is to "Blind players completely while increasing gun damage that passes through it"

 

Nothing i've read on the electric shield says "Creates a completely opaque wall that you cannot see through but if you manage to hit something through it, it will do more damage". If the developers did say that please point me to it so I can read it myself.

If you're using it tactically (to block corridors or choke points), you don't need to aim accurately.

 

Why is it that so many players are unable to grasp tactical measures?

[RealPandemonium]

Once again...that's intended.  It's the drawback to the Shield.

 

It's meant to be used tactically.  Not dropped at every hat.

It's not intended if you can just turn off the graphical effect that causes it.  I wasn't even aware that this was an issue because I turned all the extra effects off when I first started playing.  

 

 

If you're using it tactically (to block corridors or choke points), you don't need to aim accurately.

 

Why is it that so many players are unable to grasp tactical measures?

 

If all you're going to contribute to the thread is random insults then don't post.  

Edited April 4, 2014 by RealPandemonium

[Seasonsofclarity]

If all you're going to contribute to the thread is random insults then don't post.  

If you consider an observation to be an insult...then you are too sensitive.

 

This observation is based upon the vast numbers of threads where players demonstrate a desire for buffs, nerfs, and reworkings based upon their inability to grasp the most simple tactical measures.  They cannot adjust their gameplay to match, so obviously it is wrong and must be adjusted to them.

 

That is stupidity.  That demonstrates an entitlement flaw which will haunt their whole life, because the world will not adapt to them.  Yes, this is a game.  But games teach, even when they are just for entertainment.

 

Something doesn't work for you how you want it, but works fine for others?  Don't use it.  No gun is put against your head to use Electric Shield.  When I leveled my Volt, I didn't use it for the longest time.  It wasn't until I began being dropped into solo anti-Grineer invasions and dealing with corridors full of Heavy Gunners and Napalms that I learned how to place, retreat, and fire-through into the chokepoint.  Aiming wasn't a problem: they could only approach one way.  I adapted.  I didn't demand the system adapt to me.

[RealPandemonium]

If you consider an observation to be an insult...then you are too sensitive.

 

This observation is based upon the vast numbers of threads where players demonstrate a desire for buffs, nerfs, and reworkings based upon their inability to grasp the most simple tactical measures.  They cannot adjust their gameplay to match, so obviously it is wrong and must be adjusted to them.

 

That is stupidity.  That demonstrates an entitlement flaw which will haunt their whole life, because the world will not adapt to them.  Yes, this is a game.  But games teach, even when they are just for entertainment.

 

Something doesn't work for you how you want it, but works fine for others?  Don't use it.  No gun is put against your head to use Electric Shield.  When I leveled my Volt, I didn't use it for the longest time.  It wasn't until I began being dropped into solo anti-Grineer invasions and dealing with corridors full of Heavy Gunners and Napalms that I learned how to place, retreat, and fire-through into the chokepoint.  Aiming wasn't a problem: they could only approach one way.  I adapted.  I didn't demand the system adapt to me.

Buddy, I agree with you.  Most of the people asking for radical changes don't understand the game or are bad at it.  That doesn't make it OK for you to derail a thread with insults when a legitimate issue is being discussed.  If you want to tell everyone how bad they suck go to Region chat.  

[Ttariel]

Set your particle effects on low and Electric shield and Snow Globe will turn into glass for you. (needs a restart of the game)

Still think they should make it more clear tho, the downside of the shield is that you have to stand still like a duck with cover from 1 side Aka getting hit by enemeis from the back or side.

[Katotsu]

A friend has been suggesting that Electric Shield gets affected by power range for the longest time.  Btw, the shield will be positioned higher simply by aiming higher.  You can even position it above your head.

 

And yes, the blur is quite heavy, only truly usable with an automatic weapon.  Then again, this game almost penalizes you for taking something with a low fire rate/small clip by sheer volume of enemies.  I'd love to see the blur reduced, but its there for a reason.