The New Trap Alerts Need Toggle!

Requiro

Member
I strongly disagree. The new notifications are great, but they need improvement. There should be an option to choose the icon that appears above our heads, and to choose the sound. I also think that the sound should be heard only once, because when a group enters the detection area (and keeps moving), the sound drama begins. On the other hand, I completely do not understand why there are icons that some box is closed.... What is it for? The sound of the handle jerking was totally sufficient.
 

Pilbie

Active member
On the other hand, I completely do not understand why there are icons that some box is closed.... What is it for? The sound of the handle jerking was totally sufficient.
I agree. The only thing I can think of is that some people may try to use a bell of opening and waste it on an unpickable chest. I have never done this so am not sure if it consumes the bell and/or gives you the message that the chest can't be picked, but if not perhaps that would be better than the lock symbol which confuses everyone. Just make it so the bell isn't consumed on non-pickable chests.

On an unrelated note, I still believe this all contributes to lag. Has anyone looked into that?
 

TedSandyman

Well-known member
I didn't hate the icons, but I wasn't a big fan.

NOW I am glad I left them on and probably will keep them on forever.

I DO play a rogue. I usually take the "auto search" option. I like the idea that my group mates can see a trap and I don't have to type TRAP in chat. Because truthfully, I never could type fast enough if they didn't already know to stop.

The big problem with the auto search is it doesn't always work. And, for whatever reason, probably lag, I will occasionally fail to spot something. It isn't my spot or search numbers because I keep them high. I know where most traps are, so I know to stop, but sometimes the notification just doesn't happen or sometimes it is late. Either is bad for a party member who doesn't know the trap is there.

But with the new icons, they pop up for many people. I may hit a lag spot and miss it, but others don't. I don't have to try to type TRAP lightning fast to keep someone from going through the trap because they see multiple exclamation and question marks pop up and hear that noise and stop.

So, I think the devs got it exactly right. Give us the tool. Don't let us turn it off to make sure we don't just do a knee jerk "Hate it! get rid of it!"

Force everyone to live with it a few days, or weeks, and get used to it. And then, hopefully, at some future time, give us the ability to turn it off.
 

vryxnr

Well-known member
...
The big problem with the auto search is it doesn't always work. And, for whatever reason, probably lag, I will occasionally fail to spot something. It isn't my spot or search numbers because I keep them high. I know where most traps are, so I know to stop, but sometimes the notification just doesn't happen or sometimes it is late. ...

This isn't lag. The auto spot mechanic has a limit on how many things it can find for you at once. I do not know the exact number, but each component of a trap counts. One trap that spawns 20 spikes, that's 21 components. If it can only find 15 (as an example), then it'll find 15 spikes out of 20 and no trap box until you re-enter that area to auto-find the last 5 spikes and the box (or manually search as manually searching has no limit).
 
This is fine. This game has colossal flaws. This is not only not a flaw, but a good addition. It might be on the too big too loud scale, but that can be adjusted. You have to always consider how something affects a new player. If it's good for them then it's good for the game. Sure, if a toggle can be implemented that's good too.
 

Ilhares

New member
i think its a good idea but maybe change the icon or give the option to disable
Agreed. While i'm OK with the suggestions of picking your icon to respond to trap alerts, I could see that being difficult to implement. The overhead graphic you get when typing /stop into the chat box would have been the perfect one. It fits the visual theme of the game well, and it's perfectly suited - a rogue is quite likely to use their hand to indicate a potential problem to his party members.
 

Lofen

Active member
I get that this was all part of the same thought, but while I like the idea (not the cartoonish execution, but the idea) of having alerts, I feel the locked chest icon is wrong, as it prevents players without picklocking skills from walking up to a locked chest and experiencing that traps that are around it. What's the point in carefully designing these things if you then put up a big 'don't come this way' sign over it?
 

Weaponalpha

Well-known member
An On/Off toggle solves all of this... if you like it turn it On, if you don't like it turn it Off. When it is On, YOU will see the icon above whoever's head sets it off. Your gameplay will not change at all. Making others play how you want them to play is childish.
 

T.O.

Well-known member
I want to see the new and improved version before I comment further. The locks got to go though. And a sound toggle. If the over the head is smaller and not as cartoony. I will be ok with it.
 
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Levina

Well-known member
After being a rogue/trapper for two lives:

It's really fine the way it was first implemented. The point of people running into traps and dying there less often was better accomplished with a "OH MY GOD" ripped straight from Skrillex's Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites combined with the type of immediate threat to stop and deal with.

A toggle to turn it off for the "this is my 2,408th time repeating the entire game because i am a habitual TRist" folks is still the preferred option.
 

GolargoSturdyfeet

Well-known member
this isn't lag. The auto spot mechanic has a limit on how many things it can find for you at once. I do not know the exact number, but each component of a trap counts. One trap that spawns 20 spikes, that's 21 components. If it can only find 15 (as an example), then it'll find 15 spikes out of 20 and no trap box until you re-enter that area to auto-find the last 5 spikes and the box (or manually search as manually searching has no limit).

This Dumb, Dumb, And Dumb never taking that feat again! :mad:
 

CBDunk

Well-known member
Seems to me that the newest (third version) 'alerts' are the worst of both worlds. They are almost as easy to miss as the original (no sound) text warnings... but still a 'disruption' for the people who know exactly where all the traps are and don't want to be bothered. Linking it to the 'Sound Effects' volume slider also means you have the choice of the alerts either being too quiet to notice or every spell/attack/dripping water/whatever producing a cacophony that overwhelms everything else... including the alerts.

The original suggestion of this thread was the best course IMO... make the alerts loud and obvious... but optional. We've got a toggle for rune arm sounds, a separate slider for sentient weapons volume, the ability to toggle floating names/damage/et cetera on or off, et cetera... but on THIS issue we're assuming that there is going to be one 'perfect' solution that will please everyone? It will never happen.

My group LIKED the loud / obvious alerts. Yes, we have played enough to know where MOST of the traps are, but every so often you run a quest that you haven't done in years and those notifications can be the difference between life and death. I'd been asking for something like that since the game was released, and the '!' / '?' implementation was near perfect for it.
 

Col Kurtz

Well-known member
the new alert isnt that bad, except when you're in a large party... bing ping ding wing a ling ging...omg:) lmao
 

Grendel451

New member
Please give us an option to disable the extremely large, loud and cartoony trap warnings! They are disrupting my ability to enjoy the game, thanks.
Absolutely!! There is no way to "role-play" D&D Online, I get it, accept it, and I am good with it....but these damn icons and sound alerts break the 4th wall and turn DDO into Street Fighter. Give us a toggle or get rid of it!
 

DYWYPI

Well-known member
Thanks, to whomever (as I didn't watch the Twitch version) asked Severlin about the [U59.2], overhead detect a trap audio-visual feature around [14:45] on my behalf as per my previous post [Post #58].

[...] Question: Severlin, I'll ask similar to (Post #51); are you willing to consider creating an [ON/OFF] toggle that new U59.2, overhead detect a trap audio-visual feature? ...

As you'll notice from Serverlin's reactions; he also thought the [U59] trap audio-visual feature was problematic, the "Looney toon" ⁉ audio-visual icon design was far too "cartoony" for DDO, and he agreed the noise level of its 'sound effect' triggering was "annoying".
 

Lofen

Active member
Seen the new trap alert.
The good - it's not a cartoon, it's in line with game design.
The bad - it fails to alert, and it seems like it was made by an artist that was upset people didn't like the previous design ("oh you didn't like the !!! as a trap alert? you want something in line with game design? FINE. here. have the trap symbol that's already in the game design. now get lost")

Not going to quibble about the symbol. trap sign for trap alert? fine. I'll take it and say thank you.

Thank you.

My big gripe is that it's a fade in of what is an already faded symbol, so for the first second after the spot it's not yet visible, this means I have a full second of still running before I visually see the alert (game sound has been off for years now), and in order to see it I need to be actively looking/paying attention to my character, because unlike the inquisitor's alert which was bright-ish white, this one's a faded grey, so easy to miss even after it fully appears.

At a minimum, please remove the fade-in, or reduce it to a split second.

If possible, please make the symbol slightly more visible.

And as these things aren't often said, I want to be sure I do say it - thank you devs for listening to the feedback and working to address this, I appreciate and am thankful that the cartoonish alert was replaced. I have always played trappers, and have avoided playing one since that alert came live, and whether or not you keep tweaking it, at least I can now go back to playing trappers.
Wasn't sure if this would be fixed or not, not taking it for granted, and am most appreciative.
Thanks again for listening and putting in the effort.
 
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