Vizunah Quarter VERY nasty problem for Survivors, beware!

Xenrath

Xenrath

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Oct 2005

W/Me

Ok I've contacted GW Support about this, no response yet but hopefully someone from there (or if anyone from Anet reads this) can fix it. In the meantime I'ld like to issue a warning to everyone who is embarking on making a Survivor character.

The ending cutscene can result in you dying and ending up with /deaths reporting 1, if you have minion masters around and minions still alive

I got my Ritualist through the mission just fine, with hardly anybody in the party dying (just 2 or 3 deaths for a warrior and another rit) - in other words it was a good party that went on to get Masters even. My char did not die at all during the mission

Come the ending cutscene, not everyone skipped (12 out of 16 or something)

Of course, the minions all turned hostile during this cutscene (when it progresses). I noticed my character was being attacked too.

Mission finishes, I check /deaths to make sure all is ok and I get 1 death reported

Anyone going for Survivor be very wary about going with minion masters for this mission. 16 people won't all necessarily skip the end, and if they don't, this BUG may result in your character ending up with a death.

I'm really hoping someone from Anet can sort this out for me, I spent a good amount of time with my Survivor before taking the plunge and going for that blasted mission (which is an irritating mission even before this happened) - went over to Tyria, did every quest I could around Kaineng etc.

Anet: Fix cutscene death problems! That's not the only problem one, I know of at least one other one where characters have died because of the cutscene/positioning next to enemies.

Silent Kitty

Silent Kitty

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Mar 2006

Netherlands

[TYW] "The Young World"

A/Me

Cutscenes are an ongoing nightmare for Anet. Sound is bad, acting is bad, gamemechanics are sucky. What more can we wish for? At least the minions don't die.

luxor9

luxor9

Academy Page

Join Date: May 2006

W/N

I agree cut scenes need some work. Maybe it should be majority rules to skip the cutscene? I've had it where 15/16 wanted to quit and we all have to watch cause one guy wants to see it? I can see how if you've never seen it before sure so I won't get into that.

Honestly though any smart survivor already has his title before even reaching that mission. I wouldn't touch that mission with a 10 foot pole on survivor are you crazy? Your whole team can be killed entirely based on the other party not doing there job. I wouldn't do captured son either.

Tachyon

Tachyon

Forge Runner

Join Date: Nov 2005

Stoke, England

The Godless [GOD]

W/

Quote:
Originally Posted by luxor9
Honestly though any smart survivor already has his title before even reaching that mission.
That may be, but how do expect people to gain the Indomitable and Legendary survivor titles without progressing through the game?

Xenrath

Xenrath

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Oct 2005

W/Me

I already had Survivor(1) and was progressing towards the next tier. At some point you totally run out of quests etc. to do around Kaineng and simply must do that mission to progress further.

p.s. I had actually successfully completed Captured Son too, with henchies and one human monk. Anyway, this isn't about what should/shouldn't do, it's about a bug which has directly screwed up title progression and is putting others at risk too.

Venice Queen

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Jul 2005

Washington, DC

A Most Excellent Guild [DUDE]

Mo/Me

Majority should not rule to skip cutscenes. If it is my first time seeing one, I'm not skipping it.

KamikazeChicken

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Aug 2005

Mo/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Venice Queen
Majority should not rule to skip cutscenes. If it is my first time seeing one, I'm not skipping it.
The rule has always and will always be to skip the cut, if you have a MM in the group. It doesn't matter whether it would be your first time to see it or not; you can always watch it when you go through again, and you know you will at some point in time.

Xenrath

Xenrath

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Oct 2005

W/Me

I'd just like to mention my mentioning people not skipping was not any comment about expecting/wanting everyone to skip.

It was just to illustrate you can not count on both teams skipping, even if they wanted to. Even if you had all guildies on your team, the other team may be random and there may be people on there who don't want to skip.

I entirely agree, there should be no forced skipping. If one person has not seen it, they should not miss out on it.

Note the fix not too long ago was that minions no longer decay in a cutscene. So that's not the issue either anymore.

The issue is, players can still die from a cutscene. The other cutscene which I know this has happened for a fact is Raisu Palace midmission (happened to my Ranger).

This is of particular concern to aspiring Survivors trying to go beyond tier 1, because you virtually have no choice but to do this mission to get anywhere. Especially more so if you don't/can't shift over to Tyria to avoid it. Thus this particular issue puts at risk anyone going past tier 1 Survivor.

xiaotsu

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Feb 2006

Doomlore Shrine

Just Us Gamers [JUGs]

R/

Quote:
Originally Posted by KamikazeChicken
The rule has always and will always be to skip the cut, if you have a MM in the group. It doesn't matter whether it would be your first time to see it or not; you can always watch it when you go through again, and you know you will at some point in time.
...I don't skip the cutscene unless the MM politely ASKS everyone to, even if I HAVE seen it, why? Because I LIKE the cutscenes. People who tell everyone to skip or they're noobs are jerks.

Sekkira

Sekkira

Forge Runner

Join Date: Apr 2005

Canberra, AU

Yes, I know about this. Luckily I had illusion of weakness up before the cutscene on my mesmer and it kicked in just as the cutscene finished and everyone else died. It was scary to say the least.

KamikazeChicken

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Aug 2005

Mo/

Quote:
Originally Posted by xiaotsu
Because I LIKE the cutscenes.
I'm glad you're entirely satisfied with horrid voicing, plot, animation, etc.

Talal Flint

Talal Flint

Academy Page

Join Date: Sep 2005

Clan Nefzen

W/Mo

It is likely that at least one person will want to skip the cutscene tho - cant you watch them again after you have finished the missions anyway? I think there are NPCs who you can talk to at each mission place.

Omega X

Omega X

Ninja Unveiler

Join Date: Jun 2005

Louisiana, USA

Boston Guild[BG]

W/Me

People should have the ability to LEAVE cut scenes individually. Having people to go through the cutscene each and every time is exhausting.

cosyfiep

cosyfiep

are we there yet?

Join Date: Dec 2005

in a land far far away

guild? I am supposed to have a guild?

Rt/

....especially when you are doing this on character number 6.....2 times is plenty to see the bad cutscenes.......I leave the room for the end ones if everyone doesnt skip....

Sekkira

Sekkira

Forge Runner

Join Date: Apr 2005

Canberra, AU

To elaborate, I don't mind watching cutscenes but when these minions were attacking everything in sight, I remember the time when my monk went into Sunjiang District, I watched the cutscene and then my net muddled up a bit so I stood and wandered around Shiro for a while, completely bewildered and not realising it was a bug. Then I figured just my horrible luck for that to happen at this exact point in time when I DO care about dying.

As I said before, luckily IoW triggered to keep me alive in that breif 1/2 second between the cutscene ending and loading into the next place. It still doesn't make it any less worrisome.

I like watching cutscenes, sometimes I'll skip and if I'm the only one who doesn't follow suit or only one guy doesn't skip, I wont cuss him out. Even if that lost my survivor title and I'd have to restart. Sure I'd be pissed, not at the guy who didn't skip though. How would he know? It's not his fault really that you have a brief second where you have to cross your fingers and rely entirely on chance to not lose your survivor.

The title is about skill at the game (sure you can just stroll in, get power levelled and get it without any skill, but there's no real sense of accomplishment there if you didn't actually earn it. That's up the the individual though) and if there is a part of the game where you have to rely on chance to keep it, something is wrong.

IMO, this needs to be fixed and on top of that the deaths caused by it need to be cleared.

Pwnage Elite

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Aug 2006

The Myrmidon Elite

W/Mo

Quote:
Originally Posted by KamikazeChicken
The rule has always and will always be to skip the cut, if you have a MM in the group. It doesn't matter whether it would be your first time to see it or not; you can always watch it when you go through again, and you know you will at some point in time.

Reading updates FTW

Silver_Fang

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Aug 2006

Manchester UK

Rt/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Pwnage Elite
Reading updates FTW
i would skip if im with an MM, god knows if the MM got a bad connection or impatient and suddenly went offline and create a choas that no one can stop it.

KamikazeChicken

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Aug 2005

Mo/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Pwnage Elite
Reading updates FTW
Minions and unkilled hostiles have always continued attacking during cutscenes? Idiots ftw?

achilles ankle

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Feb 2006

USA

The Primevil Spartans

A/

Quote:
Originally Posted by KamikazeChicken
Minions and unkilled hostiles have always continued attacking during cutscenes? Idiots ftw?
ahhh. i think he means u hvnt read updates that happend weeks ago that dont let minions die in cutscenes anymore...if they dont die, there really is no absolute reason that u have to skip it. the only change it needs is that if u get to it and u skip..u should be brought to the city u are going to.

Amy Awien

Amy Awien

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jul 2006

R/

Quote:
Originally Posted by KamikazeChicken
The rule has always and will always be to skip the cut, if you have a MM in the group. It doesn't matter whether it would be your first time to see it or not; you can always watch it when you go through again, and you know you will at some point in time.
I've never heard of such a rule, nor did I ever agree to such a rule. It's my game too and I don't like to be rushed through and missing the story. If an MM really needs everyone to skip, it can always be discussed.

Isioviel

Pre-Searing Cadet

Join Date: May 2006

I dont see why people need to watch the cinematic and not skip it.

Dont you all know you can view the cine once you arrive at the next town?!

Not skipping if there is an mm in the group used to kill off the minions, and now has other issues such as this one... So, skip skip skip. Watch the movie when you hit town!

dargon

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: May 2005

The Seraphim Knights [TSK]

R/

Quote:
Originally Posted by KamikazeChicken
I'm glad you're entirely satisfied with horrid voicing, plot, animation, etc.
Pretty typical of most computer games. That said, the animation is INGAME Graphics, if you don't like it, why are you even playing the game.

Lambentviper

Lambentviper

Banned

Join Date: Nov 2005

Noobs Just Took Halls [WTF]

Mo/E

your not exactly rushing through...all you need to do is re-visit the mission outpost and talk to the main NPC there...they will let you replay the cinematic at your whim

KamikazeChicken

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Aug 2005

Mo/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Amy Awien
If an MM really needs everyone to skip, it can always be discussed.
Usually skipping is not required. It's the people who sit there WATCHING as multiple things attack the party who need to learn to skip, but this isn't something which comes up too terribly often.

Quote:
Originally Posted by dargon
if you don't like it, why are you even playing the game.
I don't play for the pretty PvE scenery, meteors falling from the sky, or NPCs who can't do more than the same 5 emotes in a cutscene. >.> I'm guessing the half of the game I prefer is something you've never even set foot in?

Orinn

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jul 2006

Defiant Dragons

Used to be, I'd always skip if there was a MM in the party. Now, that's not often necessary, but there is one VERY compelling reason to skip it, no matter what. If, as happened to the OP, the party is under attack during the cutrscene, then one person not skipping it can lead to a wipe of then entire party. It happens during the Iron Mines of Moladune mission as well, and it's a very old bug.

The fact that it can kill someone working on survivor makes it especially unfortunate. I've seen probably half a donez team wipes in the iron mines because of someone not skpping while the entire group gets torn apart by the azure shodows, and you can't fight back. Same will happen in Vizunah with a MM: the MM "dies" during the cutscene, the minions become hostile, and not skipping can incur a death with absolutely no chance of avoiding it. This is a bug that really should be fixed.

To the OP: hopefully, someone at ANET will take pity on you, but their policy is, I believe, that they will not change a character file under any circumstances. They won't refund items/money lost to bugs, I highly doubt that they'll reset your deaths. never hurts to try though. Good luck with it.

Edge Martinez

Edge Martinez

Jungle Guide

Join Date: May 2005

NC

DKL

Quote:
Originally Posted by Omega X
People should have the ability to LEAVE cut scenes individually. Having people to go through the cutscene each and every time is exhausting.

I think this is the best idea. It won't help in mid-mission scenes, but overall it would do the most to fix the problem.

I pwnd U

I pwnd U

God of Spammers

Join Date: Oct 2005

in the middle of a burning cornfield...

Scars Meadows [SMS] (Officer)

That would fix most of the problems. The only thing is that people would still leave in the middle of the mission cutscences because "ZOMG n00b didnt skip!" Would defiently happen because people are just idoits like that. So really they could make that only aviable at the end cutscenes.

Vermilion Okeanos

Forge Runner

Join Date: Feb 2005

O.o better to sig creation those minions before the cut scene then.

TY for the up ahead warning.

and BTW, how does one keep enchant up when you have to be auto-killed from the short moment of the scene start? That shiro death should remove your buff, then you get rezz, and die again from minions.

-Loki-

-Loki-

Forge Runner

Join Date: Oct 2005

Has anyone else tried doing Vizunah Square to see if you dieing in the cutscene counts to death count? Last I heard from Arenanet, which is now on gwiki, deaths in cutscenes do not count to your death count. This could be a bug.

Don Zardeone

Don Zardeone

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Oct 2005

Just to update everyone....

1. Minions stop degening during the cutscene. This was updated recently.
2. Players will not regen hp during a cutscene but their automatic non-attack regen (the regen you get when not attacking anything after a fight) will start.. without healing anyone. When the cutscene ends, everyone will get their +10 regen.. if the cutscene lasted long enough for it to go up to +10.
3. Monsters seems to still attack you during a scene and in some cases they seem to do zero damage, in other cases they just keep damaging. SO YOU CAN DIE
4. Vampiric weapons still seem to keep degening you (need to reconfirm this) SO YOU CAN DIE
5. From what I hear people sayin, when a necro leaves during the scene, the minions can kill you so YOU CAN DIE (need to confirm this too)

Still, you CAN DIE during a scene.

Ok now that you've been updated...

Carry on.

Astraea Zopyros

Academy Page

Join Date: Jan 2006

Save the Ascalonian Rabbit [STAR]

Mo/

I've never completely understood why it doesn't just "pause" the surroundings during a cutscene. In other words, monsters sit around looking innocent, you sit around...nothing loses hp, nothing gains hp. It just...stops...for that brief duration, then resumes when the cutscene is over. Why would we need fixes for minion degen., helpless players, etc., when just one fix--pausing the stats of the characters and monsters--would fix it? If anyone could offer enlightenment, please do.

cjb909

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Apr 2006

Friggen Awesome

R/Me

And the only cutscenes you can rewatch in towns are the ones that occur when you first enter a mission town. Anything that occurs during a mission, like the one that happens at the end of Vizunah Square can only be watched during the mission.

JiggyFly

JiggyFly

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Jan 2006

So-Cal

Forsaken Wanderers [FW]

Mo/

Because it's not a cutscene in the classical sense, where the graphics and animation get better, different movements become availible, etc.. Technically all it is...is a gamescene with text at the bottom and people speaking. Thus the problems arise...since the game just carries on as normal.

I don't know that Anet would eve be able to entirely freeze gameplay, imo they should do a quick fix on the bug...I mean really it's unrealistic to suggest a whole re-working of the GW cutscenes just because of couple bugs. Although my hope is by the time Nightfall rolls around we'll see some new and improved cutscenes, with re-worked features so players not skipping, and wanting to not have to watch a cutscene becomes less of a hassle.

samifly

samifly

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Dec 2005

Girl Power [GP]

Mo/Me

Oh and dont forget that energy degen still happens.... seeing "your bond has been lost" x several with 0 energy is always fun.

People should not die during or right after a cutscene, all degen, attacks, etc, should be freezed, and if you are going to a town after the cutscene, there is no godly reason why you shouldnt be able to skip individually. Especially on the entering the town quest ones...

xXa1

xXa1

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Mar 2006

to resolve the issue, a.net should ensure that when Shiro kills the players* in the cutscene, Shiro also gets to kill ALL of the players* and their summons, minions, spirits, etc.

that won't be too hard to program and it would put an end to watching those minions and spirits trying to kill Shiro and the other Envoys which can be annoying.

*players both real and hench

majoho

majoho

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jul 2006

Denmark

I'm going to watch the cutscene if I want to.

Hippie Bane

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Feb 2006

California

All the Pros Stay In [Pre]

W/

The cutscene "death" does not count for purposes of the survivor title. My ranger survivor completed that mission and is at 180xp and still going strong.

prism2525

prism2525

Forge Runner

Join Date: Nov 2005

Among dead bodies.

The Republic of Sky Pirates

E/

the death caused by shiro doesn't count and nor does the one with instructor ng at the very beginning. The problem is if some other mob, minion (if the MM dies) or vamp weapon kills you.

About skipping cinematics, I tend to watch it unless i'm the only one left to skip. There are some which i just can't stand though, like the divinity coast cinematics. I've seen them enough to last me a lifetime.

led-zep

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Nov 2005

im all for people watching the cutscenes if they must but if 7/8 people have skipped and one person stubbornly continues to watch then i think its incredibly selfish seeing as you can watch the scene from an npc in the town anyway.
you may say what gives you the right to want one person to skip but then what gives them the right to force 7 people to sit through it all again.

majoho

majoho

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jul 2006

Denmark

Quote:
Originally Posted by led-zep
im all for people watching the cutscenes if they must but if 7/8 people have skipped and one person stubbornly continues to watch then i think its incredibly selfish seeing as you can watch the scene from an npc in the town anyway.
you may say what gives you the right to want one person to skip but then what gives them the right to force 7 people to sit through it all again.
It's NOT selfish - if the person hasn't done the mission before he can watch the cut-scene with good conscience - it's not his fault that you don't have the attention span to wait 2 minutes for it to finish.

EDIT: also I think you can only watch the INTRO cut-scene not the final one from the NPC, so that makes your point even more worthless.