Guild Wars is BROKE! - Graphics/Particle effects NOT working

This is very serious issue and one ArenaNet is not addressing or fixing.

Guild Wars is broke.

This needs to be a sticky, because ArenaNet is avoiding this like a plague, and if we don't make a big noise, they're not gonna do anything about it.

I have logged a support case, and from all of my research so have several others. ArenaNet is not only not responding, they aren't fixing it either.

Between now and close to 2 weeks ago, ArenaNet broke the particle/sound/animation system in Guild Wars, and while most people don't notice the issue, it's almost to the point that I simply can't enjoy the game anymore. Ya, that bad. When you don't know whether or not your spell's particle effect/sound/animation is going to occur when you cast a spell, it makes the game very un-enjoyable.

Let me explain, and most people that have played GuildWars for any length should immediately know what I am talking about.

This is happening across ALL characters, not just a computer, or a character, but ALL.

When I first zone out into an 'Explorable Area', and cast VIPER DEFENSE, the particle effect/graphic/sound for that spell, never works. It is supposed to show a gasous type effect with a corresponding sound. This is repeatable EVERY time. The second time I cast it, it works perfectly, but then subsequently you NEVER know whether or not it will work.

This happens to EVERY spell I have equipped on my elementalist, it really doesn't matter, but every time I zone out, and cast any enchantment, it simply doesn't work. Now, I don't know about you, but this is a pretty serious deal.

Here is what I wrote to arenanet, that they STILL haven't replied back to me or addressed the community with how they are going to address this.

----------------------------

Between now and approximately a month ago, you guys made a change that has completely affected particle systems/graphics. Here is the issue:

When I go into an 'Explorable Area', my spells now do not consistently show the appropriate particle effects/graphics. In other words, when I first zone out with my Assassin, and i click on VIPER DEFENSE, it is supposed to immediately show a gasous type effect. It is guaranteed to not work the first time, then it sporadically works subsequent times, but it is NOT limited to JUST this effect. The same thing on NIGHTFALL preview with my paragon's SIGNET OF SYNERGY, or GRENTHS FOOTPRINT, and the exact same thing for my prophecies elementalist on ANY spell, but for instance my FIRE ATTUNMENT or MANTRA OF CONCENTRATION.

Again, this is for ANY spell across any of my characters. So, the first thing I thought was video driver. So, I updated all of my drivers, thats not it. Here's why. I have 4 computers in my house, I tried ALL four, which have different video cards all patched to latest verison, and it's doing the EXACT same thing across ALL 4 computers. This isn't my computer, this is you guys. There is something you have done that has caused this inconsistentcy in the particle effects, and now I can not enjoy the game. I can never tell when they are gonna work, and when they are not.

I even tried a 5th computer at a friends house, and the EXACT SAME THING.

I have recorded AVI file's that will prove what I am talking about if you require. It will show only the tail end of an effect, not the initial particle effect. Basically, it will not show the entire effect as it should, and does, again, sporadically.

I can zip these up, and FTP them to you if you require, again, please let me know where. (they are larger than 5 meg, so I can't send it here)

This is extremely serious to me, and I am sure it is to others as well. Seriuos enough that if not fixed come NIGHTFALL time that I won't buy my normal 2 copies (one for me and my son), which I have done for the previous 2 games (100 bucks.)

Please fix. Thank you.

PS, I believe this to have happened after you guys downloaded an update.

-----------------------------------

EVERYONE, please log a case with arenanet, and show your distaste to their complete lack of admitting that we have a problem, and address a date/time that it will be fixed.

I'm not buying my normal 2 copies of , well, NightFall, in this case, until this very big issue is resolved.

Please let ANET, and this site know that you want this fixed, and that you want this message to be a STICKY.

Thanks.

Sevo S (prophecies), Sevo Sevon (factions)

/signed

I know EXACTLY what you are talking about. It's basically the same sh!t with the skill icons. They no longer pre-load them.

So what happens is the first time you use ANY spell, you won't see anything. I noticed this myself but at first I thought I was just imagining things. But good to see that someone else besides me is bothered by the fact that none of the spells used are visible until you use them the second time. In fact, that might even include the sound. So its like you didn't even use the skill again. Hopefully, this gets fixed cause it just feels wierd to me when I use Apply Poison, I no longer see the poison gas around my ranger.

Hrmmm, I can't say this has BROKEN the game.... but I have seen what you're talking about. Watching monsters use skills, all I see for the first split second is some symbol that looks like an "x" or an hourglass, then suddenly the proper icon will load. Sure it's a little annoying, especially when I'm watching out for the appropriate skill to interrupt, but I would hardly say this has broken the game. I'm sure they'll get around to fixing it eventually as I'll bet plenty of people have submitted bug tickets on this issue by now.

/signed
it is INDEED broken, missing effects piss me off every day
it isnt fun when u have a nice PC playing at 1600x1200 4xAA but cant enjoy the full effects of the game, sometimes it actually makes me wonder if the skill actually got activated or not
PLS fix this first, before u think about releasing Nightfall
i can wait one more week for Nightfall if thats it
as long as this gets fixed

/signed
I thought the problem was on my end because I only started noticing it on my ranger's storm chaser and escape effects after I reformatted my comp a few weeks ago, oddly enough it only happenes on my ranger not my warrior or my ele. I just assumed that the problems were being caused by the new video and sound drivers I had installed.

/signed

i know how you feel the other day i was doing my normal free runs from war camp to granite citadel on my monk and i got 2 a point where i had to recast prot spirit and healing breeze and then activate spell breaker and none of the skills made any sounds or any indication that i had casted so my 200+ runs in a row with no deaths was ruined by lack of problem solving gg anet

/end rant

/signed
For interupting the hourglass is quite annoying since you can't tell what the skill is until the icon loads.

/signed

Bloody infuriating, that's what it is. Both that damn hourglass and the missing effects/sounds.

Get it fixed ANet!

/signed soooo annoying.

/signed

I've been banging on about the the last few days on this very forum.
Gaile at least admit there's a problem with the code and it's being fixed, ignoring the fact ain't gonna do Anet any favours!
I will keep banging on about this until it's fixed, im a customer and i'm allowed to voice my concerns, don't forget we put the money into your pocket.

Have you noticed the sound of the flight of the arrow has gone to!

I'm noticing this problem as well. Especially when I cast Well of Blood or Well of Power. After I cast it...I dont see the well till about 5-7 later, so I take a guess as to the "closest" corpse. It only happens at the beginning like everyone previously had said.

/SIGNED

/signed
I noticed this a while ago when running on my ranger, haven't ran anywhere since

OK thanks now I know Im not crazy/computer ok.

I cast my boon of creation, and get no sound effect, so i think my sound card failed... but then itll start to kick on after a bit.

havent played my mesmer much lately... and from what you guys are saying, I might not play him for a little bit longer.

So, I actually called Gaile Gray of ANET. We had a 20 minute conversation.

Thats right, she was gracious enough to talk to me. (I owned a collection agency for 4 years before I opened my own software company, so I know how to track people)

I called the main number, and input her extension, and she was on the phone immediately.

If you guys want details let me know, but here is the short of it.

They are aware of the issue.

But, they are trying to get a new product out, on top of a preview weekend going on, on top of yada, yada, yada. Basically, she gave me the complete politically correct answer.

So, if you're like me, and you've been on this earth long enough to read between the lines, this is really what's going on.

The developers are working on getting nightfall out. They don't want to dedicate active development resources on fixing whats wrong because they need get nightfall out and take more of our money on 10/27.

Personally, I believe their mentality is, "We can just fix it later." I don't know. you guys tell me. it's STILL not fixed, and it's been 12 days now that it's been broken.

Ya, that's it folks. I don't feel or believe that anyone there cares any further than, we're working on nightfall. Go ahead and give us 50 more dollars (in my case 100 because of my son and I) and we'll try to get to it later.

It's been 12 days since they broke it everyone. You tell me. Is this important? twelve DAYS......12 days.

I gave these people 200 dollars of my own money. And you gave them your own money too. For a game that doesn't work right. A game I can no longer enjoy.

They aren't gonna fix it anytime soon. Making more money is more important than fixing what they have already made/screwed up and ALREADY gotten our money from.

I have asked someone in development management to contact me because Gaile kept trying to pass the buck by saying, "Well, I am not in development or support", and, unfortunately, she's right, that's true.

I am attempting to put all of you(the people that are having the problem) on my shoulders and be the voice for all of us (obviously, by actually calling Gaile Gray), but in the end, it's gonna take all of you to call these people too.

Right now it appears to me they have no problem taking your money, but they aren't too interested in making what they took your money for, work.

Let me know if you want more details on what she said.

Thanks.

Oh, one other thing, and you guys are gonna love this. (Sorry Gaile, but you did say it).

I asked her to please address this to the community. We have a right to now what's wrong, how it's being addressed, how much longer it will be to get fixed, and she said.

"no".

I said "Why?"

She said addmitting it would cause everyone to call her, or others.

To some degree she's right. If they admitted it publiclly, then the public would begin an outcry, which I am already doing by taking the initive to call her to begin with.

For those of you having this problem, this is a really big deal. I don't think they get it. That they understand the magnitude of this not working.

They simply look at it from the perspective, is Guild Wars down, well , no, but, Can you play it, well yes, but, Can you cast the spells, well yes, but I can't, do monsters react, well, yes, but, ... You get what I'm saying.

It's not an outage, so it's not a priority.

Which makes me so angry I could scream. I hope it does you too..

So, there's a small graphics problem that a few people experience, and you consider this to be the end of GW. 12 days for a completely unimportant graphical detail?

Right now the game is unplayable to way more people due to so frequent disconnects and so much lag it's not even funny anymore.

12 days... Geez. Anet is really incompetent since in light of releasing next chapter they can't immediately address a small graphics bug.

Does your company fix ALL bugs faster than that? Do they have 2 mil user base as well with 24/7 server operations?

If someone comes into your company and says they are no longer buying your software unless you change the fonts in the application do you immediately drop everything and fix it for them or do you prefer to go on with your plan and deliver to other customers.

Hey guy,

You're not getting it.

First.This isn't a few people.

Second. It's not just a small graphical glitch, but I'm not gonna waste my time any more than telling you, it involves particle effects, graphics, sound AND animation.

Third. When something along the lines of what I just described to you isn't working, then yes, it is fixed immediately.

Let me try to bring this down to your level.

You buy a car.

Your car makes a terrible, god awful noise.

Is it still driveable? uhh. Yes.

<mechanic>Well, We'll get to it, but we have to fix and sell more of these other cars first.

<you>Ok, but it's been twelve days, my car may be driveable, but I can barely stand it. I can't continue to do this.

<mechanic>Well, we don't know when we can get to it, and we're not even admitting you car has a problem, so, there you have it.

Maybe now..Hopefully..you get it.

You are stalking Anet employees over an in-game bug. That much I get.

/signed

although i dont usually have my sound on because i like to listen to music, i agree that it would be not as enjoyable for those that have played the game for a while.

hopefully they fix it before nightfall comes out because im planning on putting on gw music for that. i really liked the sound for Nightfall.

Dude it's making the game unplayable, it's getting to the point of frustration, it worked before the Nightfall event so logic dictates the broke something in the process, i payed my money and i'm entitled to a fully working product, if they can't give me that then on quality grounds they should be held to task over the issue!!

/Signed

Especially annoying when monking and the Diversion/Prot Spirit/Spirit Bond/whatever animation doesn't show up.

Hey Hey Hey
If the game is going broke what happens if they make it a 20$ fee per month.
i like guild wars cause there is no fee to the game buy the game and play.
you saying its going broke and if it is the might resort to that and make a fee like members on runescape and World of warcraft.
I dont want that and im sure other people wonty want it two.

C'mon! You're an English speaking guy, you should know the difference the same word can have in this language.

Bloody Colonials!

That and he should know to READ the opening post instead of just the title...

On-topic: I understand what the OP is saying and I'm also experiencing what he describes.

This is actually important in terms of gameplay because some people listen/watch to the effects of skills, letting them know what's going on around them without having to target the target in-order to see what they're casting. PvE wise, I listen for certain noises to get a feel of what's going on behind me - i.e. assassin monster somehow gets through and is attacking my PUG's casters. I listen for their teleporting noises. But by no means is the game not playable.

I wouldn't rush ANet personally. Considering the fact that they should be under some crazy stress at the moment (working out bugs and such for NF).

Hopefully Gaile would take a look at this thread and acknowledge the problem, at least we know they're aware of it.

I did read it.
some thinmg anout it going broke because u think the skill thing doent make that cool effect and sound that we so love.
and the thing about the skill bar got the hour glass thing.

/signed

yep, been getting this problem for a while now. my guess is it's related to the hourglass and their whole attempt to load skills/icons/sounds dynamically (possibly to save resources?). what i don't get is why they didn't revert back once they realized it was broke, which leads me to assume it was a long term change they planned with the introduction NF.

/signed

its annoying trying to guess what skill you're attempting to interrupt no to mention everything is sluggish lately.

This was my question too. On the phone Gaile told me that because of everything going on, the weekend nightfall preview event, the getting ready for the nightfall preview event, the continued nightfall production development, they don't/didn't have the time to rush out a fix into production before having tested it fully, and that they absolutely would not rush something into production with the chance they break something else, although, they didn't have any problem rushing out the code that intially broke it to begin with.

So.. to some degree that makes sense, but it does NOT help you or me or the fact that now...It's 13 days and this still isn't fixed.

It's not right guys, but their mentality simply is that this is very low on the priority list, and they have more important things to do. IE. get nightfall out, and this that and the other..

In other word's they're making sure they have the money from the sales of nightfall in their pocket and hang everything else!

Ding. Ding. Ding.

Denny, this is EXACTLY what I'm saying.

I will give them until Next Monday, and if it's not fixed, then I am gonna buy the available web site called -> www.fixguildwars.com and have a petition that every one can do a quick stamp, make sure that all of the websites post that the site exists, and I know of two sites that will do this for sure for us on their front page. Maybe it could be title -> "Disgruntled Guild Wars fans not buying nightfall", then have a link to our site, then on the main front of the web page I'll explain exactly what's going on, and at the bottom you can click a stamp button and give your guild wars name, or whatever you want to tell ANET that we're not giving you any more of our hard earned money UNTIL you fix your game.

What does everyone think of that?

I don't know about you but I'm not giving them my usual 100 bucks (my copy and my son's copy) for something that doesn't work consistently.

If you're willing to go through such great effort over a bug, it's a sure sign to turn off your computer, go out with your friends and family to a nice outing, relax, and re-think your priorities in life. Take your son to Disneyland or your neighbourhood entertainment of choice, go fishing or play basketball. But above all, let go of a computer game that frustrates you to such extent that you're willing to go to all such actions.

Especially since it's only 100 bucks for 2 copies of game.

I'm with you on this 100% M8, so many errors these days and it's getting to the point where it's becoming extremely silly.
Logic dictates you can't put out another expansion until you've fixed the problems with the previous games, all this will do is carry the problems into the following expansion and make that unplayable.
IMO two expansions a year and two teams both designing independently is having an effect on the structure of the game, ANET are rushing and botching the game as a whole, for heavens sake one new release a year is enough, ANET the quality of the game is suffering, be ruled just this once!

/boycott anybody?

/signed

So they bring out a new product, which attracts lots of new customers. But these customers are automaticaly put off the series because of the bugs that they haven't been bothered to fix?


"ARGH! I've got hourglass on me!"
"Ok, dont worry, I'll remove it with hourglass."
"Did it work?"
"Dunno, nothing happened! Do you still have hourglass on you?"
"Mate, I've got 3 hourglasses on me!"

/Signed

The damn hourglass...I killed myself once because I had Ineptitude on me...but I couldnt see it -.-

/Signed

I havent seen this hourglass thing your all talking about, but skill/spell cast animations not playing is a pain in the ass.. (such as the flame thingy when you hit sprint, 2 times out of 5, they dont show)

Oh god. You people are acting like it's the end of the world. Production is hectic. A very stressful time at the end of most projects. You were told (by friggin' phone no less) that they have other things to sort out first.

That's the bottom line. Get over it.

There is a reason Anet can survive and keep GW alive in the first place. That's by getting a product to market ON TIME. Not after they have fixed a few graphical problems in the present code. I shudder to think what you'd do to yourself if suddenly Anet had to call it quit's and shut the server's down.

Leave them alone and let them do their damn jobs, becuase in the end, all of you here and FAR more besides, will be even more pissed if Nightfall is late...

Disgruntled developer signing off.

I'm pretty sure they did this to increase performace on old machines. All they need to do is add the option to turn preloading back on. That way everyone can be happy.

This is exactly what we are talking about frojack.

Game magazines punish game companies all the time.

For what?

For releasing a game that has more bugs in it than your grandma does in her house, and then a month later fix it with a patch.

Is this acceptable to you? Because from your quote, this is what I am hearing you say. I'm hearing you tell me that they need to get nightfall out and then they can just fix it later. come on man, think about what you're saying.

Is PCGamer ok to give a review 50% instead of just putting the patch on the game, THEN review it?

Seriously. Don't waste our time with this ridiculousness.

I, and my fellow gamers here, would MUCH rather they take 2 extra weeks to fix this and all the crashes and whatever else, and fix nightfall, because it has this EXACT same issue as this man, than they focus on making their millions and worry about fixing this in 3 games later.

This is just like a developer to say, "Oh, we'll just release it broke. No worries, we're all good, we'll eventually fix it".

I guess I shouldn't have expected anything else.

others with me on this one?