Stop picking on those who refuse to skip cutscenes

I understand that all you "pros", powerquesting your n-th character through the game, see cuscenes as a waste of time. For some, the 30 seconds you save you can use to farm ectos after the mission is done. For others, its just boring seeing the same old faces and stories over and over again. For yet others the reason is more legitimate -- necro armies die and mobs can kill groups while people watch quest.

The latter is really Anets problem -- I think that during cutscenes everyone's health and energy should freeze.

But in any case -- stop being so goddamn selfish. You know, there ARE newer people to the game, just like you once were. and some of these people (GASP) actually care about the game's story. By forcing them to skip cuscenes and picking/insulting/ostracising those that don't, you are ruining their fun to enjoy the game's storyline and lore.

I think everyone has the moral right to watch cutscenes. If you REALLY want to have a particular cutscene skipped (and you better have a good reason), first ask members if they all have seen it in the past. If you have people who want to watch it, it is you who needs to change your strategy, not them. Your own powerleveling should NOT come at the expense of those who want to play the game properly and learn whats going on, rather than speedlevel through it.

Some exceptions do apply, for example if someone asks you to run them through mission (especially if you are a necro running people through desert missions), then by opting to run rather then play they agree to sacrifice the fun in exploring themselves, and thus should not interfere with your methods. But when people come to QUEST through the mission, don't force them to skip.

Personally I have seen the cutscenes myself, so if someone asks me POLITELY to skip, I do, but if I hear people yelling "OMG SKIP NOOBS" I will not skip on purpose. And, certainly, when Cantha comes out and I start questing, I will not skip any cutscenes the first time I play, because I'm damn sure I want to enjoy the game as it is supposed to be played, and I will not have you speed through it at my expense.

Agreed. Actually i never got to see the cutscenes, because of the pressure of some... And i'm sure it's the same for a lot of players.

Also agreed, and for the record I never (and never will) bow down to someone else's view as to how I should play.

If time is so precious to them, they should simply stay away from anything that has a cutscene in it.

Also agree

If you do need to skip (say thunderhead keep and you have a minon master) nicely let everyone know ahead time and work it out. The skip or else attitude bugs me.

Anet should fix and freeze health degen (on everything) pause all attacks and such during a cutscene.

Agree in full except

1: if your being run through a mission (if you want to see it , do it properly, in fact, why are you even being run if you havent seen it!)

2: if you have a MM in your party- Provided the MM says at the beggining of the mission that you will need to, then you should, if you dont, you are an asshole (and even more so if you agree that you will)

I only skip them when there is an MM in the party. Minions tend to die during cut scenes. Programmers should fix that. I also died once during a cutscene, because I was poisoned.

agreed.

i've always been mindful of newer players. since i always play through the game with my new characters (and not get run), i sometimes end up partying with people for quests and missions. communication is important, but what i will often do is wait before skipping a cutscene. if i see 4/6 want to skip, i know that one person isn't skipping and i won't skip. this way, when the cut scene is over, he/she will not be ostracized for being the only one.

/agree

I have seen most of the cutscenes several times, but I appreciate I may be teaming with others who haven't. Patience is a virtue ... and a card game

There are sometimes practical reasons for skipping cutscenes. One has been mentioned, the MM can lose fiends during that time.

I've also seen people die when enemies are still attacking when the cutscene begins. I've seen it in the ring of fire region and in the Sanctium Cay mission.

If enemies do attack during the cutscene you take the hits without being able to defend yourself or kill them.

/agree

My first time through time through the game i skipped cutscenes often just to keep people from getting mad...but my second time through i just said screw that, I mean i understand the MM necros - there feinds die, but its not THAT big of a deal, they can get more.

cutscenes ftw!

1. Agreed, as I have stted in the past, if you are being RUN (or otherwise not play it yourself), do as the runner tells you.

2. Yes, but ONLY if the MM says he will do so and gets the group's permission. If at the beginning someone tells them they want to watch cutscenes, the MM should find another group or change their strategy, and if they don't, group isn't obliged to skip.

Yes i agree he should get the groups permission, but as for finding anouther group, the minoirty should (so if 1/8 wants to watch, 7/8 wants to skip, player 1 should take a hike, and vice versa)

I used to never skip unless I was the last one, even though I had seen them all, in case new players were with us. I didn't want to be one of the people pressuing them. Then after a series of guild missions, I realized that it was always 2/4 nd 4/6, and that it was the two most experienced officers not skipping. Now I tend to skip and let people know its no pressure, but but I'm skipping just to avoid that problem most of the time. Not to mention when I tell the group no pressure to skip, anyone who would get angry gets angry at me, and I just shrug them off.

I am a bit pushy in the opposite regard though Got lots of yells from the other room when I made my girlfriend watch the more important cut scenes on her first character, she just wanted to skip them all...

I agree completly.

As a new(er) player, It's really a pain when people start complaining about a 20 second cut-scene. I bought the game for the pretty graphics and mediocre story, let me enjoy my $50!

I agree.

Or maybe make it so if people want to skip the cutscene, they can, but others can still view it?

Ashleigh.

EDIT: Didn't see the above post, but I advocate essentially the same idea.

ArenaNet could just fix it so that each player gets to watch/skip the cutscene independently of the others. Those that skip just go back to the regular world but are physically unable to move until all the people watching have finished. You can use any skills you want, but you just can't move. Seems like a fair deal to me.

Of course it's pie in the sky to even ask for it, but you never know...

I've never really "forced" or even asked someone to skip the cutscenes unless their was some reason too.

And I have never cared about ending cutscenes, If I have to go somewhere there is a way to drop at that cutscene.

That's actually is a pretty good idea, why not make it like cutscenes work before pvp matches? Those who skip are zoomed out and get to do their stuff (like put on bonds, heal, etc), while those that want to watch, watch, and dont interfere with rest.

Unfortunately, that's not available, and with Anets focus being on factions its unlikely they would make fixes like these anytime soon.

I like the cut scenes, they're dubbed better than most movie dubs and can be quite humourous.

My favorite one involved being knighted as white mantle and then watching the congregation die to some accidental ghouls running about lol...

I always watch cutscenes, always, they're just that good to me.

Can't wait to enjoy Nika cutscenes in Factions...


rrraaaawwwrrr....

/disagree

I think it should be majority rule. Not like missing out on something good or important. If you insist on watching all scenes please take hench group and enjoy. I am there to play a game not watch a movie.

I wish if it was a party of 8 when the 5th person said skip it would skip for all. Majority ftw

The beauty is, no one knows who didn't skip. Actually, it doesn't upset me if someone doesn't skip. I've been there before.

The capability is in place already aside from the movement block. If you played 12v12 PvP in the FPE there is a lengthy cutscene explaining the goals of the PvP arena. You can skip right through this while other people on your team get to watch. The map is designed to prevent you from physically moving into the combat area, but I assume a movement reduction of 100% could be done instead. We already have area affect spells that slow you down (tar, mud, ice, etc.) So you could just put that in place for however long the cutscene was, but make it a 100% slow. Seems easy enough to me.

Wow, someone here doesn't read books... lol
This game, has a FAR better storytelling then uh, every other MMORPG out there...

Nice character designs, etc. Your statement comes off as someone who loves grinding... Go back to WoW and let the casual players who have other things in life than to speed grind an rpg play the best PC Game ever...

I also dont skip on purpose if people demand movies to be skipped. Even did it to guildies If people get so emotional over losing 30 seconds they deserve to be annoyed.

Some people have physical issues with their computers when the videos play. that's an issue that should be addressed, but if they ask that people skip cutscenes, it is often (in the groups I'm in) because they don't want their PC to crash or become laggy.

That said, I don't pick on people for watching cutscenes. I still enjoy watching them. But keep in mind too new characters: yu can always come back. You don't have to force 3 of the 4 people to wait on you. And its no more fair when you do that than when they flame you for watching.

Group Leaders might want to specify this when they are forming a party, so there's better chance for people to choose (of course that opens a new avenue, since people who want to watch the cutscenes must be on their 1st toon and therefor a newb and not very good./sarcasm).

If it's a tie...well, then I see a point of conflict. But when its majority saying "watch" or "I don't care either way" then watch, and let the flamer be damned.

/agree
in fact I havent seen some of the cutscenes because of whiners, quitters and all the beauty found in pugs

How can anyone have computer issues when watching the cutscenes? They aren't movies. They are simply scripted events using the in game engine with black bars at the top and the bottom. If one has trouble with cutscenes, I would think one would have trouble playing the game as well.

As for majority rule. That is wrong. Simply put a new player right now stands a high probability of being involved with a high percentage in the group having played the game numerous times. If that was the case, new people would never get to see the cutscenes, therefore wrong. You could defend that with the henchmen argument, which I'll just attack right now and say that this game is "multiplayer" for a reason. If I wanted to play a solo RPG, I'd go sit in front of my PS2 playing Final Fantasy, or a game like KotOR on my computer.

Edit for poster below: I have seen all the scenes. Like others if I'm x-1/x wanting to skip, then I'll skip (aka if I'm the last one). I can just see the viewpoint of the new person starting the game, and I'm voicing based on that view.

So no missions eh? That'll work. I say if you want to see cutscenes you should say that from the outset. You guys are definately in the minority here because 90% of the people I've ever done missions with skip the cut scenes for various reasons. That should be the new tag line for groups now. "?/? LFG that will not skip cutscenes for mission." Honestly considering that you are the minority I think you could save yourself a lot of heartache just by posting that. Just a thought though. Admittedly you will have a hard time getting groups like that, but at least when you finally do get a group you won't have to deal with missing the cutscenes.

Oh I completely understand. I'm trying not to come off like I'm attacking your point of view. I'm just offering a suggestion based on my experiences in game. I honestly think just stating from the outset when forming the group that you will not be skipping cutscenes could solve the problem outright. That way all the players know." Ok this group won't skip cutscenes and I want to so maybe I should join a different one." There goes the abuse that you would have gotten from that guy for not skipping. Also you get people who have had the same level of experience as you have, more or less anyway that's always kind of iffy. I think that if you are accepting the help of an experienced player to get through the mission you should probably defer to their wishes unless you work it out ahead of time.

People aren't mind readers generally speaking and you can't expect them to know that you want to watch cutscnes no more than they can expect you to know that they want to skip them, particularly true of first timers. I think it should be a part of the online ettiquette of the game that if you want to watch these things you let your group know. I don't think it is too much to ask.

/disagree

Skip the scene. If you want to see it for the story take the henches and hit the cut scenes.

If you are with a party all on goal to complete the mission skip the scene. Basic reason is you can KILL the party by watching them.

Its either watch scene and possibly waste another 30 minutes or skip it and complete mission.

/disagree

I think the majority rules thing should apply. If I'm helping people through a mission, I will ask them to please skip for whatever reason, if I'm using my MM or I have limited time, etc... and if they don't skip, I split, they were warned.

ArenaNet should change the behaviour of cutscenes so that the game is "frozen" - minions don't lose health, monsters aren't whittling away at your health while somebody wants to watch.

I recall, from the FPE, that there was an option to talk to the NPC in Fort Aspenwood/Jade Quarry to view the cutscene. An option like that to re-watch the scenes after you've finished a mission by talking to the NPC would be great in the event that your party is full of "zomfg we r leet skip now noobz OR ELSE I RAGEQUIT!!!e11"-type players. If you really must skip, do it, go back and talk to the NPC to watch the scenes.

I've played through the game one too many times, and I still find ways to amuse myself when going with people in PUGs that want to watch. I certainly don't mind. Dancing while Rurik is about to take a dirt nap ftw?

Majority eh?

Most of us will sooner or later have 3 or 4 pve characters (why keep more than 1 pvp space if you can remake it every time you need a new one)?

So at any given time, on average, you will have 2-3 people who level their second+ character, for each player with their first character. Naturally those with 2nd+ have already seen cutscenes, but the first character has not.

So according to your "majority", you'll always have 66-75% against-cutscenes attitude. In other words, new players will almost never get to see cutscenes (the probability of getting a group in which 4+ are new people, assuming 66% on average aren't, is less than 10%).

This is one of the instances when the rights of the minority should be protected.

Agree except at Elonas. That first scene is death for the group.

The groups I was in, well except my first time, someone would warn the others about skipping it due to Minotaurs showing up while its running. Actually, rather amusing to watch you and the others gored while standing there in rapt attention listenin to the spook babble on......

Majority rules is a TERRIBLE idea! The person who has never seen it before has the right to watch it, period. Those who pressure him to skip are being extremely selfish. I've seen the cutscenes enough times myself, and the only time I ever don't skip is when some jerk is asking others to skip when there is no reason to.

And I wish they'd get rid of the "X out of Y wish to skip" message so players who want to watch it can enjoy it and not feel pressured.

I'm more in favor of a solution that protects the majority and minority's interests. There is middle ground here, and enough of it to make both sides happy. Just let individual players skip/not-skip the scene.

/agree
People who are playing for the first time have the right to see cutscenes to understand the plot. Case in point below...

*spoiler*

I was doing Dragon's Lair once with a PUG. I think 5 of the guys had never done the mission before. After a while, everybody learned to skip the portal cutscenes. I waited to skip the last portal one though (the one that goes striaght into Glint talking about the Mursatt). It was 7/8 to skip and I was the one who was holding it up. I assumed, however, that the people who had never done the mission before had just assumed that the final portal cutsene would be like every other one and just skip it. That cutsene is very important to understanding what is going on with the rest of the game, and all the new players on my team were real gratiful that they got to see it.

agreed

It's nice to have 30 seconds to stretch.

If I'm in a pug, I'm usually the last one to skip. That way the newer players(if there are any in the group), actually will have a clue as to what's going on in that point of the game. I skipped most cutscenes the first time I was playing, it just turned out to 24 kill fests. So.... why am I killing this guy?

Only time I request a skip is if I'm in a group with a MM. However if there are new people, I'm stretching.

Except for one thing, MM is all about momentum. We hate having to start over, to get back to those double digit minions. I have 1 attack skill, one res and the rest are minions and minion maintenance.

I will ask to skip the mid mission scene and put an in game gripe, around the lines of "AAARG, have to start over" but that's about, I won't rage quit.

The Vid skippers that get on my nerves are the ones that rage quit over the end of mission. I was with a group in Iron mines, we lost 2 monks because one of the warrior let us know in advance that he wanted to watch.

Me I really wish there was a way to watch the scenes in a safer environment. Often the cut scenes, do have important information.

I took the time to watch them all my first time through, so I never complain when people want to watch them. If I know its a long cutscene I can turn on the tv or minimize the game.