Norn - Is the animal shapeshift too much?

[Greatheart]

I dunno about you but I love the idea of the Norn shapeshifting with bear etc. Love the racials. My only problem with it is that I want to play a bob-standard, cookie-cutter paladin class. I can see myself getting really bored with the whole animal look really quickly as I'm not into the whole playable beast side of the game. I'm never going to make a Charr buts thats just my personal preference. Just like Worgen from WoW, if the starter area didn't do it then the constant bloody sniffing did.

What I would like to see is a "Animal Form Visibility Toggle". Toggle it off and you can't see your character change, everyone else can but you just stay in your human form with a power-up effect. This way you get the awesome racials and the visuals are purely down to preference.

Any constructive comments?

[Centaur]

The whole game is meant to be very visual. All skills have a visual effect, with which all players can clearly see where the skill takes place, and how long it lasts. The same applies to the animal form skills... if you turn into animal form, then the display of that form indicates (to others as well as to yourself) that the skill is active... and when it has ended. In case of the animal form, I think your skill bar will change as well, so you could use that as the indicator of when the skill ends, but frankly, I doubt that a lot of people who are interested in using animal form, would be interested in turning off the visibility of the form. You might as well ask them to make an option to turn off the visibility of the Fireball etc

[H azel]

bob standard

[Greatheart]

The whole game is meant to be very visual. All skills have a visual effect, with which all players can clearly see where the skill takes place, and how long it lasts. The same applies to the animal form skills... if you turn into animal form, then the display of that form indicates (to others as well as to yourself) that the skill is active... and when it has ended. In case of the animal form, I think your skill bar will change as well, so you could use that as the indicator of when the skill ends, but frankly, I doubt that a lot of people who are interested in using animal form, would be interested in turning off the visibility of the form. You might as well ask them to make an option to turn off the visibility of the Fireball etc

My idea was that the option to hide your animal form would only affect your character on your screen. Everyone else in the game can see all the effects, animal form an' all, just you on your computer would see your typical human form.

I'm not interested in Norn characters for the animal forms nor their lore, I just like the boosts from the animal forms, just not the forms themselves. For me its either Norn or Human but imo the Human racials suck or don't fit the lore for my character. Summoning demon dogs as a Paladin is like a lava giant giving birth to an ice cube. Then theres remove one condition and a self heal. (Source: GW2 wiki) I'd take the Norn hp boost from bear form anyday over those. (Even though I don't know the full boost amount yet)

As for displaying when a skill ended I had no problem in WoW using Last Stand and that has no fancy effects. (Increases hp by an additional 30% for 20 seconds.) Everyone else will see me in bear form so they can tell when I'm hairy or not. (More so at least lol)

[Centaur]

Yes, I understood that it's just for your character. I still think it's more of the same... do you want an option to turn off the visible effects of the Fireball as well? After casting a hundred fireballs, you might just get really bored by seeing those effects each time...

[Greatheart]

I have no trouble with the spell effects or any other part of the game graphically. Its just a case of I would like my character to have decent racials I will actually use, and stay humanoid. Currently I'd have to play Human and the only reason for that is because they stay humanoid. The racials will be the same as WoW, I'll use them the first few levels then never see them again.

[ComplexNuber]

I think there would be a few problems with turning something like that off. Lets say bear form has a "pounce" skill that lunges you forward and knocks down an enemy. How is that going to be shown? You can put a place holder animation in, but it's never going to make sense. Every skill would need twice as many animations, and I don't think racial skills are intended to be a huge part of the game. They won't even be in PvP just to keep everything very balanced. In PvE they will be the same as, if not slightly weaker, than your profession skills. Anet have said they want them to add flavour to the race, not make them something that influences your decision based on effectiveness (ie. "I want to play Warrior so I shouldn't play Asura" is what they're trying to avoid).

[Greatheart]

I think there would be a few problems with turning something like that off. Lets say bear form has a "pounce" skill that lunges you forward and knocks down an enemy. How is that going to be shown? You can put a place holder animation in, but it's never going to make sense.

Animal forms have different abilities? Ahh I thought it was just a case of pop bear form, get some hp, drop back later keeping the same skills.

I don't think racial skills are intended to be a huge part of the game.

I would of thought that the animal form abilities would of been something Norn's use from beginning till end? If thats the case and they all turn out to be be on par with other abilities that have the same affects then I'd be happy with a giant Norn Guardian that doesn't shape shift ever.

[Centaur]

Animal forms have different abilities? Ahh I thought it was just a case of pop bear form, get some hp, drop back later keeping the same skills.

Yes, they do. I tried to tell you that as well, in my first reply... when I said your skill bar will change. And ComplexNuber has a good point regarding the animations... I hadn't even thought of that.

I would of thought that the animal form abilities would of been something Norn's use from beginning till end?

Racial skills will be available in the game until the end, but they will not be available right from the beginning. For example the Norn shapeshift skills are elite skills, and you will not gain your first elite skill until you are level 30.
Also, ArenaNet have stated that all racial abilities will just be weaker versions of skills that are available to all professions and races. The racial skills are just for flavoring. They do not want everyone to (have to) pick one specific race just because it has the best and most powerful racial skills.

[Vayne]

You can play a norn without talking the elite skill to turn into a bear or any animal. Elite skills are your choice. Instead of using the elite racial norn skill, use an elite skill from your profession instead.

You don't have to change into anything, and you can still play norn, problem solved.