Why do newer races no longer use the old path markers?

[Crystal Black.8190]

I noticed that newer races use some kind of light bubble instead of the old green/red lights. Why was this changed? The green/red lights are a lot easier to see ingame and what is the next you should head to. The new ones just have a slightly different shade of white, which makes it really confusing for me where to head. Also they seem to be smaller than the old ones, making it very easy to jump above them with the raptor, griphon or beetle, copletely missing them. The old ones where taller, so this problem barely existed there. If you want to keep the new ones can we please get them recoloured into something more visible? Next target blue and the others red for example to also keep them distinguishable for color blind players?

[Konig Des Todes.2086]

I like the aesthetics of the new bubble checkpoints, but the fact that they don't actually line up with the triggers is indeed annoying. You can easily hit the top of the bubble and it won't trigger, but if you go just outside the bubble on either side, it still triggers. Feels kind of like they kept the same invisible triggers as the original checkpoints, but used a new art which is bleh and confusing.

 

As to why ArenaNet changed them, from the update notes:

 

> The Flying Dolyak, Skimmer Slalom, and Pavilion Pursuit races have been overhauled with associated adventures and **more responsive checkpoints**. Race for the fastest time and earn bonus daily rewards!

 

Supposedly these new checkpoints are "more responsive". This likely refers to how the original green/red ones would sometimes not trigger even when passing through properly and regularly.

[Randulf.7614]

Maybe it is better for those with red/green colour blindness

 

I do struggle myself with the blue/white bubbles mind you, so I'm not opposed to a better compromise

[Danikat.8537]

> @"Crystal Black.8190" said:

> Also they seem to be smaller than the old ones, making it very easy to jump above them with the raptor, griphon or beetle, copletely missing them. The old ones where taller, so this problem barely existed there.

 

I think this might be part of the reason they did it - so you have to be more precise and can't simply skim over the course on a griffon like people would with some of the original races. It also makes it easier to put checkpoints in places other than on the ground.

 

I agree they're often hard to see though, I especially struggled with the beetle race ones in Hoelbrak because they were against the snow.

 

 

[Sobx.1758]

The new ones are just better, more responsive and tell you more accurately what area you need to pass through to trigger the checkpoint/gate.

[DeanBB.4268]

Oh! I saw the title and thought Tengu, Skritt, Quaggan and Kodan were all being added to the game, only with limitations!

[Kaliwenda.3428]

I like the new ones better, it's easier for me to tell which way to aim for the next checkpoint by the way the purple ribbon along the bubble is situated. I just find it a lot more intuitive than the old markers.

[Aaralyna.3104]

I like the new markers better too, easier to see from afar. I usually lost them pylons fast.

[Holgarf.6581]

> @"Randulf.7614" said:

> Maybe it is better for those with red/green colour blindness

>

> I do struggle myself with the blue/white bubbles mind you, so I'm not opposed to a better compromise

 

What's tragic about this is that Anet has done absolutely nothing to remedy colours for colour blind people in almost every other aspect of the game.

 

I'm also peeved at the sheer lack of attention to quality of life improvements in regards to the UI, including the cursor, target markets, etc. Zero customisation in that regard. The bubbles in the race are iffy. They either need to extend the top of the bubble hit marker so that going through the top of the bubble counts or change it to the post style like in other races (perhaps with altered colours). Also, map markers need improvements.

[Ashen.2907]

The new bubbles work better for me (I am color blind) than the old markers.