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Perk/Item Descriptions: A Triggering Experience

I've been playing the game for about a week, so naturally I've done my fair share of perk perusal over the past few days. While the descriptions for the most part are clear, concise, and informative, it has become absolutely infuriating to mentally sift out the useless flavor text forcefully shoved into what is otherwise a very tidy tooltip.

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Example:

Borrowed Time

You are fueled with an unexpected energy when saving an Ally from a Hook within the Killer's Terror Radius. After unhooking a Survivor within the Killer's Terror Radius, for 15 seconds, any damage taken that would put the unhooked Survivor into the Dying State will instead apply the Deep Wound  Status Effect. The Survivor has 10/15/20 seconds to mend themselves. If the unhooked Survivor takes any damage while affected by Deep Wound or if its timer ends, the unhooked Survivor is immediately put into the Dying State 

"Probably stings like hell, but it ain't gonna kill ya. Up and at 'em soldier. Time to move!" — Bill Overbeck



Notice how the quote at the bottom is distinct and italicized. It's extremely easy for your brain to filter out if you're just looking for information relevant to game play. This is the industry-standard method for adding additional, non-essential text without obfuscating the more frequently accessed information that accompanies it. I'm totally cool with all this.



Now I ask....what is THIS abomination doing here?!

>>You are fueled with an unexpected energy when saving an Ally from a Hook within the Killer's Terror Radius.<<

This tells me NOTHING relevant to game play. It's far too vague to be useful and, worse, the very next sentence completely repeats the information in a entirely superior way. This sentence is nothing but flavor, and it's stuck in the worst possible place: directly in front of the information I need. It's a complete impediment between my brain and the information I seek.


The following sentence:

After unhooking a Survivor within the Killer's Terror Radius, for 15 seconds, any damage taken that would put the unhooked Survivor into the Dying State will instead apply the Deep Wound  

As I said, this is exactly what I'm looking for when I want to know what a talent does. So why barricade it behind useless flavor text camouflaged as game relevant information?? Strike the first sentence from the description. Notice how NOTHING is lost? Exactly 0 information is lost if you just completely delete the entire sentence.

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If this were a one-off case, I wouldn't be making this post. But, it's part of a consistent pattern that encroaches on nearly every talent description in the game. I'm new. I love the perk system. I enjoy knowing the special things that my allies and I can do. But every single time I need to remind myself of what a perk does - BOOM - I'm struck across the face with yet another superfluous introductory sentence.

I would suggest deleting the sentence entirely. You already have the quote at the bottom for flavor. Though, leaving it in tact is absolutely fine; just separate it in some way from the real information. 99% of the people who hover over a tooltip are trying to access information critical to understanding the function of the skill, not vague thematic flare that only hints at the perk's attributes.


Thanks

Loving the game. :)

Comments

  • Kind_Lemon
    Kind_Lemon Member Posts: 2,559
    edited July 2020

    I like your style.

    Edit: I don't necessarily agree, but I like your process.

    Post edited by Kind_Lemon on
  • Justalittlepeeck
    Justalittlepeeck Member Posts: 1,101

    the "You are fueled with an unexpected energy when saving an Ally from a Hook within the Killer's Terror Radius." and any other like that are just for immerse. It's a nice touch to show that perk is not just a boost, but rather an actual skill or ability acquired in the fog so this must stay.