From the 1.5.2 Patch notes:

"In Hard Mode, the ground target effect on players targeted by Operator IX's "Delete" ability now more accurately matches the distance players must be within to activate the shield buff."

 

Great, we say. No more getting blasted when we're in the circle. But now we have the problem that we can't even SEE the circle because it's so small! And so we proceeded to wipe on a mechanic we'd previously had no trouble with.

 

With our raid group, the only way we were able to make progress was by changing our usual strategy (circle stays still, shielder runs to them) and having both players run directly under the boss and meet up. I know that this is standard procedure for many raid groups, but the change effectively removes the ability to clear the deletion without running to a predetermined area since it is now practically impossible to just scan your teammates for who has the circle.

 

If increasing the detection area isn't possible, could another indicator or who has the circle be added? Beam of light? Ring around the actual color circle?

 

Will have to adapt in the mean time but anyone else have thoughts on this change?

I feel like this change wasnt needed. It is actually ironic, that the change was to solve confusion and errors with this mechanic, hence make the fight easier; and the result is more confusion, and a harder fight.

If increasing the detection area isn't possible, could another indicator or who has the circle be added? Beam of light? Ring around the actual color circle?

 

Will have to adapt in the mean time but anyone else have thoughts on this change?

 

There's a red callout as soon as Deletion is scheduled. We usually rely on this, together with the sound effect and cast bar, to know when to be alert. The person who has deletion immediately calls it out and then *backs up*. The backing up actually helps quickly identify who it is who needs saving, while the voice-chat callout lets us know which color.

 

I haven't done this fight since the patch though, so it may be the smaller circle has more of an effect than I'm anticipating.

 

I haven't done this fight since the patch though, so it may be the smaller circle has more of an effect than I'm anticipating.

 

It is the same size as the reticule you get when you target another player.

 

But yes from here on out it may be best to have everyone stack in a single spot, then have everyone except the person who is being targeted, and the person who is protecting to run out of the area.

 

The change is mainly effect guilds that would have people spread out, and the protector run to the targeted player.

We just ran the two people straight into centre of boss = done.

 

One persons name is on the screen, the other person knows where in the queue of shields they are.

Edited December 5, 2012 by Gyronamics

Are you in my raid group? hahaha. We thought and did the exact same thing. Our old strategy was perfect, I don't like this one better but it's not a huge adjustment. Oh well, never had problems with being in the circle before but will adjust.

 

From the 1.5.2 Patch notes:

"In Hard Mode, the ground target effect on players targeted by Operator IX's "Delete" ability now more accurately matches the distance players must be within to activate the shield buff."

 

Great, we say. No more getting blasted when we're in the circle. But now we have the problem that we can't even SEE the circle because it's so small! And so we proceeded to wipe on a mechanic we'd previously had no trouble with.

 

With our raid group, the only way we were able to make progress was by changing our usual strategy (circle stays still, shielder runs to them) and having both players run directly under the boss and meet up. I know that this is standard procedure for many raid groups, but the change effectively removes the ability to clear the deletion without running to a predetermined area since it is now practically impossible to just scan your teammates for who has the circle.

 

If increasing the detection area isn't possible, could another indicator or who has the circle be added? Beam of light? Ring around the actual color circle?

 

Will have to adapt in the mean time but anyone else have thoughts on this change?

We just ran the two people straight into centre of boss = done.

 

One persons name is on the screen, the other person knows where in the queue of shields they are.

 

Thats the way it should be done. with boss targeted you have a red circle under him. The person marked for deletion goes there, so does the person with the buff, no dps loss and much easier to manage.

I'm gonna have to throw my two cents in here as well.

 

This was a unneeded change, as a matter of fact a horrible change. I was so use to having a visual effect on the player to know who to run to, without having to rely on Flyby Text. Now, I need to read the Flyby Text, then find the person being targeted for deletion in the OPs frame of 16 players. then run to them and try to get stacked on them so we both don't wipe.

 

A small beam of light showing the color on top of the person, sort of like how you get when you are fighting Nightmare Pilgrim and you get Bloodmark. It shows a white beam of light to indicate you have been marked and that alone tells you when not to attack. So when a Blue Deletion is put onto a player, if we could get a blue beam of light, that would be a great visual indication letting us raiders know where to go, because as it is now, with all the effects going on, its damn near impossible to see. But moving to the center seems like it may be a good idea if you can see that small little circle under your feet to begin with.

With all the AoEs, both healing and damage, coupled with the fact that the flyby text on screen lasts for only a couple seconds, the tiny circles where a unexpected and out-of-the-blue challenge. The method our raid has used was shoot out the window and while I hope the devs did not intend to change how raids have been doing the fight for over a month now, they certainly have.

 

We appreciate the effort you guys made to try and help us, but I think it was thought through poorly and is more annoying than helpful.

 

I agree with the suggestions other posters have made in this thread, either bring back the big circle and just tell us to stand on top of the person, or add a single and easy way to spot your target in the midst of the already plentiful confusion.

Edited December 8, 2012 by Jinxblog

. . . having both players run directly under the boss and meet up. . .

 

This is what we will have to do. I'm actually quite embarassed that I didn't think of this strategy beforehand. The only problem that I have with the change is that it doesn't encourage multiple solutions.

Nice to see I'm not the only one who was discouraged by this change.

 

As far as the "run to the center" strategy, our original raid group was melee heavy and there was a real problem with two people cleansing the deletion. Now we have more ranged but by then we'd developed a different strategy. Any tips on "run to the center" positioning for 8m HM?

 

The only problem that I have with the change is that it doesn't encourage multiple solutions.

 

Big agree here. Just because a strategy isn't the most common or what the dev's had in mind, they should always try to keep all non-exploit solutions valid across patches, especially this long after release.