Pause + Pause = Unpause? (Suggestion)

[Alweth]

It's really annoying when I unpause an auto-pause because I'm trying to pause at the same time. It would be great if you were unable to manually unpause the game for 1/3 to 1/2 a second after an auto-pause. Thank you!

[Himntor]

Yes, I agree. [insert 'Obsidian please add this!' sign here]

[Kiya]

In the menu->auto-pause section, uncheck everything except pause at combat start.  Enjoy.

[vyvexthorne]

In the menu->auto-pause section, uncheck everything except pause at combat start.  Enjoy.

Exactly.. Although I do it with "enemy spotted".. but either works. Too many auto pauses makes for some really fidgety gameplay.  The only other one I have checked is "hidden item found".. is good for not stomping on traps.

[Noaloha]

In the menu->auto-pause section, uncheck everything except pause at combat start.  Enjoy.

That's not a solution to the problem. That's a removal of a perfectly legit gameplay option. You're saying "don't use these useful features because occasionally you'll pause a split-second after an auto-pause".

 

How about, instead of denying features as you're suggesting, the game offers extra options in the keybinds that completely negate the problem? In addition to the current single keybind for toggle pause on/off, why not add an extra set of keybinds that correspond to always pause and always unpause? I believe Scouting Mode does this, with an available bind for Scout On/Off, plus two binds for Scout On and Scout Off.

 

Is this not preferable? For a player to both be able to use whatever autopause features the game offers *and* avoid occasional incidents of unfortunate timing when a manual and auto-pause occur back to back?

[soedenone]

 

In the menu->auto-pause section, uncheck everything except pause at combat start.  Enjoy.

That's not a solution to the problem. That's a removal of a perfectly legit gameplay option. You're saying "don't use these useful features because occasionally you'll pause a split-second after an auto-pause".

 

How about, instead of denying features as you're suggesting, the game offers extra options in the keybinds that completely negate the problem? In addition to the current single keybind for toggle pause on/off, why not add an extra set of keybinds that correspond to always pause and always unpause? I believe Scouting Mode does this, with an available bind for Scout On/Off, plus two binds for Scout On and Scout Off.

 

Is this not preferable? For a player to both be able to use whatever autopause features the game offers *and* avoid occasional incidents of unfortunate timing when a manual and auto-pause occur back to back?

 

I wholly support the suggestion in the OP, but let's not kid ourselves and think that it is an inherent problem of the game design. It is a mistake that they, the player, are making.

[Mansen]

As an option? Sure - Hell I'll bet you could mod that in easily.

 

But as the standard? Hell no.

[Noaloha]

I wholly support the suggestion in the OP, but let's not kid ourselves and think that it is an inherent problem of the game design. It is a mistake that they, the player, are making.

Well, that's something I can wholeheartedly disagree with. The player's making a mistake when they can't react to something that 's happened a tenth of a second before they chose to pause?

 

The unfortunate double-pause thing is simply an unavoidable (unlucky) aspect of any player both using autopause and manual pause. It's just a timing thing that's going to happen every once in a while assuming some of the autopauses correlate with "oh crap" triggers, arguably where the autopauses are most useful. Pausing when you notice a character at low health is not a mistake the player is making. Using the low endurance trigger is not a mistake the player is making. Taking an unfortunate second hit that triggers the autopause threshold just as your thumb is moving toward the spacebar is not a mistake the player is making.

 

EDIT: waaah, I dun messed up the quotes. hopefully fixed now. apologies.

Edited March 30, 2015 by Noaloha

[archangel979]

I agree with this. Since I play with party autoattack disabled (which btw does not work for melee characters) I set up an autopause when my target is killed. So I had a couple of times where I would unpause my game because I wanted to give the caster a new spell to cast but also the target was killed just at that moment.

[popandopalo]

Sorry, I'll write here - would be nice to make the option to auto pause "Stop on inaction character in battle"

[Alweth]

 

I wholly support the suggestion in the OP, but let's not kid ourselves and think that it is an inherent problem of the game design. It is a mistake that they, the player, are making.

 

 

 

No, that's simply not true. There's a maximum limit to the speed that a human can react to something. Even the fastest human is incredibly slow compared to computers and could easily fall into this. Any decent UI needs to take that into consideration.

[NathanH]

Something like this would be extremely useful.

[VioNectro]

It's really annoying when I unpause an auto-pause because I'm trying to pause at the same time. It would be great if you were unable to manually unpause the game for 1/3 to 1/2 a second after an auto-pause. Thank you!

I absolutely support this proposal. signed.

[VioNectro]

I agree with this. Since I play with party autoattack disabled (which btw does not work for melee characters) I set up an autopause when my target is killed. So I had a couple of times where I would unpause my game because I wanted to give the caster a new spell to cast but also the target was killed just at that moment.

This is exactly what happens to me. I got it auto pausing on enemy spotted, combat start (this is not a problem), ability finish, and target dies.

[MaxDamage]

In the menu->auto-pause section, uncheck everything except pause at combat start.  Enjoy.

Thats right its the way i have to play both BG2 and PoE. But you have to be attentive and pause often and see so that your guys dont idle etc. Have to pause every split second. But thats how it s supposed to work when you re controlling 6 characters with complex abilities and with engagement system.

 

 

The proposal for unpausing cooldown is good though and i ve been thinking bout that too. Otherwise autopause is slightly useless an d even harmful.

Edited April 10, 2015 by MaxDamage

[Emptiness]

It's really annoying when I unpause an auto-pause because I'm trying to pause at the same time. It would be great if you were unable to manually unpause the game for 1/3 to 1/2 a second after an auto-pause. Thank you!

 

Please no.  Unpausing when you are trying to pause is annoying, I agree, but so is failing to pause or unpause when you are want to because the game has locked you out.

 

As an alternate solution, how about making three pause-related keybind options: pause, unpause, and toggle pause?  (Pause while the game is paused would do nothing, unpause while the game is not paused would do nothing, toggle pause would unpause if the game is paused and pause if the game is not paused.)  Players who like how it works now can use toggle pause.  Players who don't want to risk unintentional behavior can bind pause and unpause to different keys.

Edited April 10, 2015 by Emptiness

[gkathellar]

I'm all for being able to set Pause and Unpause to separate buttons. Makes things smoother.

[endruwiggin]

We're just used doing this in other games thats why the transition is difficult at first.

Give it time and you'll get used to it, its there to help after all

[wanderon]

Really? Do we really need a fix for something that simply requires a second keystroke autopause/unpause oops pause????  

[Alweth]

Really? Do we really need a fix for something that simply requires a second keystroke autopause/unpause oops pause????  

 

I've had situations where two auto-pauses follow right on each other, so my attempt to repause it actually re-unpauses it.

[wanderon]

 

Really? Do we really need a fix for something that simply requires a second keystroke autopause/unpause oops pause????  

 

I've had situations where two auto-pauses follow right on each other, so my attempt to repause it actually re-unpauses it.

 

 

Oh no!!!!!! This would require another click (gasp) 

[Iankas]

Thing is, if you are on the harder difficulty level or have a bunch squishy characters then that 1 second of the game not being paused can really make a difference. Especially earlier in the game where you dont have a lot of tools as spellcasters to deal with enemies up on your face.

 

Not sure what's up with all the resistance.

If the OPTION were available and you dont like it then simply dont use it.

[gkathellar]

Really? Do we really need a fix for something that simply requires a second keystroke autopause/unpause oops pause????

We don't NEED it, but it'd sure be nice.

 

This has been an irritation for me since the IE days. Apparently other people sympathize. I can't see the harm in addressing that.

[wanderon]

Thing is, if you are on the harder difficulty level or have a bunch squishy characters then that 1 second of the game not being paused can really make a difference. Especially earlier in the game where you dont have a lot of tools as spellcasters to deal with enemies up on your face.

 

Not sure what's up with all the resistance.

If the OPTION were available and you dont like it then simply dont use it.

 

The resistance is I don't see it as an issue and hence would just as soon devs spent time and resources on more relevant issues with a side order of I hate it when the goal seems to be making a game that plays itself while the player sits back and watches things unfold.

[Daemonjax]

It's really annoying when I unpause an auto-pause because I'm trying to pause at the same time. It would be great if you were unable to manually unpause the game for 1/3 to 1/2 a second after an auto-pause. Thank you!

 

I just disable all those auto-pause options except for when enemy spotted.