@ Obsidian: Please don't neglect spell effect graphics!

[pl1982]

@ Obsidian

 

Just a request for awesome looking spell effects please! A big charm of the infinity engine games for me was the graphical representation of magic effects. I would love to see the same care given to the magic effects in PE. Please don't neglect it. I do however NOT want crazy over the top effects (ala Final Fantasy) as was done with certain spells in Torment. I don't want to sit and watch some effect/movie for 1min when casting a spell. At the same time though, the effects must not be too toned down as to be dull and dreary. When I cast an awesome level 9 (or whatever equivalent spell level progression will be in PE), I want the spell effect (within the context of what the spell does of course) to reflect the epicness of the magic being used. I am thinking for example of the spell "dragon's breath" from BG2 which literally had a dragon's head arise from the ground and breathe fire on all enemies. Especially with the game being mainly 2D, the intricate art detail of the magic effects should be showcased and not neglected.

 

-pl1982

[Scottfree6000]

the epicness shoulder begin at level 7, but not too Final Fantasy and legendary spell for level 9.

 

By the way FFX is a great game.

[rjshae]

I think they'll have to balance out the need for nice special effects against the limitations of all the systems that can run a 2D game like this. But yeah, well-done magical effects and sounds can add a lot to the atmosphere. I wasn't all that impressed with the effects in the DA series; many of the NWN2 effects were more striking, I think.

[Aldereth]

Nice effects. Yes. DA 2 and some mmo spell effect cluster&@$. No thanks.

 

Lastly, give the non caster some cool combat animation if possible

[Labadal]

I want them to have nice spell effects, but they need to balance it well. I would also like to see what my characters are doing during combat.

[J.E. Sawyer]

Our spell effects will probably have a "flashiness" level of Icewind Dale 2.  We can use a combination of 2D and 3D effects and Unity's effects editor is pretty robust.  We won't be doing spell "cutscenes" like Torment, though.

[motorizer]

I'm personally not a fan of spells having swirly coloured lights just for the sake of it, and I definitely don't want my character to sparkle because an effect is active, an icon on the portrait would do for that

less is more IMHO

if a spell has a spectacular effect then it should be doing something spectacular, a load of light and sound energy given off to heal 4 hitpoints seems like a waste to me....

 

Effects like dust and sand from the ground congealing to form a golem, or ivy like plants creeping over an enemy and entangling them = Yes

Sparkly lightshows for each and every minor spell = no

[rjshae]

Yeah, the end game in the NWN OC just got crazy with the flashy, glowing, swirling effects. It was so bad I could barely make out my character. But that was more of a problem for higher level spells; lower level magic is usually not too bad.

 

I'm okay with the minor effect indicators around the characters though.

Edited May 23, 2013 by rjshae

[Labadal]

I'm just glad the game won't pause a la Torment. I must say that it didn't work well for a rtwp game. I wouldn't have minded in a turn based game, but interrupting the action in the middle of combat was a major annoyance.

Edited May 23, 2013 by Labadal

[Auxilius]

I liked NWN2's flashyness. It made a good job showing how powerful your party became.

In P:E's case, I think it wouldn't work though. It does only if it's very high fantasy.

 

I also liked the way Torment handled spells. But I agree cutscenes should have been showed only once.

[Malekith]

I liked NWN2's flashyness. It made a good job showing how powerful your party became.

In P:E's case, I think it wouldn't work though. It does only if it's very high fantasy.

 

I also liked the way Torment handled spells. But I agree cutscenes should have been showed only once. skipable

fixed

[cleric Nemir]

IWD2 "flashiness" with just a little modern makeup will do fine,my opinion.

[mkreku]

Every time I read this forum I feel like some sort of anti-Project-Eternity fan.

 

I don't want overhead maps, I don't want party management, I don't want 2D graphics, I like chainmail bikinis.. and I really hate flashy magic effects. In fact, I wish there was no magic in games at all!

 

Yeah, I didn't back this..

[JFSOCC]

Every time I read this forum I feel like some sort of anti-Project-Eternity fan.

 

I don't want overhead maps, I don't want party management, I don't want 2D graphics, I like chainmail bikinis.. and I really hate flashy magic effects. In fact, I wish there was no magic in games at all!

 

Yeah, I didn't back this..

Hey that's what these discussion forums are for. Nobody who is here doesn't care about P:E. Share and argue your views!

[Tuckey]

Well in terms of what I like I think baldurs gate 2 did the spell effects the best. They just seemed more believable to me anyway and not overdone. Especially with the chants and the incantations that gave the spells a sense of mystery. (Magic missile is still my favourite.)

 

I have to be honest that I really really didn't like the nwn2 spell effects. Too much colour and they seemed gamey and not a believable spell thing. You just couldn't tell what was going on after a while with so many active effects that would be better represented on a portrait rather than on character. I liked the spell effects of planescape and icewind dale although not as much.

[DaWu]

the spells should not only be visualized beautifully but also you should hear the character actually shout the spell like they did in BG2 but with a lot more variations. every spell should get their own shout.

[.Leif.]

It'd be nice to be able to 'read' what sort of spell the enemy casters are weaving through the graphics alone. Olaf's Bouncing Fireball should appear as a ember in the caster's hand(s) slowly expanding, Lightningaga should appear as Tesla-coil like beams emitting from the caster's aura. The old Infinity engine games did a decent job of telling me what sort of spell someone could be casting but I'd like to see more casting art and animation. Let me know instantly if that robed bearded man is casting a Wizard's spell, a chant, Soul-Magic, or something else just by the casting animation/sounds.

 

I suppose the presence of a grimoire would be an easy hint as to the Wizardly power of the individual, but I'd like the specialness of each caster class represented in their casting. I'd way rather see/hear a Chanter and know it's a chanter rather than have that chanter be labeled as such in the text box.

[JFSOCC]

It'd be nice to be able to 'read' what sort of spell the enemy casters are weaving through the graphics alone. Olaf's Bouncing Fireball should appear as a ember in the caster's hand(s) slowly expanding, Lightningaga should appear as Tesla-coil like beams emitting from the caster's aura. The old Infinity engine games did a decent job of telling me what sort of spell someone could be casting but I'd like to see more casting art and animation. Let me know instantly if that robed bearded man is casting a Wizard's spell, a chant, Soul-Magic, or something else just by the casting animation/sounds.

 

I suppose the presence of a grimoire would be an easy hint as to the Wizardly power of the individual, but I'd like the specialness of each caster class represented in their casting. I'd way rather see/hear a Chanter and know it's a chanter rather than have that chanter be labeled as such in the text box.

the term you're looking for is telegraphing, and yes, I agree.