A suggestion about casting spells or techniques

[MemnochPSA]

Hi, people! First of all, sorry for my bad English, it's quite possible i'm gonna make some mistakes.

 

I just want to share some thoughts about casting spells or techniques in this (I really hope so) great game. It's a feature I missed in Baldur's Gate. Let me explain:

 

Well, let's imagine we have four mages in our group and we want to cast Magic missile on a poor fella at the same time. (Of course, all of them have memorised that spell in question.) Don't you think it would be more quick to select all four mages (or three, or whatever), pick the Spell button and finally select the spells that they share and unleash our mystical fury upon our enemy? It could be defensive spells, like Stoneskin and such; and of course techniques or special moves between different classes or not (mages, clerics...).

 

I think it would be great to have this kind of feature implemented in the game. We could save a lot of time in battles.

 

What do you think?

 

And sorry if you already talked about this matter before. If that's the case, close this topic and please forgive my slip.

Edited May 31, 2013 by MemnochPSA

[Jarmo]

No idea if this is in, but it's a great idea! Likely there'll be many groups with at least two casters. 

Even more likely, many groups with multiple fighter types that can.. dunno.. ready for approach or something.

 

So, a living interface which only shows the abilities that all selected types have?

[MemnochPSA]

So, a living interface which only shows the abilities that all selected types have?

Exactly.

 

We have Korgan, Mr. S and Charname (fighter) in our group and we want to crush a dragon in seconds? Easy peasy: in the middle of battle, we select all of them and pick whatever shared ability they have, for example, Whirlwind Attack. Well, of course we can select it one by one, but eventually it could be really tedious.

Edited May 31, 2013 by MemnochPSA

[Osvir]

 

So, a living interface which only shows the abilities that all selected types have?

Exactly.

 

We have Korgan, Mr. S and Charname (fighter) in our group and we want to crush a dragon in seconds? Easy peasy: in the middle of battle, we select all of them and pick whatever shared ability they have, for example, Whirlwind Attack. Well, of course we can select it one by one, but eventually it could be really tedious.

At first I thought this idea sounded pretty cool, but then I read this comment and wondered if this produces intelligent and tactical gameplay or if it produces hand-holding almost-automated "always win" situations. In essence: It sounds like a Casual Difficulty request (I'm a biased individual; Hardcore difficulty).

 

The point: If the ability is strong enough to remove the tactical play from a tactical game then it either does not belong or it needs polish so that it becomes tactical. I don't shun the idea though, I think it's interesting. This sounds like a typical: "Do I use this ability and suffer some risky consequences or do I play safe?"-Ability.

 

If it is as strong as you depict in your post I believe it should come at some sort of disadvantage.

[MemnochPSA]

It's just a feature to save time, nothing more. Because is very repetitive to select characters one by one when you only want to cast the same spell on the same enemy, or defend yourself before battle with certain protective spells. If Korgan has 2 Whirlwind Attack, Mr. S 3 and Charname 1, obviously you could only select 1 Whirlwind Attack through that feature.

Edited May 31, 2013 by MemnochPSA

[Osvir]

I think it sounds interesting but at the same time I don't.

It sounds like it automates gameplay and removes tactical decision making, which I don't like.

What I do like about it is some sort of "Group Cast" feature that your idea seems to flirt with. Gameplay-wise I could see it being like "lending ones Soul" to another.

Some thoughts:

Example 1: Magic Missile w/ Fighter
- Wizard is level 3, Magic Missile has Level 3 potentiality.
- Fighter is also level 3.
- Wizard initiates "Group Cast", Fighter can "lend" some of his Soul to the casting by paying/sacrificing Stamina or whatnot. Gives 1/3 of his Level to the Group Cast.
- Magic Missile gets Level 4 potentiality. Fighter is weakened.

Example 2: Magic Missile w/ Wizard
- 2 Wizards, both are Level 3.
- 1 Wizard initiates "Group Cast", the other Wizard can "lend" his Soul to the casting (Gives 1/1 of his Level to the Group Cast).
- Magic Missile gets Level 6 potentiality. The other Wizard is weakened.

Example 3: Whirlwind Attack
- 4 Characters. 1 Character has Whirlwind Attack (The others does not necessarily have to have it)
- 3 Characters can "lend" Soul to 1 Character using it (sacrificing/paying a cost/resource)
- The 1 Character does a more powerful Whirlwind Attack, but 3 characters are now weakened.

This way, you get a more powerful version of the original technique, but you would also weaken your team (those who joined in the Group Cast) for a duration. Makes it more tactical, and you'd save time against some fodder/filler mobs. In no way would I like to see a feature like this "crush dragons in seconds" (or any other strong mob/boss for that matter), unless (maybe) on Casual or Easy Difficulty.

[Jarmo]

In IE, in many of the small fights I'd group select all party members and click attack on nearest target. Mages and fighters alike.

Having a couple of extra options wouldn't remove the use of tactics but rather increase it.

 

While I could use the same tactic against a dragon, I wouldn't for obvious reasons.

[Aldereth]

I kind of like the idea of group cast and perhaps even develop it further to the point that of what Osvir suggested about.  Heck may be take it one step further to have certain spell that can be combine with synergic effect and become a kind of super ability.  Kind of like that old Marvel superheroes action game where different mutant sometimes can combine their power for a super attack.

[rjshae]

Yes it's an okay idea, but you must admit this is a corner case. If they implement it, a function key should suffice. It shouldn't take any screen real estate away from the more common actions.

[keysersoze]

I think this or a macro would to a great idea for pre-buffing before fights, my end game pre buffing sequence in BG2 would take longer than the fight itself. 

 

On the fight itself I would be concerned about overkill, e.g. all 4 mages fire, but the mob is death after 3 of the attacks hit, wasting one mages attack.

[MemnochPSA]

I'm glad you people discuss such incredible ideas, but I think some of you misunderstood my words. My suggestion is more humble than that. I'll explain it again:

 

We have four mages: Imoen, Edwin, Aerie and Charname. All of them have memorised... I don't know, Skull Trap. We see an hostile fighter with high HP in the distance and we want to kill him before rest with magic. Well, in normal circumstances, we will do this:

 

Pause the game

Click on Charmane -> pick Spell button -> select Skull Trap -> select the hostile fighter

Click on Imoen -> pick Spell button -> select Skull Trap -> select the hostile fighter

Click on Edwin -> pick Spell button -> select Skull Trap -> select the hostile fighter

Click on Aerie -> pick Spell button -> select Skull Trap -> select the hostile fighter

Unpause the game

 

But my proposition is:

 

Pause the game

Select Charname, Imoen, Edwin and Aerie -> pick Spell button -> select Skull Trap (because all of them have it in their spellbooks) -> select the hostile fighter

Unpause the game

 

And... well, that's basically my idea. Of course, adapted in the world of Project Eternity.

Edited May 31, 2013 by MemnochPSA

[rjshae]

Thanks for the clarification. That seems like a reasonable approach.

 

Rather than unleashing the spell four times, would the mages be able to work together to cast a more powerful version of the spell? I.e. as a group ritual casting.

[Dominativus]

I'm pretty sure Mem is just referring to the ability to select multiple characters of the same class and have them use the same ability at once, so you don't have to select it for each character individually which saves time.

[Aldereth]

I kind of like the misunderstanding some of us have

[rjshae]

I'm pretty sure Mem is just referring to the ability to select multiple characters of the same class and have them use the same ability at once, so you don't have to select it for each character individually which saves time.

 

I think we got that. But wouldn't it need to be four casters choosing the same spell and the same target? I.e. an unlikely event and hence not one that coding for would have a worthwhile payoff... unless there is some unique benefit to the casters doing so.

 

Imagine a group of low-level enemy Wizards performing a ritual to cast a spell, but at a much higher level than any of them could do individually. That could prove a challenge to even a potent group of adventurers.

Edited June 3, 2013 by rjshae