Update #55: Vertical Slice Update

[Malekith]

It is great to see that the spell/ability list is coming along.  I am eager to see how the team will approach visual display of spells and abilities.

 

I always loved the spell animations of PST's spells, especially the upper level spells (Torment, Meteor, etc).  Although, I am certain many people thought they were over the top or paused the flow of combat. 

The worst sin of PS:T high level spell animations was that they weren't skipable. If you could skip the video after the first time everyone would love them. But for P:E, to have cutscenes for every high level spell would be too expensive. Better to use that money to have better spell animations overall and death animations a la Fallout.

[Nixl]

 

It is great to see that the spell/ability list is coming along.  I am eager to see how the team will approach visual display of spells and abilities.

 

I always loved the spell animations of PST's spells, especially the upper level spells (Torment, Meteor, etc).  Although, I am certain many people thought they were over the top or paused the flow of combat. 

The worst sin of PS:T high level spell animations was that they weren't skipable. If you could skip the video after the first time everyone would love them. But for P:E, to have cutscenes for every high level spell would be too expensive. Better to use that money to have better spell animations overall and death animations a la Fallout.

 

Strange, I just replayed PS:T and I could skip most of scenes of the high level spells (still some waiting though).  The exception being cloud kill.

 

Do not get me wrong, I disliked the aspect of waiting around for high level spells.  It kills the flow of combat, especially with multiple casters.  I also agree spell animations are more of a priority. 

 

What I refer to is the animation quality in PS:T.  Even magic missiles had a unique animation to it and when TNO casted it, it looked like a substantial attack.  Perhaps, it was a number of factors, including both animation and sound.  I thought it worked well with the exception of those spells that stopped the flow of combat.

 

I realize that I am not articulating this well. In short, I agree animation quality is key, not fancy cutscenes. 

Edited June 5, 2013 by Nixl

[Malekith]

 

 

It is great to see that the spell/ability list is coming along.  I am eager to see how the team will approach visual display of spells and abilities.

 

I always loved the spell animations of PST's spells, especially the upper level spells (Torment, Meteor, etc).  Although, I am certain many people thought they were over the top or paused the flow of combat. 

The worst sin of PS:T high level spell animations was that they weren't skipable. If you could skip the video after the first time everyone would love them. But for P:E, to have cutscenes for every high level spell would be too expensive. Better to use that money to have better spell animations overall and death animations a la Fallout.

 

Strange, I just replayed PS:T and I could skip most of scenes of the high level spells (still some waiting though).  The exception being cloud kill.

 

Do not get me wrong, I disliked the aspect of waiting around for high level spells.  It kills the flow of combat, especially with multiple casters. 

 

What I refer to is the animation quality in PS:T.  Even magic missiles had a unique animation to it and when TNO casted it, it looked like a substantial attack.  Perhaps, it was a number of factors, including both animation and sound.  I thought it worked with the exception of those spells that stopped the flow of combat.

 

I realize that I am not articulating this well. 

 

Sorry, i thought that you meant the cutscenes at the really high spells. Yes, the standard animations in P:T were gorgeous, and i wouldn't mind something similar.But preferably without the game pausing for a few seconds.

[Nixl]

No worries, I reread my post and I realized that I made no distinctions between the standard animations and the cutscene spells. 

 

I thought the standard animations were great and I hope PE has the same quality. Also, preferably without pauses. 

[Sensuki]

UI Version #2

Thanks to everyone who provided feedback on our UI mockups that Rob posted last week in Update #54. We loved everyone's proposed mockups and your discussions sparked some great ideas for the next iteration on the interface. We've already mocked up a new version that takes up less vertical space and is more compact overall. Once we feel it's ready to be critiqued, we will post it in a future update for more discussion.

I actually find this statement a little bit troubling. One of the things I wanted to see over the original was larger portrait sizes. If you're cutting down the UI height then this is unlikely.

[Amentep]

Like the new picture!

 

I hope when you enter that dungeon the sconces are not already lit without a valid in game reason. I can suspend disbelief only so much. Plus it would look cool to light sconces as you go with dynamic lighting that this engine is capable of. It would be cool, if your party enters a crypt/dungeon you expect to be unoccupied, to make a companion comment if it looks like someone else has been living there.

 

I would actually really like this.  I mean if they're all pre-lit I'm okay with that, but it's a neat idea. 

 

I'm not crazy about having to carry a bunch of torches around for lighting and stuff like that (because it turns out too often to just be a busywork idea), but aesthetically I like the idea of being able to turn on/put out lights in a space as a whole like this.

 

Ungh, that dungeon screenshot is like sex for my eyes!

 

You...might want to have someone see about that.  I don't think that's a typical sensation you should be having in your eyes.

 

[Malekith]

 

UI Version #2

Thanks to everyone who provided feedback on our UI mockups that Rob posted last week in Update #54. We loved everyone's proposed mockups and your discussions sparked some great ideas for the next iteration on the interface. We've already mocked up a new version that takes up less vertical space and is more compact overall. Once we feel it's ready to be critiqued, we will post it in a future update for more discussion.

I actually find this statement a little bit troubling. One of the things I wanted to see over the original was larger portrait sizes. If you're cutting down the UI height then this is unlikely.

 

That. I was hoping that the UI stayed fairly similar, but with the add on of bigger portraits in the right side of the screen.If anything i wanted a bigger UI .We'll see how that goes.

[Homer Morisson]

That. I was hoping that the UI stayed fairly similar, but with the add on of bigger portraits in the right side of the screen.If anything i wanted a bigger UI .We'll see how that goes.

 

 

Josh did state though that they were still discussing the possibility of an L-shaped interface, right-sided I believe.

Anyways, we'll just have to wait & see... I'd also prefer proper character portraits over absolute minimalism.

 

But, then again, Josh also said that they would design the UI to be 100% optimizied for control via only the mouse - that kind of contradicts any hopes of them putting the character portraits on the right side.

[the itis]

Yea it looks good and nails that IE feel, but how is no one more excited about the SOUL BATTERY in the middle of dungeon?! I wonder if the concept of electricity doing work (in the thermo-electric sense) exists in PE?

[Keyrock]

Oh man, I want to sink my teeth into that slice of bread.  What sort of bread are we talking?  Is it rye?  Please tell me it's rye.

 

Anyway, the dungeon concept looks great.  I'm already examining where to position my casters so I can cast Cloudkill some kind of lingering and debilitating AoE spell into the circular room. 

[Agremont]

Good update. That dungeon gives me lovely Baldur's Gate vibes. Looks great.

[Rahelron]

 

UI Version #2

Thanks to everyone who provided feedback on our UI mockups that Rob posted last week in Update #54. We loved everyone's proposed mockups and your discussions sparked some great ideas for the next iteration on the interface. We've already mocked up a new version that takes up less vertical space and is more compact overall. Once we feel it's ready to be critiqued, we will post it in a future update for more discussion.

I actually find this statement a little bit troubling. One of the things I wanted to see over the original was larger portrait sizes. If you're cutting down the UI height then this is unlikely.

 

 

So let's have a thin interface, but with large portraits that appear when you select a character maybe.

 

What about doing something like in starcraft 2? When you are on a mission in that game and some character starts saying something more than simple banter a large window appears and you can see a 3D animated portrait of that character speaking.

Edited June 5, 2013 by Rahelron

[Sabotin]

I think the portraits are there just for visual distinction between characters. Unless they'd be too small to distinguish I don't see any reason to make them bigger. Now when in dialogue or character screen that's another matter...

[Morgulon the Wise]

That wouldn't do. Biggest problem in this solution is the 3D-animation which contradicts the (in my opinion) PE narrtive style. Remember the dragon egg. The popping up window is good, but I would simply want the characters well represented in the UI so the portraits should be bigger (maybe not as big as in my UI --> customable would be nice doesn't it?).

 

I made my UI in this "extremely spacey" way to show in which direction an UI can also go. I like the way this discussion goes

Edited June 5, 2013 by Morgulon the Wise

[Gumbercules]

I like the dungeon concept, although I agree with those suggesting you should experiment with some other effects for magical lighting. What culture is the dungeon supposed to represent? It seems somewhat old, but not really strange enough to be ancient Glanfathan.

 

Will the vertical slice be at Rezzed, or is it coming up too soon for that?

[beorthulf]

Lets hope the interface is much modern than the preview so far. I wouldn't mind seeing the minimum possible, so the focus is on the game not the UI.

 

I liked how temple of elemental evil simplified the heavy ui like bg or iwd to the minimum.

 

[Homer Morisson]

Hell no... never, ever, ever(!) again do I want the hassle of a ring menu.

That is the one (and only) thing I really dislike about PS:T.

[StrangeCat]

Hey Great Update looks like things are really moving forward for you guys!  OH God no way no Ring Style Menu!!!

 

I love the dungeon look .  That game is really getting that IE vibe!  Great Job!

[beorthulf]

Doesn't have to be a ring menu with 12 menu deep but alternate ui like contextual. I'd rather that than a full panel taking half the ui like in the 90s, ui evolved since then... I loved bg then but the ui didn't age well. Nostalgia is one thing, but if you improve the graphics you may as well integrate 20 years of ui and usability improvements too

[tox1c5lug]

Radial menu = bad!

[Sensuki]

 

 

Looks like it could have been taken right out of that level

 

And that's not a bad thing

[Iron_JG]

I don't know about other people, but I couldn't help mentally 'playing through' Irenicus' dungeon when I saw it. So much nerd nostalgia!

 

Also, the new dungeon does look really cool, and totally nails the IE look and feel. I haz excite.

[lolaldanee]

Radial menu = bad!

this = very true

 

as for the update: it's a great one, thank you Adam

[Lysen]

I am not sure why you compare this with Irenicus's dungeon. It reminds me more of IWD tombs. Remove the mechanical stuff in the big chamber, and it will look even more like it. And that electrical thingie, it doesn't look like BG at all, it would fit better in Arcanum universe. Imagine the surprise of an adventurer, who came through all this ancient looking chambers fighting undead monsters and, suddenly, he sees before him this technological wonder. Yes, Irenicus dungeon had stuff like that, but it looked more magical, I think...

[igorina]

I love this dungeon concept! I missed all these details, walls, floors, magic machines, textures.. No current game has such atmosphere