PE Spell FX Suggestion

[Bavarian]

Seems like a difficult/fine line issue.  I'm all for subtle effects but not at the cost of information about what is happening with my character or the environment.  How could you improve the spell effects of the BG2 screenshots with cloudkill/stinking cloud?  I assume by making the cloud effects less pronounced, but you still want to know they are there and where their borders extend. 

 

I think it would be fantastic to have a tooltip (on a toggle would be fine) on your UI character pop up telling you exactly what X spell effect is doing to your PC.  I haven't really looked into this stuff until I started reading this thread.  Are UI tooltips like this already in the works? 

 

What I don't want is something like I experienced with the other PoE (Path of Exile) where my screen will light up my house when running with a party due to all the massive spell effects.  You just can't tell what the hell is happening half the time. 

 

Don't go too subtle though.  Spells SHOULD look impressive and give information at a glance.

[Jarmo]

Yeah, after thinking about it some more, its the perma-glow effects that I personally can't stand.  Short ones (like 1-2 seconds) are fine.  On that note, I also hate when weapon effects are permanent.  I ended up modding out the weapon glows in DA:O because they annoyed me so much. 

 

Oh yea that.

I always thought it seemed bloody inconvenient to carry a flaming sword in your back.

The guys need a lot of body lotion after a few weeks of traveltime.

 

I actually liked the effects themselves, but when the weapons were holstered it was a bit too much.

 

Early on I did wonder why my fighter keeps on dripping glowing red jelly all the time.

Turns out it wasn't a wounded effect or the result of the skin condition from acid weapons, but some buff effect.

Speed or bravery or whatever, I forget. Thankfully there was a mod for that.

[Karranthain]

Yeah, after thinking about it some more, its the perma-glow effects that I personally can't stand.  Short ones (like 1-2 seconds) are fine.  On that note, I also hate when weapon effects are permanent.  I ended up modding out the weapon glows in DA:O because they annoyed me so much. 

 

I loathe them as well - luckily one can frequently find mods disabling these effects.

 

Hopefully they won't be needed for PE!

[rjshae]

I have no issue with weapon glows; they are supposed to be magical and should stand out. But I wouldn't mind if the effects had a subdued mode for long duration use. The effect could flare up when the weapon is readied, then return to subdued mode.

[teknoman2]

I have no issue with weapon glows; they are supposed to be magical and should stand out. But I wouldn't mind if the effects had a subdued mode for long duration use. The effect could flare up when the weapon is readied, then return to subdued mode.

that is the best way. you have a flaming sword? the flame comes out only when you enter combat and is off the rest of the time

[Mor]

The problem IMO with Dire Blessing as it doesn't really seem to have any particular design, it's just "hey I've made an effect with some lighting, dissolving effects and added some sparkly lines, and dropped a light probe on the caster - check it out!"

 

I would rather that have more of a distinctive style (same goes for all spells), rather than just being a vessel for showing off what the FX artist can do. Circle of Protection is easy because it is literally a circle of protection.

Come on, nothing wrong with a little "check it out" demonstrations, especially ones that include our first sfx, otherwise people tend to start threads about what they want to see in updates But you are right, we want the effect to have distinctive style, on top of being impressive, informative and fit with overall art style. What do you think about this early stuff from the trailer:

 

p.s.

In the bottom left it looks like Wizard cast animation, is soul thingy released from the Grimoire he reads.

[Sensuki]

I don't like the "Magic Missle" animation. Too bright/flashy, should be more red like the original, but that's just me. Arcane Veil/Globe of Invulnerability could be less opaque too.

 

Call Lightning is "okay" but the Baldur's Gate animation is way more natural looking.

Edited May 18, 2014 by Sensuki

[sarkthas]

Does Sawyer hate the Timestop spell? =P

 

Just notice it's been absent in most of the games he's worked on.

Edited May 18, 2014 by sarkthas

[Valorian]

The spell effects are nice. 

 

What I'd like to see is smoother transitions between different stances and actions. Casting/attacking --> (turning around) --> default combat stance.

In NWN2 there was a particular stance/animation between combat actions for male humanoids. While it looked ok on them, it looked odd on undead creatures such as skeletons (shifting weight from one leg to the other, in a dance-y way), which is a thing to consider when animating different creatures.

 

Also, I like the spell chants/incantations. Especially if it's a deep voice enhanced with audio effects, and coupled with an unknown language, to make it sound otherwordly.

[Mr. Magniloquent]

Wow. I feel like I'm the only one in this thread that likes bold spell effects. That's half of the fun of casting a spell! Your caster is commanding the fabric of reality and reshaping it to its will--not pulling a pigeon out of his or her sleeve. They are performing a cosmically phenomenal act, and it should look like it. The spell effects from the trailer and update are excellent. They convey power and mystery while being efficient in their timing. They are in no way overdone, cumbersome, or obstructive.

 

I guess my opinion is just in extreme dissent within this thread, but I feel like everyone where is just nit-picking and begging for boring and generic spell effects.

[Sensuki]

 

 

generic spell effects

 

What? We're asking for more unique and less generic effects than present.

[Failion]

I think the spell effects look good from what we seen. The lightning on the magic missle and fireball look good. Visually it looks like a uprgrade to the 1990s spell fx heroes of might and magic 3 graphics aka baldurs gate magic missle. If the developers feel like it they can show same spells with diffierent graphic FX and have the community vote on what they think looks better. I think we can all agree that neverwinter nights 2 went overboard in all the flashy colors and lights. A fully buffed character looks like a shadow plant rock rainbow. 

 

I rather have the flashy effects though then same casting animation over and over with a icon on character page representing buff. If you look at a old game like Vampire redemption and compare it to neverwinter nights 1 or 2 which would you pick? Nearly all the spell animations and graphics in vampire is the pc flexing their body in a strange way with blood graphic outline on them which is LAME. I rather have the cheesy flashy spell fx no matter how triple AAA they don't look.

[Bavarian]

Wow. I feel like I'm the only one in this thread that likes bold spell effects. That's half of the fun of casting a spell! Your caster is commanding the fabric of reality and reshaping it to its will--not pulling a pigeon out of his or her sleeve. They are performing a cosmically phenomenal act, and it should look like it. The spell effects from the trailer and update are excellent. They convey power and mystery while being efficient in their timing. They are in no way overdone, cumbersome, or obstructive.

 

I guess my opinion is just in extreme dissent within this thread, but I feel like everyone where is just nit-picking and begging for boring and generic spell effects.

No, I agree with you.  What I've seen so far looks great!  However, there are a few games out there (my reference above to path of exile and a few other aRPGs come to mind) that have SO much going on with spell effects that it becomes hard to even see your character.  At that point you start losing information visually as it all becomes a light show blur. 

 

And I would prefer weapon glow effects to be there in battle, not in cut scenes hanging on your back.

[Sensuki]

ToEE had good circle style effects.

 

Different colors, different effects, different patterns that look fairly unique.

Edited May 20, 2014 by Sensuki

[Hassat Hunter]

 

As Sensuki already knows, I hate the shown effects as well.

 

I see no problem with a circle for AoE... it's good.

But it should be used as targeting, not the spell effect!

But it was a buff, which is always centered on the character..

 

It could easily be a circle around the caster when you hold the mouse over the spell (so you know who's in it's AoE). I see no reason to have the circle in the actual spell effect though, that's just useless clutter IMO.

 

So to clarify;

* Go to spells

* Hover over buff. Circle shows area of effect.

* Click buff. Since self-cast automatically goes into casting, no aiming.

* No circle, just the effect on characters which dissapates rather fast (which perhaps a few exceptions which should stay visible).

[Ffordesoon]

The circle is essential for judging the range of the effect.

[Sensuki]

The circle is fine for Circle of Protection because it is a persistent circle. It's not super necessary for Dire Blessing, but it's fair enough.

[Mor]

 

 

As Sensuki already knows, I hate the shown effects as well.

 

I see no problem with a circle for AoE... it's good.

But it should be used as targeting, not the spell effect!

But it was a buff, which is always centered on the character..

 

It could easily be a circle around the caster when you hold the mouse over the spell (so you know who's in it's AoE). I see no reason to have the circle in the actual spell effect though, that's just useless clutter IMO.

 

So to clarify;

* Go to spells

* Hover over buff. Circle shows area of effect.

* Click buff. Since self-cast automatically goes into casting, no aiming.

* No circle, just the effect on characters which dissapates rather fast (which perhaps a few exceptions which should stay visible).

 

That would work if you were the only person casting spells. Right now when any of the enemies or one of your party members that wasn't under your direct control, cast a buff you can see at glance who is effected. While your suggestion would require me to hover over each character around to see their infobox, that or make them all glow. (which would make a fine spectacle once more than buff is initiated)

[Hassat Hunter]

No?
It would change nothing besides putting the circle information pre-buff instead of at buff.

How is that making it impossible to aim? Instead of removing graphical fidelity from the screen while keeping maximum efficiency?

[Sensuki]

Spells should have fairly clear per unit individual feedback rather than relying on circle effects and whatnot.

Edited May 23, 2014 by Sensuki

[JFSOCC]

so PoE will have subdued colour palette for environments and vibrant colours for spell effects.

Could I have it the other way around, pretty please? Does magic truly rely on glitter?