lots of confusing talent descriptions

[Madscientist]

https://imgur.com/a/6Y7sl

 

Some talents give a stacking bonus under certain conditions.

During character creation and leveling up these conditions are not met, because usually they are only active during combat.

The result is that the talent description tells us that the talent effect is zero.

This is confusing and does not help the player to understand what this talent does.

 

suggestion:

The talent should not show the current effect, but the condition and the size of the effect under this condition.

In the example of Helwalker, a good description would be:

 

"self:

+1 might per wound, +5% damage taken per wound, can stack up to 8 times"

 

note: The numbers are just an example. I do not know the exact value because the current talent description is so confusing.

[aartz]

Heya Madscientist,

 

Thanks for the feedback! I've added an issue to our database about talents/abilities that give stacking bonuses having stat blocks that are difficult to parse.

 

I think your suggested solution is great! I added it to the bug as an example of a way to fix it =)

 

Keep the feedback coming!

[AndreaColombo]

Hi aartz,

 

in relation to this, I would like to add that several talents, spells, and abilities have descriptions that are way too generic. This is something others have pointed out as well, but I figured I'd put it on QA's radar.

 

A description that says "Grants resistance to X Afflictions" doesn't mean anything. How much resistance? Is it immunity? Is it a % chance the affliction will fail? We also don't have a list of afflictions that affect which attribute, so "Might Afflictions" for example doesn't mean much to me.

 

Similarly, saying I get a bonus or penalty to anything without specifying its magnitude and how long it lasts isn't informational. The Fighter ability tree has a Knock Down upgrade that makes the enemy fly in the air before being knocked prone, for example, and it doesn't say what else it brings to the table. Does it last longer? Does it deal more damage? What am I buying with this talent point?

 

Ideally, every talent, spell, or ability should include a clear indication of how much it adds/subtracts from what and for how long.

Edited November 19, 2017 by AndreaColombo

[Madscientist]

Thank you

 

I am good in writing manuals. I have written lots of them for our institute.

 

But you should not hire me as writer because my writing is as boring as possible.

My thesis sounds like: "The sample has been analyzed with XPS spectroscopy. The spectrum has shown that X decreases when you increase Y. . . . "

Maybe you want to read it if you cannot sleep in order to fall asleep from boredom.

By the way, it is really hard to write a text completely in passive form while completely avoiding words like I, you, we, us, . . ..

 

OMG I have used "you" in my example, shame on me

[aartz]

 

in relation to this, I would like to add that several talents, spells, and abilities have descriptions that are way too generic. This is something others have pointed out as well, but I figured I'd put it on QA's radar.

 

 

Thanks for bringing this up. 

 

I agree that our descriptions could use some tuning in order to clearly communicate what exactly each spell/ability/talent does. I'll write a blanket issue for now that expresses the need for clearer stat blocks =)

 

Usability and user friendliness feedback like this is super valuable, so please keep it coming