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Phase I of Alpha Two testing will occur on weekends. Each weekend is scheduled to start on Fridays at 10 AM PT and end on Sundays at 10 PM PT. Find out more here.
Check out Alpha Two Announcements here to see the latest Alpha Two news and update notes.
Our quickest Alpha Two updates are in Discord. Testers with Alpha Two access can chat in Alpha Two channels by connecting your Discord and Intrepid accounts here.
A Color Standard for Abilities
walalaboom
Member
Hi Everyone,
Given that the visuals of AOC is heavily color saturated and many of the character abilities are "flashy" with tons of particle effects, it would be great if we can agree on a standard for categories of abilities to match with certain colors. This will make it easier for players to identify ability casts in crowded situations and make it easier for new players to be introduced to the combat triangle philosophy and mechanics.
An example of a color standard we can adopt is as follows:
Red: Damage Focused (fire balls, lava, fire arrows, blood)
Blue: Crowd Control Focused (ice to freeze, water for knockback, blue slime to slow)
Yellow: Healing Focused (light auras, beams)
Purple: HP Drain Focused (beams, whips, target turning purple)
Orange: Defense Focused (barrier, walls, could also be brownish tinted for earthy effect)
Green: Poison Focused (gas/smoke, green slime)
Black: Stealth/Displacement Focused (shadows, dashes, teleports)
White: Buff Focused (mainly reserved for potions or bard skills that increase many stats at once, as all colors combine to make white)
And of course, not all abilities are one dimensional and must cater to one category. Maybe some abilities don't fall under any category. We can definitely offer exceptions to those.
Happy to know your thoughts on this topic
Thanks,
Wala
Given that the visuals of AOC is heavily color saturated and many of the character abilities are "flashy" with tons of particle effects, it would be great if we can agree on a standard for categories of abilities to match with certain colors. This will make it easier for players to identify ability casts in crowded situations and make it easier for new players to be introduced to the combat triangle philosophy and mechanics.
An example of a color standard we can adopt is as follows:
Red: Damage Focused (fire balls, lava, fire arrows, blood)
Blue: Crowd Control Focused (ice to freeze, water for knockback, blue slime to slow)
Yellow: Healing Focused (light auras, beams)
Purple: HP Drain Focused (beams, whips, target turning purple)
Orange: Defense Focused (barrier, walls, could also be brownish tinted for earthy effect)
Green: Poison Focused (gas/smoke, green slime)
Black: Stealth/Displacement Focused (shadows, dashes, teleports)
White: Buff Focused (mainly reserved for potions or bard skills that increase many stats at once, as all colors combine to make white)
And of course, not all abilities are one dimensional and must cater to one category. Maybe some abilities don't fall under any category. We can definitely offer exceptions to those.
Happy to know your thoughts on this topic
Thanks,
Wala
1
Comments
I like the general idea though. If spell effects carry certain themes depending on what they do, you can respond appropriately without needing to know exactly what it is beforehand. It seems like they've done a good job at this already, from the combat we've seen so far.
This is my personal feedback, shared to help the game thrive in its niche.
Reminds me of the blue volcano in Indonesia:
^ image is not hue saturated
I do like it when class abilities are thematic, but I think AoC is aiming for a realism art style, so that could clash.
It only needs clean up and definition, with effects added that are probably not in the game right now.
If you take a look at yesterday's dev update, in the video of the raid, the dragon does a "wave" that you need to jump, and it looks like a circle expanding on the floor. Doesn't look like a "wave of air". I assume (and expect?) this will be touched on at a later stage in development to make things look better. Right now is not the focus, and it's ok.
Ok......don't tell me you wouldn't like to see some red ice....cause that sounds pretty legit! Blood ice maybe?
@walalaboom I personally don't like the idea of color coordinating abilities. I'm for artistic freedom I guess? I want to see what their best possible work will deliver. Whoever did some of those cleric abilities though....limit that artist for sure haha.
That is stunning
It's burning sulphur though, so you'd want a gas mask, hahaha
There's always a catch, sadly.
I vote no.
I would prefer the abilities to look the way they are intended to be versus colour coordinating things based on type of ability effect. Adds more mystery. Feels like there would be a lot of colour coordinating especially if the abilities have multiple effects.
In regards to augments changing/adding to abilities aesthetics.. that may be a different story
If you watch the recent dragon fight videos you can see the poison ball explosions have the purple sparks coming out of them.
As someone who's created many particle effects I can safely say that those sparks are just placeholder, since sparks like that are the baseline default particle effect.
You see those sparks in like ever current ability. I fully expect all particle effects to be touched up heavily as we near release and things will end up looking a lot less "flashy" and more immersive and more readable.
It reminds me of the underrelm
Thats pretty cold to be honest
^ AHAHAHA. clever.
That blood ice is gross though
Each Secondary Archetype has 3 or 4 schools, which means we can expect that the people in lore who crafted the visual effects associated with those schools will include some color-coding.
If we see blue flames, like a blue fire-ball, it's very likely to be associated with some specific school or influence that is different from a reddish/orange fireball. Same for if we see a brown or green fireball.