Greetings, glorious adventurers! If you're joining in our Alpha One spot testing, please follow the steps here to see all the latest test info on our forums and Discord!
Options
Exagerate moves when our character cast.
Erdun
Member
Ok we all already know that the casting animations right know are't finished and what we see is not the final result. But anyways I just want to do this thread to debate what are the animations we want to see when we already can play and want to cast a spell.
Here for a example we have the cleric cast spells
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AHwGp-t27M
Castigation- I think is ok
Benediction- really good
Hallowed ground- I hate it, just because I think exagerate levitate spells are well that... exagerate.
Divine Censure- It's ok is just I would like the spear to be gold like a holy light spear
Resurrectios- Awesome
Damnation- Cool
Devotion- Great
Exorcism- this is even worse
Judgement- Great again
I repeat I know this is not the finish work, but I think probably devs want to know about our opinion in this.
Conclution, so for me less is more, exagerate animations like doing a lot of moviments (Like the first fire ball mage animation) or levitation just doesn't looks cool or epic.
Want to know your opinion.
Here for a example we have the cleric cast spells
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AHwGp-t27MCastigation- I think is ok
Benediction- really good
Hallowed ground- I hate it, just because I think exagerate levitate spells are well that... exagerate.
Divine Censure- It's ok is just I would like the spear to be gold like a holy light spear
Resurrectios- Awesome
Damnation- Cool
Devotion- Great
Exorcism- this is even worse
Judgement- Great again
I repeat I know this is not the finish work, but I think probably devs want to know about our opinion in this.
Conclution, so for me less is more, exagerate animations like doing a lot of moviments (Like the first fire ball mage animation) or levitation just doesn't looks cool or epic.
Want to know your opinion.
0
Comments
As for spell incantations, a few CRPG games use latin for incantations like Baldurs Gate for example:
Some ppl in comments even "decoding" the incantations to figure out their meaning and often sound awesome ngl. Hell, Latin is awesome so who's surprised lol
Our characters are professionals at what they do. They should have controlled and focused movements that are to the point. Not this interpretative dance non-sense I see sometimes.
At least that is how I feel about it.
If I had more time, I would write a shorter post.
Different people will have different design choices - can't please all of the people all of the time.
So, it's another case where Steven's vision holds the keys - and we know it's not going to please everyone.
I don't think we essentially need exaggerated animations to recognize some spells. Look at Exorcism and Hallowed ground in the video, they can do the same animation but the character standing on the ground with not necesary levitate two meters on the air.
This.
Animations need to be extra.
They went for something artistic.
My hypothesis is that the lead animator was busy animating other stuff and Steven learnt how to make animations with levitation and got super excited about it.
I bet that fireball animation was Steven who made it
The "spell" part of the animation can be exaggerated while maintaining non-exaggerated movements.
This is a extreme example of what I think works really well in a very old game:
Again this is just my preference. I think games have gone too far down the rabbit hole of trying to make animations look epic. With these over exaggerated animations. There is no where to go. When you need a epic looking animation it just blends in because there are so many other epic animations. Nothing is epic if everything is epic.
Specifically "Hallowed ground" and "exorcism" are just too exaggerated for me. Everything else is alright.
If I had more time, I would write a shorter post.
But, that has got to be about the worst animation I have ever seen.
Somatic movements don't have to be so exaggerated. If you are doing a functional skill at a high level there is no reason to exaggerate you movements unless you are showing off. Showing off is something you would never do in a life or death fight.
If you want to look at D&D as an example. Every character has six seconds on their turn to both move and attack. They move an average of 30ft then aim and cast their spells. There is no room for goofing around with exaggerated somatic movements.
If I had more time, I would write a shorter post.
Somatic components being required to cast a spell is not showing off.
In table-top D&D, 6 seconds to cast a spell is fine because it can take several minutes for a player to decide which spell to use. Everyone knows what spell the player is using because the player calls it out... and all the players in the group have several minutes to then decide which abilities they which to use in response.
On the flip side, some settings could just have you just point a wand and shout a word - like in Harry Potter.
Which is why it ultimately comes down to the preference of the creator(s) of the setting.
Most games do absolutely nothing. They use a generic casting animation that often look stupid. The animations might be substituting for casting time. Which might also mean that some spells might not allow you to cancel them once they start. Which is a gameplay reliant system. Since this is unique in that it makes it harder for some ranged classes to constantly kite all day I can't exactly say that it should be changed.
I'm willing to wait and see how it works first. I don't even know if this is the only way to cast every spell. There could be an overcharging system to cast a spell for double it's effect that take longer for all I know. It would make sense to show those off if it is a thing even if the audience doesn't know about such a system yet.
I don't necessarily think it has to be the same as every old game just because it's never been done before. Depends on if they add additional particle effects and if I can turn those off or not. Also on how it plays in the long run. If it has gameplay repercussions for being that way then I'm fine with it staying that way.
U.S. East
I hate everything about everything you just linked. I can't change the way I feel on that.
This is the kind of stuff that is going to push people away from the game. A large amount of people are already missing out on FFXIV because it is too anime for them.
These Naruto hand gestures you linked would cost the game subs for sure. I think they would scare away more people than they could ever hope to attract. For every one weeb that signs up you scare away two people that just like traditional fantasy.
Gandalf just points his hands or staff in the direction he wants the spell to go in. To me this is better in every way.
If I had more time, I would write a shorter post.
U.S. East
Can't please all of the people all of the time. Different people will have different deal-breakers.
But, it really does come down to the preferences of the creators crafting the setting.
It is not an ignorant argument. Those anime animations do scare away subscribers. I would bet at a rate that is higher than it attracts.
You are talking to a guy who likes anime to some degree. I have even been a Touhou fan since IN if that appeals directly to you, and your Cirno avatar (Marisa is the best BTW).
We have a oversaturation of mediocre anime inspired games with over the top animations, and normal people don't tend to want things to be that over the top. That is why this anime MMORPGs do so badly. FFXIV is the only "remotely" anime inspired MMO in the top ten right now by population. Every other one lives a life of less than 200-500k subs in a F2P dying state.
If I had more time, I would write a shorter post.
That I can agree with 100%.
Since this is a thread where we are stating our opinions and not deciding the fate of the game.
I plan to speak up on behalf of everyone who doesn't want exaggerated animations.
If I had more time, I would write a shorter post.
We understand that in 'fantasy reality' people would hide movements to protect themselves, but we are playing a game here. We need animations to react to.
I should have been more specific. I could be ok with some fancy movements as long as they are not exaggerated.
I mean specifically this levitate/jump thing is totally unnecessary and I don't like it.
Yeah, its 1000% Hallowed Ground and Exorcism I hate with these current animations. Everything else is great and to the point.
I have re-watched it every time its been posted. I am struggling to have a open mind on those two skills. I guess I can just say I hope ranger wont levitate for any of its skills. Seeing that I plan on playing something in the ranger family of classes.
If I had more time, I would write a shorter post.
Same.
I like anime yet I think that type of handy wavy-gestures are silly. That should go to the same place the old fireball animation went.
Complicated, shallow things that have no meaning, purpose, logic or aesthetic value.
I would prefer simple yet polished animation over that.
Money can buy many things except good taste.