Spell/Skill Visuals Idea [Feedback/Discussion]

Leukael

I had a thought regarding visuals that I thought I would float for consideration and feedback.

Idea: Spell and skill visual elements (particles, glow intensity, etc.) scaled with level? So, you have a visual form of progression alongside the level itself. It would lean into the organic/immersive nature of the systems (weather, node, etc.) in the game. It also makes sense that your abilities would be more visually impactful as you grow in power too.

What do you think? Spark any other ideas? I'd love to hear them.

Dezmerizing

Sounds really cool imo! *But* I would like to recall that players would have the option to turn glow effects and stuff like that down to their own preference, so I am not sure how much of a difference it would make in the long run or if it would be worth the effort. (To be fair though, I have no idea how much effort would go into a design like that!)

daveywavey

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQVNrAUk4lE

Mag7spy

Sounds like more work for no reason and extra flash. Id rather have progression from casting higher lvl spells as what will already be in the game.

TheDarkSorcerer

So this is something I'd love to see as well but tied to upgrades. Visuals of a spell should slightly change as you add points into that spell, or upgrade/morph it (If they let us do that with skills).

Example for Mage:
Blizzard skill could increase radius of blizzard.
Black Hole skill could have greater reduction in movement speed if you upgrade it with effect slightly different looking.
Thundershock skill when upgrading could shoot forward a beam that hits several targets nearby etc.

Leukael

Mag7spy wrote: »

Sounds like more work for no reason and extra flash. Id rather have progression from casting higher lvl spells as what will already be in the game.

Sorry to necro thread just been busy. I'm not really suggesting creating new visuals. Rather, have a finished visual for the spell and then have it set for particle effects to be lessened based distance from max level. To @TheDarkSorcerer's point, it could be something reflective of talent point investment as well.

This would give us something to serve a visual way to observe our own power growth and create more immersion that is inline with the already existing features.

This would give us an intuitive and logical way to engage with the game. Think of a new players and our latest pvp feature of not seeing health details. These new players see people in the world using their abilities and have no idea how to be informed about power level of others. But the flashier stuff intuitively looks more impressive and is easy for them to understand "Oh okay that person is tough."

Whether Intrepid has the bandwidth falls under their purview. I am not here to think of what we can't do. I'm here to discuss ideas for them to consider and see if others would find value in it or not.

Leukael

daveywavey wrote: »

Yeah precisely. I like spells being a bit flashy but I prefer them to scale a bit ha ha.

HybridSR

The only feedback I have when it comes to current VFX is that the lightning ball literally brings down every single showcase. It's a terrible effect. Moreover it feels like there's always 5 mages and 5 of those skills cover half the screen. It's just awful and I cannot understand how they haven't realized that it makes the game look bad, which is a shame because I absolutely loved the latest ranger skills showcase.

That skill and its effects should be remade and ASAP. It's actually painful how it instantly destroys visual clarity every single that it's cast.

TheDarkSorcerer

HybridSR wrote: »

The only feedback I have when it comes to current VFX is that the lightning ball literally brings down every single showcase. It's a terrible effect. Moreover it feels like there's always 5 mages and 5 of those skills cover half the screen. It's just awful and I cannot understand how they haven't realized that it makes the game look bad, which is a shame because I absolutely loved the latest ranger skills showcase.

That skill and its effects should be remade and ASAP. It's actually painful how it instantly destroys visual clarity every single that it's cast.

I must agree on this. If they want this effect, increase cooldown or make it an ultimate with higher damage.
But visually it just takes up too much space. I would've rather it be like eso Wall of Elements (Fire/Lightning/Frost) at 0:35 seconds in.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvE5-4rhChE

Leukael

Felt the VFX could have used a bit of a lighter hand. Everything felt heavily done and not like with a sense of negative space you could say. They all looked well done in concept but needed to follow the Chanel rule of taking one thing off before you go out, if you get what I mean.

Some more recent games that had open alphas and early access had great examples of more subtlety in vfx.

Azherae

I personally want skills and spells to keep their 'bigger flashy versions' for when the weather matches up.

I feel this would be a positive experience, especially considering just how rare certain weather can be outside of (or even within) certain seasons.

hleV

Visual progression not ruined by cash shop? Sounds good to me.

SnowElf

I think that would be pretty spectacular. I assume for an example, Mage's fireball would increase in size and appearance graphically as they continued to level, or a rogues smokebomb would maybe increase in radius.

Kallysha

love the casting animation and vfx of meteor from dd2 as well the rock eruptions coming from underground (hoping with the rest of the levels missing we finally get for mage a meteor shower and some earth based spells at some point or even water ones) here thinking the second archetype class augmentation works somewhat similar with what i saw from eso based on what i heard from Steven about it).
eruptions
meteor
For ranger maybe something like Seeking Arrow i love the Faerie Fire vfx and Swoop(soulbeast) a huge leap forward with the sound of an eagle, could of have a phantasmal shape of an eagle or maybe a gryphon over the character while leaping
Fighter Elk charge which does an elk sound and could have a phantasmal shape of an elk over the character while charging (could also be a bull instead or even a Minotaur); i also know there is a skill that is similar to rage it could also make the toon increase in size
Summoner Flurry of Moths or actually 'fury of moths' 😁 the vfx is also so pretty similar to faerie fire but instead of butterflies its moths (that follow you instead)

some examples from some games (screenshots so no full showcase of the animation)

Kallysha

some more i really like Protective Solace;



Purifying Essence a spiral cascade of leaves falling down and a whirl of flowers near the ground



Riptide a majestic ballerina spin along with a water spiral splash