Curse

UberRusty · Jun 11, 2005, 01:55 AM // 01:55

Don't want to turn this into a huge long post which will take half an hour to read, so I'll be brief.

Guild Wars is a beautiful game, with beautiful scenery, and beautiful combat. So, when you have a skill called Firestorm, I expect huge flaming streaks raining onto the enemies and the whole area filled with explosions. What I see is thing golden streaks making a small undignified explosion on the ground that is hardly visible. It just doesn't cut it. =P Meteor storms should look like a Meteor Storm with the screen shaking and craters exploding into the ground, not little pebbles and small dust.

So I would like to suggest Anet have a new version of the spell effects that actually look amazing everytime you cast it. =D But there should be an option for those that may not like the new effects to switch back to the current spell effects.

If this is badly worded, I'm sorry, exhausted at the time of this post, but I think it's worded well enough for you to get my drift.

spiritofcat · Jun 11, 2005, 02:21 AM // 02:21

I agree, it would be nice to see some more spectacular effects.
Perhaps even let the players customise the effects on the client side with some form of visual effect scripting.

deathwearer · Jun 11, 2005, 03:27 AM // 03:27

Well doens't see anything really against it but.. there more urgent things

spiritofcat · Jun 11, 2005, 03:35 AM // 03:35

Yes, true. Gold Sinks are a much more pressing concern.

pionata · Jun 11, 2005, 04:19 AM // 04:19

The firestorm effect and meteor defitively need enhanced effects and should leave some debris or mark the landscape in some way. While the ele is casting it would be nice to see the cloud shaping up before the storm.

Also, it doesnt sound like a storm, the sounds for those 2 spells (earthquake also) need to be much more impressive)

spikydude · Jun 11, 2005, 04:42 AM // 04:42

Sure it could use some improvements.

Although I think some monk spells could use cooler effects. Like when you cast Aegis, you should be able to see Aegis (like a summoned NPC following you), then after the spell expires, he disappears.

Rhunex · Jun 11, 2005, 05:50 AM // 05:50

I like the idea of improving spells and what not, but at the same time I have to disagree with it(for now).

Mainly, there's just so much else of Guild Wars that needs to be updated. Grind, 15k Armor sets, Gold sinks, are just a few of those major things we need to get done.

While I agree with make the effects more flashy, it'd also be nice to remind people that they can't be TOO flashy, because it turn the heads of some people in the wrong direction. What I mean when I say that, is that a shaky screen may get the point across of a storm, but a lot of people have problems with things like that(eyes --> brain kind of stuff, just not good to tempt those kinds of things).

What I would propose to fix that, is an added part to options, where special effects could be toggled on/off at the very least(of course, having different levels would be nice, but uneeded).

But hopefully, the people looking on this site and giving the good ideas to the team will keep this post(and many others like it) in their bookmarks or on a notepad

ManadartheHealer · Jun 11, 2005, 06:03 AM // 06:03

ANet should put this on the "improve list", but under the current "crisis things"

Lilanthe · Jun 11, 2005, 06:26 AM // 06:26

I wonder if anybody of you played Kingdom Under Fire: The Crusaders on xbox.

When you cast meteor storm, the spell effect is just fantastic ! Giant rocks on fire falling from the sky... a really beautiful effect. But Guildwars meteor shower is just... dissapointing, it looks weak...

So I guess if the xbox console could handle such terrific beauty of meteor storms, I guess it should be good on PC too !

Aranador · Jun 11, 2005, 11:01 AM // 11:01

I think that ranger arrows should stick into people and trees and the ground. I think that my axe should cut bloody gashes out of people, and decapitates squishy casters. I think my pet should pounce on people and knock them down and tear their throat out.

Lots of graphics could do with being added - but - GW happens to run very smoothly on even modest systems, and still look good. Maybe the graphics designers were trying to make a playable game that wouldnt lag everyone to oblivion the moment one mage decided to use his rain of lag spell ?

Keure · Jun 11, 2005, 11:10 AM // 11:10

I think how it would be done is that people would elect to display however much graphics they would want to have displayed. Kinda like how people can select terrain quality and shadow quality, people would be able to select spell visual effect quality (for example, Neverwinter Nights). Then everyone should be happy, right?

Anyway, while it would be cool to have this I don't want to put this on a priority above, say, economy changes or PvP unlock mechanics changes.

UberRusty · Jun 11, 2005, 09:18 PM // 21:18

Quote:

Maybe the graphics designers were trying to make a playable game that wouldnt lag everyone to oblivion the moment one mage decided to use his rain of lag spell ?

Refer to my first post:

Quote:

But there should be an option for those that may not like the new effects to switch back to the current spell effects.

Rieselle · Jun 11, 2005, 10:13 PM // 22:13

It's definitely possible to add better spell effects without impacting performance. Take Meteor[Storm] for instance. Just by changing some of the "dust" particles into fiery spark particles, and it would look much better right there. Also if they slowed down the rate of the meteor's fall so you can get a better look at that huge rock falling down

It's a common PC gamer misconception that you need more pc power to make things look better. You don't, you just need artists with a good sense of style (for carnage, not for fashion or other stuff

.

I'd also like to see unique animations given to the warrior's special attacks - Final Thrust should actually be a thrust, Hundred Blades should have that "multi-blade" effect from anime (and is hinted at by the icon) etc.

The big problem is Necro/Monk/Mesmer spells - they're all so abstract that they usually just involve placing some sort of symbol... it's hard to think of cool looking effects for those. (Except maybe backfire - see the caster winding up for his spell then a purple explosion blows up in his face - I'd like to see that!

Gerbill · Jun 12, 2005, 11:15 AM // 11:15

Kind of weird though, the firestorm spell doesn't deal THAT much damage, so it would look like WOW EXPLOSIONS HUGE FLAMING AIRSTRIKES WOW... n then you see like 15-20 dmg per hit.. bit strange

pionata · Jun 12, 2005, 04:29 PM // 16:29

10sec x 32dmg x 3foes = 960 dmg... (at least mine does 32 dmg)

Thats a lot of damage...

Mercury Angel · Jun 12, 2005, 06:59 PM // 18:59

A maelstrom by definition is a violent whirlpool...
Maelstrom's effect is a tiny little cute blue ring on the ground that you barely even notice.

Edit:
Also, there're some spells that could use editing to be more visible.
Eruption and Symbol of Wrath for starters. The wrath of Balthazar is pounding down onto the ground, and you can't even see it for the most part? An eruption is occurring and all that appears is a faint dust patch?

UberRusty · Jun 18, 2005, 05:27 PM // 17:27

Yeah, the Monk effects are kind of... shabby. :P Also the ice spell effects and lightning effects need some buffing up too. I've just concentrated on the fire spells because Fire Eles seem to have the biggest damage factor and those spells just ain't pimping his damage.

Big Fat Duck · Jun 19, 2005, 05:03 PM // 17:03

I made a thread like this too, here are some of my spells that suck graphically
Whirling Defense = Yellow 2d Circle that disappears after 1 second
Whirlwind = Blue 2d circular blob
Final Thrust = My guy just spins around
All monk skills = Blue dots and such
All bow skills = Small yellow glowing arrow
Eruption = just some dust getting kicked up
Earthquake/Aftershock = some dirt kicked up, no shaking
Fireball = looks like hes throwing a orange or something
All warrior weapon attacks = red/colored trails on weapons while doing a common attack animation

UberRusty · Jun 29, 2005, 05:16 PM // 17:16

Well personally I think the Warrior effects are fine. :P It also helps when someone's using deadly riposte or any of the other "anti attack skills" skills and they don't see my red coloured trail coming.

But yes, I've recently started a E/Mo (well actually I started it yesterday, I am now a level 8 in Sanctum Cay), and the spell effects are unsatisfying. Hopefully Anet will put this on their back catalogue. =)

elvhen · Jun 29, 2005, 05:19 PM // 17:19

heh even rangers could have some cool effects, such as ignite arrows, wouldnt you be scared to see a burning arrows coming towards you?not a sparkly one?(dont be scared the max dmg is only 12)