Curse

Big Fat Duck · Jun 16, 2005, 10:18 PM // 22:18

I know there are lots and lots of spells in Guild Wars, but for god sakes.. all of the spells have the most boring effects! Here are some examples. 'Whirlwind' is a freaking blue 2d swirly blob that projects 2 feet around your character. Fireballs are the sizes of people's fists. 'Eruption' looks like something that kicks up some dirt for a few seconds. Chain Lightning looks nothing like chain lightning, i dont even see the lightning jump in between players. Whirling Defense is a yellow 2d blob. All the adrenal skills are just different variants and colors of a regular warrior attack. If anything is wrong with guild wars, its the bland skill graphical effects.

Elythor · Jun 16, 2005, 10:41 PM // 22:41

FYI: Lightning does jump across between people. Try turning up your graphic settings.

Otherwise I think GW's spell graphics are fine. Imagine doing Tombs at the Burial Grounds map with huge crazy graphics. Your game will turn to a halt.

I'd rather have them improve the shadow effects in the game. Something like NWN would be sweet.

Talesin Darkbriar · Jun 16, 2005, 10:43 PM // 22:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big Fat Duck

I know there are lots and lots of spells in Guild Wars, but for god sakes.. all of the spells have the most boring effects! Here are some examples. 'Whirlwind' is a freaking blue 2d swirly blob that projects 2 feet around your character. Fireballs are the sizes of people's fists. 'Eruption' looks like something that kicks up some dirt for a few seconds. Chain Lightning looks nothing like chain lightning, i dont even see the lightning jump in between players. Whirling Defense is a yellow 2d blob. All the adrenal skills are just different variants and colors of a regular warrior attack. If anything is wrong with guild wars, its the bland skill graphical effects.

You know, when you say things like this, it just makes you sound like...a big fat duck.

Obviously you are using another game as your role model. Come on now, out with it - were you playing XBox earlier?

Tal

zman_acura · Jun 17, 2005, 01:09 AM // 01:09

so you want them more like fable, eh?

Tuna · Jun 17, 2005, 01:40 AM // 01:40

My only complaint is crystal wave. Wow, do those little dots really do 106 damage!

theclam · Jun 17, 2005, 01:45 AM // 01:45

I think the game balances performance and graphics pretty well. Plus, after a while, you tend to ignore how nice the graphics look.

pionata · Jun 17, 2005, 05:01 AM // 05:01

But he has a point, the spell effect should be improved. The spells sound FX also.

Eclair · Jun 17, 2005, 05:23 AM // 05:23

They should have an option so that if you want to see pretty graphics, u have an option to do so on your system. This way people who want performance over pretty-ness can have their way, while people who want to see the screen explode can have theirs too XD

Snowman · Jun 17, 2005, 09:26 AM // 09:26

Yes I agree also,

and you dont have to look very far to see what he means..

Consider the ancient old game of Dungeon Siege, if noone has ever played this then I suggest hunting out some screenshots, the effects in that old game are amazing they DONT croud the screen and really does add visual pleasure to what are otherwise common and repetativly used spells.

Then look closer to this time zone.. City of heroes, WoW, Everquest.. they have large breathtaking effects which add to the game rather than be a bother

But its not just a complaint about 'nice effects' .. exagerated spell effects makes it easyer to identify 'key' spells which are being cast by both your enemy AND your friends!..

Imagine if Traffic lights wernt lights at all.. but were just words like STOP...or.. 'I'm changing to green in bit so im warning you..

The biggest complaint our Guilds Monks Mesmers and Elementalist have is that its difficult to keep track of exactly whats going on with regards to spells and hex's etc.. because they have to READ the spell in question rather than simply observe an effect.

Those who suffer from dyslexia kind of DEPEND highly on visual effects.. 1 in 5 adolescent males suffer from this, and most of those play computer games.

So there is an argument not only for visual pleasure but for easyer understanding of the battle field for all magic users.

Having smaller discreet visual effects are more of a problem than ones which croud the screen.. this for the likes of me is a fact!

The Snowman

Big Fat Duck · Jun 18, 2005, 04:10 PM // 16:10

yeah most of the time no one knows whats happening to them when those blue stars engulf the body, could it be healing seed? healing spring? mursaat tower taking mana? Essence bond? it could be ANYTHING and they all have the same sound

Nainara · Jun 18, 2005, 05:13 PM // 17:13

I have to agree that the visual effects of spells and skills in Guildwars are very low-key. Playing as a mesmer, for example, has got to be one of the most visually unfulfiling professions in this game, or any game of the rpg genre for that matter. The effects of virtually all mesmer skills are limited, for the most part, to the caster making the casting gestures and a purple arrow appearing in the victim's healthbar.

Many other skills are nearly impossible to discern from regular attacks, such as hunter's shot, lightning orb, and warrior attacks, to name a few. Battle stances, too, are indistinguishable from the normal character stance.

I think the overall lack of flashiness among the skills graphics is somewhat detremental to pvp play as well, given that from the graphical effects alone, it's fairly difficult to see what is transpiring on the battlefield. I recently recorded a video of my air elementalist completely trouncing a team in the random arenas. When I showed it to a friend of mine who isn't acquainted with Guildwars, she just looked confused and noted that the only evidence of my uberness that she could see were the large yellow numbers that floated above my opponents from time to time.

Tactical-Dillusions · Jun 18, 2005, 05:18 PM // 17:18

I like the graphics, i think they are awesome. I do wish i could turn down the background brightness/see more brightness from the spells but i can live with it.

If i were to see something graphically improved, it would be footprints in the sand from my lizard, or at least tail scuffs.

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

One of the main reasons holding back one of my friends from buying guild wars is that the combat doesnt look as 'sweet' as any of the other similar rpgs hes played.. i know thats a really crappy reason , but hey, its true

Snowman · Jun 19, 2005, 05:27 PM // 17:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big Fat Duck

One of the main reasons holding back one of my friends from buying guild wars is that the combat doesnt look as 'sweet' as any of the other similar rpgs hes played.. i know thats a really crappy reason , but hey, its true

sad that such people exist.

Not really interested in voting for better graphics just to apeal to the likes of him. Players like that are better left to whatever they are doing..

We need larger graphic effects to assist existing players in the meta game not to attract new "judge a book by its cover" kind of shallow minded gamers.

Such gamers loose interest quickly, slag the game off, slag the people who become elite through practice, de-motivate everone and I cant wait until GW players like that leave the game.

lol, sry

The Snowman.