Darkstorn42 wrote: Mon Feb 10, 2020 1:54 pmIf that is not a 'magic supported mean to disguise yourself' then I do not know what one even is.
I'll be more specific - stoneskin and barkskin wasn't ever a substitute for disguise.
The reality is it was used in this regard for a while, or at least to augment. Especially before lore skill was heavily invested in you could use barkskin if you were, say a dark-toned drow roaming the surface, in the hopes that low lore players would see elf. Now lore is such a mandatory thing anyone will spot your race unless you are disguised.
Honestly though, you can easily assemble an alternative outfit that covers your skin so that it is not seen. This is much more in keeping than throwing up a barky overcoat on your face and shows a better investment in actually making a "disguise". Though it would be nice if we could get a generic hood model for all races, but I digress.
Ork wrote: Mon Feb 10, 2020 1:36 pm
Magic was never a supported means of disguising yourself. Only the bluff skill has that ability.
There have been many plots before disguise mechanism was a thing that used magic as disguise, including a famous monk once deceiving a famous villian by using polymorph potion to turn into a zombie and then pretending to be a dead corpse. These methods of course have never required the deceived party to go along with it, but rather how a lot of Arelith roleplay is give and take
Ork wrote: Mon Feb 10, 2020 1:36 pm
Magic was never a supported means of disguising yourself. Only the bluff skill has that ability.
There have been many plots before disguise mechanism was a thing that used magic as disguise, including a famous monk once deceiving a famous villian by using polymorph potion to turn into a zombie and then pretending to be a dead corpse. These methods of course have never required the deceived party to go along with it, but rather how a lot of Arelith roleplay is give and take
While your anecdotal is nice, my statement isn't incorrect. Players are more than welcome to roll with others actions in a give or take. Saying that spells shouldn't lose their VFX because of disguise is erroneous.
Ork wrote: Mon Feb 10, 2020 1:36 pm
Magic was never a supported means of disguising yourself. Only the bluff skill has that ability.
There have been many plots before disguise mechanism was a thing that used magic as disguise, including a famous monk once deceiving a famous villian by using polymorph potion to turn into a zombie and then pretending to be a dead corpse. These methods of course have never required the deceived party to go along with it, but rather how a lot of Arelith roleplay is give and take
While your anecdotal is nice, my statement isn't incorrect. Players are more than welcome to roll with others actions in a give or take. Saying that spells shouldn't lose their VFX because of disguise is erroneous.
Is calling it "erroneous" really the best choice of words? Seems a little strong/aggressive to me.
I mean, this seems whole discussion hinges on personal preference to keep or not keep VFX soley on the argument of "aesthetic appeal".
I think anecdotal experiences of VFX allowing RP oppurtunities (WYIWYG) is just as valid, if not more, than aesthetic preferences.
That being said, I agree that it is no substitute to disguising, but I don't think the player mentioning their preferences of keeping said RP potential believed it made them auto-win their bluff checks.
I believe more and more people are echoing my point from earlier. This is not about what is supported or unsupported, its about the give and take of RP, how bark skin, stone skin, elements protection, or any other VFX, can be used as an addition RP tool to enhance the experience that is Arelith. With the removal of those VFX, and no replacement, go with it all of the RP that came along with it, and the reason why I am very against it.
"Expecting infinite growth in a world with finite resources is the definition of insanity."
-Someone Somewhere
I'm very for it. Just in case the tide of opinion seems to be flowing one way.
As well as being ugly and for some poor people, very laggy/performance impacting, they are something that NWN added and have no basis (for most of them) in DnD. I know we are not DnD as written but its always been a personal bugbear of mine so I'm glad they are gone.
Ideal world for me personally would be no visuals for buffs and instead some spells added like Arcane Sight that let you be able to tell the spells active on a player - I can see how going that far might not be right for Arelith though.
As the above poster, I'm also just here to say I am for it if there is a count.
I can also understand how some might hate the fact they can't tell when their endure elements is gone, but I believe the visual was overkill anyway. Maybe some smaller visual is a solution.
The fact that my speakers don't explode with sparkly sound effects any time someone with PfE walks around a corner and into my line of sight is an indisputable blessing.
× Career Sharran × MILF Supreme × Artist (Allegedly) ×
› Will Trade Art For Groceries Again Eventually ‹
magistrasa wrote: Wed Feb 12, 2020 6:54 pm
The fact that my speakers don't explode with sparkly sound effects any time someone with PfE walks around a corner and into my line of sight is an indisputable blessing.
Thats nice for you but a lot of us actually like having some kind of indicator for when a DR spell expires mid combat.
KriegEternal wrote:
Their really missing mords and some minor flavor things.
I'm extra glad endure elements is gone. Seeing a group of 10+ with it on during any event is a particular form of eye-torture, and walking past a million shops, signs and other fixtures with endure elements cast on them is very annoying.
I really hope most of the VFXs leave and do not come back.
NWN has VFX to give visual feedback for PvE / PvP purposes. But in DnD mages and people savy with magic can at a glance (with some assistance) assume and examine what spells someone has on them and even their origin.
I'd love to see most non-conical things that are not visible to disappear or become less instrusive and for something like Read Magic and other spells to be included that list what you can see people. Both for strategy, the sake of GPU, and also because it makes magic more spooky.
Being able to examine someone, check their magic, durations, spells, type etc. Would be really cool and could be done via examine or other commands.
If lawyers are disbarred and clergymen are defrocked, shouldn't it follow that cowboys would be deranged?
Nitro wrote: Wed Feb 12, 2020 8:43 pm
A simple "detect magic" cantrip that can be targeted at someone and makes their buffs show up in the description for a short while would be neat.
Doesn't need to be a cantrip... What about just an ability tied to spellcraft and a roll. That is sort of the role anyways when you can see and know what they are casting. Something akin to taunt, or perhaps better an instant action or a feed line on their character inspection sheet. Perhaps it could get a boost from divination.
Nitro wrote: Wed Feb 12, 2020 8:43 pm
A simple "detect magic" cantrip that can be targeted at someone and makes their buffs show up in the description for a short while would be neat.
Doesn't need to be a cantrip... What about just an ability tied to spellcraft and a roll. That is sort of the role anyways when you can see and know what they are casting. Something akin to taunt, or perhaps better an instant action or a feed line on their character inspection sheet. Perhaps it could get a boost from divination.
I think this idea is really cool. It may just be an innate check. If you have spell craft and are attuned to the nature of the weave you start to see the VFX of spells, and they start to appear in peoples descriptions. So if your character knows what to look for, they see it, if they do not know what to look for, they do not see it.
(I like it being auto because once you learn something and start to see it everywhere you cannot choose to not see it when you want, but I just want my sparkles back, its important to me, and my characters concept. Honestly, I would take any visual, even if small, just something.)
"Expecting infinite growth in a world with finite resources is the definition of insanity."
-Someone Somewhere
magistrasa wrote: Wed Feb 12, 2020 6:54 pm
The fact that my speakers don't explode with sparkly sound effects any time someone with PfE walks around a corner and into my line of sight is an indisputable blessing.
I echo this. Next Id love if that one spell resistance spell that everyone puts on during expected PVP was invisible too.
Walking into line of sight of 20+ people and suddenly FWHOM FWHOM FWHOM always makes my game lag out.
Removal of barkskin and endure effects means you can wander about with extra AC and protection from elemental damage without anyone knowing your buffed not a big deal really?
It is because the game is designed to let others know your covered in magical protections.
Altering the visual cues makes the game more of a pain to play this is never a good thing.
Anyway said my piece it's unlikely to change lets hope they remove the premonition VFX next I hate that one plus then my sorc can wander around with elemental protection better AC and 30 DR.
chris a gogo wrote: Fri Feb 14, 2020 7:49 pm
Removal of barkskin and endure effects means you can wander about with extra AC and protection from elemental damage without anyone knowing your buffed not a big deal really?
There are a lot of undetectable buffs that matter more than barkskin and elemental resist. You can't detect if a character has death ward up, or zoo buffs or weapon buffs or magic vestment ..the list goes on.
chris a gogo wrote: Fri Feb 14, 2020 7:49 pm
Removal of barkskin and endure effects means you can wander about with extra AC and protection from elemental damage without anyone knowing your buffed not a big deal really?
There are a lot of undetectable buffs that matter more than barkskin and elemental resist. You can't detect if a character has death ward up, or zoo buffs or weapon buffs or magic vestment ..the list goes on.
It isn't a big deal.
Man, I totally agree with you.
Your explanation of undetected buffs seriously is good.
Anyhow, barkskin seriously just looks ugly.
Its almost always used for melees, and I swear that before its removed, I sometimes even forgot what my PC 'S outfit looks like when it's 70% of the times with Barkskin effect. Of course, that's just me only
Happy with the removal of barkskin and sad with the removal of Elements. Because elements is DR spell and an indicator to when it's consumed was nice to have.
KriegEternal wrote:
Their really missing mords and some minor flavor things.
Tossing my vote in favor of leaving the visuals and sounds as they were. Mostly the visuals - to me it just adds a little spice to see a group of fully warded PCs walk by, or prepping for a hunt or crawl. You know at that moment that something is about to go down, somewhere. Or if I'm part of it, it adds to the buildup before heading out. Plus I have seen plenty of RP with the effects, from the sparkles to the "bubble" of shield/healing spells. It's fun.
But, Barkskin can go. Personally found that one (and Stoneskin) awkward at best for RP.
I agree DR ones should be visible, both the caster and for foes. But the Elements one was an absolute culprit of number of crashes and FPS lag the amount of particles it spews out is insane. I have made a lesser version of this VFX but I want to give it some more effort before adding it in. The sound will go as well because that may (or may not) be the cause of soem crashes for players.
ActionReplay wrote: Sun Feb 23, 2020 11:24 am
I agree DR ones should be visible, both the caster and for foes. But the Elements one was an absolute culprit of number of crashes and FPS lag the amount of particles it spews out is insane. I have made a lesser version of this VFX but I want to give it some more effort before adding it in. The sound will go as well because that may (or may not) be the cause of soem crashes for players.
Could you possibly remove the VFX from the elemental resist spells on fixtures too? A lot of them are being cast to highlight fixtures in very busy thoroughfares that really messes with the stability going through there.
