Spell Animations

[finiteHP]

It makes sense to me that all CNJ spells have the same animation because you are calling upon the power the same way for all of them. I would have a problem with THM, CNJ, and ARN (is that the correct abbreviation?) all having the same animation though. I'd be very happy if a job's spells had a different stance than its respective class' spells. Of course this is largely because I really like the new CNJ spell animation.

[NoctisXZ]

I just wanted to add something to the argument. I think it's almost hypocritical to find the wealth of weapon skill animations perfectly acceptable but when it comes to the lack of spell casting animations I am somehow knit-picking the game.. shouldn't there be some form of balance between the two?

It's almost disgraceful when you compare the footage side by side.. the spells and casting animations are bland as can be while the weapon skill animations and effects are so over the top. I'm not asking for each and every spell to have a different animation.. but the LEAST that can be done is alternate casting animations or something of that nature.

I'm starting to believe that a friend of mine is right.. that no one really cares that much about the magic in this game because everyone is mostly melee. It's tiresome when you're actually trying to have a reasonable conversation about a certain aspect of a game and all you get is two different extremes.

I fail to see how this thread is ridiculous or can be seen as myself just complaining. I am voicing a concern, telling you why I feel that way, and giving solutions. That's constructive as can be.. what's not constructive is people coming in here and having absolutely nothing to say besides the fact that they think this whole topic is rather silly.

As I have said before. Is this a game breaker? No.. it's not. But could it improve the game by just a little.. yes. They obviously want things to be more free flowing and organic so I fail to see how making the same motion over and over like a robot is that...

[Andrien]

THM/BLM is getting this casting animation. I like what I'm seeing now, and of course more unique animations will be like adding ice cream with the cake.

[Jinrya-Geki]

It makes sense to me that all CNJ spells have the same animation because you are calling upon the power the same way for all of them. I would have a problem with THM, CNJ, and ARN (is that the correct abbreviation?) all having the same animation though. I'd be very happy if a job's spells had a different stance than its respective class' spells. Of course this is largely because I really like the new CNJ spell animation.

That shouldn't be a train of thought though for spellweavers. Just because you can summon a weak spirit with minimal effort one way, doesn't mean you can use the same movement summoning an extremely powerful spirit.

The same goes for elemental magic as well. The more powerful you want it, the more incantations/preperation/ingredients you need for it. This one spell getting stronger over time makes a little sense, but for only so long.

[Wolfie]

I must thank you for the laugh you just provided me. Your excuse for the lack of varied spell casting animations is that it would cost to much?

Yes. And it's a very good excuse, given that motion capture is actually exceedingly expensive both in terms of time and monetary costs. Depending on how complex your movements need to be and how many takes you go through before you're satisfied, it's going to be from a few hundred thousand dollars, stretching into the millions of dollars. High quality mocap studios are expensive, and the mocap athletes themselves can also be expensive.

Do you think all of that is going to be recouped by having a little more variety in some motions that the vast majority of players are not going to care about and, most likely, not even notice?

And yes.. I know that these are low tier spells but when I have to look REALLY hard to be able to see what it is that I've just cast that IS a problem. And in that video it was a solo fight.. magic is going to be totally lost in party play if that's the basis for spells.

And now you're exaggerating. I'm calling bulls**t.

[Neptune]

The wiggling has to stop. I hope they go back to the drawing board if their goal was a more involved looking cast animation. I'd take the old standing still and concentrating animation every day and twice on Sunday. What mage is going to sit there wiggling? Do you think I want to raid Bahamut's Lair for some awesome Darklight, go outside, and start wiggle dancing something to death?

[Andrien]

The wiggling has to stop. I hope they go back to the drawing board if their goal was a more involved looking cast animation. I'd take the old standing still and concentrating animation every day and twice on Sunday. What mage is going to sit there wiggling? Do you think I want to raid Bahamut's Lair for some awesome Darklight, go outside, and start wiggle dancing something to death?

I think you have bad taste in this subject. That is just my opinion, you're entitle to have yours, don't take it personally.

[Nayto]

I'm starting to believe that a friend of mine is right.. that no one really cares that much about the magic in this game because everyone is mostly melee.

Could of sworn BLM burn was the thing to go in 1.0. Then again maybe that's why people are not caring, because they're just used to BLMs just destryoing w/e with thundaga and mindlessly doing it over and over again.

Though, if that would still be the case. It would be nice if they had different animations for different 'levels' of cast. If going to second tier magics (-gas) i'm hoping that the cast time would be longer, and have a more 'focused' cast animation. So far we've got two animations for two different times.

And like one of the posters said, I really would like different stances for each mage class. It would actually make each mage class feel more unique.

[Crevox]

Yeah, I gotta say I really do not like the new cast animation. The different classes might have different cast animations (I hope) but I really just don't like this current one.

It's not a huge deal though. I'm only posting cause I saw the thread; it's not a gamebreaker for me or anything.

[Neptune]

I think you have bad taste in this subject. That is just my opinion, you're entitle to have yours, don't take it personally.

Well I can't argue with that, lol. If you want to wiggle around you're certainly entitled to that.