[dev1032] Spell Casting Animations Needs More Love

[PEANUT]

I agree with you Buckles!

[Aravou]

Oh definitely, I've been saying it for a while and all. Stuff the spell animations; if you ask me they look (and looked) alright. In fact, I rather liked the understated style, myself. It's the utter lack of variance in the casting animations and effects that need seeing to.

I can definitely see your point. As in nearly every Final Fantasy game of the past, the magnitude and visually impressive effect of magic scales with each Tier. I think it's reasonable to assume that the vast majority people don't expect Fire I and II, to be a "huge amazing explosion of supernatural living flame dancing about".. or anything. Although, it would be incredibly cool to see something like that implemented for Fire V or even Flare, maybe. One can only hope.

I'm with you, the beginning tier magic (which is really all we have access too at the moment) should be of a subtle design and nature. However, this doesn't mean they need to be rendered badly, as we both would agree. Currently, I think it's the general consensus that many spells are rendered badly, or are completely uninteresting.

Let's look at Fire I:

In it's present form, Fire seems to be little more than a simple sprite animation that briefly poofs onto an enemy, when cast. There seems to be a few particle effects; in the form of small smoke plumes that waft up from the fire. The flame itself is rather muted. It's not very bright, and this doesn't lend to convincing the player that the flame is actually there, burning the monster. It does scale to the size of the monster you are fighting. This scaling (along with the increase in size of spell effects introduced in a former patch) actually seems to work against the appeal of the spell. It's far to blurry, it's detail stretched and skewed to a point where it looses it's visual appeal.

If you compare the animation for Fire I to the animation for the fire that envelops the Bombard monsters of the summer event; there is a striking difference. The animation size and complexity is relatively the same, but the textures or shaders used on the Bombards is far more convincing, and appealing. It's not an overly dramatic animation, or effect; so, it isn't unreasonable to suggest that the dev. team should strive to reproduce this effect for Fire I, and above. It would be fitting, and far more appealing.

[Gidonoidon_Sur]

Though I agree whole-heartedly with the animations (or lack thereof) needing work, I would add to the suggestion that spell sound effects be revised along with any change in this matter.

Currently, magic only very faintly sounds like what is it. An example being when casting fire you can hear only a very faint "whoosh" of flames, which is 90% drowned up by what I can only describe as 'the metallic, laser vvruuunndgg' that comes hand in hand with all spells; it is like a longer, drawn out version of the sound that occurs when you select buttons (which thankfully you can disable).

Same goes with ice spells, you hear a minor 'csshink', but again mostly drowned out by the offensive 'vvruuunndgg' (btw, whoever can best phonetically spell the sound I am referring to will win the internet). Right now, the only spell that can get away with this universal drowning effect is lightening, since it does sound like lightening (although the faint, actual sound is much better)

If spells are designed in two parts, the part that affect the mob, and the purple 'wobble' in front of the player, I assume the sound we all hear the most of is the purple 'wobble'.

Am I alone in this dislike of the sfx, or are there others?

Great point Buckles. Hopefully if we keep this discussion goin we can get some feedback. Honestly lack of unique animations keeps me from play mages in this game and I think that is a problem.

[Buckles]

Great point Buckles. Hopefully if we keep this discussion goin we can get some feedback. Honestly lack of unique animations keeps me from play mages in this game and I think that is a problem.

Most definitely. I have a conj. level 1 that I have made just to ensure the name, but all the factors you and other people have mentioned in this thread have thus far kept me from playing him.

We all want the best possible experience while playing, because when starting any class we are in essence pledging to invest a vast amount of hours and effort into growing them. If, in return, we could see an increase in the amount of hours and effort into the making of the things that keep 'some of us' playing I think, at the end of it, everyone involved will come out feeling much better. Us players, because we have a class we can enjoy the look, sound and feel of, and the developers because they will have us players continuing to support FF14. Everything was rushed, we've felt the consequence of that for a year almost. I think now is a good a time as any to let the developers know where this rush is 'still' evident and what aspects of FF14 continue to let them down.

Balance is good, and everything that is being done to 'fix' the game as well as 'expand' the game is good; but I am a firm believer that cosmetics also play an important role in player retention.

[Firon]

I'd like to see them go back to using the Special Animations per Magic School like they did in XI. White Mage, Black Magic, and Blue Magic all casted with different character animations.

i hated the casting animations in XI cause your weapon just poofed into nothing why i like FFXIV casting animations

[Roll]

i hated the casting animations in XI cause your weapon just poofed into nothing why i like FFXIV casting animations

I don't mind my weapon disappearing as long as it looks better than the lackluster animations we have now tbh.

[PEANUT]

Devs pretty please some feedback!?

[Len]

Area of effect indicator from Final Fantasy XII: 1.

[Darrkness]

someone pointed out to me on another thread that its the weekend they probably don't work on the weekends....

[Roll]

Yeah I hope we get a reply on this eventually. *crosses fingers*