Casting and spell animations...lackluster?

[napalmninja]

As I said this is what I had envisioned battle animations to look like for FFXIV not the lazy half hearted animations that we have now.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-pzptgE4a4

Those spell animations would look awesome in FFXIV. Also doesn't FFXIII and FFXIV both use the same graphics engine so surely it wouldn't have been too hard to do something like it?

I approve of this message, +1

[Aravou]

I'm in agreement. The battle animations, weapon skill visual effects, magic casting visual effects, and magic spell visual effects are extremely lackluster in Final Fantasy XIV. The vast majority should be spruced up or redesigned entirely.

Here are some ideas for making things better.

1. Physics. SE touted how FFXIV used physics to help animate characters in the game. Why not take this further? Someone casts a wind spell, and everyone within range has there clothing and hair whipped about. A weapon skill with an explosive ending sends out a shockwave that kicks up debrie and jostles loose items, hair, and clothing. Cause and effect, adding to immersion.

2. Better use of lighting. Fire spells don't seem hot. Add better lighting effects to weapon skill and spell effects so that the plume of flame or spark of electricity feels like it's really there. DirectX 9 is easily capable of this.

3. Variety, variety, variety. One animation for 5 different weapons skills; not worthy of "next-gen" stature. One animation and visual effect for the casting of EVERY spell in the game regardless of magical class, tier, or weapon used; abysmally unworthy of "next-gen" stature. Please, add variety to these things. Every weapon skill animation and resulting visual effect should be unique and of its own. Each class of magic should have a different casting animation and visual effect. Heck, why not get creative and inspiring? How about, each class and tier of spell have it's own unique casting animation and effect. Why not even add some variation between casting animation and visual effect when using a wand, cane, radical, scepter.. and so on. Why not aspire to blow our minds, instead of giving us the same old dog and pony show.

4. Magic should be, well... magical. All magical and weapon skill visual effects and sound effect in the game, so far, seem lackluster. What's worse, they seem lackluster in comparrison to FFXI, an 8 year old aging last-gen MMO. That's a terrible thing for a Final Fantasy fan to have to admit. What could help this? Better visual design, sure. More artistic consideration, you bet. Better partical effects, yes please. More dynamic and advanced lighting of spell effects, absolutely. Eventual upgrade to DirectX 11 for PC players, enabling Next-gen elements such as volumetric objects (clouds, particles), go for it. There is so much that could be done, go all out.

Please, work hard to fix casting, magic, and weapon skill visual effects in Final Fantasy XIV. We know there are core game mechanics that need fixing, and those should come first. But, please, don't put this off too long. Magic is a huge part of what made the Final Fantasy franchise so unique and enjoyable. It must not be left in this state, or anything remotely similar.