One thing that really was awesome in the original EQ was progressive spell effects that was removed later for the sake of making people feel more powerful at level 1 so they don't feel so weak at low levels.
However, this was ONLY done for the new player experience to hook them. It's not worth it -- here's what ends up happening:
Your level 1 fireball spell looks IDENTICAL to your max level fireball spell.
This is extremely discouraging. It has a lack of progression feeling and makes you look forward to nothing. In oldschool EQ, when you saw a high level buff you with the tricolor crazy particles, you FEEL stronger (not just because it's a stronger spell).
This really helps with the immersion, gives you "heroes" as you see them, and just feels so cool when you're both around them and reach the point where YOU can do that, too.
Purely for aesthetics.
EDIT: Is this the feedback section for in-game feedback? Or only "STORE" feedback? If I'm posting in the wrong place, let me know where to go ;D
Haha yes this subforum is only for feedback about the online store.
The question is still a good one and has been brought up a few times before. Joppa has said that spell effect progression is something he'd like to get in game, but hasn't really finalized it yet because it needs to be done in such a way that as spells get more powerful over time, your screen isn't cluttered with so many spell effects that you can barely tell what's going on, especially in a raid. And that's easier said than done.
I would love to see this return. I loved it in Everquest, as my spells got more powerful the particle effects got grander (both more particles, and added particles), but it was still based off of the lower level particle effects, so you could see the progression. For raid purposes, it would be nice if once X number of particle effect sources (such as spells) were on the screen at one time, it dumbed them down to the lower levels to reduce the amount of particles on the screen. So in a raid while fighting it would be likely all of your spells would look like the particle effects you had at 1st level, just to make it easier to see what's going on.
Spell particle scaling is a nice thing I loved about eq. When you're about to die struggling against a mob and that halo of blue stars envelops you, giving you 100% of your life and ensuring your victory. You turns around, looking at this shiny plated paladin that made your day, his spell revived you in the glimpse of an eye.
Holystar begins to cast a spell.
You feel a little better.
Oh yeah, that was a lvl 50 casting minor healing.
I loved the effect but not how it was attached
to your sole level and not to your spells. Minor healing at 50 looked like a shower of blue, still the spell was capped in output at lvl 6, no reason to further increase the effect.
Also hybrids should get less particles effect due to their spell beeing less potent and an addition to physical skills.
MauvaisOeil said:Spell particle scaling is a nice thing I loved about eq. When you're about to die struggling against a mob and that halo of blue stars envelops you, giving you 100% of your life and ensuring your victory. You turns around, looking at this shiny plated paladin that made your day, his spell revived you in the glimpse of an eye.
Whew, I could totally feel that. Everyone's had this EQ experience at least once. But yeah, I see what you mean about it being attached to level and not the spell. I half agree! I believe PRE-cast should match the level, and the post-cast should match the spell.
So an experienced Paladin SHOULD have a brilliant effect when casting it -- after all, he knows it all, including the tricks of the trade. It's cool if HE (or his hands, you know - a precast) glows when casting it...... but if you cast, say, minor heal, it should only deliver minor spell effects to the target. This is something EQ didn't consider.
Xblade said: Since the majority of gameplay will be spent NOT raiding, it'd be nice to have this then just add a few options for particle density/opacity. Or a "raid mode" that limits the sheet amount of particles like the guy above mentioned.
I think this is a great idea. A "raid mode" that can be customizable, but as a default lowers all particle effects, shadows, etc. Good thinkin' .
I was watching a friend play EQ and saw a high elf female in GFay cast a spell with some crazy spell effects (I believe she was high level). I had been playing MUDs and Diablo and some other games. I immediately went out and bought / subbed for EQ based on that experience. Very very powerful stuff.
