Jump to content
Black Chicken Studios Forums

~ Suggestions & Improvement ~


Hawkey
 Share

Recommended Posts

(I've searched for this, but I might have overlooked it, so apologies if this has been discussed)

 

I was wondering, why don't spells increase your skills permanently...what was the design idea behind it?

 

Spells are pretty massive in the game, you don't just throw them around (heck you need a whole afternoon to cast them), so why don't they increase your abilities permanently? It would fit in; if you manage to cast some hard spells your skills for that school increase not just for a few days, but for the rest of your life...

 

I also feel (this is completely personal, so I'm not saying that the current system lacks in any way), that the rewards are not satisfactory enough. Sure you get some nice boost, but all of it vanishes after a little while. As a soon-to-be mighty spelllobber I would like to think that my spells have at least some lasting effects on the world around me...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There are soms spells that do give a permanent increase in skills. I just cannot name them from the top of my head and we still need to add a lot of spells to the wiki.

 

Oh, I wasn't aware of that! Thanks :unsure:

 

And by the way, just to clarify, I didn't mean that permanent increases should replace the current ones, but rather to have some "you've learnt how to twist your tongue better during that incantation, so you've increased your tongue-twisting skill by 1" smallish gains next to the true effects of the spells...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

(I've searched for this, but I might have overlooked it, so apologies if this has been discussed)

 

I was wondering, why don't spells increase your skills permanently...what was the design idea behind it?

 

Spells are pretty massive in the game, you don't just throw them around (heck you need a whole afternoon to cast them), so why don't they increase your abilities permanently? It would fit in; if you manage to cast some hard spells your skills for that school increase not just for a few days, but for the rest of your life...

 

I also feel (this is completely personal, so I'm not saying that the current system lacks in any way), that the rewards are not satisfactory enough. Sure you get some nice boost, but all of it vanishes after a little while. As a soon-to-be mighty spelllobber I would like to think that my spells have at least some lasting effects on the world around me...

 

I personally don't agree with that view. While magic is very powerful I don't think it is everlasting. See it like taking a drug; while it allows you to do things you normally can't, the effect doesn't last forever.

 

The reason why it works this way is quite simple; if it were everlasting every sorcerer, witch, anything with magic power would soon be better than an archmage. Why study for something if you can just magically increase yourself? While I agree that some spells should have better effects, I quite like the idea of them being temporal boosters. Otherwise the game would quickly become boring as not only you, but every student would have lvl 10 everything.

 

That is just my personal opinion though, but I have to admit your idea isn't wrong/bad either.

 

However I am going to ask you; do you think that lasting spells would make the game more fun/keep it interesting longer? If so I'd like to hear mor about your idea's for them. (We might be able to use that for the mod.)

 

 

EDIT: my apologies I was writing while you made another post.

 

That approach is much better in my opinion, all though I do think we would need a new section then in the skills group. Now we have parent skills and subskills, which would become the theory side. Your side would increase the practical skill of such groups. If that is what you had in mind I'd be thrilled to see that worked out. As I stated earlier in a topic that by practicing we should be able to go above 10. This would be a good alternative.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm not sure the fun factor of the game could be increased without actual magic :unsure:

 

Seriously, no. The only reason the thought crossed my mind is because my current protege fails almost every spell (it's a miracle he hasn't imploded himself yet...) and when ha actually manages to do something, I feel that the afternoon I spent on that spell could have been made better by adventuring, exploring, chatting up friends, etc.

 

It's not really the rewards spells give you or don't, but rather that when I manage to cast a spell (a great feat for me as I've said) I want it to somehow stay with me.

 

I'm not sure that makes sense...:lol:

 

EDIT to this:

 

That approach is much better in my opinion, all though I do think we would need a new section then in the skills group. Now we have parent skills and subskills, which would become the theory side. Your side would increase the practical skill of such groups. If that is what you had in mind I'd be thrilled to see that worked out. As I stated earlier in a topic that by practicing we should be able to go above 10. This would be a good alternative.

 

Yeah, exactly something like that! There could only casting skills which would level up by successful (and unsuccessful) spells, and they would help you in the actual process of casting spells. This way the temporary grand effects of the spells would still play the major role, but there would be also a constant advancement factor...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm not sure the fun factor of the game could be increased without actual magic :unsure:

 

Seriously, no. The only reason the thought crossed my mind is because my current protege fails almost every spell (it's a miracle he hasn't imploded himself yet...) and when ha actually manages to do something, I feel that the afternoon I spent on that spell could have been made better by adventuring, exploring, chatting up friends, etc.

 

It's not really the rewards spells give you or don't, but rather that when I manage to cast a spell (a great feat for me as I've said) I want it to somehow stay with me.

 

I'm not sure that makes sense...:lol:

 

EDIT to this:

 

 

 

Yeah, exactly something like that! There could only casting skills which would level up by successful (and unsuccessful) spells, and they would help you in the actual process of casting spells. This way the temporary grand effects of the spells would still play the major role, but there would be also a constant advancement factor...

 

My thinking here during most of my spell creations was that I know how I play a game; once I find an exploit, I hammer it home until I can brutalize everything. There are some things in the game like that, of course, but if you could amp up certain skills within the first 4-5 months of game play, you could cruise through the game with hardly a fail, which would kill the fun. I agree with the drug concept in that it is temporary. If the increase is temporary, it forces you to make choices about how to spend your time, i.e. do you want a larger increase in skills that is only temporary, or do you want to spend your time permanently increasing said skill by marginal steps? That was my thinking for my spells, but I can't speak for the rest of BC :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Permanent attribute increasing spells that can be cast repeatedly invariably leads to singularity, even the temporary ones are dangerous.Let me pick an example at random: You make a spell that increases your intelligence, then use your newfound intellect to make a spell that is better at increasing your intelligence. Eventually you'd discover or invent a way to make it permanent. Then you use that spell to make even more powerful versions until you transcend and become post-human.

 

Which might actually be a nice plot hook, to cast such spells the big bad evil would need certain reagents, such as draining a magical nexus of power and exotic materials and you'd have to stop him before he's intelligent enough to foresee and stop every action you can take. Or just blast you off the planet. I'd ask for mod tools, but this is not 1st year material =(.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Which might actually be a nice plot hook, to cast such spells the big bad evil would need certain reagents, such as draining a magical nexus of power and exotic materials and you'd have to stop him before he's intelligent enough to foresee and stop every action you can take. Or just blast you off the planet. I'd ask for mod tools, but this is not 1st year material =(.

 

...and I just wanted to avoid getting hit in the face by potions everyday...:)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Permanent attribute increasing spells that can be cast repeatedly invariably leads to singularity, even the temporary ones are dangerous.Let me pick an example at random: You make a spell that increases your intelligence, then use your newfound intellect to make a spell that is better at increasing your intelligence. Eventually you'd discover or invent a way to make it permanent. Then you use that spell to make even more powerful versions until you transcend and become post-human.

 

Which might actually be a nice plot hook, to cast such spells the big bad evil would need certain reagents, such as draining a magical nexus of power and exotic materials and you'd have to stop him before he's intelligent enough to foresee and stop every action you can take. Or just blast you off the planet. I'd ask for mod tools, but this is not 1st year material =(.

 

Yes that is my point exactly.

 

However I do stand by my idea of a different set of "practical" skills that can only be raised by events or actually using spells. Which is something I am currently looking into to see if I can do such a thing in a mod.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Spells in this game is more like drugs in other games. In others, you can have certain limit put in the number of drugs you take. in this game, that limit is the expiration of spells. Spell can be massively overpowered if that limit ever be lifted, or provide permanent effects.

 

Example: Revision spell (There's other for each class, I take this)

 

Cast a Revision spell Joker in the midst with a Revise pheme, you got increase to+2 lvel. Cast it again, this time add 2 pheme, you got +4, in total this mean +6. Do it till +24 or better. Stop. Devise a Joker with another pheme . Bam! Now you got 100% chance of skill increase in that. Do the thing require that attribute/skill. Certain win, although a bit fiddly stuff.

 

Now imagine a permanent effect in a pheme. No matter how hard the requirement we use that above trick we can satisfy it... Overpower!

 

I have recommendation for NOT changing the magic system as it is. The only thing I want is more detailed info, that's all.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Spells in this game is more like drugs in other games. In others, you can have certain limit put in the number of drugs you take. in this game, that limit is the expiration of spells. Spell can be massively overpowered if that limit ever be lifted, or provide permanent effects.

 

Example: Revision spell (There's other for each class, I take this)

 

Cast a Revision spell Joker in the midst with a Revise pheme, you got increase to+2 lvel. Cast it again, this time add 2 pheme, you got +4, in total this mean +6. Do it till +24 or better. Stop. Devise a Joker with another pheme . Bam! Now you got 100% chance of skill increase in that. Do the thing require that attribute/skill. Certain win, although a bit fiddly stuff.

 

Now imagine a permanent effect in a pheme. No matter how hard the requirement we use that above trick we can satisfy it... Overpower!

 

I have recommendation for NOT changing the magic system as it is. The only thing I want is more detailed info, that's all.

 

I completely agree with you (and everyone who says that these kind of perma effects would be overpowered), that's why I was thinking of some minor improvements, definitely not something of this magnitude.

 

Now that I've heard what you guys think, I tend to agree with your (and the game's) version on how spells work...but truth to be said, a clearer and more informative casting interface would be cool...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

mecharm;

 

We are making a step towards that in Patch 3, which I believe will take some of the guess work out. The selection screen now allows you to see both a clearer Description of the Spell, as well as the Description of the Pheme, when you roll over the chosen entity.

 

Awesome! Can't wait...:)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm finding myself restarting quite a bit, in order to get the familiar I want (I want that faux dragon, dammit! :)), which makes me wonder why I can't just choose the familiar I want during character creation. I know the reason, of course, but restarting 10 times in a row isn't really that much fun. I'm not sure if I think it should be changed, but I'd like to hear what other people think. Do you guys restart a lot, too, to get that special familiar you want?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm not sure the fun factor of the game could be increased without actual magic ;)

 

Seriously, no. The only reason the thought crossed my mind is because my current protege fails almost every spell (it's a miracle he hasn't imploded himself yet...)

 

Ooh, thats sounds fun!

 

Can we have spells that cause damage (or mutation) if you fail the casting?

 

And I vote we should have more permanent effect spells, so long as they still have a fixed duration to prevent exploitation of phemes. Consider the Astrology spell “Fill the Sky with Stars” which expands Art Appreciation and Playness by 1, and expands a relationship with someone. It has a duration of 8. Note that's Expand, not a temporary increase. Does anyone think thats overpowered? 'cause I don't.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't know if this has been suggested yet, but I find the small text window in the 'store/catalog' interface that displays what a given item does to be far too tiny to be practical. You can only see about 1-2 sentences at a time. Additionally, having you que an item up for purchase on click, even when you're just browsing the inventory, is a little counter-intuitive. Maybe a buy bucket similar to the knapsack/wardrobe interface in your room could be used?

 

I know, this probably can't be implemented in Year 1, but it would be nice if we could have a slightly easier time reading an item description in the store, at least. I'd like to know what it is that I'm offering to buy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't know if this has been suggested yet, but I find the small text window in the 'store/catalog' interface that displays what a given item does to be far too tiny to be practical. You can only see about 1-2 sentences at a time.

Indeed, maybe the info could be instead put into a tooltip that shows when the item is moused over, and the description space could be used to enlarge the shop ltself, or something?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Idea: random default classes.

 

Instead of arithmetic, astronomy, athletics, and sometimes Botany defaulted to after the 2/3 college-mandatory classes, have the optional classes be set to random courses instead of the top of the alphabetical order.

Or have default course lists for each school.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...