21 replies to this topic

[Big Poppa]

Do you guys prefer the 3d bright ones or pen drawn ones. My thinking is both. One for the scrolls and book, the other for the quick icons. Your thoughts?

Here's a grease, armour and burning hand selection




Also for the colour scemes. It's easy if all damaging spells are red, summoning green, healing blue etc etc but on the other hand, it makes sense that fire ones are orange, ice ones of bright blue, acid are green etc etc. Again, your thoughts?

Edited by Big Poppa, 24 October 2008 - 01:12 AM.

[Jenne]

Do you guys prefer the 3d bright ones or pen drawn ones. My thinking is both. One for the scrolls and book, the other for the quick icons. Your thoughts?

For scrolls, I'd sure like to see the drawn icons. But for spells in the action bar, the bright ones are somehow better comprehensible - like, you know what spell it is at first glance.

Also for the colour scemes. It's easy if all damaging spells are red, summoning green, healing blue etc etc but on the other hand, it makes sense that fire ones are orange, ice ones of bright blue, acid are green etc etc. Again, your thoughts?

I'm pretty much used to the one-colour-per-school scheme, i wouldn't like any changes on that one.

EDIT: Damn typos.

Edited by Jenne, 24 October 2008 - 01:27 AM.

[Silinde Ar-Feiniel]

I prefer the drawn ones! It gives me a more "old good times" feeling and it surely fits my taste! Your thought of using both is quite intereesting. Also about the colours i support your "it makes sence" view. Well, a red cone of cold or ice storm is not the best... It's better to use colours based on the elements and not their casting nature (defensive, offensive,neutral, ...) Well, that's my view!

[Aliya]

I prefer drawn by hand, too. but 3D, is good too.

[Deathsangel]

Actually, for the drawn/3D thing I am totally with Big Poppa on this. 3D for quick pick, rest good all drawn.
Although I understand the point of Jenne, I reckon the approach you propose might be better. This, as I doubt you can find 9 well differianted colors without one having the 'Oh my god, my eyes... it burns!' quality, if you know what I mean.
I would suggest something along the lines of:
Red for damage
Blue for healing/restoration/aid and other positive energy spells (think protection from negative plane energy)
Purple for direct protection spells (armor, shield, globe of invulnerability, reflective shield)
Green for summoning
White for divination and other 'left over' spells

[Big Poppa]

Well I was thinking if the colour sceme was to stick that

red = damage spells via magic
orange = fire spells
light blue = ice spells
light purple = electric spells
Dark purple = Charm spells
Light Green = Summoning

Dark Blue = Protection and alteration
Yellow = Healing
White = Divinination


Those are the basic colours that seem to work well. Some colours just don't look good. They are also different enough to tell apart. The 3 non offensive colours would always blue good old blue, white and yellow.

[Icendoan]

<Read before posting, please>

Icen

Edited by Icendoan, 24 October 2008 - 08:18 AM.

[Deathsangel]

Well I was thinking if the colour sceme was to stick that

red = damage spells via magic
orange = fire spells
light blue = ice spells
light purple = electric spells
Dark purple = Charm spells
Light Green = Summoning

Dark Blue = Protection and alteration
Yellow = Healing
White = Divinination


Those are the basic colours that seem to work well. Some colours just don't look good. They are also different enough to tell apart. The 3 non offensive colours would always blue good old blue, white and yellow.

Problem with that scheme would be the damage spells that do more types of damage than just one of those named above.
P.s. Acid/Poison damage also not taken up in the scheme above

Edited by Deathsangel, 24 October 2008 - 11:01 AM.

[Big Poppa]

True but it's a general guide. If you aren't sure where it goes, then it's red I guess.

[Deathsangel]

True but it's a general guide. If you aren't sure where it goes, then it's red I guess.

Also note that I think for instance meteor does bludgeoning and fire damage. Red for two-type damage, orange for fire as blugeoning is not accounted for?
This is not annoy you (if so, sorry), but more as a they say indirect suggestion that though color icons are cool keep them general or be ready for some exceptions or perhaps a 'bin' category.
(other spells of same category: Black Blade of Disaster, and Mordakainnen (misspelled probably) Swords - Summoning or Damage? (Yes, my system also doesn't cover that))

[Big Poppa]

Like I said. it's a general guide. In playing around, I don't think a strict colour code works anyway. For example, the colour spray obviously needs colours in there.

Here's a grease, armour, burning hands, blindness and colour spray quick icons and scrolls




I think as long as all non offensive spells are blue, yellow and white. That way, you can instantly tell the difference between offensive and non offensive. Beyone that, you just can't be too colour specific.

Edited by Big Poppa, 25 October 2008 - 04:30 AM.

[Epantiras]

Honestly? I never payed attention on the meaning of spell colors! ;-) I've been told that even the color of spell animation can tell me which magic school they're from but I'm stupid and I never cared ~_^ but I believe that having a difference between offensice and non offensive is good, especially for characters who use invisibility or sanctuary or other spells that break if you cast offensive spells.

I like the drawn spell icon, they're good for scroll graphic. Colored icons look a bit out of place imho, especially in BG1, but no problem in using them for quick use bars. The bright colors help to make the icon stand out better

[Big Poppa]

Also, since we are on the topic of magic. I plan on magic all things magical very hard to come by as loot or very expensive (WITHIN REASON) as a sale item. If that's a weapon, item or a scroll. In terms of scrolls. That may mean that there is only one fireball scroll in the entire game, or maybe there are 2 or 3 but where they are is totally random, decided at the start of the game. That may mean that you find them early or may have to wait forever to bump in to one. If you don't tab everywhere them you may never find one. My thoughts being that, popular and effective spells were everywhere in bg2. You could have 5 mages in a party and give them exactly what you wanted in terms of spells. That would ALWAYS include magic missile, fireball, stoneskin etc etc. I plan on making you make the best of what you can get your hand on and certainly not having 2 or 3 mages who wang fireballs and kill everything in sight at the start of a battle. You could be taught by a guru to get an elusive spell but that would be VERY expensive and funds will not come easy either.

What are your thoughts on that?

Edited by Big Poppa, 25 October 2008 - 06:34 AM.

[Epantiras]

uhm, I agree about expensive and rare high level spells, but imho the low level ones should be a bit more common. Mages are very weak at early levels, it would be a shame if the only spells they could use were identify and color spray. Btw excuse my ignorance, but if I remember correctly you're using the BG2 engine, aren't you? So I guess there will be scroll containers. I remember filling the inventories of my BG1 characters with scrolls waiting for Dynaheir to gain enough levels to learn them!
Good idea about rarity of magical items (especially from the start), a sword +1 should be a miracle not a very common item - and btw +1 items are cash cows in BG

You could be taught by a guru to get an elusive spell but that would be VERY expensive and funds will not come easy either.

reminds me of Planescape: Torment = good

[Big Poppa]

Just a few more

Some I can't do any more justice to than IWD2 did so I just took theirs.

[Deva]

Wah at not being able to have five mages who wang things with fireballs. D:

On the other hand, the spell icons are looking great.

[Big Poppa]

Extract them and send em over dude or post em up. I will at least take a look

[Big Poppa]

Okay. I only want to install something as a last resort as I am using my clean install for my own mod at the mo. Does anyone have this mod installed who can send me these icons before I have to do things myself?