I'd like to be constructive with my feedback here seeing the gameplay video of BG 3. I feel the skills' visual effect design is sacrificing immersion and the great opportunity for design contrast and instead of adding to the game, a lot of the times it detracts from it. Let me explain:
BG 3 seem to use the DOS design decision of using intense magical flashy effects for things unrelated to magic.
In the Baldur's Gate III gameplay video: A ranged skill of a marksman that pins down the enemy is a physical skill. It is archery... why is there swirling divine energy around me, why is there a magical soundeffect, why does the impact of a simple well-placed, skillfully shot arrow leave a divine blast of energy and a steel-ish sound? I don't really understand how this elevates the skill. It is like the sound and visual effects totally disregard the skill used (and the nature of the player's class), and instead of supporting the "spirit" of the skill, they go and fight against it.
This is present in DOS as well. Simple physical actions are portrayed with over-the-top visual effects, giving them a magical feel.
There is a warrior's charge, why do we add over-the top magical effects to that? I like my warrior's charge to be physical and powerful and gritty (including both visuals and sound). If I want to use magical spells, I choose a sorcerer. Or a non-magical beast jumps to engage the player, why is he jumping with a big swirl of magical energy (for example giant frogs in DOS)? I always felt this distracts and makes a mess of the game on the "feeling" level.
I understand it is giving the player visual feedback but I feel it is sacrificing a whole lot more. The simplicity would acts as a nice counterpoint to all the magic and flashiness, making the world more rounded. The contrast it would provide, I feel... would really elevate this game. (This contrast is present in the classics, I am not sure where did it get lost) Contrast in characters, contrast in environment, contrast of soft and hard, contrast of simple and complicated. Contrast of a gritty warrior, who uses physical strength and skill instead of magic. I have a choice this way.
I still remember how satisfying Mortal Strike (WoW vanilla) was to use, because of the right sound effect, it almost made it tactile. And it didn't have to use flashy magic effects.
And the world of the classic Baldur's Gates has this contrast to it, it has a grittiness, that makes it relateable.
I believe there is way to make the sound/visual effects (and animation) work in a way that works with the nature of the skills and classes and the spirit of Baldur's Gate.
