Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - General Constructive feedback

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.

I also feel actions and selections are too over the top with animations. Sound effects as well. I really was hoping for more serious tone. Spellcasting verbal components, no stomping the ground and strange sound effects. I love the feel of solasta. It feels more like d&d. Please larian, I loved your dos2 game... but.... this should drop those animations and sounds. And ui should be more aesthetic to d&d. So I like turn based and cinematics and more serious characters but the action, spell and selection animations and silly sounds must go..

You are right and wrong.

well, no, this is a subjective argument and one cannot argue abotu taste, but consider the following.

Have you ever destroyed something with a Sledgehammer?
I guess most of you have done something at least once in your life.

How does that feel? Does it feel like the combat animation of skyrim?
Or does it feel like the combat animation of Dragons Dogma?

Cause it probably looks closer to skyrim.
Someone swings somehting towards an object and it kind of makes a bang and the objects broken.

But when you do the swinging? Yeah you do feel an impact doesnt it? you can feel your muscles bulging and you can feel the object shattering under your blow.
Thats probably what you talked about when you said "tactile"




THATS why "over the top" effects as you call t exists. Because it might not LOOK as real, but it FEELS more real than having a weaksauce floaty animaton.
Oh yeah, on that note.
Didnt the Infinity engine games basically INTRODUCE the idea of Over the top screenshake fo RPGS?
I cant realy think of any earlier games that did screenshakes to SUCh a degree as baldurs gate and its relatives


Now im actually gonna agree with you on one point: The jump and the dash action dont work.
A dash is a fast movement, its not a spell thats cast, there absoluteley doesnt need to be a cast animation for dash, that needs to be fixed.
And jumping shouldn tlook like you weigh as much as a small tractor, Goa'uld in your head or not.
So youre not wrong, but i think the melee attacks actually look fine.



Also WizardPus are you by any chance one of the developers of solasta? you seem to be talking about it here an awfull lot...

I actually agree! I didn't mind it in DOS2 at all, but now that we are treading on another setting, and one that I am so fond of, the flashiness does get a little bit distracting.
It feels as though all classes are magical. I understand why they would want to make every skill seem interesting and visually entertaining, so that all choices and spells and classes feel equally satisfying, but I am sure there are ways around it without... Well, what I just said, making all classes seem like they are inherently magical!
As for spellcasters, they are missing more ritualistic aspects to their spells. Added complexity. In the form of somatic components, verbal components, different focus items related to the spell, etc. Little details like that would make it so much more close to the heart, and immersive.

Also when you dip your weapon in fire, the point of the arrow should catch fire, not the whole bow.

Nope. I'm not a dev at all or even in the industry. Just a game fan. And to that I am a fan of Larian too. I love RPGs and like to promote quality products. I love dos1 dos2 (and upcoming dos3:bg I'll likely love). Also like pathfinder, bg1 & 2 and neverwinter nights. All except the MMO which I dont care for. and I do like bioware's dragonage origins and inquisition

Amazing an entire post without saying "boomer" inappropriately. Still a rant tho, paired with baseless accusations.