Below “Enable camera shake”, add:
[ x ] Disable skill particle effects
First way you could implement this:
very barebones but awesome solution, possibly the easiest way to implement this.
Disable all visual skill effects that are tied to the skill itself, leaving us with only:
- character skill body animation (model animation),
- red/white AoE rings,
- skill sound,
- condition/boon effects and sounds.
For example, Earthshaker:
- Animation: your character jumps/leaps and slams his hammer.
- AoE ring: enemies see a red circle.
- Skill effect: you leave a white trail as you leap, and when you slam the ground there’s a black rippled effect.
- Sound: there’s a “woosh” sound and a “clink” sound.
- Status effect: the enemy is stunned and has swirly white lines and dots on his head.
What I want is the option to disable the skill effect only, for all skills used by allies and enemies. (You could keep it for the player himself — or not, I’d prefer not — but do whichever is easier for you to implement)
People would still be able to know what the skills do because of the character skill animation, skill sound, boon/condition effects + voices, and AoE red/white rings.
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Would it make the game difficult to play? No!
The player would still be able to tell any important skills from:
- What others say (“How many ales have I had?”, “I’m exposed!”, “I dare you, hit me!”)
- The status effects on allies and enemies (wind by their feet, red sparks on their hands, black clouds in front of eyes for blind, immobilize chains, yellow retaliation fist, purple confusion cloud, etc)
- The status effect icons under the enemies/allies health bar.
In fact, it would be easier to play, because now you can actually see the stuff that matters! Generally those things get buried underneath all the skill fireworks!
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Being able to see this stuff on allies and enemies would let you react to it quickly, and you’d become a more skilled player.
Now you can remove that person’s immobilize or cripple, because you can see it.
Now you can take advantage of that other enemy being chilled or poisoned, because you can see it.
You wanted eSport, didn’t you? This will help!
The insane skill fireworks makes the whole game have a huge fake difficulty.
