Anyone recall why the spellcasting animation was changed?

[A Thought Elemental]

This game has at least 2 different humanoid animations for spellcasting. I cannot remember if it is 2 or 3. I definitely recall at least 2.

Back in like 1998-2001, the one in use was not the one in use today. It was more of a pushing-forward sort of hands and body animation.

I think that sometime between like 2001 and 2006, a change happened and since then, the spellcasting uses the other animation. This animation has the character swinging its hands above it's head for the spellcast.

I'm curious as to the background behind that change. Whazzup with that.

 

[Kylie Kinslayer]

I think you are talking about the "rubber-banding" deal. When you would cast spells you would still move forward but would snap back to where you were when you started casting. It would repeat from the time the spell was cast until it was completed. That was done away with a few years ago. PvP'ers were saying mages were unhittable by dexxers. So now we just stand there to cast.

Or that's my memory of it anyway.

 

[Tor the Invincible]

He means the difference between the animation used for Spirit Speak and the animation used for summoning an ethereal mount. How these are used in magery I don't know, I have never had a mage.

 

[A Thought Elemental]

I think you are talking about the "rubber-banding" deal. When you would cast spells you would still move forward but would snap back to where you were when you started casting. It would repeat from the time the spell was cast until it was completed. That was done away with a few years ago. PvP'ers were saying mages were unhittable by dexxers. So now we just stand there to cast.

Or that's my memory of it anyway.

nononono

found it

Ultima Online Duel 1999s PvP UO - YouTube

watch the guy with the long white hair.

That used to be the only player body movement spellcast animation in the game.

 

[Faeryl]

Back in like 1998-2001, the one in use was not the one in use today. It was more of a pushing-forward sort of hands and body animation.

My mages still cast like this...

 

[A Thought Elemental]

Hm.

I'm presently in the EC client but I thought I first noticed it in 2006, and I was using 2d at that time.

Just looked at mind blast, ebolt, and have been casting greater heal. Its all the over the head stuff.

 

[Faeryl]

I'm in the CC and all my normal magery spells are casting with the pushing motion.

 

[A Thought Elemental]

hm k.

I guess the utilization of the over-the-head animation is exclusive to the EC client.

At least as of like 2000, both animations existed in the classic client internally (I'd presume they are both still there), but you never saw the over-the-head animation in-game. Seems that as of today, the EC uses the one and classic uses the other.

Ever since I saw all the available animations, I'd always felt like the offensive spells should use the push-forward one and the healy/misc spells should use the arms-swing one.

I *think* *maybe* there's a third spellcasting animation buried in there as well. My little brain could be tricking me because it was so many years ago. I recall not liking that one much.

 

[Faeryl]

Well, I know Spirit Speak uses the overhead in CC, but not sure if anything else does.

 

[A Thought Elemental]

Well, I know Spirit Speak uses the overhead in CC, but not sure if anything else does.

hehe I wonder why they picked it for the one.

The animation predates necromancy's inclusion in the game.

Red vs. Blue moongates predate Trammel too tho, so ...

Things that make you go ... hmm.

 

[Xalan Dementia]

ya if i remember right, it started with just 'push forward'
then sometime they added the 'overhead' to longer cast times.
so with casting lets say Blade spirit, the mage will do
push = push = Overhead \/ push = push =

of course been a while since i used a human/elf mage hehe i do enjoy the gargy animations for casting, bowing, salute

 

[A Thought Elemental]

ya if i remember right, it started with just 'push forward'
then sometime they added the 'overhead' to longer cast times.
so with casting lets say Blade spirit, the mage will do
push = push = Overhead \/ push = push =

of course been a while since i used a human/elf mage hehe i do enjoy the gargy animations for casting, bowing, salute

hmm.

When I cast Rez (which is 8th circle and therefore the longest spell I can do), I see 2 overhead waves.

I cannot seem to make any magery spell do the push animation in the EC client.

 

[HongKongCavalier]

hmm.

When I cast Rez (which is 8th circle and therefore the longest spell I can do), I see 2 overhead waves.

I cannot seem to make any magery spell do the push animation in the EC client.

I'm using EC and still get the push animation at least some of the time.

I just tried casting Weaken repeatedly and I seem to get the push animation about half the time. Then I tried casting Energy Bolt, and each cast of the spell requires 2 motions; one push, and one overhead (sometimes the push is first, sometimes second).

I think it may have to do with casting speed and the circle spell you are casting. I'm at 3 FC, 4 FCR on this character.

Also, I think the 3rd spell casting motion was the one in either KR or 3rd Dawn where the mage would sway his whole body and sort of swing his arms. Anyone remember that, or am I imagining things?

 

[A Thought Elemental]

I'm 2/6, normally.

Casting Weaken never gives me the push style, only the arms-wavey style. I took off most of my casting stuff and was 0/2, and I still couldn't make anything give me the push animation.

Ebolt and Resurrection are always 2 arms-waves, both when 2/6 and 0/2.

I'm using Pinco's UI, that couldn't change the casting animations tho, right?

 

[CovenantX]

I'm 2/6, normally.

Casting Weaken never gives me the push style, only the arms-wavey style. I took off most of my casting stuff and was 0/2, and I still couldn't make anything give me the push animation.

Ebolt and Resurrection are always 2 arms-waves, both when 2/6 and 0/2.

I'm using Pinco's UI, that couldn't change the casting animations tho, right?

that's because 2/6 casting is much faster than the old casting speed, it doesn't have time to finish the full animation on faster spells.

 

[HongKongCavalier]

I'm 2/6, normally.

Casting Weaken never gives me the push style, only the arms-wavey style. I took off most of my casting stuff and was 0/2, and I still couldn't make anything give me the push animation.

Ebolt and Resurrection are always 2 arms-waves, both when 2/6 and 0/2.

I'm using Pinco's UI, that couldn't change the casting animations tho, right?

I'm using Pinco's UI as well, so no, that shouldn't be an issue.

 

[HongKongCavalier]

that's because 2/6 casting is much faster than the old casting speed, it doesn't have time to finish the full animation on faster spells.

If that's it, maybe try casting Protection first to further slow down casting speed?

 

[A Thought Elemental]

If that's it, maybe try casting Protection first to further slow down casting speed?

Wow k so.

I took off all my casting stuff and cast protection. I don't think casting can get any slower than that.

Resurrection, Ebolt, Weaken. None of these cause the push-forward type of spellcasting.

My character is an elf? Are you guys testing with elves or humans?

 

[Ludes]

ya if i remember right, it started with just 'push forward'
then sometime they added the 'overhead' to longer cast times.
so with casting lets say Blade spirit, the mage will do
push = push = Overhead \/ push = push =

of course been a while since i used a human/elf mage hehe i do enjoy the gargy animations for casting, bowing, salute

This was the deal.. spells with longer cast times.. ie: Blade Spirits,
would use the longer animation sequence..

 

[A Thought Elemental]

I took off my casting gear so that I was 0/0 and cast blade spirits.

It was a long cast, and was 4 arms waves, no push animation.

I unloaded Pinco UI and it was the same cast - 4 arms waves.

I wonder what is going on here. You guys say you are seeing the push-type casting in the EC client... are you sure? eh. And is anyone seeing it on an elf as opposed with a human?