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GemStone IV · Developer's Corner - Spell Systems

PEREGRINEFALCON

Are ball spells working as intended? 05/10/2013 09:27 AM CDT

I've noticed on my hunting trips to Nelemar these past couple of weeks that my ball spells no longer seem to pull executioners or magus out of hiding. Initially I thought this was just a run of bad luck but now I'm pretty certain that this mechanic no longer functions at all.

For clarity:

- Executioner goes into hiding.
- Cast 908-Major Fire/907-Major Cold at a some other creature in the room.
- Creature is hit, other visible creatures (if any) are hit, executioner (or magus) remains in hiding.
- Executioner leaps from hiding and ambushes.

Prior to a couple of weeks ago (rough timeframe here as I've been playing other characters more lately) I could pretty much guarantee to pull an executioner or magus out of hiding by casting 908/907 at any other critter in the room. My training is such that it is very unlikely that I am missing due to number of critters (24 or more ranks in the relevant elemental lore, 10 ranks Multi Opponent Combat).

-- Robert aka Faulkil

CAUSTICONE

Email Author

Re: Are ball spells working as intended? 05/10/2013 02:33 PM CDT

If this is an intentional change, it makes me sad. Ball spells are (were?) awesome for pulling magus, bandits, etc out of hiding.

CRACKER03

Email Author

Re: Are ball spells working as intended? 05/10/2013 04:43 PM CDT

>I'm pretty certain that this mechanic no longer functions at all.

So it isn't just balefire...I do hope this is a bug. Was a great feature.

--Jurp

ROLFARD

Email Author

Re: Are ball spells working as intended? 05/11/2013 08:37 AM CDT

Noticed my ball spells aren't hitting the bandits that have jumped out and rehidden either...recently.

VANKRASN39

Email Author

Re: Are ball spells working as intended? 05/11/2013 09:16 AM CDT

I bugged it in game.

TRUE

Email Author

Re: Are ball spells working as intended? 05/24/2013 03:14 PM CDT

It's been a couple weeks here, and someone posted in Discussions and still no one has chimed in. Any NIR check into this please? Intentional? Not?

LORDEVARIN

Email Author

Re: Are ball spells working as intended? 05/24/2013 03:40 PM CDT

This is a concern for more than a few people. It would be reassuring to hear that it is in some way being examined by staff, or at least on their to-do list.

GS4-COASE

Email Author

Re: Are ball spells working as intended? 05/25/2013 02:35 AM CDT

My apologies for not addressing this earlier, but regarding ball splashes targeting hidden creatures, this was actually not an intended feature of the ball spells and was fixed about four years ago. However, it looks another GM accidently re-broke the ball spells almost immediately after the first fix, so players never actually experienced the change for any considerable length of time.

When I was implementing support for the shield skills, I noticed the re-broken splashes and fixed them again. This should have been announced (again), but it got lost in the massive shield/ensorcell/CML release.

Coase

LORDEVARIN

Email Author

Re: Are ball spells working as intended? 05/25/2013 02:44 AM CDT

Highly disappointing, but thanks for the update.

VANKRASN39

Email Author

Re: Are ball spells working as intended? 05/25/2013 09:27 AM CDT

>Highly disappointing, but thanks for the update.

agree, but yes, communication was what I was looking for, thank you

MITHRENEK

Email Author

Re: Are ball spells working as intended? 05/25/2013 03:25 PM CDT

Do ewave, and other AoE style spells like 1614 and 1630 still pull hidden targets out of hiding?

Mordne, player of.

ZENDADA

Email Author

Re: Are ball spells working as intended? 05/25/2013 04:09 PM CDT

I've seen 1614 do it. Not sure about 1630.

Chad, player of a few

CAELRIC

Email Author

Re: Are ball spells working as intended? 05/25/2013 04:34 PM CDT

435 does, I don't use 410 anymore, so I am not sure ob that

-Taakhooshi, and Me

For the Story of Taakhooshi:
http://www.gsguide.net/index.php?title=Taakhooshi

ARMELLE-TRIVA

Email Author

Re: Are ball spells working as intended? 05/26/2013 08:37 AM CDT

I use ball spells, and although the "fix" doesn't bother my gameplay at all, it doesn't really make sense either.

If I hurl a big ball of fire at a target and it splashes enough to hit six other targets in the room, it's going to splash enough to hit the dude hiding behind the tree and at the very least make him go "ow," revealing his existence.

I third (fourth?) the thanks for the explanation though.

~Lyradie
>With a startled yelp, a young elven child suddenly tumbles from somewhere above you, landing gracelessly in a pile of refuse!

KRAKII

Email Author

Re: Are ball spells working as intended? 05/28/2013 09:06 AM CDT

But what if they're not hidden near the rest of the guys? They've worked their way over around to behind the party, where you were casting from... and you didn't notice, because they were, you know, hidden.

It's already a stretch to think that a big splashy magical ball of fire will hit only enemy beasties, even then Tank and Thuggo are up there whaling away at them with the battleaxes in close melee combat.

Just go with it, folks. :)

PEREGRINEFALCON

Email Author

Re: Are ball spells working as intended? 05/31/2013 07:46 AM CDT

Thanks for the response Coase!

The response is disappointing but primarily because I am used to it working a certain way for so many years (that and it is a lot of fun to discover a hidden opponent that you didn't even realize was there in this way).

I would agree that a 100% chance of splashing a hidden opponent is unreasonable but likewise I would argue that never splashing a hidden target seems equally unlikely. As a proposal for future consideration, maybe ball spell splashes could be updated to have a chance to splash hidden targets based on MOC, Perception skill, and perhaps a bit of luck thrown in. Even if the opportunity is small it does add an additional fun element to lobbing ball spells in combat.

Thanks!

-- Robert

GS4-MARSTREFORN

Email Author

Re: Are ball spells working as intended? 05/31/2013 01:31 PM CDT

Perception and MOC already do factor in if you find them via Search before casting.

;)

-Marstreforn-
Icemule Trace Guru
Halfling Guru

LORDEVARIN

Email Author

Re: Are ball spells working as intended? 05/31/2013 01:47 PM CDT

Uhh...MOC helps spotting hiding bandits?

PEREGRINEFALCON

Email Author

Re: Are ball spells working as intended? 05/31/2013 03:05 PM CDT

He's saying that perception helps in spotting them (via search) and MOC helps in hitting (all of) them once they have been spotted.

I have a new request. Can we get the pie delivery from EG brought back as a regular feature with the ability to 'deliver' pies to GMs as well?

-- Robert

LORDEVARIN

Email Author

Re: Are ball spells working as intended? 05/31/2013 04:07 PM CDT

Oh, well, in that case trading helps too as you can use it to earn more silver to buy better gear with which to hunt bandits.

...

GS4-MARSTREFORN

Email Author

Re: Are ball spells working as intended? 05/31/2013 04:23 PM CDT

>I have a new request. Can we get the pie delivery from EG brought back as a regular feature with the ability to 'deliver' pies to GMs as well?

No.

-Marstreforn-
Icemule Trace Guru
Halfling Guru

GemStone IV · Developer's Corner - Spell Systems