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So Dragons Dogma may have spoiled me with it's city block destroying high end spells.
In your opinion what's the best magic system in a modern game (less than 5 years old)?
Finally found my quote from a gym buddy born and raised in South Korea:
"It is the soldier, not the reporter who has given us the freedom of the press.
"It is the soldier, not the poet, who has given us the freedom of speech.
"It is the soldier, not the campus organizer, who gives us the freedom to demonstrate.
"It is the soldier who salutes the flag, who serves beneath the flag, and whose coffin is draped by the flag, who allows the protester to burn the flag."
Not as spectacular as you want, but Kingdoms of Amalur had fun combat magic.
The people in the past who convinced themselves to do unspeakable things were no less human than you or I. They made their decisions; the only thing that prevents history from repeating itself is making different ones.
-- Adam Serwer
My blog
As much as I don't like the game, Fable 3 balances magic and combat really well, and 'feels' great to boot. I particularly liked the idea of combining types of spell to get dual effects.
I quite liked Skyrim's system for different reasons.
They categorized the spells for their different purposes (ex. Illusion, Conjuration, Destruction).
The spells ranged from mundane (Flames, Oakflesh) to pretty flashy and/ or interesting (Blizzard, Summon Atronach), allowing for a bit of flexibility and interchangeability between a swordmage style of combat or a mage style.
There are staffs that don't use up Magicka (Skyrim's energy for spells), which can be very useful, but they need to be recharged through enchanting. Some of them even have effects that spells cannot do.
The shouts, if they are counted as magic, do some rather interesting stuff as well such as temporary invulnerability.
Don't know if you want to count alchemy or enchanting weapons as part of the magic system, but there's that too. For alchemy, you make potions and poisons out of ingredients you find while on your travels. Enchanting allows you to use souls to add magic to your weapons.
Some of the gear you can find can also help with improvement of magic. Some improve magicka, others help you resist certain spells.
Faithful... Enlightened... Ambitious... Brethren... WE NEED A NEW DRIVER! THIS ONE IS DEAD!
Was a fan of Skyrim's system if only because it improved on Oblivion's and that was already pretty good.
I agree with Melissia, not the greatest, but Amalur was a blast to play.
I really enjoyed Dragon Age's system that combined almost a turn based combat/real time combat with actions. Making spell selection and placement pretty easy.
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Skyrim does have a good system, in that it is nice and simple but also rather varied. My only issue with it is that the spell types didn't increase in power. There are stream spells (flames), bolt spells (firebolt), rune spells, blast spells (fireball) and wall spells, but they are kind if defined by level,streams will always be weak spells even at high levels, for example.
I'd much prefer it if there were more powerful versions of the same spell rather than entirely different spells at each level of skill. Oddly enough, they manage this with the non-destruction spells, oakflesh naturally progressing to stoneflesh.
I also missed Oblivion's spell creation on Skyrim, even if it was a little broken.
I have to break the "5 year" rule, I'm sorry. There are 2 spells I will always remember how cool looking and awesome they are, both are from D&D and showed up in Neverwinter Nights.
The first, is "Wail of the Banshee". A massive white figure would show up from the ground, shriek and a circular "AOE" effect would surround it and expand and anything that failed their fortitude save would die. It was glorious.
The next, Hellball. Seriously, the video says it all:
Edit: Wooops, totally failed to understand the topic, my bad (But might as well leave the original answer there)
Currently, I would have to say Skyrim. I rarely play as a spellcaster in most games but Skyrim is fun and cool looking. One of the things I really enjoyed was using a different element in each hand and there were so many of them.
Plus, with the workshop and mods, you can have all sorts of cool spells.
This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2014/07/24 20:38:48
"Fear is freedom! Subjugation is liberation! Contradiction is truth! These are the truths of this world! Surrender to these truths, you pigs in human clothing!" - Satsuki Kiryuin, Kill la Kill
TheDraconicLord wrote: I have to break the "5 year" rule, I'm sorry. There are 2 spells I will always remember how cool looking and awesome they are, both are from D&D and showed up in Neverwinter Nights.
The first, is "Wail of the Banshee". A massive white figure would show up from the ground, shriek and a circular "AOE" effect would surround it and expand and anything that failed their fortitude save would die. It was glorious.
The next, Hellball. Seriously, the video says it all:
Edit: Wooops, totally failed to understand the topic, my bad (But might as well leave the original answer there)
Currently, I would have to say Skyrim. I rarely play as a spellcaster in most games but Skyrim is fun and cool looking. One of the things I really enjoyed was using a different element in each hand and there were so many of them.
Plus, with the workshop and mods, you can have all sorts of cool spells.
As much as I didn't like the game, I was going to mention NWN as well. I only played NWN2, but I really liked the spells in that one. I think my favorites were some earthquake one and the Animal Form one. I even loved the basic ones! (Well... for flashiness sake) Even used the game's world builder to make a spellcasting "playground."
From a gameplay standpoint, the whole "bank of amount of times to use certain spells" I thought was a neat touch. Allows for strategic use for spells and when you're outside combat, you could just rest briefly to recharge them somewhat.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2014/07/24 21:49:28
Faithful... Enlightened... Ambitious... Brethren... WE NEED A NEW DRIVER! THIS ONE IS DEAD!
Melissia wrote: Not as spectacular as you want, but Kingdoms of Amalur had fun combat magic.
Kingdoms was fun.
I've already done a full 100% play through though.
Finally found my quote from a gym buddy born and raised in South Korea:
"It is the soldier, not the reporter who has given us the freedom of the press.
"It is the soldier, not the poet, who has given us the freedom of speech.
"It is the soldier, not the campus organizer, who gives us the freedom to demonstrate.
"It is the soldier who salutes the flag, who serves beneath the flag, and whose coffin is draped by the flag, who allows the protester to burn the flag."
Frankenberry wrote: Was a fan of Skyrim's system if only because it improved on Oblivion's
How?
The ability to use both hands was sort of neat if annoying for people who wanted to use greatswords with magic, but variety of spells and the versatility of those spells was seriously downsized, and you can't even make your own spells anymore.
For that matter, Oblivion did the same thing with Morrowind's magic. Where once being a mage allowed you to travel the province of Vvardenfell via the skies or let you run faster than a galloping horse or whatever, now it's pretty barebones and basic. Thank God for mods.
I'm not a hipster who hates Skyrim and sings Morrowind's praises on the mountaintop (I think both are fairly equal and better than Oblivion), but in terms of the fun of magic? Skyrim is rather lacking IMO.
Skyrim's big improvement over Oblivion and Morrowind in terms of spells was the UI. They're easier to use in Skyrim than Oblivion of Morrowind.
I agree they could have used more variety and a create-a-spell system, but then again, Both TES3 and TES4 continually reduced the create-a-spell system from what it was in TES2 anyway. Daggerfall was better than either Oblivion or Morrowind in many ways, if you're looking at customization. But Skyrim's gameplay improvements made up for a lot of its flaws.
The people in the past who convinced themselves to do unspeakable things were no less human than you or I. They made their decisions; the only thing that prevents history from repeating itself is making different ones.
-- Adam Serwer
My blog
I'm not sure how exactly spells in Skyrim are easier to use than in Oblivion. In Oblivion it's a single key. Press and cast the spell, regardless of what weapon you're using. With Skyrim you have to have a spell equipped to one of your hands, taking up that slot.
Melissia wrote: I agree they could have used more variety and a create-a-spell system, but then again, Both TES3 and TES4 continually reduced the create-a-spell system from what it was in TES2 anyway. Daggerfall was better than either Oblivion or Morrowind in many ways, if you're looking at customization. But Skyrim's gameplay improvements made up for a lot of its flaws.
Wait, other people know about Daggerfall? Wow. That has to claim the dubious honor of "best horrible game I have ever played". You haven't lived until you knock the quest target out of the map, then claim your "void ranger" badge by glitching out after it to finish the quest. Or maybe the crazy insane random dungeon system stuffs the quest objective behind a secret door somewhere, or under a hatch that doesn't actually have a lever to open it (been through both of those).
The magic system was a thing of beauty though. So many ways to cheese the system, especially once you start putting magic items in there "hmmm, this loweres my reputation with nobles and makes me take damage in daylight. Good thing none of that matters in a dungeon when I'll actually be wearing it!" I liked how I made a "raise stats" spell and used it so much I overflowed the stat and looped it around to negative, which somehow registered as me having 256 strength, which went down every time I cast the spell.
Oh, and may the King of Worms have mercy on you if you tried to play through that game as a class that didn't get access to magic. Might as well just call it a day and start over because you picked wrong!
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BrianDavion wrote: Between the two of us... I think GW is assuming we the players are not complete idiots.
Rapidly on path to becoming the world's youngest bitter old man.
Melissia wrote: Not as spectacular as you want, but Kingdoms of Amalur had fun combat magic.
Kingdoms was fun.
I've already done a full 100% play through though.
What year did you start, out of curiosity?
Seriously, there is so much to do in that game, I'm astonished that anyone had the patience to get to all of the sidequests in all of the 35+ different zones.
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Well I am so easy going that I prefer the system from the Diabllo series, I know it may not be a classical RPG of any sorts. But damn, calling down fire or summoning a fire element felt friking awesome in that series, well until Diablo 3 hit that is
Divinity: Original Sin has probably the best spellcasting system I've used in the last 5 years, or 10. The way elements and ground effects synergize is just amazin.
Use a geomancy spell to create some oil on the floor. Fire a fire spell at to explode it and make a burning patch of ground. Use a poison cloud on it to create a gas explosion, or, use a water spell to create steam, now fire lightning at the steam and create an electrified cloud. These are the kind of shenanigens I've done already, and I'm level 4.
Other then that if we include other games, Sacrifice hands down. Summon a rock that starts making a spiral on the ground, only for the ground to then fall away into the void, along with anyone on it.
Create a volcano, create a Tornado, summon giant plants to fling people away, or just summon a giant incarnation of death that one shots random enemies. And those are just the end spells of each god.
curran12 wrote: And Dragon's Dogma has enemies that just sit around for you to finish those ungodly long casts?
No, the point of large spells is they're very hard to get off, but when you do enemies are DEAD AS S***
Finally found my quote from a gym buddy born and raised in South Korea:
"It is the soldier, not the reporter who has given us the freedom of the press.
"It is the soldier, not the poet, who has given us the freedom of speech.
"It is the soldier, not the campus organizer, who gives us the freedom to demonstrate.
"It is the soldier who salutes the flag, who serves beneath the flag, and whose coffin is draped by the flag, who allows the protester to burn the flag."
curran12 wrote: And Dragon's Dogma has enemies that just sit around for you to finish those ungodly long casts?
Not really. In order to be successful as a mage with those big blasty spells, you need your Pawns (AI controlled party members) to keep the mobs off your back while you cast.
Soladrin wrote: Divinity: Original Sin has probably the best spellcasting system I've used in the last 5 years, or 10.
Iunno. I can barely get over its horrible, HORRIBLE user interface. D:OS is a good game but DAMN does it need a lot of work.
Hell, they haven't even yet made it so that when you type in chat (in co-op play), it doesn't trigger commands.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2014/07/25 20:59:43
The people in the past who convinced themselves to do unspeakable things were no less human than you or I. They made their decisions; the only thing that prevents history from repeating itself is making different ones.
-- Adam Serwer
My blog
curran12 wrote: And Dragon's Dogma has enemies that just sit around for you to finish those ungodly long casts?
Not really. In order to be successful as a mage with those big blasty spells, you need your Pawns (AI controlled party members) to keep the mobs off your back while you cast.
Ah, I didn't realize Dragon's Dogma had AI NPC allies. Changes things.
ThePrimordial wrote:No, the point of large spells is they're very hard to get off, but when you do enemies are DEAD AS S***
I really think you'd get a kick out of the Dark Souls games, still. Maybe not for the magic, but it has the huge combats that ithink you'd enjoy.
Original Magicka was better. Wizard Wars is a lackluster pvp game, while hte pve in Magicka was excellent, whether solo OR in a group.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2014/07/26 05:35:20
The people in the past who convinced themselves to do unspeakable things were no less human than you or I. They made their decisions; the only thing that prevents history from repeating itself is making different ones.
-- Adam Serwer
My blog
Faithful... Enlightened... Ambitious... Brethren... WE NEED A NEW DRIVER! THIS ONE IS DEAD! 
Shadowkeepers (4000 points)
3rd Company (3000 points) 
Kal'reia Sept Tau - Farsight Sympathizers 
Da Great Looted Waaagh! 
The Court of the Wolf Lords 
