Weapon Icon on portrait?

kiros

I've noticed the team have implemented an attack sequence identifier that shows the player the action they have chosen during combat via an icon on the portrait.

It's a great feature, especially for spell usage (as the player often get's confused) however, seeing a weapon icon constantly displayed upon the character is rather mundane and irritating. I'm sure a player knows the difference between standing idle or attacking an enemy. The game does involve a level of wit, let's not dumb it down.

I think translucent icons instead would be much less invasive and irritating, since the icons should be used only as a "temporary" indication of what the players actions intend to do. Unlike spell casters, melee characters spend 80% of their time with a weapon icon etched across their forehead because their actions scarcely change.

Thoughts and opinions?

Nukenin

In the heat of battle and you're worried about what's being plastered across your forehead?



It'd be nice if it'd work for all actions (like item use). (It'd also be nice if wands and scrolls triggered the on-spell-cast autopause option, come to think of it.) And, yes, perhaps for weapons at least, it can be subdued a bit. (For spells and other "one-offs", perhaps it's best to remain as it is.)

kiros

It depends on the character portrait, I'm playing a solo cleric in The Pits and she has a flail etched across her entire head about 90% of the time.

I think the point I'm trying to make is that it's unnecessary.

kiros

lunar

It is useful for when your character has run out of some ammo or magically created weapon (like melf's minute meteors) you'll notice it immediately since his portrait will now show he has equipped a melee weapon. Since you eye character portraits closely anyway for damage and negative effects and all, I find it useful.

CamDawg

kiros said:

Smoke 'em if you've got 'em?

Fredjo

I agree with you kiros, it seems rather redundant especially for the melee combat. At least it should be optional in the Options menu with a tick-able options for each type of activity i.e.: melee, casting, ranged.

Lamorack

Should definitely be optional... it's funny, when I saw it in the screenshots I thought that I would turn it off immediately, but having played with it, it is surprisingly useful and now I would be lost without it.

kiros

Lamorack said:

Should definitely be optional

Agreed

agris

@kiros You're presenting it as if that icon will remain on your character throughout battle, when it does not. That icon only lasts until your character has begun the action (staff whacking, spell slinging, etc). That being said, more options are always good and I bet they could add a switch in the baldur.ini file to turn it off.

Grif

agreed. would appreciate the option to turn it off.

CutlassJack

I love the notion. I just would have picked the lower corner for the icon.

kiros

agris said:

@kiros You're presenting it as if that icon will remain on your character throughout battle, when it does not.

@Agris
Actually, it does for me.
Obviously it's removed once the action sequence has stopped i.e target is dead/different action selected, however playing a melee character basically consists of one action > attack.

What I'm merely debating is 1) have it as an optional feature. 2) make it translucent or 3) move the positioning of the icon (perhaps lower left/right hand corner).

I don't need the game to constantly tell me I'm currently attacking.

agris

I do agree fundamentally that you should have the option, I hope they add it.

Wiggles

@kiros

If it's in the lower left corner though it'll get mixed up with the buffs/debuffs. Optional FTW.

kiros

@Wiggles

Yes most likely.
Hopefully the team addresses this and present the ability to have it as an optional feature instead..probably what they should have done in the first place.