Robe of Vecna etc.

ShadowHunter

So this isn't like really a bug or something but can't it be done that when spellcasting duration is shortend , with the robe of Vecna etc. , the red ball or purple balls when spellcasting ( you know red for magic missle, fireball etc. , the blue ball with nearly all necromance spells ) that they dissapear when the spell is casted.

Example: You cast time stop ,9 turns or something like that, because of the robe it is being shortend until 5 or something like that ( I don't remember exactly). Now your spellcaster will be done casting after 5 turns but the blue spellcasting ball stays there for 9 turns.

Maybe it's just me, but ...... can't it be done that your spellcaster and the spell animation end at the same time when the spellcasting duration is shortend ? I don't know if that's possible but that would be a major improvement ( IMO ) for an eventual BG 2: EE

Tresset

I guess that would be kinda neat to have but I am not sure how easy to implement it would be. There are several items and effects that can modify casting speed (slow, robe of vecna, amulet of power, etc.) and making the casting animations end at the perfect time for all combinations of these effects may be difficult to do.

I'm sure @CamDawg would be able to give a more definitive answer on if this were doable or not.

CamDawg

It can probably be done, but it'd have to be on the code side.

CamDawg

Anyone know offhand if the casting animations also get wonky if you're slowed/hasted?

Tresset

@CamDawg Slow I believe doubles the time it takes to cast a spell. This makes casting animations end before the spell has been cast. Haste does not seem to affect casting time so I don't think there are any issues with that.

HeroicSpur

The trickier issue, I imagine, is the sound. If you shorten casting times, how do you reduce the length of the spoken incantation? If the speed the words were spoken was proportionally accelerated, it would be absurd. The only way to do it would be to remove casting words from shortened spells.

elminster

HeroicSpur said:

The trickier issue, I imagine, is the sound. If you shorten casting times, how do you reduce the length of the spoken incantation? If the speed the words were spoken was proportionally accelerated, it would be absurd. The only way to do it would be to remove casting words from shortened spells.

Vvveeeeerrrriiittttaaaasss Ccccrrrreeeeeeedddooo Oooocccuullluuusss (slowed version)

A highly sped up version would sound pretty funny Even if it were a little ridiculous sounding (especially from someone like Edwin).

CamDawg

HeroicSpur said:

The trickier issue, I imagine, is the sound. If you shorten casting times, how do you reduce the length of the spoken incantation? If the speed the words were spoken was proportionally accelerated, it would be absurd. The only way to do it would be to remove casting words from shortened spells.

Doesn't it already cut these off for spells with short casting times?

Schneidend

I think the better question is why the Robe of Vecna works really well in BG2, but the Improved Initiative feat does virtually nothing in IWD2.

Cheesebelly

elminster said:

HeroicSpur said:

The trickier issue, I imagine, is the sound. If you shorten casting times, how do you reduce the length of the spoken incantation? If the speed the words were spoken was proportionally accelerated, it would be absurd. The only way to do it would be to remove casting words from shortened spells.

Vvveeeeerrrriiittttaaaasss Ccccrrrreeeeeeedddooo Oooocccuullluuusss (slowed version)

A highly sped up version would sound pretty funny Even if it were a little ridiculous sounding (especially from someone like Edwin).

"Character casts True Seeing..."

SpaceInvader

CamDawg said:

Anyone know offhand if the casting animations also get wonky if you're slowed/hasted?

The animation (and the casting speed ofc) are not affected by haste/slow.