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[Resolved] Spell info - how to access it easily?

RepelstaleRepelstale Member Posts: 27
edited December 2014 in BG:EE Bugs (v1.3)
Hi there,

I'm an absolute newbie to BG (I just finished the tutorial), but I'm having some trouble with the horizontal bar at the bottom, in particular the spells. I've figured out how to scribe, memorize and quick-slot spells, but since I'm new the symbol doesn't mean all that much to me yet. I'm playing on iPad by the way, so I figured press and hold on the icon would show the spell info. Strangely enough, sometimes it does, and sometimes it doesn't! The only other way to see the spell info seems to be to click on the spellbook, find the spell in there and click on it. Seems very incovenient to me.

Am I doing it wrong? Or is this a shortcoming of the game (that could be fixed easily)?
Post edited by Cerevant on

Comments

  • wubblewubble Member Posts: 3,156
    right click the spell icon that will bring up the description
    also works in the spellbook/priestscroll
  • RepelstaleRepelstale Member Posts: 27
    Like I said, I'm playing on iPad, so there's no right clicking. In most cases the touch screen equivalent of a right click would be a press&hold, but this doesn't work when selecting spells in the horizontal bar at the bottom.
  • wubblewubble Member Posts: 3,156
    ah sorry didn't read it properly
    can you view spells in the spellbook by pressing and holding?
  • RepelstaleRepelstale Member Posts: 27
    Yes, in the spellbook it works fine. But I would very much like to be able to read the descriptions of the spells while pressing and holding their icons at the bottom bar, without having to leave the game screen and having to go to the spellbook mid-battle (paused, obviously, but nevertheless quite annoying)
  • wubblewubble Member Posts: 3,156
    i have no idea sorry.
    i can only suggest that you learn the effects of each spell beforehand (not exactly helpful i know)
  • RepelstaleRepelstale Member Posts: 27
    Just to be sure: with the PC version you DO get spell info when you press and hold the spell icon on the bottom bar?
  • wubblewubble Member Posts: 3,156
    when you right click it yes.
  • RepelstaleRepelstale Member Posts: 27
    LOL, yes, that's what I meant.

    Mmm.. so the iPad version has a little defect
  • RepelstaleRepelstale Member Posts: 27
    The whole press&hold to switch between spells for a quick slot doesn't work out very wel either: if you want to switch a spell you're supposed to press&hold on the one already in the active slot, then select the spell you want, and it will be in that slot. This works out for most spells, but not the ones directly affecting the caster instanteously, like Armor of Faith. If you press&hold this one (in order to "right click" it, you just activate it!

    Unless I'm doing something wrong the whole quick spell slot business seems so unreliable to the degree that it should be avoided.
  • wubblewubble Member Posts: 3,156
    i've never used quick spell slots anyway, i like to browse through my whole selection and find the right spell for the job
  • RepelstaleRepelstale Member Posts: 27
    Yeah, I've read that people don't use them. While it's kind of annoying that it doesn't work properly it's obviously no dealbreaker for the iOS version. I've been warned by countless reviews that have advised me to appreciate this game despite of its port, not because of it. Enough said.

    However, not being able to read the spell info on the memorised spells, having to go back to the spellbook for that, while the PC version apparently doesn't have this problem, now that I really don't like.
  • RepelstaleRepelstale Member Posts: 27
    Does anyone else have trouble with these spell icons on the bottom action bar? Maybe someone has some solution for me to get the spell info.
  • PibaroPibaro Member, Translator (NDA) Posts: 2,989
    @Repelstale‌
    Actually I'm more focused on IWDEE, and in IWDEE it works properly.
    I can't recall if in BGEE it was an issue (but I'm sure it didn't work at all before 1.3).

    I'm going to give it a try tonight...
  • PibaroPibaro Member, Translator (NDA) Posts: 2,989
    I checked. It doesn't work in bgee.
    Sorry but the only way is to see the info when you choose wich spell you are going to memorize.

    The good news is that in IWDEE it works, so with the next patch it will work in bg2ee and bgee too.

    A small hint:
    Red spells are offensive
    Blue spells are defensive/protective
    White spells.... Everything else

  • RepelstaleRepelstale Member Posts: 27
    Thanks for your reply, Pibaro. Can Dee or Stephen confirm that this will indeed be fixed with the next patch? When will this next patch be released? I'm really late for this party, so to speak, but I find it very strange that the game has been out for two years on iOS, and this issue is still there.
  • RepelstaleRepelstale Member Posts: 27
    Dee? Stephen?
  • Gate70Gate70 Member, Developer Posts: 3,883
    From what I can see the behaviours are consistent for right-click & long-tap across all 3 games.
    image

    Green circles: View description in next sub-menu.
    Amber circles: Select a new spell.
    Red circles: Cannot be viewed.

    Computer versions have a floating tooltip which can be used on the toolbars, I'm not aware of a tablet equivalent.
    image

    The essential actions would appear to be cast spell, and choose spell. Anything else might be best directed as a feature request with suggestions on what tablet action (e.g. swipe, double-toucb, pinch?) and computer action could be relevant. & is this just for spells or would there be merit in doing the same for potions, wands and so on.
  • RepelstaleRepelstale Member Posts: 27
    It's basically about the right click equivalent, the press&hold, which doesn't work very consistently. Spell handling is were it's most noteable.
  • Avenger_teambgAvenger_teambg Member, Developer Posts: 5,862
    edited November 2014
    Right click spell descriptions don't work in the quick slot spell selection menu (amber circles). So if you ask for the quick spell selection menu, it is not ipad specific (not a bug, but a missing feature).

    In the spell casting menu, it should work. (Though, i totally agree we need to add the desc menu to the quick spell selection too).
  • RepelstaleRepelstale Member Posts: 27
    It should work, but it doesn't
  • RepelstaleRepelstale Member Posts: 27
    At least not on the iPad version (I'm sure right clicking works really well on PC)
  • CerevantCerevant Member Posts: 2,314
    Repelstale said:

    At least not on the iPad version (I'm sure right clicking works really well on PC)

    Right-click is translated to tap and hold on the iPad. So, if you tao the cast spell icon, then tap and hold to spell you are interested in, it will bring up the description of that spell. Since the behavior is as intended and consistent across all platforms (See @Gate70‌'s post), I'm going to mark this issue resolved.
  • FranpaFranpa Member Posts: 637
    "Right-click is translated to tap and hold on the iPad. So, if you tap the cast spell icon, then tap and hold the spell you are interested in, it will bring up the description of that spell."
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