If anything is to be taken from this, please make magic more "magical" instead of a formula. Once you can associate it with numbers, it really just becomes the same as a bow with alternative weaknesses. Sure, some numbers are necessary; no matter what you do.
Does anyone else remember the "chargeable spells" mod for Oblivion?
For those unfamiliar with the mod, it allowed a person to continue casting a spell to gradually increase said spell's power, with the only limit being your magicka.
Each spell added by that mod were extremely flexible, so they didn't need a large quantity of them. A fireball could be quickly cast to unleash a small burst, or you could dedicate every drop of magicka you had, and release a monstrous nova.
I would personally love for the spells in Enderal to follow a similar approach. This would also allow all spells to remain useful over time, without having to enlist game-breaking aspects of the crafting skills.
Of course, this might not even be possible, but it would be nice if my novice spells remained potent long after I had unlocked the expert level spells, without requiring me to abuse things like damage stacking, or free casting.
Perks, or whatever functions as the advancement reward in Enderal could convey benefits to these spells, just like other spells. Enhancing their growth, increasing the growth rate, or lifting restrictions that they may
Inside this spoiler tag is a copy of the mod's description from the Nexus, for inspiration and ease of access.
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- CHARGEABLE SPELLS by grmblf
Pre-Final Version 0.361
· Mod Info
Mod name: Chargeable Spells
Version: Pre-Final v0.361
Author: grmblf
Requirements: OBSE v0018b4 or greater.
· Table of Content
1 - Summary
2 - Features
3 - Playing this mod
3.1 - Getting started
3.2 - How do I get the spells I'm missing?
3.3 - Charging spells
3.4 - Perks and movement limitation
3.5 - Spells and alternative casting
3.6 - Penalties system with reward
4 - Installation / Uninstallation
5 - Requirements
6 - Compatibility
7 - Known Issues, Bugs and Limitations
8 - Changelog
9 - WIP / Future Plans
10- Credits
11- Disclaimer / Legal
12- Contact
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1 - SUMMARY
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This mod revamps completely how magic is used in Oblivion into a more tactical and believable fashion, allowing you to regulate the power of the spells you cast by charging them, simply holding down the cast key just for a while, and then releasing to actualy cast the spell.
This process takes into account your magicka spent, the time charging, the skill corresponding to that spell and it's governing attribute, and the result is calculated using default game's formulas but taking the values from your overhaul / magic mods.
A lot of lines of code and so many speepless hours has been put here to achieve this effect and to make it smooth and fair, but also to add a lot of other small features that could improve gameplay and immersion. Read the full list of features here below:
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2 - FEATURES
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* A completely new spell-charging system, complex in it's ends but easy and intuitive in it's usage:
- Charging process visualy noticeable: your magicka pool depletes at a constant rate as long as you're charging, and it plays on yourself the visual effect for the spell you're charging.
- Accurate cost / magnitude calculation according to spell's cost default formula with a decent boost for charging longer.
- Every calc is proportional and non-scaled, therefor every single magicka point, every millisecond spent charging and every skill level achieved are taken into account for the final result.
- Several sounds complement the charging process.
* A full set of chargeable spells, few but versatile, to not clutter the spells list:
- More than 80 Chargeable Spells covering almost every default magic effect. All they available to charge and cast!
- Chargeable Spells don't have a pre-set level, what determines they power is the amount of magicka you put in them and your current skill level, so the same spell becomes useful at every skill level.
- There's only one spell per magical effect. Dynamic settings like making ranged spells becoming "on touch" automaticaly when under water plus the "alternative cast" feature allow for just a few spells dealing with several uses.
- Holding block when the cast key is released will activate an "alternative casting mode" for that spell. Basicaly this will make ranged spells increase their AoE at some magnitude cost, and it will make "on self" spells become ranged, to cast them on companions or friendly NPCs.
* Dynamic chargeable spells' purchase system and chargeable spells updater:
- Chargeable spells are available to purchase from every spells merchant. When you talk to them they will have the appropiate chargeable spells corresponding to the ones he/she actualy has. This is made by script, so there's no spell or merchant altered or replaced. When you end your conversation they recover their original spells (AI isn't smart enought for chargeable spells).
- Due to this, NPCs from other mods now might sell chargeable spells too.
- When you first load Chargeable Spells you might choose to obtain the chargeable spells corresponding to the ones you already have, replacing default spells that aren't modified by other mods.
* A full perks system and a penalties system for charging:
- It includes a dynamic perks system that limits your mobility while charging at lower levels as well as your fatigue loss and the possibility to loose the charge if you run out of magicka or fatigue, or if you are injuried.
- Optional feature (enabled by default) that adds a small chance for your spell to drain from you some extra fatigue or health, or even hit your attributes. This is progressive and the chances are increasing for as long as you're charging, so you can stop charging and cast the spell once you see it starts to hurt you. If you decide to charge longer, all your stats drained this way are added to the spell's power. This feature is complemented with blurred vision effect (optional) and a sound and the "damage attribute" visuals that warns you when this happens.
* Aditional features:
- Optional feature (enabled by default) that makes every chargeable spell able to be casted at Novice skill level. Spells will still show their real mastery level but you will be able to cast them. If using the feature above and considering that at novice skill level spells power won't be really great it's fair to make them all available and it shouldn't be considered a cheat.
- Increased experience (XP) proportional to the time charged for every cast.
- Spell casting responds to magical effectiveness, magical resistance and spell absorption/reflection.
- Being staggered, knocked or silenced renders the PC unable to charge.
- While a spell is being charged, a light effect shows on the player, and it's radius grows exponentially each second. It's meant to make you easier to detect if charging a huge spell.
- Spells values are updated after each casting, so you can see how much powerful it’s been. An optional message may be enabled to show spell’s info in-game after each casting.
- Optional features can be enabled / disabled editing the .ini file provided.
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3 - PLAYING THIS MOD
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* 3.1 - Getting started:
Chargeable Spells will work either on new games and on saved games.
Once in-game, a message box will prompt asking you to replace your default spells by a chargeable version of each one. Choosing so will give you the chargeable version corresponding to the spells you have, and then it will remove from your spells list those spells that only have an effect wich is not scripted, so it won't replace spells from other mods, unless they only alter cost/magnitude.
If you're not sure about replacing your spells, a lesser power will be added to you. Casting it will open the menu again so you can choose to "update" your spells list.
* 3.2 - How do I get the spells I'm missing?
Every spells vendor will sell now chargeable spells for a nice price, even NPCs from mods.
Following the same procedure as avobe, they will have the chargeable version of the spells they had, so default spells won't be available to purchase as long as any other mod modifies them.
Notice that NPCs still have their original spells, they are only temporary replaced for them as long as you speak with them.
* 3.3 - Charging spells:
It's not necessary for you to know exactly how calcs are done but this things might be important:
- What determines a spell's power is the amount of magicka you put in the spell and your skill level, but there's also a bonus for charging long.
- When charging a spell it always drains 1/4 of your total magicka pool per second, proportionaly. So a big magicka pool means you put more magicka per second, and therefor it allows for more powerful spells being cast in less time.
- Even draining 1/4 of your magicka each second you can charge for longer than 4 seconds, because you regenerate some magicka also while charging. This means that a higher magicka regeneration rate (high INT+WIL) will allow you to charge for longer, and therefor put in there more magicka and obtain a bigger time bonus. Using restore magicka potions works as well.
- The "time bonus" for charging longer multiplies the final result by 1+(time/10). ie, charging for 3.25 seconds will multiply the result by 1.325, ie a 32.5% more, up to a x2 multiplier at 10 seconds of charge.
- By default every spell can be cast at novice level eventhought they still show it's original mastery level.
- Charging for long might hurt you. If your health drains so quickly or if you hear your character's gasp better release it and cast the spell.
* 3.4 - Perks and movement limitation:
As it's been commented, this mod also features a perks system that limits player's movement at lower levels and unlock them as your character progress in each magic school. This perks are associated with your current skill level and they are re-calculated every time you select a spell. Fortify / Drain skill effects may un/lock pertinent perks temporaly.
Novice
- can't run or walk while charging.
- can't stand in sneak mode charging (your PC will stand up automatically when charging).
- can't charge or cast under water.
- can't jump or attack, but stills can block.
- if runs out of magicka while charging, spell and magicka are lost.
Apprentice
- can charge under water.
- can walk while charging or simply stand in sneaking mode.
- if gets exhausted while charging (zero fatigue), the spell is automaticaly casted. This will work even if a fatigue mod knocks you out for being exhausted.
Journeyman
- can run while charging.
- can walk in sneak mode while charging.
- if runs out of magicka while charging the spell is automaticaly casted.
Expert
- can run in sneak mode while charging.
- can jump while charging.
Master
- never looses the charge due to being injuried, but still loosing the charge if knocked out/down.
- can attack while charging.
All this movement limitations are performed in a smooth fashion, giving the player a one-second transition between each mode. For instance, a novice running will automatically start to walk when charging and one second after will be stuck until the spell is released. Right after casting the spell the player will be running or sneaking again, however he/she was before.
* 3.5 - Spells and alternative casting:
The spells this mod adds have been built upon the basis of just very few patterns for ease of usage, and it all has been carefuly designed to be as logical and intuitive as possible. Here are some considerations that may help understanding better this new spells.
To activate the "alternative casting mode" the block button must be held down the moment the cast key is released.
- If a spell can do all it's effect at once, it does. Only spells that really require time to be effective will last (ie charm, silence, weakness to, etc).
- If a spell can be 'on target' instead than 'on touch' then it is, so there's no 'fire damage on touch' spell.
- Spells that last for a while and have a magnitude (ie, shield, but not night eye), have double duration than magnitude. For instance, a spell that charms 32 pts will lasts 64 seconds, and therefor it will cost according to that. In fact time has been doubled, so half of time is for free.
- Ranged spells have a small Area of Effect (AoE) rangnig from 2 to 7 or 8, depending on your skill and governing attribute.
- The alternative cast for ranged spells makes them less powerful but increases their area of effect. It's power will be between 50% to 80% from it's original magnitude, depending on your skill and attribute, and it's radius depends on this but also on the percentage of your total magicka you've spent, up to a hard to reach maximum of 150 feet.
- "Benefical" spells that are cast on self (restore health, resist poison, etc) can be cast on target using the alternative cast, either to heal a companion, to give water walking to a slaughterfish or to cast light on fleeing enemy. Some doesn't have an alternative casting, like bound stuff, summoning, night-eye and detect life.
- The alt. mode for Absorb health/fatigue/magicka spells will make them lasting for long and absorbing the proper stats slowly.
- Only those magical effects related to some percent check (like reflect spell, shield, resist/weakness, etc) are restrained to a max of 100. In this case, the extra magicka spent makes it lasts for longer.
- Those effects that rely on an absolute value have no maximum and can effectively exceed 100 (for instance, feather, detect life, light, etc).
* 3.6 - Penalties system with reward:
After one second charging a spell a random check is performed, depending on your skill and will (higher stats are better), to determine if you're affected by it, kinda you start to loose control over the spell.
Charging for less than one second has no risks at all, but after one second this check is performed continuosly, twice per second, until the spell is cast. Chances of failure are increasing each time, so charging really long may become dangerous.
Penalties you might suffer from charging a spell are set in a few severity levels, so you won't suddenly loose the spell, if this has to happen first your fatigue will be hit, then your health, after that your attributes will suffer and then you might loose the spell, being 0.5 seconds between each step, so you can react if things go wrong.
If you suffer once from a "penalty" it doesn't mean you'll be suffering it continuously until you release the spell or that you will get automaticaly next "penatly", all this is randomized each check, but chances to fail increase quickly with time, so the normal thing is that once you start to loose fatigue you'll be loosing fatigue each second, and maybe with health will happen so, but that's very random.
Each "penalty" has it's own chance to apply, smaller as the more severe they are. Once it hits your attributes it will hit one point at each attribute, you'll hear your character gasps and a red visual effect will play on the PC.
Penalties come in form of 1 fatigue point loss per check failed, 1 health point, 1 pt on attributes and finally a chance to loose the spell.
The reward is that every stats point drained is added to the spell's power, just like extra magicka spent. Each fatigue point adds 1 to magicka, a health point adds 2 and each time your attributes are damaged it counts like spending 50 magicka points more.
This makes long charges far more exciting and dangerous, but also rewarding, mostly for novices and apprentices. In higher skill levels things are getting more stable, but there's always a small chance to fail.
Also (and this may run against the popular opinion) but for me, magic ceases to feel arcane and magical when every aspect is easily defined with numbers. It just becomes another formula. I'm asking that only the most rudimentary information about a spell be displayed, requiring us to actually utilize it in combat before we know what best suits us. Keep numbers within the description at a minimum, and if possible, don't even display the damage.
Our potential isn't realized in an instant, it is found through constant toil and practice. How will we know that one sword will outperform another in our hands?
An extension upon this, is for our weapons to "improve" individually through use. The concept of getting better with swords as a whole is sound, but anyone will tell you, they are best when they use what they know. A sword you have held in your hand through an entire legion of bandits will be better suited to you than just another one found on the ground.
Allow a weapon's damage to by dynamically enhanced through constant use, but have it restricted to said weapon, instead of all weapons of a similar type. At the same time, this enhancement wouldn't make the weapon more valuable like normal refining would, and it would have an absolute maximum to what it can do.
Alternatively, it could utilize the refining mechanic, and apply the bonus to the weapon on the fly, though this would somewhat devalue smithing, unless the maximum bonus from the script was rather low.
