ToME: the Tales of Maj'Eyal

Currently, beam spells fly from the caster to target, hitting everything on their path, and nothing after the target (I have recently discovered that lightning could hit multiple enemies, as I always target the nearest one).
Would it be possible (and desirable?) for them to work as in ToME2 (when I target the nearest enemy in a corridor, beam flies further, hitting all enemies in its range)?

keekooceeaou wrote:Currently, beam spells fly from the caster to target, hitting everything on their path, and nothing after the target (I have recently discovered that lightning could hit multiple enemies, as I always target the nearest one).
Would it be possible (and desirable?) for them to work as in ToME2 (when I target the nearest enemy in a corridor, beam flies further, hitting all enemies in its range)?

Yes. Would make life easier in most situations. However, when you have allies, like escorts or other quest when you should save someone, then this may cause problems. Maybe when one has targeted someone, if one presses Enter the beam continues as far as possible, if one presses the End key (or something else), the beam works as currently.

Where's the problem in just ... aiming? I usually aim behind my targets anyway to shape the beam path more accurately.

Fela wrote:Where's the problem in just ... aiming? I usually aim behind my targets anyway to shape the beam path more accurately.

Easy if you use the mouse, difficult if you use the keyboard. Maybe the mouse should work as currently but the keyboard be changed as suggested above?

I dont really feel that it is that difficult to do with the keyboard, and I am on a laptop, so my keyboard is worse than the normal kind.

Ditto. Did yuo try shift+direction keys for aiming?

Fela wrote:Ditto. Did yuo try shift+direction keys for aiming?

Yes, it is easy to find a target. But the beam stops there. In most cases it would be preferable for the beam to continue as far as possible.

I see. One can move the target freely using shift + arrow keys but not when using the numpad. But even with shift + arrow keys it is unnecessarily complicated for something mages do constantly. It almost all cases it would be preferable for the beam to continue as far as possible even if you do not use the shift + arrow keys.

Also, shift + numpad for free movement where applicable would be nice.

@Mithril: exactly my thoughts, especially in straight corridors

Mithril wrote:I see. One can move the target freely using shift + arrow keys but not when using the numpad. But even with shift + arrow keys it is unnecessarily complicated for something mages do constantly. It almost all cases it would be preferable for the beam to continue as far as possible even if you do not use the shift + arrow keys.

Also, shift + numpad for free movement where applicable would be nice.

Turn off num lock if it's on. That solves the problem for me.

Susramanian wrote:

Mithril wrote:I see. One can move the target freely using shift + arrow keys but not when using the numpad. But even with shift + arrow keys it is unnecessarily complicated for something mages do constantly. It almost all cases it would be preferable for the beam to continue as far as possible even if you do not use the shift + arrow keys.

Also, shift + numpad for free movement where applicable would be nice.

Turn off num lock if it's on. That solves the problem for me.

So it does! Good to know!

However, as stated before, it would still be an improvement for beams to continue as long as possible if pressing one confirmation key, almost always preferable, and to stop at the target if pressing another.

Mithril wrote:However, as stated before, it would still be an improvement for beams to continue as long as possible if pressing one confirmation key, almost always preferable, and to stop at the target if pressing another.

Why on earth the beam should kindly ask for confirmation? You don't get the choice for AoE spells, you wouldn't get it for beams as well. From great power comes great responsibility.

The beam spells are fine as they are. In many cases if the beam simply continued in it's straight path from the first target (that is where you would want it to start effecting from without further input from yourself), it would simply smash into a tree or veer off and hit random enemy in the corner. Instead, I REALLY prefer for it to stay as it is, not complicated at all, no possibility of randomness because I control EXACTLY where it goes. Plus, in those cases where it's (probably) a pit, and if you do shoot directly in front of you (because your in a corridor leading to the pit [which most pits are designed that way]) you can hit a decent amount of mobs. However, if you manually change the targeting to go up maybe one or two tiles, you'll completely fill the beams path instead of having empty space. That's the best example I have right now, and is easily the one that I've encountered the most.

The rate that I would absolutely prefer to aim all of my beam spells completely on my own is almost 99% of the time. Please don't change it.

Chain lightning is different obviously than lightning, but I'm not going to get into that.

Final Master wrote:The beam spells are fine as they are. In many cases if the beam simply continued in it's straight path from the first target (that is where you would want it to start effecting from without further input from yourself), it would simply smash into a tree or veer off and hit random enemy in the corner. Instead, I REALLY prefer for it to stay as it is, not complicated at all, no possibility of randomness because I control EXACTLY where it goes. Plus, in those cases where it's (probably) a pit, and if you do shoot directly in front of you (because your in a corridor leading to the pit [which most pits are designed that way]) you can hit a decent amount of mobs. However, if you manually change the targeting to go up maybe one or two tiles, you'll completely fill the beams path instead of having empty space. That's the best example I have right now, and is easily the one that I've encountered the most.

The rate that I would absolutely prefer to aim all of my beam spells completely on my own is almost 99% of the time. Please don't change it.

Chain lightning is different obviously than lightning, but I'm not going to get into that.

Exactly what is the problem with hitting another enemy? I do not understand your point since I do not propose removing any functionality but just add more. With one confirmation key the beam functions just as today. With another the beam goes on as long as it can which almost always is preferable.

I'd say the extra confirmation is what's undesirable.