A VFX & SFX pass for 'New Telepathy'

theravenforce

As the title suggests, I've not been super happy with 'New Telepathy' for a number of reasons but at this time, I'm suggesting that the following powers are given an SFX and VFX pass to actually LOOK and SOUND like Telepathy abilities.

1) Shadow of Doubt - SFX Pass - Please change this from an energy blast SFX to something close to what Ego Sleep uses as a charge up SFX but tailored for its quick animation. VFX Pass - No, visually this power is fine.

2) Mental Leech - SFX Pass - It sounds like clashing cymbals, please change this from that sound to something close to what Ego Storm uses for the first maintain tick (or something less abrasive, closer to what Telepathy powers use for SFX) & VFX Pass - The initial hit VFX on the target is fine, but the arcing VFX could use a pass. Please make it less choppy and like something ripped from a vehicle power, like it does now:



to something more like this:



(Just something cleaner really) - Also please consider giving it an initial click VFX similar to Shadow of Doubt :




3) Mental Storm - SFX Pass - Please stop this power from sounding like it was meant for the Electric Set. It sounds horrible. Can it have Ego Hold's charge up SFX or something like it? VFX - It's charge up VFX is acceptable without a Telepathy pass but the actual hit power looks like a thundercloud power. This should be changed to something cleaner and more suited to the Telepathy set.

4) Mind Break - SFX Pass - Sounds like an energy weapon. Charging up,firing and hitting...sounds dreadful. Clone Ego Blast's SFX in every way please. VFX - Requires a charge up VFX, clone Ego Blasts please...also if the projectiles and hit VFX could be cleaner that would be nice, less vehicle power more polished, that would be nice.

At the very least, without a proper pass for Telepathy, would be nice for the powers not to sound as bad!

Raven

spordelia

+1

Most new/reviewed powers look like ***. There's no "flow", no charge/build-up and often no visible emanation points. I get cleaning up for performance reasons, but those look rather choppy, clunky and unpolished, visually cheap like copy+paste jobs. (The animations are decent for the most part, though).

avianos

theravenforce wrote: »

1) Shadow of Doubt - SFX Pass - Please change this from an energy blast SFX
2) Mental Leech - SFX Pass - It sounds like clashing cymbals

3) Mental Storm - SFX Pass - Please stop this power from sounding like it was meant for the Electric Set.

4) Mind Break - SFX Pass - Sounds like an energy weapon.

You absolutely nailed the Sound Effect comparison
I absolutely Hate Mental Leech's current Visual and Audio
and I never understood the Electric Visuals and Audio for Mental Storm

theravenforce wrote: »

I may add that I would like to see this as Visual effect for Activating the Manipulator Toggle

spordelia wrote: »

Most new/reviewed powers look like ***. There's no "flow", no charge/build-up and often no visible emanation points.

I blame the OG DEVs and the Spaghetti code they left behind for the emanation points
Gaining access to this after so many years of playing just find out how underwhelming and underdeveloped it was left behind was disappointing to say the least.

Things could be better and have more options to chose attacks' visuals as well ​​

panthrax77

Preeeetty sure half the "new" telepathy powers weren't even given sounds for the first few years they were around, iirc, so these sounds are the results of work done years later. I agree that they definitely don't fit well, and would love to see them adjusted in a future full telepathy rework.

theravenforce

panthrax77 wrote: »

Preeeetty sure half the "new" telepathy powers weren't even given sounds for the first few years they were around, iirc, so these sounds are the results of work done years later. I agree that they definitely don't fit well, and would love to see them adjusted in a future full telepathy rework.

There was a lot wrong with the New Telepathy launch, it was probably the worst launch that a power set has ever had in CO. The patch notes for it were moved to the suggestions forum and the powers were ultra buggy.

I had to shout about it for a while before any attempt to fix it was made and even then there are still issues.

avianos

I was there, back then, to Witness it all!
Back when I wasn't invested and experienced with all Power Frames

So much clumsiness with this game​​

avianos

WELP your wish was granded (for Sound effects) in the latest PTS!
Check it out

I hope you can see this before it goes LIVE tomorrow

Powers
Adjusted sound on Mind Break, Mental Storm, Shadow of Doubt and Mental Leech.

https://www.arcgames.com/en/forums/championsonline#/discussion/1215240/fc-31-20200711-34-nighthawk-event

​​

spordelia

I can dig the updated SFX, they convey more psionic manipulation than before. I especially like Shadow of Doubt. Mental Storm is still too “electric-y” for my taste, personally. It is a mega assault on your foe’s mind, and the idea of “a storm”, psionic energy crackling (like electricity) could be suggested in the VFX and SFX, preferably subtler than not. Less “storm”, more “mental”. Example:

A cross between the three images + the electric-like sparks on Juggernaut (the target’s) head. Have the psychic energy moving around similarly - crackling, chaining from target to target, the way that Chain Lightning does, for lack of a better example. That could make for a badass, great-looking telepathic power!


When I think of good power VFX, it’s usually got a beginning, a middle and an end. Ideally, the VFX, animation and sound are all “on the same page”, in illustrating that “story”. Most of the OG powers in CO, that haven’t been changed (different than cleaning up/performance, which is fine), still have that.

Beginning: i.e Power starts to emanate, or pulse, or flare/build/charge-up (or what have you) from the hands, or the character’s head or eyes, etc.

Middle: i.e Power “fires”, the execution/peak part, most of the eye-catching stuff happens here.

End: i.e Power fades away, finalize/concludes etc.

Most of the new powers or powers that have had their VFX changed, don’t have a trajectory like that, don’t "tell a story”. It’s just “POOF” or “ZAP”, often so abruptly that it looks choppy, like CTRL+C & CTRL+V jobs with recycled assets that don’t even necessarily go together.

New Telepathy stands somewhere in the middle, IMO. They definitely lack in the “Beginning” part, as I described. Mind Break, for example, could be more like Ego Blast in that regard. It’s a bit too abrupt, too sudden.


They aren’t horrible, but with some polish and love they could be awesome!

theravenforce

Yeah, I didn't have time to test sadly but Mental Storm, Shadow of Doubt and Mental Leech really came out better.

Mind Break Rank 3 appears to be unchanged, whereas Rank 1 & 2 have an audible difference.

Hopefully Mind Break can be looked at again. I just wonder if they can't just clone Ego Blast's SFX and maybe add some echoing effects or something on hit.