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I am trying to use Magic Arrow, but when the enemy is too close it does not work. This is incredibly annoying. Do all offensive spells work this way?
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MikeSol: I am trying to use Magic Arrow, but when the enemy is too close it does not work. This is incredibly annoying. Do all offensive spells work this way?
Not all offensive spells, but many of them. Any targeted spells or targeted ranged attacks (sling, bow, crossbow) have this problem, which is part of why missile weapons are a terrible choice. You might be able to throw a sling stone by hand at melee range, but you'd do better just using a melee weapon at that point.

Non-targeted spells like Sheet Lightning and Flame Wind should cast fine even with an enemy in your face, but they may hit things you'd prefer they didn't. Nearby objects may take damage (like treasure on the ground) and possibly be destroyed, and it is possible something (or someone) gets hit through a wall if the distances work out correctly.
Screw offensive spells, use a melee weapon. Magic is useful as a tool. Walk on water, levitate, open...

Offensive magic could be useful against flying enemies like gazers. But if you can hit them with a fireball, they can hit you with a lightning bolt. Better close the distance. If you are in their face, they can't cast either.
Post edited May 11, 2021 by stryx
I am playing a mage. I want to use offensive spells. I already went through the game as a fighter.

On level 3, I got access to the lighting bolt spell which makes it easier as it is much stronger then Magic Arrow.
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MikeSol: I am playing a mage. I want to use offensive spells. I already went through the game as a fighter.

On level 3, I got access to the lighting bolt spell which makes it easier as it is much stronger then Magic Arrow.
You'll need to get used to creating the space for spells then. I'll be curious to hear how it goes.
I needed to get used to running away from mobs, turning around, shooting them, then run away from them again. This was tedious with magic arrow, less so with lighting bolt. I eventually got tired of not only the running away from mobs but also having to constantly rest to get my mana back. I had to keep creating food from all the resting I was doing. It was becoming a real chore.

By the time I reached level 6 I had maxed out my fighting skills (attack, defense and sword) and switched back to fighting melee. No more constant resting and running!

Playing a pure mage using offensive spells as your primary attack is NOT something I recommend. I was curious and wanted to try it. It sucks.

Another issue I ran into was that food and light was a non-issue with the mage since I could conjure both up for free whenever I needed it. I did not like this. The Fighter class has to think about these resources, which I personally, like and prefer.
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MikeSol: Playing a pure mage using offensive spells as your primary attack is NOT something I recommend. I was curious and wanted to try it. It sucks.
I've always been curious as well, but I've never actually tried it myself. The experience you describe is about how I've always imagined it would go. :D
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MikeSol: Another issue I ran into was that food and light was a non-issue with the mage since I could conjure both up for free whenever I needed it. I did not like this. The Fighter class has to think about these resources, which I personally, like and prefer.
I may be too familiar with the game for food and light to register as an issue any more, regardless of how little mana I have. I keep finding myself having to dump food and light from my packs because I keep hitting my weight limit.
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MikeSol: I am playing a mage. I want to use offensive spells. I already went through the game as a fighter.
You can of course do that.

But you are playing as the Avatar and the Avatar has mastered weapons as well as magic and in becoming the Avatar has left the boundaries of his original profession behind.

In other words: The game was not meant to be played that way. It can be done, but it is a pain.
Post edited May 18, 2021 by stryx
The game was not meant to use the offensive spells that were put into the game? What?

You have all these classes, and the only way to play is as a fighter?

Look, you can call it what you want. I will just call it bad game design.
Post edited May 19, 2021 by MikeSol
I believe Ultima Underworld had the first real 3D game engine (predating Wolfenstein 3D and Doom, and "more 3D" than both of those). It has some rough edges, but was a frontrunner of its time. What you consider bad game design now was a pioneering achievement, back when it was created.
The game engine was revolutionary. It changed gaming on every platform forever.

My issue is with gameplay design decisions surrounding the use of magic and missle weapons. Not with the game engine.
I’m just about to make my first serious attempt at it (starting with 2, because it has a connection to the main story). Can’t comment on combat yet,I just find the movement controls awkward and hard to get used to.
I got used to the controls quickly enough and it became a non-issue for me. I think the first Elder Scrolls game uses the same controls.
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MikeSol: I got used to the controls quickly enough and it became a non-issue for me. I think the first Elder Scrolls game uses the same controls.
I should probably check that again, just to see, unfortunately while I did play that a little bit, Morrowind was the first Elder Scrolls I played very long, so don’t have that experience to help.
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rmeakins: I believe Ultima Underworld had the first real 3D game engine ...
From what I recall, that's not quote accurate. It can be argued to be the first texture-mapped 3D game engine, but untextured engines existed before it.

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MikeSol: My issue is with gameplay design decisions surrounding the use of magic and missle weapons. Not with the game engine.
I think that what might be being suggested--and what I would suggest myself--is that it's a game old enough that developers hadn't yet learned how to (relatively) intuitively handle some aspects of interaction in a real-time 3D world. Indeed, I think that it's old enough that a number of game design matters that are now fairly well-settled were not yet so. (See mouselook, for example.)

As a result, it can indeed be janky.