It would be neat to see your veins glow different colors depending on the spells that are being cast for example: illusion spells wich usually cause green stuff to fly out of your hands would cause the veins in your wrists near the hand to glow a feint green, but only when that spell is cast. The amount of glow for each could depend on your skill in that school of magic 70 pts into restoration would give you a halo of light from your hand. It worked well in bioshock, and they are adapting some of the combat from that game why not add that aswell, it seems completly viable and would be a nifty thing to see. Also a toggle on/off for it in the options menu. Anyone else agree?

That's kinda gross.

I'd like to see that. Maybe not exactly like bioshock, but I get what you're saying. Bioshock kind of made it look gross and almost painful, but if they could get the look right to make it look more magical and natural, I think it could work rather well.

Yeah, I don't find it appealing either.

I don't fine it appealing at all either. Flowing magic around your arms sure, but this sounds gross. This isn't Bioshock.

Not really like i said it worked in bioshock:

[img]http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20100115030531/bioshock/images/8/84/Electro_Bolt_2.png[/img]


Although I will say that some of the effects were gross in bioshock, what I mean is making your character look powerfull as a spell caster rather then just a dude with a robe

It doesn't fit within the lore at all. Mortals gain access to magicka through Autherius, and only because the Magna-Ge tore holes through the fabric of Mundus in their escape from creation. These are known as the stars, and magicka seeps through them as well as the sun. It isn't from within the body through Men and Mer physiology.

You have a valid point but I still stand that they should have a way to make pure mages look cooler all the time not just when they are casting spells, Like warriors have cool armor, the thing is my playstyle is much more akin to pure spell casting.

I agree on making spellcasting look cooler. Maybe something like what Zeopard mentioned, magic flowing around your arms. But having your actual veins light up like your blood has been replaced with glowstick fluid? That sounds a bit creepy.

This isn't Fable.

And as Tenth pointed out, not entirely lore friendly. Your whole basis for this idea is upon the fact that mages should look cooler.

Unfortunately, I don't think this is the best way to go towards that goal.

I certainly hope Beth doesn't start ruining their own lore just because it makes stuff "look cooler". I'm sure it'd appease newcomers to the series but it'd spurn ES veterans.

If I was maxed out in a certain school could it be permanent, I like to have something to reflect my level of magic power.

Entering into this thread I thought you were talking about woad or that blue stuff that showed up on Fable's mages; I love that stuff, I'm questioning wether to get this style tattoo.

the reason bioshock did this is because you were injecting yourself with the plasmids

I'm gonna go against the crowd and like this idea. It was done well in Bioshock and I kind of expect it to be in Skyrim. That is where they got the idea after all. :shrug:

It doesn't have to be permanent. Only when you're casting a high level spell.

I don't know why you think they got the idea of dual wielding spells/weapons from Bioshock. There's a little game called Clive Barker's Undying that came out in 2001 that uses this same method of combat.

Because they already said they got the idea from Bioshock.

I like the idea.
Maybe not exactly like Bioshock or it'll get a bit creepy, but I would like to see something like this. But, hopefully only for the really powerful spells & when you cast them. It would be kinda pathetic to have your veins glow a bunch just because you equipped a weaker fireball spell.

what if it wasn't veins but just a magical aura around your arms that changes with the spell like if you were using a wind spell the wind would visibly go around your arms. or if it was something else the same would happen only it would just be that element. the Veins thing is kind of gross. at least this way it would make you look bad ass :thumbsup:

Well don't get me wrong, remember that they have duel wielding spells with spells or with weapons now so we'll most likely see our PC with his hand out for a prolonged period of time when in combat mode while the spell effect affects his hand (shimmering, orbiting, etc). Kind of like bioshock when you have a plasmid equipped, just not on a biological basis as with that game. Believe me, mages will look cooler with better casting effects and a spell overhaul altogether. Also remember that there are Western-esque spell duels now and you can really wear just about any armor you would like to since you don't choose a certain armor skill from the beginning.

On a side note, if you're playing pure mage with cloth and whatnot, their outfits are going to look pretty dang awesome now too. You haven't seen hardly anything related to this yet so don't get afraid. Check out the Art of Skyrim and Skyrim Behind the Scenes videos at the GameInformer website. On the walls in the background there's some awesome concept art of mages with wonderful looking staves and cloth-wear. Better looking that any pure-mage outfits in Morrowind and Oblivion IMO.

Thanks for the heads-up....*drools*

I think all the OP means is just have some effects when you cast magic rather than just "press button, fire flings out of hand, looks like nothing happened." I think some sort of effects would be cool - like if you're throwing a huge fireball your whole hand gets enveloped in flame (but not burned up or anything of course).

So it's in the sunlight and air, like Prana? If that's the case, then wouldn't it be breathed into the body and absorbed by the bloodstream for later use (via the Magicka bar)? Am I missing something?

As for the vein glowing being "gross," I fail to see how it's any worse than traditional blood and gore.

meh I will be wearing robes/gloves to notice anyways

Well I don't think all spell need color veins some of them maybe but not all, for second thats will become useless FX if character will wear gloves.
May glowing aura effect around hands is better? It will glow over equipment and there can be different FX
For example like Daggerfall have
http://i.picasion.com/pic40/3d2d1cbf6ce42617af1188316a917556.gif
http://i.picasion.com/pic40/e42956e7b61a63ce6384e1a544b7ee5b.gif
http://i.picasion.com/pic40/bf563969c88a3e4b48b5c889a428e0bf.gif
Or Dark Messiah style of glowing hands
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bv7WeZmj2G0

No thanks.

You already get the affect of firing magical energy out of your hands. If you can't look cool just doing that, then there is really nothing they can do to help you.