Is it just me or does anyone else feel that the elderscrolls series have mediocre (visual) magic effects? It's like, if it's a fireball, then it's a yellow sphere; if it's a iceball, then it's a blue sphere; if it's lightening, it's no more than a cartoonish zigzag line. For this reason I never created any magic-based characters in morrowind and oblivion. I mean come on, at least there needs to be flames around the fireball and the enemy after impact. For ice spells, it needs to be visually unique from the fire spells, rather than just different color. For example, surrounding the enemy with ice and slows him down. For lightening, it gotta look like real lightening. For health draining spell, continuous bleeding would be nice, dripping down on the ground from the enemy's body.

I mean I might not have the best ideas, but I think bethesda can do way better with the magic effects.

With the great technology of today, I'm sure Bethesda could do some incredible Magic fx.

When I read the title, I thought you were going to make some Mass Effect joke with TES...

That may be true, but you have to remember that oblivion was 4 years ago, and since they brought it to consoles, they had little knowledge of the actual power and workings of said consoles for much of the development. But i agree with darkmast508 in saying that im quite confident that the spell effects will look very good in Skyrim.

I agree with you, magic is one of the aspects of the game that needs the most overhauling, not only in visuals, but in sound awell. Since you talked about effects, I would really love to see my enemies getting frozen with cold spells, for example.

The magic visuals of Oblivion were a huge improvement, although lacking in some areas...

Im convinced it will be an improvement, how much so I couldn't say...
Maybe it will be such a slight improvement as to give projectiles a shadow
Maybe the new engine will overhaul everything and we will see graphics that would make the developers of crysis cry

Im not sure, but I am sure it will be a little better

I think everything is mediocre, at least by todays standard. But it still works. And yes, I want everything better, not just magic. I'm not a magic user.

I have no doubt TES5 will have significantly increased spell effects...heck even WoW has some amazing spell effects now and it looks like total trash.

It was probably the engine's limitations. I'm sure it'll be better in Skyrim.

5 years ago, actually...

Oblivion is pretty much a five year old game. It's getting old, it ran on a very unoptimized engine, and, as you said, Bethesda developed it for consoles they were unsure of. Still, we can't all expect the world from Bethesda just because it's a newer game in the series. I believe that spells need to be more varied and more powerful in their appearance, but I'm not expecting amazing magic. Expect little, appreciate a lot, but it's still the same Bethesda.

I'd love to see magic effects that aren't just big glowy lights. Wings for a levitation spell. Actual thorns sprouting from your skin for a thorns spell. I realize it's 90% certain to be glowy lights again. but man, I'd love something a bit less 1998.


I remember when I first played EQ1, the particle effects were awesome. The spells looked great. But it's been a long time, and particle effects have been done the entire time. For once, I'd love to see a game in which magic actually influences things in a very physical way.

fallout 3/nv had good special effects, so obviously bethesda can do it