Spell Sets

[Schmoe]

I would like to see a spell set system, similar to what we have for weapon sets. Under this system, you could drag a single spell to a spell set, then drag a number of metamagic feats onto the spell set. The spell set can then be placed on the hotbar.

From now on, when you use the spell set, it casts the chosen spell, modified by the chosen metamagic feats.

As someone relatively new to casters, this would make my life much easier and make me much more effective at using my spells and mana. Not only that, with a little creativity it has the potential to be the framework on which you can build many cool things that might otherwise be difficult, like: contingency, a spell-twining feat that casts two spells at once, energy substitution, and all the other amazing and wonderful spell-casting innovations that Turbine has planned.

[Schmoe]

This suggestion hasn't received any feedback. I figure it's either because people aren't interested, or people don't understand the idea. I can't do anything about the first, but in case it's the second, allow me to elaborate.

Have you ever been running around throwing those Firewalls, with Maximize and Empower both running? What happens when that Fire Giant suddenly appears? Gee, it sure would be nice to throw a Heightened Charm Monster, but wait! There's no way to quickly do that. Do you take the time to turn on Heighten first? Seconds lost. Do you take the time to turn off Maximize and Empower first? Seconds lost - and if you don't, then it's wasted mana. Spell sets would solve that problem. Just put a Heightened Charm Monster on your hotbar, and you're always prepared!

Have you ever been running in mana-conservation mode, throwing a few charms and webs here and there, maybe a scorching ray or two. Maybe you have Heighten on, maybe not, it's not critical, you're just trying not to pike while saving up for a big upcoming battle. But all of a sudden things go south! Two of the melees are down, you aggroed another room, and you really need that Maximized, Empowered, Quickened Cone of Cold, NOW. Switching on your meta-magic feats means precious seconds lost, and not switching them on means precious damage lost. You're screwed. But have no fear! With the handy spell sets you can put a Maximized, Empowered, Quickened Cone of Cold on your hotbar! Now you are prepared for whatever unpleasant surprises life might throw at you. Eat ice, ugly-ogre-face.

[Beld]

I think everyone understands, and most, including me think it would be a great feature, so I think you more likely are not getting traffic and feedback due to this being the 50th + time this has been suggested.

Just for the sake of argument tho /signed

[Schmoe]

I think everyone understands, and most, including me think it would be a great feature, so I think you more likely are not getting traffic and feedback due to this being the 50th + time this has been suggested.

Just for the sake of argument tho /signed

Wouldn't it be nice if we got feedback from the devs on our suggestions?

Oooh, I think I have a new suggestion

[Nott]

Wouldn't it be nice if we got feedback from the devs on our suggestions?

For suggestions that are being made the first time, it's unlikely the devs will provide feedback, for very good reasons. For suggestions that have been discussed for 4 years (even when you're not aware of that yourself at the time you post it), its even less likely to receive official feedback.

The reason you're not going to see a developer provide feedback is no good can come of it. Before changes get introduced into the game, there's an internal process of first deciding what the pros and cons of the feature are (that is, what's the risk vs. reward of implementing it, and what's the return on their investment of implementing it), then prioritization, then scheduling. Somewhere in there, there's a lengthy process of deciding and refining requirements, determining how to properly test them (no comments from the peanut gallery!), and full vetting of use cases. All of this seems rather bureaucratic, and often it is, but its standard software development (where the development team is more than one or two people in their mother's basement -- again, no comments from the peanut gallery).

So... lets say a dev tells you it's a great idea, and they'll get right on it! You're happy -- for now, but you've really been misled. In the best case, they will implement it, but it's going to take a long time to surface. In the worst case the person who posted, "officially" telling you that your idea will be acted on (or even just considered) will get shot down internally. Somewhere in the middle, the idea will remain just below enough priority to receive any resources, or it will hover around that low level getting work here and there, and by the time it actually sees the light of day it looks more like DA than lag reduction. In most cases, the customer is going to walk away disappointed and frustrated, because they were either led to believe (or given just enough to convince themselves) that their idea would be implemented.

If all you want is conversation about the idea, and you don't care if it's with devs or simply with other people capable of holding up the conversation, then your expectations are well calibrated. Expecting direct access to the decision makers behind any large product, when you are not directly responsible for a considerable percentage of the company's profit, is a misdirected expectation.