Disintegrate. From red to purple?

[:1]Hi all, I saw in the pvp video disintegrate goes from orangle color at start to purple, is it true or something is wrong with the video oO? Also there is some info it works similar to void ray from sc2 (the more u attack one target the bigger damage), can someone confirm this plz?|||although the wiki does not confirm this, at 16:14 and 18:04 in the presskit video you can see that the damage doubles once the beam turns purple (orange beem does 15 dmg on the mongrels with 29, purple beam jumps to hits of 29 with 58 crit). seems like a void ray mechanic to me. also, i had read that in one of the external hands-on reports, i think.|||So, just as I thought it's void ray like.... So wait, is it always like that? or is it a skill rune effect?|||The spell description doesn't mention anything of it. Probably a rune then... Or the description is just outdated. Or it's pvp-specific as a compensation to the downside of standing still while casting, but that seems unlikely to me |||I think the skill has been enhanced by a rune.|||Quote:








I think the skill has been enhanced by a rune.




well, i checked the report posted by flux, as far as i remember he says it was no rune there |||all of the skills in the pvp arena were lvl 5 with a rune. I just didn't note what every rune was. Nor did anyone else, sadly.

The core function of Disintegrate is that it increases damage with longer locked on time on a single target. I don't see that in the short skill description from this year, but I recall them stressing that when they first discussed the skill. Not clear if that's what's showing up in the suddenly double damage you can note in the video, but both times you mention it's after the skill has been hitting for a second or so, which seems a likely explanation. Longer time locked on = more damage, whether that's from crits or just the damage scaling up with time is kind of irrelevant.

You don't get the damage pop up numbers in PvM, and you're kinda too busy worrying about other stuff to really notice it in PvP, but interesting that it seems to show up in the gameplay video.|||Quote:








Not clear if that's what's showing up in the suddenly double damage you can note in the video, but both times you mention it's after the skill has been hitting for a second or so, which seems a likely explanation. Longer time locked on = more damage, whether that's from crits or just the damage scaling up with time is kind of irrelevant.




This is exactly what Madmaxio and I meant by mentioning the "void ray mechanic". It works the same way with this certain SC2 Protoss Unit. I wonder why the spell description doesn't mention any of this if it really is a "core mechanic" like you say. Also, the effect doesn't occur in PvM. At least not in any video I have seen. And also not in the official Disintegrate Video at diablo3.com o_0.|||It also happens at 15:39. Dmg shows as 22, then purple ray and 44 dmg is the next pop up. I found an old quote about a Blizzcon 2008 panel that backs up my old memories of the skill's function.


Quote:




The next spell, Disintegrate, was described as the ultimate face melting skill, and introduces a new mechanic. When you use Disintegrate, you will begin to emit a jet of searing red heat for as long as you hold down the mouse button. By sweeping the mouse around, you'll change the direction of the beam. The longer the beam holds on a specific enemy, the more damage it will do to that enemy.




Clearly the disintegrate beam is turning purple and going to double damage after it locks on for a second, as part of the skill's function. So: 1) Is the dmg a critical hit, or 2) does the skill's basic function double in damage/turn purple after X time locked on, and crits are calculated as a bonus on top of that?

I'd vote for #1. Since the PvP shows damage dealt, it would surely include crit damage. If the skill were doing double, and sometimes it does double + critical, you'd think that number would pop up, and that number would probably be too high: 4x damage from such an easy to hit with spell would be crazy, eh?|||Quote:








At least not in any video I have seen. And also not in the official Disintegrate Video at diablo3.com o_0.




Note that the D3 official site info is 1) limited in scope, and 2) very old. I believe the wiz videos there now are the same ones that went up with the class reveal at Blizzcon 2008. The idea to turn the beam purple with double/crit probably came about much more recently.

Quite possible they got the idea from fans; note the purple fan-colored arcane beam from a bashiok forum post in July 2009.

http://www.diablowiki.net/Disintegra...olour_Feedback

Some bliz artist might well have seen that, thought, "huh, it does look pretty cool purple... how could we work that into the game?" and then when they wanted a graphical representation of the "locked on higher damage" they went with it.