Telegraphed attack
A telegraphed attack warns the player where and when it will hit before it lands, with a wind-up pose, a sound or a shape drawn on the ground.
Also called telegraphing, attack telegraph, wind-up.
A telegraph is the warning before an attack. It can be a pose the enemy holds, a sound, or a shape on the ground showing exactly where the hit will land. A good one tells you in a split second where it's safe to stand and how long you have to get there, so a hit you take feels like your mistake.
How long should a telegraph be?
The harder an attack hits, the longer its warning should be. A quick nibble that costs little can be almost instant, and a blow that takes half your health deserves seconds. In Mytheria a 5-damage snap warns for 0.42 seconds and the Stoneback Colossus's 30-damage quake for 3 seconds.
Telegraphs in Mytheria
Every warning on the ground is drawn from the same numbers the game uses to decide whether you're hit, so outside the shape you're safe. A line or arc fills the shape like a clock, and the hit lands when it's full. A dark edge keeps every shape readable on grass, sand and snow and on top of the night fog.
Colours mean the same thing on every creature: red to dodge, blue for an attack you can counter, gold for a weak point to hit now, and pale for a creature that can't be hurt. The Warning shapes option adds hatching, rings and sparkles for players who can't rely on colour.
The full post, with clips and demos Telegraphing attacks: how to warn players before a hit