Letter from the Producer, XXVII (04/20/2012)

[Murmaider]

All combos can be executed while solo, unless you miss or play on dial-up. Sever latency is a pretty bad excuse when you can abuse it to combo while soloing, this is a very slow paced game and its very easy to predict how something will move when you are solo. Most mobs don't dance around like cactuars do, and mobs don't instantly move when you do, this is your window for solo directional combos. If you need to initiate the WS from behind, run through it and WS from behind. Combos have a timer, after you have hit it from behind and need to now hit it from the side, wait for it to face you then move to the side and WS when you are at that point.

The only reasons I can think of for not being able to combo while soloing is fighting while locked on to your target, or you just need more practice.

The Natalan Sentry for Sent Gauntlets is a great solo target because you cant fight it relatively safely and it has enough hp to get a good number of combos off.

[Elcura]

Sever latency is a pretty bad excuse

No, it isn't.

[Spider-Dan]

Just sayin', since most of this hate is coming from complaints about hitting those rear/side angles while fighting something solo... when the combo system was built around party play. It can obviously be done solo, it's just significantly more difficult, by design, to hit a target from behind when it's staring at you.

Basically: It's supposed to be difficult to combo while solo.

I'd say it's a borderline exploit to be able to combo at all while solo, and wouldn't be surprised at all if it were patched out.

[solracht]

Let's defend a combat system that's annoying and boring while solo and while in some party situations simply because it works well in other party situations. Sounds like a great idea for a game that's trying to grab new players.

They need to either remove directional requirements (and add penalties for not comboing from the right spot), or reduce TP costs all across the board. The flow of combat is so slow and terrible when you're not comboing perfectly that I honestly don't see how anyone could defend the current situation.

I think the difference between playing well and playing badly should translate in performance (damage, healing, etc). It should not be what determines how boring combat is.

[Achitophel]

All I do is solo and combos really aren't that hard to do that way. I mean, if we're gonna go with an "obvious insult about your intelligence level", it should be that you can't figure out how to get either to the sides or behind a mob.

[Elcura]

All I do is solo and combos really aren't that hard to do that way. I mean, if we're gonna go with an "obvious insult about your intelligence level", it should be that you can't figure out how to get either to the sides or behind a mob.

So just because you can do it that means it isn't really a problem? Well, you heard the man. It's not a problem guys, move along.

Goddamn, you people really make me laugh sometimes.

[Toth]

I thought the system was set up so there were combos designed for solo (i.e MNK/ PUG's Pummel > Concussive Blow) specifically and other, stronger combos for party play.

[Achitophel]

I'm just saying...if an obvious insult about low intelligence levels was needed, it should probably be towards the people that can't figure out how to time things, as opposed to the people that can.

If necessary, of course.

I mean, seriously. In what world can you not hit a mob from the right or left like 90% of the time that you're wanting to? That's just sad.

[Elcura]

I'm just saying...if an obvious insult about low intelligence levels was needed, it should probably be towards the people that can't figure out how to time things, as opposed to the people that can.

If necessary, of course.

I mean, seriously. In what world can you not hit a mob from the right or left less than like 90% of the time? That's just sad.

Are you serious? I think you're serious, but... I'm not sure. You never can be on BG.

[Achitophel]

It's really not that tough. But good luck! Aim for stars, my nucca!

[Elcura]

It's really not that tough.

Hah, I knew it. I would just like to say that this isn't at all the point.

[Achitophel]

The point is who we should hurl those low intellect insults at. The people who can't figure out how to do it? Or the people that don't care?

I think by far the dumber demographic would be the people who can't do it. They seem pretty stupid, all things considered.

http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:A...dd07AE4Oo5bYp-

[Elcura]

The point is who we should hurl those low intellect insults at.

Nope. But thanks for trying anyway.

I think by far the dumber demographic would be the people who can't do it. They seem pretty stupid, all things considered.

Oh god, just stop.

[Achitophel]

Nope what? Oh, I'm sorry, were you trying to define my point for me? That's cute.

[SilverBreeze]

Oh god, just stop.

I agree.

[Aito]

Something i've been wondering about this Legacy Campaign is whether the exclusive in-game Chocobo mount just for one character on your account or will be for every single character including characters made after 2.0 is released?

[Alkar]

It's the only one that's going to stop a mob from rotating with you so you can execute combos based on directional requirements.

No, it's not.
And honestly I can use most of the combos without issues while solo. Most classes that have weird directional requirements have access to Stun on their own, others simply require you to move on the sides.
Most mobs also use abilities that take some time to fire off, allowing you to move around and start a combo. The only situation where it's harder to execute some combos is when they're not even needed because mobs die quickly enough.
Remove the latency and you have a good system in place that simply needs a few tweaks.

[Spider-Dan]

Let's defend a combat system that's annoying and boring while solo and while in some party situations simply because it works well in other party situations. Sounds like a great idea for a game that's trying to grab new players.

Were you equally upset that solo skillchains were extremely impractical for most jobs, and solo battle regimens impossible?

It seems like SE is being punished for allowing you to use some (but not all!) combos when solo. The directional requirements on combos clearly indicate that they are intended for party play.

Now, if you want to argue that combos should be more flexible in party, I'm all ears. But I think it's extremely generous of SE to even enable combos in solo play, given that the system they are intended to replace (regimens) were restricted to party-only.

[solracht]

Were you equally upset that solo skillchains were extremely impractical for most jobs, and solo battle regimens impossible?

Holy fuck.

EDIT: Wait no, you actually just seem confused, or I'm the one who remembers wrong: Combos are part of basic combat, not party-related. The party system that would replace battle regimens is not in the game yet.

[Spider-Dan]

I thought combos were specifically the system to replace regimens. Is there anything stating otherwise?

Or, to put it another way: was there ever any indication that 2.0 will have two distinct skillchain mechanics?