Comments from the Devs

[miokomioko]

The game isn't too bad, but it feels like it lacks something to make it stand out.

I feel like Final Fantasy brand White Mage cloaks, and Black Mage hats are going to be enough for a ton of people to give it a shot (come PS3).

[Kurokikaze]

People seeing a full AF Dragoon in action running on new server hardware with better optimization is enough to get anyone giddy.

The game is already "Final Fantasy" now it just needs to play like a game made in 2012 and not 2001.

[Corrderio]

Oh don't get me wrong. The FF name might work, I mean more in the long run since battle still feels something to be desired. I doubt they'll go full GW2 in terms of battles, but I'd love to see the environment play a larger role in fight

[Kurokikaze]

Oh don't get me wrong. The FF name might work, I mean more in the long run since battle still feels something to be desired. I doubt they'll go full GW2 in terms of battles, but I'd love to see the environment play a larger role in fight

I actually really like the Combo System when compared to most modern MMOs. It's more reactionary as opposed to spamming a rotation over and over. I say this only after playing DRG. I just wish I could see all 3 of my action bars on the screen at the same time. XD

Right now there are two things that need to be added to the Battle System.

1. Multiple player combos. Similar to skillchains.
2. Environmental hazards. They delve into this a bit with Ifrit (don't stand in fire) and The Aurum Vale (dot damage in specific area) but it needs to be more fleshed out. I don't expect much in this department until v2.0. But they shouldn't just use ground hazards all the time - use air space (e.g. Garuda summons a Whirlwind that shoots characters into the air dealing damage on hit and again once they land due to fall damage.)

[Lucavi]

TERA was the first game I've ever played to have a Combo system, and the shit is fun, so I'm down with you, Kuro. I'd like to see XIV steal TERA's system where you can set a button to act as another way to continue the combo, instead of having to press the particular key on your keyboard (or button on controller). I think the default one is space bar, but I switched mine to one of the side buttons on my mouse and fell in love with it. It almost turns it into a quick-time event, which, when paired with the free targeting system, puts a little action/adventure into my MMO.

Kinda hoping for GW2 to implement something similar, but if neither do, I suppose it'll be cool having a nice, exclusive feature.

[Kurokikaze]

TERA was the first game I've ever played to have a Combo system, and the shit is fun, so I'm down with you, Kuro. I'd like to see XIV steal TERA's system where you can set a button to act as another way to continue the combo, instead of having to press the particular key on your keyboard (or button on controller). I think the default one is space bar, but I switched mine to one of the side buttons on my mouse and fell in love with it. It almost turns it into a quick-time event, which, when paired with the free targeting system, puts a little action/adventure into my MMO.

Kinda hoping for GW2 to implement something similar, but if neither do, I suppose it'll be cool having a nice, exclusive feature.

You mean like keybinding the ability of the next part of the Combo? I've yet to play Tera. Not sure if I want to buy, since I don't want to be on two MMOs. I barely have time for one. ;/

[Corrderio]

I actually really like the Combo System when compared to most modern MMOs. It's more reactionary as opposed to spamming a rotation over and over. I say this only after playing DRG. I just wish I could see all 3 of my action bars on the screen at the same time. XD

Right now there are two things that need to be added to the Battle System.

1. Multiple player combos. Similar to skillchains.
2. Environmental hazards. They delve into this a bit with Ifrit (don't stand in fire) and The Aurum Vale (dot damage in specific area) but it needs to be more fleshed out. I don't expect much in this department until v2.0. But they shouldn't just use ground hazards all the time - use air space (e.g. Garuda summons a Whirlwind that shoots characters into the air dealing damage on hit and again once they land due to fall damage.)

The combo system was a good idea, but the directional requirement really killed the mood for me. I'm kind of hoping they remove the directional requirement and as a cost reduce the amount of TP needed for the next weaponskills, sorta like THM/BLM combos and their MP.

[Lucavi]

Basically, yes, Kuro. There's a UI window that has a list of abilities as you get them (needs to be larger, though, or have more room for more abilities, because you start getting A LOT) and you can select a follow-up skill to the first skill. You basically make your own combos by selecting whatever skill you want, and you can list that second skill in another window, and select a follow-up for it as well. They have a few recommended combos, but you can alter them to whatever you want, to suit your playstyle. Certain skills seem to be best behind other ones, like assigning a leaping stab that deals X4 damage to a knocked down opponent (yes, you can knock every single thing on its ass in the game, including one another) to an attack that has a chance to knock back and knock over an opponent. Another example (I played slayer, a 2-handed sword-user) is assigning a charge move that rushes you forward about 10-15 yards and buffs your next attack to follow a backflip-kick that stuns the enemy and tosses you back about 15 yards.

Eventually you can get something like a 6 or 7-string combo going with each attack or ability energizing with one another, or you can just be lazy and do something like stick all of your MP-regeneration skills on the back of a summon skill that may take a lot of MP to cast. It makes things a bit more simple in a game where you constantly have to move around (for real in this game - you stand still and you'll die to just about anything if you aren't a tank, especially the BAMs) and adjust yourself.

Not gonna turn this into a TERA-fest, but just imagine being able to hit a single button to move to the next part of your combo, provided the criteria is met. Granted, XIV has position requirements, while TERA simply has buffs that activate provided that you meet said requirement, like an ability that does double damage from behind, but doesn't require you to actually stand behind the opponent to activate it.

I guess in XIV it would work like "attack with X >> move to the side, hit spacebar to attack with Y >> move to the rear, hit spacebar to attack with Z and stun >> hit spacebar to use attack XX to deal X4 damage." If you wanted to make a longer combo, just place another move after the last one when you get another one that you feel would work well in that situation. Something I like to do is put my stun moves on a combo with the dodge ability (does a flip to the side, the front, or the back, and makes you fully invincible while in the animation, but no delay or animation lock afterwards), so that if I'm in a panic and dodge, I can mash the space bar or whatever button to stun the shit out of whatever was trying to break my shit.

That's a lot less button presses than trying to either macro-dance or buy a razr naga and drop all your macros on 30 buttons, which would eliminate the excuse that devs like to throw out for content difficulty about how "we don't want to force the players to have to think in too many directions at once". Its no wonder that some of the BAMS are fucking hard...

[Kurokikaze]

Basically, yes, Kuro. There's a UI window that has a list of abilities as you get them (needs to be larger, though, or have more room for more abilities, because you start getting A LOT) and you can select a follow-up skill to the first skill. You basically make your own combos by selecting whatever skill you want, and you can list that second skill in another window, and select a follow-up for it as well. They have a few recommended combos, but you can alter them to whatever you want, to suit your playstyle. Certain skills seem to be best behind other ones, like assigning a leaping stab that deals X4 damage to a knocked down opponent (yes, you can knock every single thing on its ass in the game, including one another) to an attack that has a chance to knock back and knock over an opponent. Another example (I played slayer, a 2-handed sword-user) is assigning a charge move that rushes you forward about 10-15 yards and buffs your next attack to follow a backflip-kick that stuns the enemy and tosses you back about 15 yards.

Eventually you can get something like a 6 or 7-string combo going with each attack or ability energizing with one another, or you can just be lazy and do something like stick all of your MP-regeneration skills on the back of a summon skill that may take a lot of MP to cast. It makes things a bit more simple in a game where you constantly have to move around (for real in this game - you stand still and you'll die to just about anything if you aren't a tank, especially the BAMs) and adjust yourself.

That sounds pretty awesome but I unfortunately don't see it happening in this game. I would like to be proven wrong though. ;/

Damn I need to get a beta key for TERA. lol

[Lucavi]

I think it could, honestly. Its as simple as having one button activate it. With all the other changes SE has made, if enough people suggested it, they might even "look into it".

[Spider-Dan]

But they shouldn't just use ground hazards all the time - use air space (e.g. Garuda summons a Whirlwind that shoots characters into the air dealing damage on hit and again once they land due to fall damage.)

Unless they give you the ability to move/act in the air, wouldn't this functionally be the same as "deals damage over time + stun effect"?

[Kurokikaze]

Unless they give you the ability to move/act in the air, wouldn't this functionally be the same as "deals damage over time + stun effect"?

You're able to use instant abilities while in the air/moving so no it's not stun. Although falling is technically moving which would mean you cant cast spells.

You act like we won't be able to jump soon. They need to start using the vertical space for more than just that.

[Spider-Dan]

I thought jump was ruled out pre-2.0?

In any case, I would be amazed if SE allowed players to do anything mid-jump. This isn't Skyrim.

[Burningthought]

I thought jump was ruled out pre-2.0?

In any case, I would be amazed if SE allowed players to do anything mid-jump. This isn't Skyrim.

I think jump is coming pre-2.0, I don't really recall anything about it being at or post 2.0. I do remember that they wanted Jumping to actually do something and not have it just be cosmetic. So we'll probably see some platforming elements in future raids and stuff.

[miokomioko]

I am predicting the extent of that to be a boss fight where the floor becomes damaging at certain intervals unless you jump on top of platforms that randomly pop up (fewer and fewer) around the arena.

[Aratharn]

I am predicting the extent of that to be a boss fight where the floor becomes damaging at certain intervals unless you jump on top of platforms that randomly pop up (fewer and fewer) around the arena.

That could be fun.

[Spider-Dan]

I am predicting the extent of that to be a boss fight where the floor becomes damaging at certain intervals unless you jump on top of platforms that randomly pop up (fewer and fewer) around the arena.

Yeah, I think jump will be something more along the lines of "you can jump up this ledge instead of walking around" and not "you can jump and fire Light Shot at something above your elevation".

Hell, if jump allowed you to ignore drop-down boundaries (add fall damage if you need to prevent "exploits") it would be a godsend. The arbitrary 3-inch walls are greatly improved, but not quite eliminated yet.

[Scythiroth]

I am predicting the extent of that to be a boss fight where the floor becomes damaging at certain intervals unless you jump on top of platforms that randomly pop up (fewer and fewer) around the arena.

The floor is lava, jump on the couch!

All I could think of reading that. >.>

[Vuitton]

Or, as the floor begins to fall out, new tiles begin to appear which you can jump onto, and then those eventually will fall as well, so the fight slowly begins to move up and up and up (like Kefka!)

But, probably not practical for this game unless they can figure out a way to bring the fight back to melee range at some point, otherwise it would force parties to be long distance dps onry.

[Fievel]

otherwise it would force parties to be long distance dps onry.

Yeah, SE would NEVER do this.