Comments from the Devs

[Lokus]

Songs will have to done differently to account for this change. Either leave their AoE range the same as it is now or allow BRDs to select multiple targets to cast a song on.

[Spider-Dan]

Pianissimo would (mostly) solve that problem.

What would completely solve it is an ability that let you target a song at a party member with a ~5m radius around the target.

[Grey Jorildyn]

or songs that simply game two bonuses at a lesser degree than those that grant only one...

[Spider-Dan]

Um, I wouldn't exactly call half-strength Ballad+half-strength Paeon on everyone a substitute for Paeon on melee and Ballad on mages.

[Alkar]

Pianissimo would (mostly) solve that problem.

What would completely solve it is an ability that let you target a song at a party member with a ~5m radius around the target.

Hell no. FFXIV BRD =/= FFXI BRD.
If Pianissimo is implemented BRD will be busy casting a song on each party member instead of shooting and doing what they do now. The current songs are fine.
I don't want another XI situation, thank you.

[Spider-Dan]

Are you even reading the thread before replying?

If song radius is expanded to 40m, BRD "doing what they do now" is not even on the table.

[miokomioko]

It's pretty safe to assume that even SE can acknowledge that extending the range of buffs for no-drawback/no-overwriting spells like Protect/Stoneskin/etc. and then simply carrying it over to Bard, where overwriting is always a concern, would be a bad idea.

[Grey Jorildyn]

I dunno.. for clarification I'd like to ask them if they think extending the duration or increasing the potency (damage reduce) of stoneskin is worth more "balance points" to them. I kinda get the feeling they are hard-up on thinking duration of a buff is something that has to be limited severely, even in the case of SS where the duration is nearly meaningless.

[Alkar]

Are you even reading the thread before replying?

If song radius is expanded to 40m, BRD "doing what they do now" is not even on the table.

And have you played the game? More often than not using multiple songs is not even viable.
Not to mention that abilities are likely getting changed in ARR to take this new thing into account.
And with "doing what they do now" I meant shoot things which is still going to be part of BRD in ARR. Increasing range will just make that even easier to do.
If anything they should add extra effects on Ballad and Paeon to take into account that melees and mages will both get hit by the song.

[Spider-Dan]

And have you played the game? More often than not using multiple songs is not even viable.

Unless you're saying that your mages stand on top of your tank "more often than not," I'm going to have to disagree.

Not to mention that abilities are likely getting changed in ARR to take this new thing into account.

Oh, do you mean something like adding an ability that lets you target a party member with a song?

And with "doing what they do now" I meant shoot things which is still going to be part of BRD in ARR. Increasing range will just make that even easier to do.

If your BRD (in 1.0) only sings one song to your entire party "more often than not," then I guess you would have no reason to see any drawback in a 40m range.

[Eagleheart]

A workable solution would be to maintain current range of BRD buffs, but make them targetable like Stoneskin and Protect currently are. (o.O)> Easy as pie!

[Niiro]

That would be ideal, always was annoying to have to run around to do buffs and it's often very dangerous to run into AoE to buff the tank/melee.

The only drawback I could see would be that you couldn't use Resonance to increase the song AoE when needed since, when used with targetable spells, it increases casting distance rather than AoE range.

[Lucavi]

For everyone complaining about/questioning the methods of how this will work, just watch how bard plays in Rift.

[Manako]

A workable solution would be to maintain current range of BRD buffs, but make them targetable like Stoneskin and Protect currently are. (o.O)> Easy as pie!

Sounds like a good plan to me

[Spider-Dan]

That would be ideal, always was annoying to have to run around to do buffs and it's often very dangerous to run into AoE to buff the tank/melee.

The only drawback I could see would be that you couldn't use Resonance to increase the song AoE when needed since, when used with targetable spells, it increases casting distance rather than AoE range.

Being able to AoE target party members would effectively eliminate the need for Resonance as it is used for songs now, so I'd see that as a worthwhile tradeoff.

[Niiro]

Not quite, I use it to hit people that are standing too far apart to be hit by the normal AoE range or when I know people are or will be moving away from me while I'm casting.

Idk the exact radius of songs but if you picture, say, Ifrit with a WAR tank in front and a DRG behind standing at max range to avoid Sear; on a mob that large with people standing on opposite sides at max range a song targeted on either might not hit the other.

But that's a pretty specific situation and I'd gladly take targeted songs over self target regardless of how it effected Resonance.

[Alkar]

Unless you're saying that your mages stand on top of your tank "more often than not," I'm going to have to disagree.


Oh, do you mean something like adding an ability that lets you target a party member with a song?


If your BRD (in 1.0) only sings one song to your entire party "more often than not," then I guess you would have no reason to see any drawback in a 40m range.

1) BRDs surely sing a different song on each and every member during instances, right?
2) No, I mean adding a second effect to existing songs to take into account that mages, melees and tanks will get hit by it.
3) Are you even reading? I'm not saying that BRDs in 1.0 hit everyone with the same song already, I'm saying that you won't sing a song for every single member of your party. Melees and the tank are usually in range so if that tank happens to be PLD you're not gonna Ballad him and Minuet the others because that means less shooting you'll be doing= less damage that likely won't be worth losing over an acc. boost.

Increasing the range will simply allow you to hit the tank while standing away from AoE attacks. Adding a secondary effect for melees will simply benefit everyone.
Heck, add TP regen to Ballad instead of Paeon; turn Paeon into HP regen and def. boost. Problem solved.

[Spider-Dan]

1) BRDs surely sing a different song on each and every member during instances, right?

Do you sing more than one song to your entire party?
Yes?
Then 40m song radius is a problem. Period.

3) Are you even reading? I'm not saying that BRDs in 1.0 hit everyone with the same song already, I'm saying that you won't sing a song for every single member of your party.

Who is talking about singing a song for each individual person in your party? Pianissimo (or, even better, a version with small AoE) would allow you to sing, say, Paeon to everyone, then single out the mages for Ballad.

Adding a secondary effect for melees will simply benefit everyone.
Heck, add TP regen to Ballad instead of Paeon; turn Paeon into HP regen and def. boost. Problem solved.

Yes, combine Paeon and Ballad into the same song and just sing that one song to everyone! Why didn't I think of that?

[miokomioko]

on the roadmap:

Currently we are about two months and two weeks behind schedule compared to the road map that was released on Oct. 14, 2011. The main reason of the delay is the vast amount of adjustments that needed to be taken care of two months ago. While we'd like to stay on schedule, we want to make sure we create a top-tier MMORPG that can compete against the rest of the MMORPGs in the market. Therefore, we wanted to spend as much as time as we need until we are satisfied with the product.

Sorry to keep you all waiting, but we plan on releasing a new roadmap around the end of November/early December.

We're starting to prepare for the Beta Test which we would like to implement at the end of January or early February. However, we are doing our best to make it so we can have the servers open 24 hours to allow for more and more players to participate in the Alpha Test, so please hang in there a bit longer for finalized details.

edit: didn't realize these were just transcripted from the live letter. doh

[Gokulo]

Wow, Yoshi spammed the jp board today.