Comments from the Devs

[Oreth]

@Oreth: They've got a lot of work to do on it, but beta should be pretty different. I will say (Vids out so its probably not NDA) that there are many, MANY ways around the "generic" feeling you're describing, one being making certain moves reaction-based (locked until a specific criteria is met, such as a critical hit) and talking certain moves off of the GCD with caveats. A good example (battle system-wise, not necessarily damage-wise) of this is WoW's Hunter, post-WotLK. They changed hunter's resource from Mana (MP) to Focus (basically TP). Doing this allowed for them to have certain moves able to be fired at a continuous level, while threading other abilities in around it. Its a constant array of abilities, but its not like the current version where the one, single ability that is strongest is spammed with reckless abandon.

Another version would be the Pyromancer in Rift: certain moves that have a LONG casting time (Pyroblast), and as such, are not suitable to be used in any normal heated battle, can be made instantaneous through certain perimeters being met, or even having the cooldown refreshed through certain perameters. For example, a seven-second pyroblast, that does massive damage, can be made insta-cast on another spell's critical hit. Thus, you'd use other abilities on the global cooldown (or other instant abilities) until you've "unlocked" the ability to use a long-casting ability quickly.

There's a lot more to it (such as making certain moves cost no resource if they're "unlocked" in the proper way), but the point stands. SE has many, MANY ways to work a GCD system if they open their eyes and think with their heads. I'm looking forward to beta to see what they come up with.

It will be interesting to see for sure. I guess they dont really want to give anything away as avoiding as they are being about it on the OF... I suppose also have to think about how Limit Break is going to work as id imagine there will be a set combo / SC type situation required where all pull of a certain move maybe that kind of think will prevent people from just spamming 1-2 buttons

[Lucavi]

We'll see. There's a lot to look forward to! I don't think there's been this much positivity in regards to the future of SE's MMO product since the old school days of getting hype for the next Xpac.

[Oreth]

What is "FF" combat? Auto attack until 100% tp, then a single WS? That sounds like that "Final Fantasy Feeling" that the OF was bitching about a few months back.

Explain yourself. o.o

I dunno... Its not that im defending 1.0 ( I stopped playing after launch until Jan 2011) or that i want a TP / SC system back in place but what a FF battle feeling to me means is that people are constantly either working together or they are intelligently working on their class abilities in tandem with their special weaponskills or attacks.. We didnt see it for a long time in 1.0 but i think the combo system worked well it was just too slow by todays standards... Right now i dont think abilities have any purpose and even saying oh its only lvl 20 still doesnt excuse the fact that you have abilities that affect x or y but they are completely pointless because of a global timer system.

Im not sure i can explain something that isnt there if that makes any sense... Its hard to say because things are early on which has already been pointed out but im not getting 'that feeling' just yet!

[Oreth]

I will say that I am blown away with how much we can do so far (even if half of it is simple by todays standards) Sometimes when playing I have to take some time out and think " am i really playing a SE MMO, are they really SE reps posting on the forum etc ". Leaps and bounds but lets not forget the roots i guess, its the only thing im concerned about... There is no uniqueness right now

[Lucavi]

I dunno... Its not that im defending 1.0 ( I stopped playing after launch until Jan 2011) or that i want a TP / SC system back in place but what a FF battle feeling to me means is that people are constantly either working together or they are intelligently working on their class abilities in tandem with their special weaponskills or attacks.. We didnt see it for a long time in 1.0 but i think the combo system worked well it was just too slow by todays standards... Right now i dont think abilities have any purpose and even saying oh its only lvl 20 still doesnt excuse the fact that you have abilities that affect x or y but they are completely pointless because of a global timer system.

Im not sure i can explain something that isnt there if that makes any sense... Its hard to say because things are early on which has already been pointed out but im not getting 'that feeling' just yet!

Just keep telling yourself "Alpha is about bugs... Alpha is about bugs..." over and over again. If these issues are around come beta, that's when we get to throw pies at their corporate offices.

[Rionel]

I will say that I am blown away with how much we can do so far (even if half of it is simple by todays standards) Sometimes when playing I have to take some time out and think " am i really playing a SE MMO, are they really SE reps posting on the forum etc ". Leaps and bounds but lets not forget the roots i guess, its the only thing im concerned about... There is no uniqueness right now

I believe Yoshida has said that the first step was getting FFXIV to the MMO standard of things, but also mentioned that this was no where near enough to make FFXIV stand out and that additional work is still needed to make it shine as a new MMO.

At the very least, this issue has been brought up and acknowledged.

[Xanthe]

Another version would be the Pyromancer in Rift: certain moves that have a LONG casting time (Pyroblast), and as such, are not suitable to be used in any normal heated battle, can be made instantaneous through certain perimeters being met, or even having the cooldown refreshed through certain perameters. For example, a seven-second pyroblast, that does massive damage, can be made insta-cast on another spell's critical hit. Thus, you'd use other abilities on the global cooldown (or other instant abilities) until you've "unlocked" the ability to use a long-casting ability quickly.

1.0 did something to that effect with the fire line of spells on BLM. When using them in a combo sequence the cast time was reduced by somewhere around half.

[Sign]

Have the devs made any mention about spells getting their own individual cool downs? Seems a little weird in the Battle video to be able to spam the same spell over and over; looks kind of dull. I don't remember if it was the same in 1.0.

[Grey Jorildyn]

Spells do have their own cd but it's about the same as the gcd so you don't notice it in the video.

[Lokus]

I'm still hoping that someday, SE will put CT's combined attacks into their MMO.

[Elcura]

I dunno... Its not that im defending 1.0 ( I stopped playing after launch until Jan 2011) or that i want a TP / SC system back in place but what a FF battle feeling to me means is that people are constantly either working together or they are intelligently working on their class abilities in tandem with their special weaponskills or attacks.. We didnt see it for a long time in 1.0 but i think the combo system worked well it was just too slow by todays standards... Right now i dont think abilities have any purpose and even saying oh its only lvl 20 still doesnt excuse the fact that you have abilities that affect x or y but they are completely pointless because of a global timer system.

Im not sure i can explain something that isnt there if that makes any sense... Its hard to say because things are early on which has already been pointed out but im not getting 'that feeling' just yet!

The feeling is bullshit, which I've said many times over before. There is no FF feeling, everything people say about the feeling can be found (completely or in parts) in different games.

Either all FF games have that FF feeling simply because they're FF, or no games have ever had it because it's imaginary.

[Oreth]

Well... Thats just like... Your opinion man...

Im not a huge FF fan iv only played 7/8/11 and 14... Im talking more from the MMO perspective in comparison to what else iv played (WoW, GW2, SWTOR, Aion)... Maybe im just stuck to the FF brand because FFXI was my first MMO but any iv played since i try to dedicate time to or at least invest myself to it the same but i get bored much quicker.. I came back to FF14 when subs started and gave it a shot for one month and found myself completely reinvested in it... Im sure ARR will do the same but as the current battle system stands (ill re-evaluate how i feel about it should i get into Beta) it doesnt inspire me with confidence and it feels like im playing any of the others iv tried... But as iv been told this Alpha and i should treat it as such!

[Lucavi]

1.0 did something to that effect with the fire line of spells on BLM. When using them in a combo sequence the cast time was reduced by somewhere around half.

That's good to hear; I look forward to more stuff like that!

[Elcura]

Well... Thats just like... Your opinion man...

It really isn't. Otherwise, describe to me what the FF feeling is, because your previous attempt wasn't convincing at all.

[xopher]

Right now I'm picturing the FF feelers as the religious and Elcura as the angry atheist.

[solracht]

It really isn't. Otherwise, describe to me what the FF feeling is, because your previous attempt wasn't convincing at all.

The FF feeling is knowing that you can chat with your bros without losing DPS because the TP gain is slow and skills have long cooldowns, duh.

[Niiro]

The feeling is bullshit, which I've said many times over before. There is no FF feeling, everything people say about the feeling can be found (completely or in parts) in different games.

Either all FF games have that FF feeling simply because they're FF, or no games have ever had it because it's imaginary.

[jwang]

The FF Feel is that whole waiting on ATB, duh! And the multitudes of menus you have to go through to get the attack you want, all the while getting the piss beaten out of you.

[Kelenae]

Dat FF feel is sitting for 3 hours to wait for a HNM and not get claim.

[Sephiroth]

1.0 did something to that effect with the fire line of spells on BLM. When using them in a combo sequence the cast time was reduced by somewhere around half.

Wasn't it like that for all spells and weapon skills used in combos?