Comments from the Devs

[xopher]

I wish they'd give an option to disable bit torrent updating so I could update at work

[Kiarax]

I can only assume they didn't make BRD ridiculously OP again so they wouldn't be a necessity in every top end party like the past. Kind of funny that peoples response to it is throwing even more bards at stuff. Hopefully they let the class rot so TP/MP management is actually a thing and the game doesn't devolve in to mashing out your best rotation in every encounter. The game so far is in some dire need of resource management.

[Cutriss]

I wish they'd give an option to disable bit torrent updating so I could update at work

Pretty sure it's not a torrent client anymore, otherwise you'd need uPNP or open ports and all that jazz. Also a torrenting client saving a single large download file would probably not save the completed chunks into a single growing file since it wouldn't be guaranteed to get them in order. It would save them into smaller files and then cat them into one big archive to unpack.

If it is torrenting, then it's about the dumbest torrent client in the world for not doing checksums on each chunk.

[Kensaki]

Are you comparing Eorzea to America? I've always gotten a Soviet Union kind of vibe from it myself.

Ul'dah is murica.

Limsa is britain

Gridania is switzerland.

=p

[Rocl]

I don't think any of those fit!

[Spider-Dan]

Most parties will probably consist of Healer, Tank, Bard/Black Mage because the latter are the easiest to play.

Please explain how BRD is "easiest to play."

[miokomioko]

I was gonna' say, I gave playing a healer a chance last test and the UI made it pretty damn simple... and I always hate healing

[Raldo]

Please explain how BRD is "easiest to play."

Turn on song. Peew Peew. Turn off song. Peew Peew.

[xopher]

Pretty sure it's not a torrent client anymore, otherwise you'd need uPNP or open ports and all that jazz. Also a torrenting client saving a single large download file would probably not save the completed chunks into a single growing file since it wouldn't be guaranteed to get them in order. It would save them into smaller files and then cat them into one big archive to unpack.

If it is torrenting, then it's about the dumbest torrent client in the world for not doing checksums on each chunk.

You are correct. It does not use bittorrent at all.

[Spider-Dan]

Turn on song. Peew Peew. Turn off song. Peew Peew.

This would be as opposed to what MNK or DRG does, which is...?

[Kiarax]

This would be as opposed to what MNK or DRG does, which is...?

Positioning is a big deal on PUG and LNC, unlike ARC. Not only do you constantly reposition for your combos, you actually have to deal with PBAoE and cleave attacks, something ranged classes don't often have to deal with. Of course any well designed encounter should make the latter a non issue.

[Spider-Dan]

BRD has to deal with song management and has to constantly monitor proc effects for "combos" (or reset abilities).

Furthermore, if BRD is doing their job, they are going to be at least as concerned with positioning as MNK or DRG... particularly if other people are moving around.

[Kiarax]

Uh... yeah, other classes have to worry about combos too on top of positioning. PUG has a 3 step combo system where you constantly rotate out different skills for an optimum rotation to keep up multiple buffs and debuffs, you also need to adjust position between skills for optimum damage (Bootshine is a guaranteed crit from behind for example, aka if you're not using it from behind you're sacrificing a shitload of damage). Song management is a joke here, let's not try and pretend it's not. In most cases you don't need to move at all but in the rare instance you do you stand reasonably close to the mob and hit Paeon or close to the mages and hit Ballad. This is not XI where you constantly manage songs frequently and have to worry about hitting your DPS accidentally with Ballad when they want March/Minuet.

[Elcura]

BRD has to deal with song management and has to constantly monitor proc effects for "combos" (or reset abilities).

Wasn't this just, song on, song off, according to you?

The reason BRD is harder to play (now and before) literally has nothing to do with singing songs.

[Hatedregret]

I gotta throw out the whole starter dungeon does not determine how healing works either. God knows how the UI holds up in 8+ groups.

[Shiyo]

Archer classes are not designed to ever take skill or any user input, so this is expected.

[Spider-Dan]

Uh... yeah, other classes have to worry about combos too on top of positioning. PUG has a 3 step combo system where you constantly rotate out different skills for an optimum rotation to keep up multiple buffs and debuffs, you also need to adjust position between skills for optimum damage (Bootshine is a guaranteed crit from behind for example, aka if you're not using it from behind you're sacrificing a shitload of damage).

You already mentioned positioning for WS, so we've covered that.
MNK combo tree is a straight flowchart that doesn't change at all unless a) you miss or b) enemy attacks you and misses (and as long as Haymaker is on GCD, you probably shouldn't even care about b). DRG is even more simplistic.

BRD has to do a lot more proc watching to maximize damage. As long as you aren't missing WS, you can practically write a script for MNK.

Song management is a joke here, let's not try and pretend it's not.

Song management is still more of a task than no song management. It's not like the WS tree for MNK or DRG is some erudite undertaking compared to the WS tree of BRD.

This is not XI where you constantly manage songs frequently and have to worry about hitting your DPS accidentally with Ballad when they want March/Minuet.

But it is a game in which you have to manage MP just to sing, unlike before. That's not remotely close to the same level of support management as XI or 1.0 BRD, but it's still more support management than MNK or DRG is doing (which is ~zero).

[Kiarax]

Lol.

[Fereydoon]

Positioning and moving out of AoE range takes a lot more user input than putting up the proper song and hitting the flashy ability when you have a proc, if you're not blind you can stand in one spot be an ARC easily.

[Voyage1970]

Positioning and moving out of AoE range takes a lot more user input than putting up the proper song and hitting the flashy ability when you have a proc, if you're not blind you can stand in one spot be an ARC easily.

Not all AoEs are focused around the boss and even some bosses in beta 3 have moves that specifically target people away from it so Archer has to pay attention for those just as any melee does. Positioning sounds like its complex and requires thought but really its just moving slightly to the left or right and then back into your original position. Typical rotation as MNK was Bootshine, press D to move slightly to the right for Twin Snakes, Snap Punch, press A to move slightly to the left back behind the mob, Bootshine, True Strike, Demolish, Bootshine, repeat from Step 2. Twin snakes lasts just long enough for you to toss in one extra WS in your rotation, typically Touch of Death or Straight Shot if Touch of Death is already up.

It really is just a simple flow chart with minimal movement required for position bonus because the only positions you need for bonus are behind or side. Dodging AoEs is something the entire party has to do regardless of job so using that as an excuse for why one job is more involved than the other is a moot point.