Letter from the Producer, XLIV (03/19/2013)

[Raldo]

Funny story is that My wife hates controllers in fact coming from FFXI she is used to playing with keyboard only, no mouse either lol. She is very much excited for FFXIV, as its a game that can be played fully KB only, I had a terrible time trying to get her to play GW2 with a kb and mouse... Not very successful =/

Hopefully she can adapt, as there are (currently) still a very small number of things you cannot do without using the mouse. I'm hoping (and I believe they've stated) that they're going to try to improve the few things that still are mouse-only.

As the interface currently stands, it is impossible to do any DoH or DoL without touching the mouse.

[Sephiroth]

I always used the mouse for DoH in 1.0 anyway, but that was because the interface was awful to navigate with a keyboard.

[Spider-Dan]

Turbo controller!

[Mabubeezareel]

Crafting/Gathering is extremely simple now. There's no time-limits whatsoever unless you're on a leve.

My only concern is that while crafting is executed almost entirely via the action bar, gathering involves clicking on a separate list of items as well as using the action bar, AND running around, so it depends on how easy it is to simultaneously move and target, and simultaneously navigate the gathering list and execute actions with a gamepad.

It's for this exact very reason that I'll be sticking to my tried-and-true combo of PSX Dualshock + Radio Shack USB adapter. With the layout of the Dualshock, you can target and move at the same time, something that's nigh impossible with the X360 pad and it's reversed d-pad/left stick.

[Jamison]

It's for this exact very reason that I'll be sticking to my tried-and-true combo of PSX Dualshock + Radio Shack USB adapter. With the layout of the Dualshock, you can target and move at the same time, something that's nigh impossible with the X360 pad and it's reversed d-pad/left stick.

I'm not sure how that would be different? In both cases you have to get your right thumb over to the left side of the controller (dpad if xbox, analog stick if ps3), no? Or are you clawing the PSX d-pad? I never had any problems moving and targeting on a 360 controller in 1.0 and don't expect any problems in ARR either.

I might be tempted to give a Wii-U Pro controller a try also, just for the heck of it.

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Edit to avoid double post:

Crafting/Gathering is extremely simple now. There's no time-limits whatsoever unless you're on a leve.

My only concern is that while crafting is executed almost entirely via the action bar, gathering involves clicking on a separate list of items as well as using the action bar, AND running around, so it depends on how easy it is to simultaneously move and target, and simultaneously navigate the gathering list and execute actions with a gamepad.

I know they have some things to work out with menus, but I'm doubting this will be a problem. I'm guessing "normal" dpad operation will be to target the gathering spot, and once you confirm on it the dpad will change to item selection. You wouldn't be able to change targets while engaged with a spot, but you never could. Action bar items will (just like combat) continue to be triggered with an LT/RT combination.

[Mabubeezareel]

I'm not sure how that would be different? In both cases you have to get your right thumb over to the left side of the controller (dpad if xbox, analog stick if ps3), no? Or are you clawing the PSX d-pad? I never had any problems moving and targeting on a 360 controller in 1.0 and don't expect any problems in ARR either.

Yeah, should have said that it's nigh impossible without having to cross a finger/hand over, which I find EXTREMELY awkward and uncomfortable. With the DS config, I can keep both thumbs on the analog sticks, and drop my left index finger from off of the L1/L2 position to the d-pad for targeting, all while still having complete control of everything on the right side of the controller - that's not possible with the 360 controller.

As you said, yeah, you could cross your right-thumb over to the d-pad on the left, but then you lose the ability to do anything on the right side of the controller unless you're proficient with using your fingers for the face buttons/analog stick, of which I am not.

[Kachiko]

Funny story is that My wife hates controllers in fact coming from FFXI she is used to playing with keyboard only, no mouse either lol. She is very much excited for FFXIV, as its a game that can be played fully KB only, I had a terrible time trying to get her to play GW2 with a kb and mouse... Not very successful =/

I know I'm in the minority, but I also can't play with the mouse; about the only time I use it is for ground target abilities or selecting something specific in a sea of targets. I've done this for almost every MMO as well, including raiding up through WotLK , as a Warlock, and cleared all 10 man content since that's what my guild ran, and did battlegrounds, all without feeling like I was at a serious disadvantage. I have used the controller, and much prefer it for games like TERA, and FFXI4 1.0, so I'll probably do a combination where I use the controller for most stuff but when I really need to focus I'll shift to keyboard to get the job done.

[Grey Jorildyn]

G13+G600. Do it kids! Best shit ever for mmos.

[Stromgarde]

It is pretty neat having 30 commands available at once. I am curious though, how does the G600 stack up against something like the Razer Naga?

[Agito]

It is pretty neat having 30 commands available at once. I am curious though, how does the G600 stack up against something like the Razer Naga?

My Razer Naga hasn't failed me yet out of 2 years having it but that's because I got lucky and received it from a good batch, not all Nagas are the same and many people had problems with it from what I researched before I bought it. Go with a Logitech g600 the thumb grid looks alot better and I doubt it'll have problems like the right click not functioning properly.

[Karinastar]

It's for this exact very reason that I'll be sticking to my tried-and-true combo of PSX Dualshock + Radio Shack USB adapter. With the layout of the Dualshock, you can target and move at the same time, something that's nigh impossible with the X360 pad and it's reversed d-pad/left stick.

This! This setup plus target filters makes controller targeting/movement pretty darn quick and intuitive. I'm sure a master with the mouse could still do it slightly faster, but it's always worked great for me. The exception is healing, I don't think that playing a healer will ever be remotely close to as easy with controller, simply due to F keys and party list targeting.

I also have a couple of friends who like to play keyboard only, and they're already pretty annoyed that you're forced to reach for the mouse for some things. Hopefully there's some sort of hybrid UI for them that lets them navigate menus and such with keyboard.

Anyway, I'm a bit worried about the menus too. I hope using the controller UI doesn't lock out things like keyboard shortcuts, I'd hate to have to navigate 5 menus console-style to do anything, and I'd choke a bitch without my F8. >_>

[Marihoki]

G13+G600. Do it kids! Best shit ever for mmos.

G600 I'll agree is amazing, but the G13 I have not liked so far. Its most likely due to the fact its to big for my hand size and its a stretch for me to reach all the keys.

I do love the G600 though, the only real issue I've had with it is it feels a bit awkward when you hit the keys that are closer to the top of the mouse. It gets worse as you move further back, the G20 key on it is uncomfortable on my thumb to press.

[Waraji]

It's something you really have to grown into using every day, else it Will feel weird. Next keyboard I'm buying is mechanical, screw logitech gaming series.

[Grey Jorildyn]

It is pretty neat having 30 commands available at once. I am curious though, how does the G600 stack up against something like the Razer Naga?

I own a naga and am waiting until it breaks like my last one before I picked up a G600. From what I gather their usage is the same. The advantage to anything logitech is getting to use gamepanel software, which is just far superior than synapse, which has a tendency to crash at very random times (or did at one point). I remember in the xiv alpha I mapped some key to my naga and whenever I pressed it, synapse would crash and windows would stop detecting my mouse until I unplugged it and reinserted it. I never have weird problems like that with logitech stuff. No real complaints with the naga itself from me, though from the look of the G600 I think it would feel better to me. Pure speculation though.

[Waraji]

It's pretty nice. You also get way higher DPI threshold than you do on the naga. Naga is capped at like what 5000/6000, G600 goes up to 8200. The side buttons are also curved outward to points of your thumb so its much easier to hit the bottom 2 row of buttons, this was my primary attraction to it. Its worked out pretty well thus far.

[Cutriss]

I originally started with a Naga, then when the missus began playing XIV I convinced her to try it and she liked it, so she took mine and I bought an Epic (the wireless one). When I got the job I have now, I took the Epic to work and bought a Molten.

The only one I've had trouble with is the Epic. Sometimes the tracking just has a mind of its own, and Razer support is of no help whatsoever. It'll start randomly jumping to the left or the right all of a sudden, or just fly to the edge of the screen at random. Usually if I change tracking surfaces and mouse for 5-10 seconds, it starts working again.

I don't use Synapse, fuck the cloud. The thing can send numpad keys so I just use that.

I've heard lots of people complain about Razer and the cloud driver thing pissed me off, so I'll probably try something different whenever it's time to change mice.

[Grey Jorildyn]

Yeah it sucks. Sometimes when I wake up my computer from standby with the mouse itself and login, windows will then deactivate my epic and I have to unplug it and plug it back in too lol I guess the internet isn't switched on yet or something. I dunno, but that's annoying too. Makes little sense since I used the damn mouse to wake up the computer! Then the mouse shuts off. It's a pretty big "WTF" to me.

On a letter-related note, I like that these guildhests seem to be like the old faction leves, but give xp rather than rewards I guess? Either way it's yet another exp-alternate for leveling up. Good show.

[Kami]

It is pretty neat having 30 commands available at once. I am curious though, how does the G600 stack up against something like the Razer Naga?

Been using a Naga for almost 3 years now, love it, my GF has a G600 and I think it's just as good. A bit different that's all, it's a matter of personnal preferences. The Naga's grid feels easier to use, but the G600 feels better in hand. So whatever floats your boat really. Also heard bad things about the Naga here and there, but never had any issue myself.

Regarding the keyboard there is no turning back once you start using a mechanical one. K90 with red cherry switches is what i'm using, but there are a lot of alternatives.

[rezn0r]

I'm on the 'take as much time as you need, guys' side. Seriously. This goes for all companies & games.

[Grey Jorildyn]

Well don't take too long! We wanna play ;