[Megathread] Final Fantasy XIV

[Katchii]

Finally tried out the redmage today.
Interesting concept, wish they would highlight the state of instant cast better though.

I took to red mage like a fish to water, I love the game play, but I know some people who for some just could not wrap their head around it. I worked with one such FC mate a bit and we came to the conclusion that it was a combination of his hot key setup and the inability to be flexible with the rotation for some reason (after YEARS of playing WHM in FFXI). He didn't stick with it long as he just doesn't like DPS'ing in general, too hectic for him and too much e-peen flexing going on, so he sticks to healing on WHM.

I do wish they had a better way to highlight the Dualcast buff, because in high mobility fights I find myself using the fast cast spells with it a lot simply because I lose track of it in phase transitions, while running across the field, etc.... Would only take a minor effort to just glance at the buff bar and see if it's up, but there's got to be a better way than looking for a relatively small buff icon.

[dope_danny]

I took to red mage like a fish to water, I love the game play, but I know some people who for some just could not wrap their head around it. I worked with one such FC mate a bit and we came to the conclusion that it was a combination of his hot key setup and the inability to be flexible with the rotation for some reason (after YEARS of playing WHM in FFXI). He didn't stick with it long as he just doesn't like DPS'ing in general, too hectic for him and too much e-peen flexing going on, so he sticks to healing on WHM.

I do wish they had a better way to highlight the Dualcast buff, because in high mobility fights I find myself using the fast cast spells with it a lot simply because I lose track of it in phase transitions, while running across the field, etc.... Would only take a minor effort to just glance at the buff bar and see if it's up, but there's got to be a better way than looking for a relatively small buff icon.

Its hard to explain why but RDM clicked for me like SMN did. For SMN it just felt like 'oh this is the warlock of XIV' and for some reason, maybe the procs, RDM kind of felt like the shaman equivalent to me in a wierd way and then it went from 'uh what into what?' to being able to do it blindfolded and still being the Res Mage for alliance raiding.

[StrawberryZebra]

Would only take a minor effort to just glance at the buff bar and see if it's up, but there's got to be a better way than looking for a relatively small buff icon.

Why they couldn't integrate it better into the UI I'll never know - Especially when they put what looks like a ton of effort into job gauges to replace the need to look at your buffs to begin with. It wouldn't push the boat out too far in order to make a key part of a Job easier to keep track of. They could also put the notifier on your hotbar directly, perhaps a glowing boarder like WoW procs and/or an audio cue.

Lot's of ways they could do it better, they just haven't.

It's also one of those cases where having access to addons would solve the problem too. It's easy enough for even enthusiast creators to make an easy to use indicator for something like that. Were it not for Squenix's stance on addons to begin with, I'd have probably whipped up a simple one for personal use too. I know I've said this before, but Squenix's UI design really does need some improvement. It's very inflexible and not User Friendly in the slightest.

[Katchii]

Its hard to explain why but RDM clicked for me like SMN did. For SMN it just felt like 'oh this is the warlock of XIV' and for some reason, maybe the procs, RDM kind of felt like the shaman equivalent to me in a wierd way and then it went from 'uh what into what?' to being able to do it blindfolded and still being the Res Mage for alliance raiding.

Summoner clicked for me as well, since I'm a Warlock main in WoW. And I loved the playstyle until Stormblood. Can't stand it now because of how dependent the class is on a buff/ cooldown that takes a full minute and 30 seconds to get going and then can go almost completely wasted if it's timed wrong, which is a huge shame because I absolutely love the aesthetics. Red Mage is a really close second, and it's SO much more flexible in that regard, IMO and extremely versatile.

Why they couldn't integrate it better into the UI I'll never know - Especially when they put what looks like a ton of effort into job gauges to replace the need to look at your buffs to begin with. It wouldn't push the boat out too far in order to make a key part of a Job easier to keep track of. They could also put the notifier on your hotbar directly, perhaps a glowing boarder like WoW procs and/or an audio cue.

Lot's of ways they could do it better, they just haven't.

It's also one of those cases where having access to addons would solve the problem too. It's easy enough for even enthusiast creators to make an easy to use indicator for something like that. Were it not for Squenix's stance on addons to begin with, I'd have probably whipped up a simple one for personal use too. I know I've said this before, but Squenix's UI design really does need some improvement. It's very inflexible and not User Friendly in the slightest.

I'd really just like if the crystal or border on the job gauge turned purple when the proc was up. Seems like a logical way to include it in the job gauge because that would wrap up all of the core mechanics of the job all into the gauge, which really WAS kind of the point of the gauges to begin with.

[Granyala]

He didn't stick with it long as he just doesn't like DPS'ing in general, too hectic for him and too much e-peen flexing going on, so he sticks to healing on WHM.

I do wish they had a better way to highlight the Dualcast buff, because in high mobility fights I find myself using the fast cast spells with it a lot simply because I lose track of it in phase transitions, while running across the field, etc.... Would only take a minor effort to just glance at the buff bar and see if it's up, but there's got to be a better way than looking for a relatively small buff icon.

I don't like DPSing either, mostly probably because I am burnt out after nearly a decade of playing Shadow, so I too stick to my WHM. Also, DPS classes need waay too many keybinds in this game. Ugh.

Good to hear that I am not the only one. Imho they should have incorporated into the class icon thingy that displays the 2 Manas. We don't really need the red glow when we can use the swords, so they could have used it to indicate dual cast.

It's moments like these that I miss weak auras/power auras from WoW the most.

[Advent]

I don't like DPSing either, mostly probably because I am burnt out after nearly a decade of playing Shadow, so I too stick to my WHM. Also, DPS classes need waay too many keybinds in this game. Ugh.

Good to hear that I am not the only one. Imho they should have incorporated into the class icon thingy that displays the 2 Manas. We don't really need the red glow when we can use the swords, so they could have used it to indicate dual cast.

It's moments like these that I miss weak auras/power auras from WoW the most.

Back when I played, I mained a dragoon. In spite of all my fiddling with the ui, I still couldn't get it to feel right. I've been advocating the inclusion of mods like weakauras for 3 years now.

[Wrecktangle]

What I did was create a duplicate hotbar with my major cooldowns/oGCDs on it, and enlarged them significantly. I don't actually even show my bottom hotbars (with like my nromal GCD abilities). It's trivial for me to know where in combo I am, and muscle memory handles it just fine.

It's not good, but it works for me (Paladin).

[Katchii]

What I did was create a duplicate hotbar with my major cooldowns/oGCDs on it, and enlarged them significantly. I don't actually even show my bottom hotbars (with like my nromal GCD abilities). It's trivial for me to know where in combo I am, and muscle memory handles it just fine.

It's not good, but it works for me (Paladin).

For classes where the trick is pressing the right button at the right time, that's ideal. The issue with Red Mage is one of the key class mechanics, Dualcast, is just a buff you get anytime you hard cast a spell, there's nothing to press, it's just active or not active. It's relatively trivial to keep track of, but in encounters where you have to move a lot, or there's a transition, or you need to switch tactics a bit from pure DPS to throwing out some emergency cures and maybe a rez, it's pretty easy to lose track of the buff.

I'd enlarge the buff for it, but I don't want ALL my buffs to be huge.

Since @StrawberryZebra mentioned it, I can't get it out of my head now. Why the heck didn't they tie a key class mechanic to the class gauge? Every other class has that...it doesn't make sense.

[threads]

I don't like DPSing either, mostly probably because I am burnt out after nearly a decade of playing Shadow, so I too stick to my WHM. Also, DPS classes need waay too many keybinds in this game. Ugh.

Good to hear that I am not the only one. Imho they should have incorporated into the class icon thingy that displays the 2 Manas. We don't really need the red glow when we can use the swords, so they could have used it to indicate dual cast.

It's moments like these that I miss weak auras/power auras from WoW the most.

one thing I did when it was added was split my buff bar up so group buffs are below my personal ones and then I made personal buffs way bigger. makes it a little easier to stand out.

[Advent]

What I did was create a duplicate hotbar with my major cooldowns/oGCDs on it, and enlarged them significantly. I don't actually even show my bottom hotbars (with like my nromal GCD abilities). It's trivial for me to know where in combo I am, and muscle memory handles it just fine.

It's not good, but it works for me (Paladin).

I eventually wound up doing the same, but I had to have 3 bars. I lose track of where I am in the rotation when my mind wanders during enemy encounters.

So basically THIS is what I had to do, and it's still frustrating because I'd rather not have them ALL on my screen at once. I'd prefer stuff to pop up after it becomes available.

Edit: I hid the bottom bars though, of course. I think this was a test I was doing.

[dope_danny]

Summoner clicked for me as well, since I'm a Warlock main in WoW. And I loved the playstyle until Stormblood. Can't stand it now because of how dependent the class is on a buff/ cooldown that takes a full minute and 30 seconds to get going and then can go almost completely wasted if it's timed wrong, which is a huge shame because I absolutely love the aesthetics. Red Mage is a really close second, and it's SO much more flexible in that regard, IMO and extremely versatile.

RDM appeals to me because i'm always fond of a class that can take care of itself, its probably no surprise my first wow character was a paladin. Sure its fun to dps, but i can also heal and even res people faster than healers can and while a good team shouldn't need to do that let alone rely on it i like the fact that its in the bag of tricks to be able to do so. It feels a bit less 'stuck in the trinity' and probably why i enjoy BLU tanking

[StrawberryZebra]

I've been advocating the inclusion of mods like weakauras for 3 years now.

Honestly, I'd love for addons in FF14 - The default UI is, in my opinion, absolutely awful. It's over designed, and manages to simultaneously give you both too much and not enough information. Modern Squenix seems to put a lot more emphasis on form rather than function. I like my UI to be simple and minimalist, given the chance I'd rip the whole thing out and start again.

Also on that note, I'd love an addon that allows you to functionally use Mouseover targets. Without having to make long-winded macros for everything that will constantly lag, throw up errors or both at the same time. The macro interface itself could really do with an upgrade too on that note, as is par for the course, they've managed to make it both overly complex and lacking in functionality - Especially for consoles.

Since @StrawberryZebra mentioned it, I can't get it out of my head now. Why the heck didn't they tie a key class mechanic to the class gauge? Every other class has that...it doesn't make sense.

And at the same time they also included gaudy and overdesigned gauges for classes that, in all honesty, don't really need them. Like the White Mage for example, while it's a cool design, it provides little to no actual information to you. The Lillies themselves feel like a bolted on at the last minute addition so the Job can have a gauge. Truth be told, they don't even have a massive impact your play.

They should have just had them for jobs where it would make sense, like RDM and tied all of their important mechanics to it, rather than for everyone. I'm hoping they'll correct that mistake in Shadowbringers, but given their track record I'm prepared to be disapointed.

[Advent]

Honestly, I'd love for addons in FF14 - The default UI is, in my opinion, absolutely awful. It's over designed, and manages to simultaneously give you both too much and not enough information. Modern Squenix seems to put a lot more emphasis on form rather than function. I like my UI to be simple and minimalist, given the chance I'd rip the whole thing out and start again.

Also on that note, I'd love an addon that allows you to functionally use Mouseover targets. Without having to make long-winded macros for everything that will constantly lag, throw up errors or both at the same time. The macro interface itself could really do with an upgrade too on that note, as is par for the course, they've managed to make it both overly complex and lacking in functionality - Especially for consoles.

Speaking of macros...
Having to manually target another melee to utilize Dragon Sight was terrible. When I have to consistently forgo using a dps cool down because of a cumbersome UI and ability design, they have done something wrong.

[Advent]

It just crazy that you can (or must) create a servant NPC to access bank/auction house in this game. Talking about retainers, it's just a bit too complicated. Why not just have a Retainer NPC for everyone in the main cities who can do these things for everyone at the same time..

Crowding maybe? I think it's a Japanese thing, and has been touched on a few times in this thread. But they often make roundabout methods to do something that could be accomplished with something far simpler. I mean, look at all the menus and vendors they make throughout patch cycles. As a returning player it's a nightmare trying to figure out where everything is and what drops from where.

[Berethos08]

It just crazy that you can (or must) create a servant NPC to access bank/auction house in this game. Talking about retainers, it's just a bit too complicated. Why not just have a Retainer NPC for everyone in the main cities who can do these things for everyone at the same time..

So...

Click on generic NPC retainer, access MB sales, ventures, and bank.

Click on generic object, choose one of your retainers, access MB sales, ventures, and bank.

It's got one extra step. Is that really enough to make it "too complicated."

[StrawberryZebra]

So...

Click on generic NPC retainer, access MB sales, ventures, and bank.

Click on generic object, choose one of your retainers, access MB sales, ventures, and bank.

It's got one extra step. Is that really enough to make it "too complicated."

It might not be "too" complicated, but it is certainly more complicated than it needs to be. Simply clicking on the market board and being able to list the items you want is much cleaner and simpler. The same deal with bank storage, having an NPC you can click on to just store your things is again much easier. It creates awkward interactions like having to keep checking the Market Board to check prices if you're listing multiple items - And having to go through clicking the bell, selecting the retainer then the sell menu again.

There are just too many unnessacary steps for what should be a straightforwards process.

[Berethos08]

Don't forget limited number of auctions per retainer, remembering which retainer has a certain item or auction, along with the "mission table" element if you choose to bother with that.

It's not as if it's rocket surgery, but I'd take the "traditional auction house" over it any day.

I'll take my one-stop-shop style retainers over having to travel to multiple different NPCs and locations (and having a mission table element that's relevant beyond a single expansion and often brings in good stuff, nice to not have that time wasted).

Sure, it's slightly annoying not having both functions of the AH in one NPC, but having everything else available in an NPC that I can find a summoning bell in dozens of locations across cities, end-game hubs, housing areas, AND inside my apartment/fc room/personal house (if I'm lucky enough to hold one) via a couple extra clicks? I honestly cringe at the way other MMOs handle their version, with it all spread out and crap.

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It creates awkward interactions like having to keep checking the Market Board to check prices if you're listing multiple items

The person that designed the retainer probably agreed with you that such an interaction would be terribly awkward...



brings up



I really, truly feel bad for you if you've been running back and forth all this time.

That's really the difference - there may be additional clicks and menus, but they come with additional functions. They aren't there just to have you click through an extra menu.

[StrawberryZebra]

That's really the difference - there may be additional clicks and menus, but they come with additional functions. They aren't there just to have you click through an extra menu.

Where as in WoW, Rift and every other MMO I've ever played, you can simply drag and drop what you want to sell and list it within seconds. Most even automatically match the lowest price same listed item. It's simple, intuitive and easy to use. Especially if you're listing hundreds of items at once.

FF14's implementation is just clunky and awkward. You quite literally have four windows open just to price check and list an item for auction. That is not a simple or effective method, especially when older games have already done it better. Limiting your number of auctions by retainers is very burdensome, and having to create multiple alts just to AH all your junk is the epitome of busy work. There's no good reason for it to be such an archaic system other than developer hubris.

[Berethos08]

FF14's implementation is just clunky and awkward. You quite literally have four windows open just to price check and list an item for auction. That is not a simple or effective method, especially when older games have already done it better. Limiting your number of auctions by retainers is very burdensome, and having to create multiple alts just to AH all your junk is the epitome of busy work. There's no good reason for it to be such an archaic system other than developer hubris.

Well that's the last time I go through the trouble of posting screen shots to show you that there is a more convenient way of checking prices than running back and forth to the MB every time.

Post a helpful post, it gets used for further criticism. Not every response to you is meant to be part of a debate or argument.

Ugh. Nice to see the complainers echo chamber around here hasn't changed one bit.

I'm done. Ya'll can keep whining to each other. There's no discussion to be had here.

[Granyala]

It creates awkward interactions like having to keep checking the Market Board to check prices if you're listing multiple items - And having to go through clicking the bell, selecting the retainer then the sell menu again.

I always check the prices and pricing history directly from the retainer sell menu. Oo
No need to run back and forth at all.

I agree that the split bank storage is annoying, what's even more annoying is that you cannot craft from bank storage like you can in WoW.

Also, the whole UI-lockup when some dungeon invite pops up is annoying as fuck. One should be able to complete whatever action one was doing and then accept the invite.

In general, I quite like my servant NPCs Wish I could have them run around the house, doing random stuff to make them a bit more alive.

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Where as in WoW, Rift and every other MMO I've ever played, you can simply drag and drop what you want to sell and list it within seconds. Most even automatically match the lowest price same listed item. It's simple, intuitive and easy to use. Especially if you're listing hundreds of items at once.

Uuh vanilla WoW certainly doesn't. Listing 100s of items is a lot of work w/o the auctioneer addon.
Only thing WoW does is remember the price you put in when selling more of one item. I think FF-XIV could do that too.

Personally, I never needed more than my 2 retainers to "AH all my junk" most certainly I would not need more than 8, which is the current paid maximum.
If you set sensible prices, most stuff sells relatively quickly.