Add icons to macro buttons?

[Rhianu]

Hey, I was just wondering how feasible it would be to implement an option to have icons on macro buttons, like we have in FFXIV. Icons really work a lot better than just plain text, especially considering the text is limited to like only 4 or 5 characters (maybe not a problem in Japanese, but it's a huge limitation in English). I think if we could add icons to the macro buttons, it would be much better.

[rog]

That would be rather overpowered, imo.

[rog]

Also japanese clients can only use romaji macro names btw.

But seriously there is plenty of room to identify macros. You do not need full names of spells/abilities. My macros for rdm look like:

f10 | b | g| c10 | c101 | mdt | pdt | s | p | h
u10 | u1 | x |b11 | f11 | b10 | p | a | s | ss

and that works just fine for me~

[Rhianu]

and that works just fine for me~

I'm not saying the current method doesn't work, I'm just saying there's another method that works better, and that's the way FFXIV does it: with icons.

Sure, there are a lot of problems with FFXIV's UI overall, but there are also several things in which FFXIV's UI is an improvement over FFXI's, and this is one of those things.

Just looking at your macro list, I can't tell what any of them are. I'm sure they make sense to you, but they're not immediately intuitive like icons would be.

[rog]

You can't tell what any of them are? Really? I mean, i guess i can understand not knowing i use f for refresh, but the rest are pretty obvious

[Rhianu]

They're obvious to you because you're the one who made them and you use them all the time. You can't assume that everyone else in the game thinks the exact same way you do, because they don't.

But regardless, icons would still far more intuitive and much easier to use than the obviously limiting text abbreviations that are necessary under the current system.

[Greatguardian]

How often do you use other people's macros?

Okay then.

Really, when you're naming them yourself, placing them yourself, and making the content yourself, you can't really get more "intuitive" in their use. Note: Not all macros are for a single ability/spell. Some people have macros with multiple spells, others have macros with no spells and just gear swaps. A macro can be anything, it can have multiple functions, and it can have no function. There is no simple way to make a single thumbnail image that could represent a macro properly.

[Korpg]

How often do you use other people's macros?

Exactly.

My macros are numbered 1-10, then 11-20.

I know what is what, because I made them myself.

If anyone were to play my game, with my macro set, they wouldn't have a clue as to what to do.

[Krisan]

I just name my macro after the spell\ability in question (or however much of the word fits into the namespace) and just keep everything listed in a logical order within the macro pages.. So multiple cure spells for example are on a single page, lined up 1-6, and etc.. Plus I just memorize (muscle memory is important) what to press to get to where in my macro book. That way I know where everything is and can select it at a glance with my controller.

[Rhianu]

Well whatever, the point is that when SE allowed players to put icons on Macro buttons in FFXIV, it was a big improvement over FFXI's Macros, and I think SE should seriously consider adding that same functionality to FFXI.