Character animations

[Dannythm]

I thought the characters animations on the trailer were.... well, pretty bad compared to what we have now, but at the same time it felt like the animation lock was still there.

Even though I don't think the problem on v1.xx was the animation lock, but the lag that don't really let you react in time.

Still I think the solution for keeping the weight and realism of the characters after performing actions can be dealt without animation locks: Just add more movement animations like rolls or whatever movements you cold do after performing an action and want to move the hell away, we are warriors and we are heavily trained, our characters should be able to do this:

Simple martial arts rolls:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8h--81cAk1M

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4K_OyUlcVU

Parkour Rolling

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4g0PeLVKT4

So imagine you are performing a dragoon jump and want to get the hell away because you see the ifrit cracks appearing and you are pressing the left key, the dragoon could roll to the left while landing instead of just standing there and then reacting and moving to the left.

Just an idea.

[Jennestia]

I'm amazed at how picky and overly critical people are about something is still a work in progress.
In any case, even when they are done I know there's still going to be people winning about the most miniscule things that might not even be an issue.

No one is being picky -- Just compare the animations between the two versions, if it doesn't change post Alpha and Beta, it's been scaled back horribly.

[KamikazeMan]

I really hope the animations change, but if they don't, then w/e. I really do enjoy the current animations we have compared to the 2.0 alpha footage a lot more. Actually, I should be ashamed to admit this, but the animations are part of the reason why I enjoy XIV. Without the high quality animations, it will feel too much like every other MMO. Though I can't blame SE for cutting down on animations for the sake of cutting cost for production.

[Trollestia]

I can't wait for the real beta... I'm going to count how many threads get a reply to with "IT'S A BETA".

Why can't things be right the first go around?

Why did they even have to make 2.0?

Hm.

[Biggs]

I guess I am the only one that LIKED how the characters moved and fought , in the very brief glimpse we got, from the trailer. I thought it looked way less clunky than it does now. While I sure they can adjust it, you simply cant please everyone. Just about anything literally will be better than what we have now.

I still miss auto target from xi, so maybe I am not the best judge. To each his own I guess

[Ikkenoe]

I can't wait for the real beta... I'm going to count how many threads get a reply to with "IT'S A BETA".

okay, then maybe wait for the real alpha, too?

what is wrong with you people.

[Scott]

I must admit...... I don't see a difference ._.; Looks the same for me

[Alerith]

While I was the one two years ago going "It's just beta! This will all get fixed. They can't leave it like this, obviously!" to critical disappointment, I'm willing to give the benefit of the doubt since this is pre-alpha.

When beta rolls around and it's still like this, then I'll voice a stronger air of concern.

[Atoli]

Still I think the solution for keeping the weight and realism of the characters after performing actions can be dealt without animation locks: Just add more movement animations like rolls or whatever movements you cold do after performing an action and want to move the hell away, we are warriors and we are heavily trained, our characters should be able to do this

I think that's a great idea.
Would stop the animation lock problem while still maintaining the beautiful and realistic movements most came to like on their characters
Maybe I'm the only person who feels this way but seeing the new trailer shocked me a bit - seeing the characters move as unnatural as they do in other MMORPGs felt horrible.
It was a "Oh, so FFXIV is becoming the SAME as them"-feeling. Characters having actual weight was one of the little things which made me go back to FFXIV over the past 2 years whenever I tried out other MMOs because it gave me the feeling of really being IN this game not just moving around a few pixels.
But I totally understand that others don't appreciate that as much as I do so Danny's idea would provide a great way of making both groups of people happy

[Ramsey]

Having follow through animations does not cause animation lock... animation lock causes animation lock.

Animations have 0 control over your actual ability to do anything in a game, developers create limitations in order to preserve the fidelity of the animations "it wouldn't look good if someone moved during this animation, so let's lock actions and movement until it completes."

You can remove that rule and still leave things in place like follow through as a character slows down to a stop, you just allow them to suddenly change direction during this follow through, with blending it sure as hell wouldn't look any worse than completely removing all follow through, which gives characters a robotic feeling when they move.

I'm perfectly fine with animation lock being done away with, especially in places where it made battles needlessly difficult, but one thing the game's movement has always done is give my character a sense of being physically grounded, something that a lot of MMOs lack, because the animations are floaty and rigid.

I'm not going to quit FFXIV over this, but considering the animations already exist, I do hope they decide to re-implement them, sans animation lock.