Frapp
09-07-2012, 12:23 AM
Hello!
This thread is intended as a suggestion to the Development Team.
I originally conceived the ideas in response to the thread "Puppetmasters! Lend me your LIKES!!!" but feel as if these ideas would now detract from the discussion on hand in that thread.
The aim of this thread to address several of the ongoing problems felt by Puppetmasters.
1. Animators are required to perform the job's basic duties.
2. Animators do not provide significant stats.
3. Animators as a Ranged Weapon restrict the use Ammo items for stat boosts for both Master and Automaton.
4. Animators display flavor text which do not appear to have any bearing on the performance of the Automaton.
5. Higher level Animators have particularly high time costs with obtaining them for extremely little reward.
Animators are required to perform the job's basic duties
There are currently 4 pet jobs in the game. 3 of those jobs can command the pet with varying degrees of control through job abilities.
Dragoon controls the Wyvern through Auto-Attack, Support Job Selection, Magic and Weapon Skill Use, and much later on, Pet Commands.
Beastmaster controls the pets through vocal commands (Fight, Stay, Heel, etc).
Summoner controls the Avatars and Spirits through communication via use of Magic Points.
Puppetmaster is the only one of the 4 pet jobs required to equip an item to send commands to its pet. From a Lore perspective, this makes sense. Aspiring Puppetmasters must retrieve a prototype, possibly assembly line model Automaton from the clutches of the Lamia. Aphmau's Automatons could act independently and via vocal commands, but those were shown to have unique enhancements. Using an Animator for our own Automatons would be necessary to provide it with combat data to allow it to perform duties outside of emotes.
From a Gameplay perspective though, it is a limitation. Animators are required to perform our job's most basic function - Mastering a Puppet. Through the game's coding, Ammo can only be equipped if 1) No Ranged Weapon is present or 2) The Ammo matches the Ranged Weapon type. This completely restricts our ability to equip any Ammo that would benefit the Master or the Automaton while still being able to command the Automaton.
Yes, we could swap gear as necessary, but that would then limit the Master's damage potential via constant loss of TP. The Automaton could act independently without the animator, but would also lose significant battle performance through the loss of maneuver affected attachments.
So what are we to do? Continue with the status-quo? Or should we find new and creative ways of finding a solution to the problems outlined above? I'm feeling creative, so lets go with that.
Animators do not provide significant stats
There are currently a grand total of 4 Animators in the game.
Animator - The basic model unlocked with the job
Turbo Animator - The AF "Weapon"
Animator +1 - Obtained through participation in Einherjar
Deluxe Animator - Obtained through participation in Windurst Tier 3 Voidwatch
2 of those Animators provide negligible, visible stats to the Master via a hidden effect. One of them provides a negligible, visible health and magic boost to the Automaton, again as a hidden effect. The original animator provides no bonus.
This is unacceptable. Every other job has a plethora of options across the Weapon, Sub, Ranged, and Ammo slots to improve their performance.
Puppetmasters, as users of Hand-to-Hand weapons, currently have only the Weapon slot. The Sub Slot is unavailable through the use of H2H. The Ranged slot is forcibly taken up by the Animator. The Ammo slot is unusable outside of Automation Oil for Repair and Maintenance.
My first suggestion in this thread is: We need better Animators. This is simply a matter of balance. We need Animators with clear, displayed stats that will bring out the best in us as Masters and the best in our Automatons.
(Side note: I agreed with and liked the "Puppetmasters! Lend me your LIKES!!!" thread and post. I believe Trial of the Magian Animators would make decent additions. As I mentioned above, I believe posting my ideas in that thread would have detracted from both discussions.)
Mr. Matsui requested that we be as specific as possible when bringing forth suggestions. Here are a few Animators I thought of while preparing this thread. (Stats are made up without math, but show the direction the Automatons could take through the use of new Animators)
Craftable Animators*
Harlequin's Animator
An Animator designed for use specifically with the Harlequin Automaton. Enhances its combat routines at the cost of its magic use
(Displayed Stats) Automaton: Melee Skill A-; Attack +10; Accuracy +10; STR +3; DEX+3; Haste +5%; Silence
Joker's Animator
An improved version of the Harlequin's Animator. Enhances its combat routines at the cost of its magic use
(Displayed Stats) Automaton: Melee Skill A-; Attack +15; Accuracy +15; STR +5; DEX +5; Haste +6%; Silence
Valoredge's Animator
An Animator designed for use specifically with the Valoredge Automaton. Improves its Offensive Combat at the cost of its Defensive Capabilities
(Displayed Stats) Automaton: Attack +15; Accuracy +15; STR +5; DEX +5, Haste +5%; Weapon Skill Damage +10% HP -100; PDT +10%; Fire Maneuver Burden Decreased; Earth Maneuver Burden Increased
Shieldbearer's Animator
An Animator designed for use Specifically with the Valoredge Automaton. Improves its Defensive Capabilities at the cost of its Offense.
(Displayed Stats) Automaton: Attack +10; Accuracy +10; VIT +5; AGI +5; Strobe Recast -15; Shield Bash Recast -60; Earth Maneuver Burden Decreased; Fire Maneuver Burden Increased.
Content Reward Animators
Doctor's Animator (Rare/EX)
An Animator that augments the Automaton's curative capabilities
(Displayed Stats) Master: Regen; Cure Effects Received +10%; Automaton: Regen; Cure Potency +10%; Cure Spellcasting Time -10%; Automaton Enhancing Magic Cost +10%; Augments Enhancing Magic to -Ra spells.
Master's Animator (Rare/EX)
An Animator that augments the Automaton's offensive magic capabilities
(Displayed Stats) Master: Regen; Automaton: Enfeebling Magic Accuracy +10%; Magic Attack Bonus +10%; Resistance to all Enfeebling Effects
*I say craftable Animators because this is the second of my suggestions: Animators should be reasonable to obtain. All other jobs have the option to acquire equipment through crafting and/or the Auction House. New Animators should be no different. Allow us to obtain Animators through these means, as well as special, powerful, rare Animators as rewards from playing content.
As far as which craft(s) should get the benefit of crafting Animators? Goldsmithing is the obvious choice, as one of their Guild rewards is Clockmaking. Smithing and Alchemy could also be involved, as metals conduct electricity which in turn are signals to the Automaton.
Animators as a Ranged Weapon restrict the use of Ammo items for stat boosts for both Master and Automaton.
As I mentioned earlier, the use of Ammo is dependent on the presence of the proper Ranged Weapon or lack thereof. As Puppetmaster is required to use an Animator in the Ranged Weapon slot to command the Automaton, our Ammo slot is restricted to Automaton Oil. This section of the discussion is for the solution of our lack of Ammo options.
I'm going to assume for the sake of the discussion that eliminating the use of animators is impossible or unlikely from a programming perspective.
My third suggestion for the discussion: Give us Animator Plug-Ins for use in the Ammo slot (Plug-In being a tentative name).
I don't know about the rest of you, but when I first saw the graphic for the Animator, the first thing I thought of was "Holy crap! That's a Nintendo 64 Controller!" Maybe it's just the perspective of the graphic. Maybe I'm just nuts. But it got me thinking. The N64 controller had an expansion slot that could be used for different effects, like a memory card and the Rumble Pak. Animators could have that same expansion slot - and the "Paks" could be our Plug-Ins in the Ammo slot.
Plug-Ins can provide just about any effect we can think of - from augmenting installed attachments to something unique like providing the Automaton new abilities. With these being in the Ammo slot, Plug-Ins could be swapped just as easily as any other piece of gear. For balance, because we're transmitting more data to the Automaton, Burden could be increased depending on the element. (This ties in with my Animator suggestions above with increasing and decreasing elemental burdens).
Plug-Ins could be both craftable and rewarded from content. Goldsmithing or Alchemy would be the craft of choice.
Another reason I've come up with Plug-Ins for the Ammo Slot is simply because our Automatons can't fit any more attachments. They only have 12 slots and so many elemental sockets to plug into. We all have our favorite attachment setups. Plug-Ins will provide more utility to our Automatons that we can swap out-and-in without having to deactivate, re-equip, and reactivate mid-battle.
Again, here are some specific Plug-Ins I thought of while preparing this thread:
Existing Attachments
These Attachments send more data to the Automaton, therefore increase elemental burden
Tension Plug-In
Increases Effect of Tension Spring and Tension Spring II
Automaton: Attack +5%; Tension Spring Equipped: Attack +7%; Increases Fire Elemental Burden
Scope Plug-In
Increases Effect of Scope
Automaton: Ranged Accuracy: +7; Scope Equipped: Ranged Accuracy +10; Ranged Critical Hit Rate +5%; Increases Wind Elemental Burden
Ice Data Plug-In
Automaton: Grants Automaton EnBlizzard effect; Volt Gun Equipped: EnBlizzard has a chance to inflict Paralysis; Increases Thunder Elemental Burden; Increases Ice Elemental Burden.
Master / Automaton Shared Plug-Ins
These Plug-Ins work as any other piece of equipment would in the slot, and therefore provide no additional burden to the Automaton.
Metronome
Master: Haste +4%; Automaton: Haste +4%
Metronome +1
Master: Haste +4%; Double Attack +2%; Automaton: Haste +4%; Double Attack +2%
Automaton Command Plug-Ins
These Plug-Ins provide the Automaton with new instructions not available through its AI or Attachments. These provide a high level of additional Burden.
Sleep Data Plug-In
Automaton Consumes 1 Dark Maneuver to use Sleep on Targeted Foe; Increases Dark Maneuver Burden
Laser Weaponskill Plug-In
Sharpshot Automaton consumes Thunder Maneuvers to use "Laser" on Targeted Foe; Automaton Overloads upon use. "Laser" takes priority over existing Weapon skills
The thing we need to be careful with when dreaming up Plug-Ins is that I found it really easy to dream up a lot of them. Too many options could mean clogged inventories.
Current Animators display flavor text which do not appear to have any bearing on the performance of the Automaton.
This is more of a question I have for the Development Team.
Do the 4 existing Animators have any function beyond 1) Controlling the Automaton and 2) Providing small, visible, hidden effects to either Master or Pet?.
If that is all they do or if the flavor text means nothing, then these 4 animators need to be brought up to spec as I have suggested here or retired to make way for the new ones.
Higher level Animators have particularly high time costs with obtaining them for extremely little reward.
Namely the Animator +1 and Deluxe Animator can be quite difficult to obtain depending on the player. While not much can be done in regards to these two, if any of my suggestion are to come to light then New Animators and Plug-Ins must be obtainable based on their stats, and not some seemingly arbitrary rule.
It is high time for Puppetmasters to be able to gear appropriately for the task at hand with all the same possibilities as every other job that exists and will exist in the future.
In Summary
1. Animators are required to perform the job's basic duties.
If this is unavoidable, give us better Animators
2. Animators do not provide significant stats.
Animators should have stats on par with other jobs' equipment in the same slot, benefitting either Master or Automaton
3. Animators as a Ranged Weapon restrict the use Ammo items for stat boosts for both Master and Automaton.
Allow us to use specialized Ammo with our required Animators to give us better command of our Automatons
4. Animators display flavor text which do not appear to have any bearing on the performance of the Automaton.
This mystery has had all of us scratching our heads since the introduction of the Turbo Animator. What's up with them?
5. Higher level Animators have particularly high time costs with obtaining them for extremely little reward.
Any new Animators introduced should be obtainable within reason of their performance, not some arbitrary rule
Thanks
Thank you all very much for your time in reading this post.
Thanks to the Development Team for considering anything I have written.
This thread is intended as a suggestion to the Development Team.
I originally conceived the ideas in response to the thread "Puppetmasters! Lend me your LIKES!!!" but feel as if these ideas would now detract from the discussion on hand in that thread.
The aim of this thread to address several of the ongoing problems felt by Puppetmasters.
1. Animators are required to perform the job's basic duties.
2. Animators do not provide significant stats.
3. Animators as a Ranged Weapon restrict the use Ammo items for stat boosts for both Master and Automaton.
4. Animators display flavor text which do not appear to have any bearing on the performance of the Automaton.
5. Higher level Animators have particularly high time costs with obtaining them for extremely little reward.
Animators are required to perform the job's basic duties
There are currently 4 pet jobs in the game. 3 of those jobs can command the pet with varying degrees of control through job abilities.
Dragoon controls the Wyvern through Auto-Attack, Support Job Selection, Magic and Weapon Skill Use, and much later on, Pet Commands.
Beastmaster controls the pets through vocal commands (Fight, Stay, Heel, etc).
Summoner controls the Avatars and Spirits through communication via use of Magic Points.
Puppetmaster is the only one of the 4 pet jobs required to equip an item to send commands to its pet. From a Lore perspective, this makes sense. Aspiring Puppetmasters must retrieve a prototype, possibly assembly line model Automaton from the clutches of the Lamia. Aphmau's Automatons could act independently and via vocal commands, but those were shown to have unique enhancements. Using an Animator for our own Automatons would be necessary to provide it with combat data to allow it to perform duties outside of emotes.
From a Gameplay perspective though, it is a limitation. Animators are required to perform our job's most basic function - Mastering a Puppet. Through the game's coding, Ammo can only be equipped if 1) No Ranged Weapon is present or 2) The Ammo matches the Ranged Weapon type. This completely restricts our ability to equip any Ammo that would benefit the Master or the Automaton while still being able to command the Automaton.
Yes, we could swap gear as necessary, but that would then limit the Master's damage potential via constant loss of TP. The Automaton could act independently without the animator, but would also lose significant battle performance through the loss of maneuver affected attachments.
So what are we to do? Continue with the status-quo? Or should we find new and creative ways of finding a solution to the problems outlined above? I'm feeling creative, so lets go with that.
Animators do not provide significant stats
There are currently a grand total of 4 Animators in the game.
Animator - The basic model unlocked with the job
Turbo Animator - The AF "Weapon"
Animator +1 - Obtained through participation in Einherjar
Deluxe Animator - Obtained through participation in Windurst Tier 3 Voidwatch
2 of those Animators provide negligible, visible stats to the Master via a hidden effect. One of them provides a negligible, visible health and magic boost to the Automaton, again as a hidden effect. The original animator provides no bonus.
This is unacceptable. Every other job has a plethora of options across the Weapon, Sub, Ranged, and Ammo slots to improve their performance.
Puppetmasters, as users of Hand-to-Hand weapons, currently have only the Weapon slot. The Sub Slot is unavailable through the use of H2H. The Ranged slot is forcibly taken up by the Animator. The Ammo slot is unusable outside of Automation Oil for Repair and Maintenance.
My first suggestion in this thread is: We need better Animators. This is simply a matter of balance. We need Animators with clear, displayed stats that will bring out the best in us as Masters and the best in our Automatons.
(Side note: I agreed with and liked the "Puppetmasters! Lend me your LIKES!!!" thread and post. I believe Trial of the Magian Animators would make decent additions. As I mentioned above, I believe posting my ideas in that thread would have detracted from both discussions.)
Mr. Matsui requested that we be as specific as possible when bringing forth suggestions. Here are a few Animators I thought of while preparing this thread. (Stats are made up without math, but show the direction the Automatons could take through the use of new Animators)
Craftable Animators*
Harlequin's Animator
An Animator designed for use specifically with the Harlequin Automaton. Enhances its combat routines at the cost of its magic use
(Displayed Stats) Automaton: Melee Skill A-; Attack +10; Accuracy +10; STR +3; DEX+3; Haste +5%; Silence
Joker's Animator
An improved version of the Harlequin's Animator. Enhances its combat routines at the cost of its magic use
(Displayed Stats) Automaton: Melee Skill A-; Attack +15; Accuracy +15; STR +5; DEX +5; Haste +6%; Silence
Valoredge's Animator
An Animator designed for use specifically with the Valoredge Automaton. Improves its Offensive Combat at the cost of its Defensive Capabilities
(Displayed Stats) Automaton: Attack +15; Accuracy +15; STR +5; DEX +5, Haste +5%; Weapon Skill Damage +10% HP -100; PDT +10%; Fire Maneuver Burden Decreased; Earth Maneuver Burden Increased
Shieldbearer's Animator
An Animator designed for use Specifically with the Valoredge Automaton. Improves its Defensive Capabilities at the cost of its Offense.
(Displayed Stats) Automaton: Attack +10; Accuracy +10; VIT +5; AGI +5; Strobe Recast -15; Shield Bash Recast -60; Earth Maneuver Burden Decreased; Fire Maneuver Burden Increased.
Content Reward Animators
Doctor's Animator (Rare/EX)
An Animator that augments the Automaton's curative capabilities
(Displayed Stats) Master: Regen; Cure Effects Received +10%; Automaton: Regen; Cure Potency +10%; Cure Spellcasting Time -10%; Automaton Enhancing Magic Cost +10%; Augments Enhancing Magic to -Ra spells.
Master's Animator (Rare/EX)
An Animator that augments the Automaton's offensive magic capabilities
(Displayed Stats) Master: Regen; Automaton: Enfeebling Magic Accuracy +10%; Magic Attack Bonus +10%; Resistance to all Enfeebling Effects
*I say craftable Animators because this is the second of my suggestions: Animators should be reasonable to obtain. All other jobs have the option to acquire equipment through crafting and/or the Auction House. New Animators should be no different. Allow us to obtain Animators through these means, as well as special, powerful, rare Animators as rewards from playing content.
As far as which craft(s) should get the benefit of crafting Animators? Goldsmithing is the obvious choice, as one of their Guild rewards is Clockmaking. Smithing and Alchemy could also be involved, as metals conduct electricity which in turn are signals to the Automaton.
Animators as a Ranged Weapon restrict the use of Ammo items for stat boosts for both Master and Automaton.
As I mentioned earlier, the use of Ammo is dependent on the presence of the proper Ranged Weapon or lack thereof. As Puppetmaster is required to use an Animator in the Ranged Weapon slot to command the Automaton, our Ammo slot is restricted to Automaton Oil. This section of the discussion is for the solution of our lack of Ammo options.
I'm going to assume for the sake of the discussion that eliminating the use of animators is impossible or unlikely from a programming perspective.
My third suggestion for the discussion: Give us Animator Plug-Ins for use in the Ammo slot (Plug-In being a tentative name).
I don't know about the rest of you, but when I first saw the graphic for the Animator, the first thing I thought of was "Holy crap! That's a Nintendo 64 Controller!" Maybe it's just the perspective of the graphic. Maybe I'm just nuts. But it got me thinking. The N64 controller had an expansion slot that could be used for different effects, like a memory card and the Rumble Pak. Animators could have that same expansion slot - and the "Paks" could be our Plug-Ins in the Ammo slot.
Plug-Ins can provide just about any effect we can think of - from augmenting installed attachments to something unique like providing the Automaton new abilities. With these being in the Ammo slot, Plug-Ins could be swapped just as easily as any other piece of gear. For balance, because we're transmitting more data to the Automaton, Burden could be increased depending on the element. (This ties in with my Animator suggestions above with increasing and decreasing elemental burdens).
Plug-Ins could be both craftable and rewarded from content. Goldsmithing or Alchemy would be the craft of choice.
Another reason I've come up with Plug-Ins for the Ammo Slot is simply because our Automatons can't fit any more attachments. They only have 12 slots and so many elemental sockets to plug into. We all have our favorite attachment setups. Plug-Ins will provide more utility to our Automatons that we can swap out-and-in without having to deactivate, re-equip, and reactivate mid-battle.
Again, here are some specific Plug-Ins I thought of while preparing this thread:
Existing Attachments
These Attachments send more data to the Automaton, therefore increase elemental burden
Tension Plug-In
Increases Effect of Tension Spring and Tension Spring II
Automaton: Attack +5%; Tension Spring Equipped: Attack +7%; Increases Fire Elemental Burden
Scope Plug-In
Increases Effect of Scope
Automaton: Ranged Accuracy: +7; Scope Equipped: Ranged Accuracy +10; Ranged Critical Hit Rate +5%; Increases Wind Elemental Burden
Ice Data Plug-In
Automaton: Grants Automaton EnBlizzard effect; Volt Gun Equipped: EnBlizzard has a chance to inflict Paralysis; Increases Thunder Elemental Burden; Increases Ice Elemental Burden.
Master / Automaton Shared Plug-Ins
These Plug-Ins work as any other piece of equipment would in the slot, and therefore provide no additional burden to the Automaton.
Metronome
Master: Haste +4%; Automaton: Haste +4%
Metronome +1
Master: Haste +4%; Double Attack +2%; Automaton: Haste +4%; Double Attack +2%
Automaton Command Plug-Ins
These Plug-Ins provide the Automaton with new instructions not available through its AI or Attachments. These provide a high level of additional Burden.
Sleep Data Plug-In
Automaton Consumes 1 Dark Maneuver to use Sleep on Targeted Foe; Increases Dark Maneuver Burden
Laser Weaponskill Plug-In
Sharpshot Automaton consumes Thunder Maneuvers to use "Laser" on Targeted Foe; Automaton Overloads upon use. "Laser" takes priority over existing Weapon skills
The thing we need to be careful with when dreaming up Plug-Ins is that I found it really easy to dream up a lot of them. Too many options could mean clogged inventories.
Current Animators display flavor text which do not appear to have any bearing on the performance of the Automaton.
This is more of a question I have for the Development Team.
Do the 4 existing Animators have any function beyond 1) Controlling the Automaton and 2) Providing small, visible, hidden effects to either Master or Pet?.
If that is all they do or if the flavor text means nothing, then these 4 animators need to be brought up to spec as I have suggested here or retired to make way for the new ones.
Higher level Animators have particularly high time costs with obtaining them for extremely little reward.
Namely the Animator +1 and Deluxe Animator can be quite difficult to obtain depending on the player. While not much can be done in regards to these two, if any of my suggestion are to come to light then New Animators and Plug-Ins must be obtainable based on their stats, and not some seemingly arbitrary rule.
It is high time for Puppetmasters to be able to gear appropriately for the task at hand with all the same possibilities as every other job that exists and will exist in the future.
In Summary
1. Animators are required to perform the job's basic duties.
If this is unavoidable, give us better Animators
2. Animators do not provide significant stats.
Animators should have stats on par with other jobs' equipment in the same slot, benefitting either Master or Automaton
3. Animators as a Ranged Weapon restrict the use Ammo items for stat boosts for both Master and Automaton.
Allow us to use specialized Ammo with our required Animators to give us better command of our Automatons
4. Animators display flavor text which do not appear to have any bearing on the performance of the Automaton.
This mystery has had all of us scratching our heads since the introduction of the Turbo Animator. What's up with them?
5. Higher level Animators have particularly high time costs with obtaining them for extremely little reward.
Any new Animators introduced should be obtainable within reason of their performance, not some arbitrary rule
Thanks
Thank you all very much for your time in reading this post.
Thanks to the Development Team for considering anything I have written.