Whatever happened to Cait Sith and Atomos?

[Cowardlybabooon]

I think SE actually has decent resources and uses them efficiently, it's not as simple as hiring more people. There are however, cases where they should tell us yes rather than no on suggestions just because they will take a lot of work.

[Lilia]

New SMN Two Hour! ._.

a ja with mp for BP timer - is 100% better as a ja what i can all 2h......



I rly hope SE change BP timer

[Camiie]

Hello summoners,

The most recent road map scheduled Cait Sith to be implemented around the July to August time frame; however, implementation will be delayed.

As we had a large amount of other projects and various requests to work on, we were unable to secure enough time for this and had to lower the priority of Cait Sith.

So, priority drops from bottom of the barrel to below the barrel.

We apologize for everyone who was looking forward to it.

Tell the devs they can apologize by making Cait Sith a really exceptional Avatar. Make her a little powerhouse of awesome, and not just Carbuncle 2.0.

Once we get some insight into the new implementation timing we will be sure to make an announcement.

I'm thinking holding my breath would be a bad idea.

Changing the topic for a moment, in the next test server update we will be reducing the recast times for avatars and spirits to a uniform 5 seconds. (Except Odin and Alexander)

While there may not be a big feeling of difference for using multiple avatars, it will become more efficient to switch to an avatar temporarily and then call out a previously used one right away. This will also be quite effective when using the new 2-hour ability, as your Blood Pact timers will be reduced as well, opening up paths for application.

Now that's more like it! I think that actually will be a difference that will be felt and appreciated. This is the sort of love SMN needs. Please don't decide later that it's overpowered...!

[Hayward]

As far as Cait Sith and Atomos are concerned, take all the time in the world. More avatars--and restricted to 2 hours at that--isn't really going to fill the holes in the job that are still prevalent and, I believe, known to the developers. Fix the dings under the hood first then worry about the paint job. Any auto mechanic worth his/her license knows that.

I am quite impressed by the plans to reduce recast timers to 5 seconds. This will do wonders for soloing and quick-reaction situations; however, BP timers need to be separated by avatar for this to truly shine. Anything short of that would be incomplete at best.

[Mokeil]

Hello summoners,

The most recent road map scheduled Cait Sith to be implemented around the July to August time frame; however, implementation will be delayed.

[...]

Once we get some insight into the new implementation timing we will be sure to make an announcement.

Okipuit, while I thank you for taking the time to comment on this for us, I wish to say that I am a little disappointed that the only concrete fact you can actually tell us is something most of us had already assumed. There's a whole new expansion in the works, new two-hours to implement, and even two new jobs; I understand that there are, from development perspectives, higher priorities... Still, to be told only that any new avatars (Promised to us very nearly a whole year ago!) are indefinitely delayed while other, more recent-seeming issues are settled is a little frustrating to have to hear.

Changing the topic for a moment, in the next test server update we will be reducing the recast times for avatars and spirits to a uniform 5 seconds. (Except Odin and Alexander)

I believe Salvation has already hit this nail squarely on the head, and I wish to second his sentiments wholeheartedly:

While a reduction in recast times for avatars and spirits is nice, it's still functionally useless while our hands are bound to the 45 second BP cap.

Now, I'll admit that there aren't many large problems still facing today's Summoner (By my reckoning there are only two major problems, and a handful of minor ones), but how exactly did this recast thing get precedence over everything else? I mean, did it only come up because of the new two hour, or is this actually something that people in the other language forums have been asking about?

I would also like to note that even with the new two-hour taken into consideration, I still don't see this recast change being really useful. The time involved in dismissing the current avatar, summoning a new one, and waiting for it to get into a useful position relative to the mob/party will eat a mighty good chunk of the proposed 30 seconds for the new two hour. I don't see us as being likely to swap between avatars as a result of this.

[Mokeil]

Camiie and Hayward -

The two of you seem fairly excited about the change to the recast timers. Personally speaking, I'm just not seeing why. Yes, it is a nice change, but nothing spectacular. I'm willing to accept that my cynical, crotchety nature might be Blinding Me To New Possibilities, however.

Would the two of you mind elaborating on your excitement, to help a jaded soul see the awesome?

[Sargent]

Now, I'll admit that there aren't many large problems still facing today's Summoner (By my reckoning there are only two major problems, and a handful of minor ones), but how exactly did this recast thing get precedence over everything else? I mean, did it only come up because of the new two hour, or is this actually something that people in the other language forums have been asking about?

I honestly don't think the magic recast thing matters too much anyway, people who cared about it used Fast Cast gear and/or put up Haste to mitigate it (I have it at ~17s myself). The Blood Pact timer is the much bigger issue regarding Summoner because again, the SMNs who wish to Blood Pact faster and decide to gear swap for it are blocked by the hard cap.

and still BST, DRG and PUP are restricted to stupid timers.

Sorry if I missed this, I'm not too familiar with those jobs. However from my perspective, these jobs can still put out decent damage on mobs that matter. What can Summoner do, pull out a Staff? Let's be realistic, while the restriction is unfair for all pet jobs, Summoner gets shafted the most when it comes to restricted damage.

Tell the devs they can apologize by making Cait Sith a really exceptional Avatar. Make her a little powerhouse of awesome, and not just Carbuncle 2.0.

Second this, last thing we need is "hey look, you get a shiny new avatar! It's useless though!", much like the BST frog pet.

[Camiie]

Would the two of you mind elaborating on your excitement, to help a jaded soul see the awesome?

I'm just that good at being sarcastic!

[Infidi]

Well... at least we are getting a cool new 2hour! 9 BPs in a row, woo! .....if you have the mp pool outside of abyssea to do that many. ^o^ j/k j/k, I say a small good is better than none at all. ^^

[Babekeke]

Avatar... recast... wtf!?

The only time I might even notice that this has been changed, is when weakened!

I don't see why anyone would appreciate this, and I certainly don't see why anyone would specifically gear for it. If I have an avatar out, and decide to swap it for another for 1 BP then re-summon the original one, my original avatar has been out for long enough that the recast was up anyway! 30s recast being less than the 45s BP timer = recast is always up. Unless you're weakened. Or slowed and didn't remove it first.

P.S. Thanks Okiput, for coming in on the 60th day of the 62 day window that had been allowed, to say that this was going to be delayed.