[Suggestion] Consolidating Equip Macros

[SpankWustler]

The following policies were established from the beginning after thoroughly exploring the macro feature:

1. The fundamental rule is that macros execute one action per line. (Excluding “/wait”)
2. It is not possible to automate things nor call other macros within a macro.

The words "policies" and "rule" give me the impression that the horribly limited design of macros has less to do with Final Fantasy XI being a decade-old PS2 game and more to do with the Development Bros being eccentrics. This frightens me.

Also, many players often totally understand that things are intended to be one way. A lot of us can still feel strongly that the aforementioned one way is awful and dumb.

Telling us, "Yeah, the Development Bros meant to run full-tilt into you while holding scissors in both hands exactly at crotch-level!" doesn't do much other than confirm that we weren't just standing in the wrong place at the wrong time in the wrong pants.

[Kraggy]

Hey guys,

I just wanted to let you know that we understand everyone's viewpoints as to why swapping additional gear via macros would be favorable, and to some, it may not.

The following policies were established from the beginning after thoroughly exploring the macro feature:

1. The fundamental rule is that macros execute one action per line. (Excluding “/wait”)
2. It is not possible to automate things nor call other macros within a macro.

Due to the aforementioned reasons, we do not plan to expand macros and we appreciate your understanding.

You know, SE can be so ostrich-like at times, it's not funny.

You can't seriously tell us you don't know that a large number , possibly the majority by now, of PC players use the universally-known third-party add-on that makes swapping entire gear for every attack possible using a single key; many use it just for a decent macro capability, not the pseudo-botting it also allows.

Yet you stubbornly refuse to accept this fact and provide an official means of doing this for the minority (I expect) of PC players who don't want to cheat and those playing on consoles where such cheating isn't allowed.

/shakeshead

Personally I don't need that capability but it would be nice to have for occasional use, but I also recognise that many people think is absolutely required for tackling the high-end end-game content. The fact vast numbers have that because they're willing to cheat isn't fair to the rest who aren't; even FFXIV has a more usable macro system, how about even implementing THAT???

[Dragoy]

Many have already said it but...

Hey guys,

I just wanted to let you know that we understand everyone's viewpoints as to why swapping additional gear via macros would be favorable, and to some, it may not.

The following policies were established from the beginning after thoroughly exploring the macro feature:

1. The fundamental rule is that macros execute one action per line. (Excluding “/wait”)
2. It is not possible to automate things nor call other macros within a macro.

Due to the aforementioned reasons, we do not plan to expand macros and we appreciate your understanding.

And thus, the majority (very likely) uses external sources to get help with it, or cheat, if you will.

Working as... intended?
I am afraid there is no understanding whatsoever here. ^^;

I, for one, never even tried such helpers even though I play on a PC. I would, however, be happy with even something as simple as more lines, or more functions added per one line. I don't even use the most efficient equipment for everything possible. Usually I have just 2 macros per set, but when there are two or three for everything such as for gaining TP, for when executing weapon skills, for magic and/or physical damage reduction, for certain job abilities, for magic... the list goes on and on, it's not exactly fun any longer.

And that's just for gear! I don't use the macro-system for abilities, except for 'Meditate'. For everything else, I use the menu-system, even if that may be a bit slower. (No, not the clickety-click menu, I mean short-cuts for magic list that is by default ctrl+m or alt+m, and ctrl+w or alt+w for weapon skills, ctrl+j... and so on.)

What makes it even less fun, are the delays and sometimes the unresponsiveness of the system which will make even using just two macros one after another very annoying, creating a broken feel to the game. If you don't want players to use macros to change equipment during combat, then either delete all or most of the current equipment, and create new that can be used at all times without losing on efficiency, or, create more efficient ways to execute macros and/or change equipment. :]

It is quite amazing (not in a good way, mind you!) how the system is adamantly being kept as is, while it obviously promotes cheating, and which nothing is or has been done about for years!

Disappointed. =/

[saevel]

Hey guys,

I just wanted to let you know that we understand everyone's viewpoints as to why swapping additional gear via macros would be favorable, and to some, it may not.

The following policies were established from the beginning after thoroughly exploring the macro feature:

1. The fundamental rule is that macros execute one action per line. (Excluding “/wait”)
2. It is not possible to automate things nor call other macros within a macro.

Due to the aforementioned reasons, we do not plan to expand macros and we appreciate your understanding.

Oki those are understandable reasons for one line per macro and no looping / calling.

Those don't describe the reason for only 6 lines per macro on the PC version. What is limiting SE from adding 18~20 lines for a single macro on a PC client? There is more then sufficient hard disk space and memory space to accommodate this change. PS2 / 360 should also be able to do this as your not on more then macro pallet at a time.

[Kristal]

Oki those are understandable reasons for one line per macro and no looping / calling.

Those don't describe the reason for only 6 lines per macro on the PC version. What is limiting SE from adding 18~20 lines for a single macro on a PC client? There is more then sufficient hard disk space and memory space to accommodate this change. PS2 / 360 should also be able to do this as your not on more then macro pallet at a time.

The more lines you add, the more automated it becomes. And more equip swaps also means more talking to the server. Both are situations that SE wants to avoid.
At least, that's how I explain SE's position on this. (Few more lines would still be nice.)

[Arcon]

The more lines you add, the more automated it becomes. And more equip swaps also means more talking to the server. Both are situations that SE wants to avoid.

I wouldn't be surprised if that was their reasoning, seeing as how their reasoning is almost always wrong. They don't seem to realize that it still happens, only it forces people press three macros instead of one.

[Gaiben]

What I would like to see that I think would avoid the macro issue is a pre-built equipment set. Like the idea of how you have a second or third equipment menu that would let you set a second or more collection of gear that count as equipped in the item menu but doesn't take effect visually or statistically unless 'swapped' using a simple command line. This would allow us to also place that simple command line into macros so we could swap gear, ws/ja/ma, then swap back with around three lines and even leave room for a /party line.

Maybe something that could be thrown into the newer interface design?

[Sarick]

The more lines you add, the more automated it becomes. And more equip swaps also means more talking to the server. Both are situations that SE wants to avoid.
At least, that's how I explain SE's position on this. (Few more lines would still be nice.)

This is Bulluks..

They can create linked macros with the exception that these gear set macros ALWAYS start with /equip << forced in the start of the text that can't be edited. That would mean the automation inside those macros is nul use. Example..

The main macro can call gearset macros but gearset macros CAN NOT CALL the main macros. This would allow only the main macro to call equipment macros and limit the ability of automation making it impossible.

This would be 1 macro for phalanx

/equipset 2
/ma "Phalanx" <me> <wait 8>
/equipset 1

Equipset 1 is..

/equip head "Head Armor"
/equip body "Body Armor"
/equip hands "Hand Armor"
/equip legs "Leg Armor"
/equip feet "Feet Armor"
/equip EMPTY

Equipset 2 is..

/equip head "Enhancing Head Armor"
/equip body "Enhancing Body Armor"
/equip hands "Enhancing Hand Armor"
/equip legs "Enhancing Leg Armor"
/equip feet "Enhancing Feet Armor"
/equip EMPTY

They could even leave out the macro portion entirely and make a set record the current set of all equipped gear at that time. This would eliminate the macro lines completely in the gear sets. These sets could be a FULL 16 lines recorded by the game when you have a set equipped.

To go even more advanced who needs to swap gear at all! they could create a system that remembers your gear stats for a set checks to make sure you have said gear inside then modifies your gear to those stats. All without swapping a single item.

It's not a rocket science here. Macros swapping isn't even needed. Provided you can equip the set on said job/level etc we shouldn't need to even update.

Blinking
Look at the headgear setup where you can set your character to not show headgear.

They could do the same with head,body,hands,legs,feet. It would be much like the /headgear where you can set your appearance. The only difference is when you change jobs you'd need to re-lock your appearance.

SE please wake up.. Blinking and Macro limitations because of lines is a sad excuse the auto automation excuse just doesn't cut it either. The players are smarter then this. There are definitely ways around these imposed limitations that can be created and none of the game breaking drawbacks mentioned in the excuses would exist.

[Monchat]

Hey guys,

I just wanted to let you know that we understand everyone's viewpoints as to why swapping additional gear via macros would be favorable, and to some, it may not.

The following policies were established from the beginning after thoroughly exploring the macro feature:

1. The fundamental rule is that macros execute one action per line. (Excluding “/wait”)
2. It is not possible to automate things nor call other macros within a macro.

Due to the aforementioned reasons, we do not plan to expand macros and we appreciate your understanding.

well tell your dev team to stop the UI upgrades now. wtf bullshit policy is that. stop wasting your time on HD icon and other non sense and learn what players want: easy to use interface. We saw what the reaction was when they tried to mimic the same crap inteface and macros in FF14.

[Godofgods]

The following policies were established from the beginning after thoroughly exploring the macro feature:

1. The fundamental rule is that macros execute one action per line. (Excluding “/wait”)
2. It is not possible to automate things nor call other macros within a macro.

Due to the aforementioned reasons, we do not plan to expand macros and we appreciate your understanding.

The issue is the space/time needed to make/use a equip macro. Ppl don't want to hit three macros to situational equip, 1 for ws (or whatever) then three more to go back to normal equip.

So, if you cant/wont adjust the macros, then theirs only one part left. The need to use to much situational gear. Take out that, and we wont need the heightened macros