Change the Battle Regimen - Bring Back SKILL CHAINS from FF XI or Active Combos

To: Producer Yoshida and the FF XIV Team,

With the results of the 2nd Player's Poll out, I'm glad to hear that you're going to be changing the Battle Regimen system. Here are some suggestions and thoughts on the Battle Regimen and what to change: ;)

1. The current Battle Regimens are just too restrictive: You're locked into this "mode" once you enter a Weaponskill or Spell and stuck waiting until everyone adds their attacks to the Regimen, and then it gets fired off.

It's frustrating, and makes it very hard for Mages (Conjurer, Thaumaturge) to participate at times in some Regimens if they're also helping to Cure / Heal the party (i.e., they're stuck, locked in this mode, waiting for everyone else to add their attacks before being released to do other actions). Melee are also "stuck" waiting until everyone in the Regimen has added their attacks. Also those hoping to add some enhancing buffs (Raging Strike, Ferocity, or Blood Rite, etc.) lose their enhancements waiting for the Regimen to go off sometimes.

2. The Visuals / Special Effects feel almost non-existent and really unimpressive compared to Skillchains (RENKEI) in Final Fantasy XI, something you all made years ago.

Look at any Regimen effect (like Regimen of Ruin, etc.), and compare that to a LIGHT (element) Skillchain (Hikari Renkei), and there's no comparison: A huge, glowing, expanding sphere of Light explodes outwards over the monster, it was impressive for it's time and looks better than any Regimen effect right now.


Suggestions to fix Battle Regimen:

• Bring back the Skillchain (Renkei) System from Final Fantasy XI, or some type of Free-Form Attack / Combo System where Players can add their attacks with timing, and are free to do other actions after their "turn".

The Skillchain System was one of the best things about FF XI, and it's an exciting system where Players can throw in their attacks and spells if timed right, and produce great results.

I liked the suggestion from ChiefCurrahee as well for adding enhanced effects. There are some great ideas on the forums. :D

Please consider making something like the Skillchain System you had in FF XI, or some open system that allows players to add their Attacks but keep doing OTHER things afterwards. This is especially critical to get more Mage participation as well (if they happen to be on Cure / Heal duty in a party).

Thanks! ;)

XI's skillchain system was the most fun teamplay mechanic i've ever seen in an mmorpg. Really hope they bring it back with gear swapping. The explosion after skills and magic bursts was just awesome, especially with higher level spells. Sacrafice the Lalafell's (Tarutaru) for dorps!

I think they were attempting to make a completely new experience, but they lost the fun of it. As noted above chaining was a fun and exciting part of battle that involved several members of the party. An advanced group could preform chains on the fly without prior organization. Also, the visual experience added a lot to the battle.

I believe they will fix the BR, just need to be patient.

Well said Minian.

Here's to hoping we get the fixes soon (next patch or 2 please).

Good call guys and girls. I enjoyed the skillchain / MB system as well.

I am not sure why SE felt the need to try and make FFXIV so different from FFXI when it was so successfull and enjoyable to many Final Fantasy fans.

IMO the great graphics, the improved crafting and the addition of Leves for the part time players coupled with the new setting (Ezorea) and story lines would have been enough. They have alot of work ahead of them if they want this game to be a viable Epic adventure as FF games have been in the past.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ckb

gear swapping

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Good god... From the deepest of my heart, absolutely NO..!

I agree, the automated Battle Regimen in FFXIV is just no fun.
At least with skillchains it involved timing and people paying attention, rather than just queuing up a move and standing there until it is finished stacking. As a mage I hate the "lock" that happens- having someone unable to taunt a mob because they are stuck in the BR is just ridiculous.
I want to see the big explosion of elements above the mobs- light, dark and distortion were always my favourites. ^^

It doesn't necessarily have to be an exact copy of skillchains from XI, but what happened to the battle style we see in the opening movie? A lalafell mage empowers a huyr's arrow with fire, and he ends up blasting the malboro they are fighting into oblivion.

If Yoshi-P's team could figure out a way to implement combo attacks in general (perhaps the way Chrono Trigger did with double or triple techs) then that would be great. Of course we would also need some nice visual effects to go along with it :)

No gear swapping necessary though...thats just abit much.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Teknoman

It doesn't necessarily have to be an exact copy of skillchains from XI, but what happened to the battle style we see in the opening movie? A lalafell mage empowers a huyr's arrow with fire, and he ends up blasting the malboro they are fighting into oblivion.

If Yoshi-P's team could figure out a way to implement combo attacks in general (perhaps the way Chrono Trigger did with double or triple techs) then that would be great. Of course we would also need some nice visual effects to go along with it :)

No gear swapping necessary though...thats just abit much.

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Hi Teknoman,

Well said! :) If Square can deliver anything in the Opening CG Movie from FF14, that'd be huge (and welcome). (^_~)

Huge Airship Battles, Empowering Weapons / Combo Attacks, Massive Enemies and more. :)

Here's to hoping we get some good changes for Combat soon, and then allow the team to move onto...

Chocobos and Ishgard! And Summoners. :P