Controller vs Keyboard and Mouse

Man oh man,

In PvP keyboard and mouse players have such an edge over controller users when it comes to targeting. Where keyboard and mouse they can just target near instantly while us controller players have to sorta cycle through the enemy list.

Not complaining or anything. I have seen some amazing controller players in PvP so it’s all good. Just saying. I wish controller players had that good targeting power too.

We have good targeting control, the only issue would be targeting something further away while you have 20 targets infront of you switching positions frequently around the line of sight to the actual target. It also makes healing alliance members troublesome, as they didn't add a shortcut to cycle through them.

We have pure cycling through the enemies with R2/L2+R1/L1 for example, they could use one of the R2 or L2 buttons to let us circle through "friendly targets", instead of both for enemies only, it would be an easy thing to add, while not removing any function. Would make healing and targeting allies for teleports etc. way easier on controller.

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Originally Posted by Commander_Justitia

We have good targeting control, the only issue would be targeting something further away while you have 20 targets infront of you switching positions frequently around the line of sight to the actual target. It also makes healing alliance members troublesome, as they didn't add a shortcut to cycle through them.

We have pure cycling through the enemies with R2/L2+R1/L1 for example, they could use one of the R2 or L2 buttons to let us circle through "friendly targets", instead of both for enemies only, it would be an easy thing to add, while not removing any function. Would make healing and targeting allies for teleports etc. way easier on controller.

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This was the most annoying thing for me! Especially when true healing by healers was a thing in FL. What I found works well is what gets targeted between sheathed stance/unsheathed stance. Sheathed targets my NPCs and my friendlies, whereas unsheathed targets enemies only.

To your point, I would prefer being able to target using your recommendation, genuinely a solid recommendation.

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Originally Posted by Aubrey_A

Sheathed targets my NPCs and my friendlies, whereas unsheathed targets enemies only.

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Yeah, you can even go a step further and make those 4 filters for L1 + symbol buttons. Though, how do we target then? Well, with D-Pad Left/Right. And how do we move our characters? Well, with the left hand/fingers. So problem is, using it at the same time, well you can't (without some serious finger acrobatics). Imagine playing PvP and not being able to move and target at the same time, it is a big loss of time and positioning.

https://i.imgur.com/Z6n5Lcd.png
Make it just check "alliance members" for our case.

I remember playing with gamepad left hand for moving and healing other alliance members with mouse and just clicking skills when pure healing still was required. Was weird experience :)

On controller, to target members of your party, use the up/down buttons on the d-pad. To target members of your alliance outside of your party, hold L1 or R1 and use the left/right buttons on the d-pad. Not as quick as mouse and keyboard, but it is a way for controller players to gain more targeting options. For reference, I play on console, exclusively, and PvP quite often. I'm often in the top 5 on kills on Frontlines with my bard and machinist (I was having a particularly good run, yesterday). I also PvP on sage or astrologian, sometimes.

Another thing I find helpful for PvP on controller is a few targeting macros. Here's a set of my own simple targeting macros:

General Targeting macros:

1. /targetenemy # Targets the closest enemy in line of sight.

2. /battletarget # Targets the closest enemy attacking you.


Crystal Conflict Targeting Macros:

1. /target <e1> # Target the first enemy on the enemy list

2. /target <e2> # Target the second enemy on the enemy list

3. /target <e3> # Target the third enemy on the enemy list

4. /target <e4> # Target the fourth enemy on the enemy list

5. /target <e5> # Target the fifth enemy on the enemy list

Of course, you can further enhance these macros with callouts, marking, etc.

Yes I know about those, but its not really comfortable to use it right, you probably know yourself. Selecting alliance member with L1 and Left/Right will lose its soft selection the moment you press a skill, so you lose some seconds going through it spamming it, until you hard select it, but oh boi you wanna heal yourself too? You would have to use something like /targetlasttarget to get back to it fast, but that is very awkward.

Essentially, it just needs an option to cycle through alliance members that isn't using the left thumb of your hand. (Or you would have to use your right thumb to control the left stick, or use your index finger for D-Pad which is very strange too and not suitable for longer duration)

https://i.imgur.com/Zmp7huK.png
They even have it for keyboard. They just didn't map it to controller. Or at least giving us an option to assign it.

In the end it screams like using a custom tool/driver for controller that lets you assign hotkeys differently, than the games standard layout.

KB/Mouse and Controllers have their own strengths. Movement and using your abilities is more responsive, and I'd argue easier, on a controller because you have easier access to more buttons. I think the trade-off is worth it overall.

For targetting I use macros if I need fast targetting - like healers. I have a macro for MT, OT and Co-Healer because theyre the ones who likely need a fast response

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Commander_Justitia

Yes I know about those, but its not really comfortable to use it right, you probably know yourself. Selecting alliance member with L1 and Left/Right will lose its soft selection the moment you press a skill, so you lose some seconds going through it spamming it, until you hard select it, but oh boi you wanna heal yourself too? You would have to use something like /targetlasttarget to get back to it fast, but that is very awkward.

Essentially, it just needs an option to cycle through alliance members that isn't using the left thumb of your hand. (Or you would have to use your right thumb to control the left stick, or use your index finger for D-Pad which is very strange too and not suitable for longer duration)

https://i.imgur.com/Zmp7huK.png
They even have it for keyboard. They just didn't map it to controller. Or at least giving us an option to assign it.

In the end it screams like using a custom tool/driver for controller that lets you assign hotkeys differently, than the games standard layout.

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Yeah this is an issue in 8 player content too, if Im having to do a lot of spot healing Im more likely to eat mechanics because of this. It can be awkward. Ive stqrted practicing Controller + Mouse, or party keybinds on KB, to see if that works better.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Commander_Justitia

Yeah, you can even go a step further and make those 4 filters for L1 + symbol buttons. Though, how do we target then? Well, with D-Pad Left/Right. And how do we move our characters? Well, with the left hand/fingers. So problem is, using it at the same time, well you can't (without some serious finger acrobatics). Imagine playing PvP and not being able to move and target at the same time, it is a big loss of time and positioning.

https://i.imgur.com/Z6n5Lcd.png
Make it just check "alliance members" for our case.

I remember playing with gamepad left hand for moving and healing other alliance members with mouse and just clicking skills when pure healing still was required. Was weird experience :)

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I remember playing with gamepad left hand for moving and healing other alliance members with mouse and just clicking skills when pure healing still was required. Was weird experience :)

You..what? THAT's crazy.

Since M+KB is supported on the PlayStation version of xiv, I don't think we will see any changes here. Maybe we will see some QOL improvements once xiv hits Xbox and their controller? Those controllers don't have a touchpad, so I'm interested to see if they invent any new gimmicks that controller users could use.

EDIT: Are the pro controller variations with back buttons compatible with xiv? I never looked into button mapping before... do people make use of another 2-4 buttons (if possible)?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Aubrey_A

I remember playing with gamepad left hand for moving and healing other alliance members with mouse and just clicking skills when pure healing still was required. Was weird experience :)

You..what? THAT's crazy.

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Healer wasn't such a loved role back then, as they were targeted often, as you couldn't kill much without killing them first. Resulted in only few people playing healer, which results in some alliance groups having none healer at all or just bad ones because they never healed before and nobody else wanted to heal...

But usually events like that were rare, so it wasn't worth it to map your keyboard with 35 Pvp skills just to occasionally heal with it, when other healers were not available. So yeah, you do the middle way then lmao.

You kept the mapping of the controller and just clicked the skills with mouse. While moving with stick, and if you needed to swap crosshotbars you could still press L1. It was actually kinda chill, you were much faster than manual targeting with gamepad, so even if you lost some time because of the controls, still worth it. But generally it was pretty rare.

Not as crazy as the Japanese guy who cleared potd with 4 characters by himself. I think he used hands and feet to control all at once