AoE ON/OFF please allow player to set the differ between support-spell/attack spell!

I have been playing DoW/DoH/DoL and finally time to try out DoM, and I notice one very big problem in party is that we, mage, have to turn ON<->Off area of effect mode all the time. And instead of entertaining, it kidda more like annoying. because you turn it ON to heal, then you turn it off to attack, then you turn it ON to heal again. Especially for roaming party that you only fight one mob at a time.

I think that before the new battle patch is coming, i hope it is not too late to ask for option that you can choose to turn on AoE mode just for support spell only, and off on attack spell or vice visa at some case.

One word for you.... Macros, Solves all the problems with AOE

I just use the emote button on my controller to toggle it on/off though it would be nice if it auto saved your setting for each spell individually.

I did set Macro, and that is how always do, but I mean that turning it on / off all the time isn't a good way to do.
At least set support spell to be different than attack spell so that we have 2 set permanently is better.

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Originally Posted by Alise

I did set Macro, and that is how always do, but I mean that turning it on / off all the time isn't a good way to do.
At least set support spell to be different than attack spell so that we have 2 set permanently is better.

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You mean aoe on/off support spell and aoe on/off attack spells. You want it seperate?

I think just making a macro is easy enough you only have to hit your macro button before casting. I do forget to do these sometimes though as do others. Behests are hillarious when pull massive groups with aoes.

Macros aren't a viable excuse for bad programming. With a keyboard and mouse, which I stopped using ages ago, though, it's almost unplayable. And I also refuse to macro my whole equip. This is not how it is supposed to be.

It's not bad programming - it's part of the challenge of the game. Yes, it is annoying at times but it keeps you paying attention and you get used to it eventually.

I thought it was dumb when the devs stopped the mobs from following you and gathering around you when fighting. It made you pay attention to your surroundings so you wouldn't throw a AOE. Too many people want this game to play itself and want to have no responsibility for being alert.

I know I am in the minority with this thought process, but imo this is a non-issue.

-- Mixed feelings about this.


Is the transitioning between the two modes too annoying?

Could it be done in a way that makes the game more interesting/effective and faster?


:)

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Originally Posted by Cheebone

It's not bad programming - it's part of the challenge of the game. Yes, it is annoying at times but it keeps you paying attention and you get used to it eventually.

I thought it was dumb when the devs stopped the mobs from following you and gathering around you when fighting. It made you pay attention to your surroundings so you wouldn't throw a AOE. Too many people want this game to play itself and want to have no responsibility for being alert.

I know I am in the minority with this thought process, but imo this is a non-issue.

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Maybe not bad programming, but poor game design then. A quick key on the keyboard to turn AoE on/off, rather than wobbling around the screen with your mouse on an already cluttered interface. But a quick key would require a fast responsive system, which we don't have. Which is due to bad programming :p

Well you can use Z to toggle AoE mode.

Of course, saving per spell setting would be the best. If not, I rather have AoE mode to default to off for every cast.

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Originally Posted by Payadopa

Macros aren't a viable excuse for bad programming. With a keyboard and mouse, which I stopped using ages ago, though, it's almost unplayable. And I also refuse to macro my whole equip. This is not how it is supposed to be.

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I play solely with keyboard and I have no trouble at all? Use the number pad for all motion and use j,k,l,i; to move the camera around. Use the number keys for action bar and use w,a,s,d; for when you need to move while performing an action. Use the up and down arrows for menus. Why do people have problems with the keyboard? The controls are really fluid imo.

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Originally Posted by Ilean

Well you can use Z to toggle AoE mode.

Of course, saving per spell setting would be the best. If not, I rather have AoE mode to default to off for every cast.

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Thank you, I wasn't aware of this

/aoe on
/wait 1
/ac "Cure" <me>
/wait 1
/aoe off // after you cast spell even if you press aoe off it still will be aoe on //
____________________________________
/aoe of
/wait 1
/ac "stone" <t>
/wait 1
/aoe on
______________________-
or just use the aoe macro
/aoe (( // on > off or off > on // ))

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Originally Posted by Xeno

I play solely with keyboard and I have no trouble at all? Use the number pad for all motion and use j,k,l,i; to move the camera around. Use the number keys for action bar and use w,a,s,d; for when you need to move while performing an action. Use the up and down arrows for menus. Why do people have problems with the keyboard? The controls are really fluid imo.

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Seems to me that macros were only put in in this game to make up for poor and sloppy UI design. Not enough action slots? MACROS! No good way to control AoE for each spell? MACROS! Actions not saved per job? MACROS!

:(

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Originally Posted by Ilean

Seems to me that macros were only put in in this game to make up for poor and sloppy UI design. Not enough action slots? MACROS! No good way to control AoE for each spell? MACROS! Actions not saved per job? MACROS!

:(

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no it is for skill set ups all mmo have macros. even WoW.

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Originally Posted by Kilta_Firelotus

no it is for skill set ups all mmo have macros. even WoW.

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A dumb justification only makes the issue even dumber.

macros.... it's not a good way to solve this problem and still annoying

Allow us to put in our bars the two versions of the spells, aoe and non-aoe, and give decent actions bars?

I kind of prefer the AOE on/off to be a one-hit button. O_O

I would just prefer if each spell was either aoe or not aoe, like in FFXI. Like Fire vs. Firaga.
It's tiring and time consuming to be hitting macros or typing /aoe on/off all the time, while I could be using that time casting.
As things are I have to have 2 macros, one to turn aoe off and one to turn it on. I can't just put it into the spell macro because sometimes I may want an aoe elemental spell and sometimes I want single target.
Sometimes it just becomes more trouble than it's worth and I just stick to /aoe off, but because of that I feel I can't reach my full potential.

So basically due to laziness or frustration you want it to become completely mindless?

I would just like to see a much more functional spell system. I feel that having some spells aoe and some single target by default would give better time management. Instead of having to find and press an aoe macro between every spell (as I often have to do), I would prefer to just be able to cast what I need to when I need to.
I think it would make for mages who are more helpful and efficient in battle.

To make it easier either

- Make separate AoE(-aga) and single target.
- Make it so healing and enhancing magic are perma-AoE.
- Make it so that when you select/click on a spell and press left or right to make them AoE then cast.

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Originally Posted by Synapse

To make it easier either

- Make separate AoE(-aga) and single target.
- Make it so healing and enhancing magic are perma-AoE.
- Make it so that when you select/click on a spell and press left or right to make them AoE then cast.

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I agree with points 1 and 2 but think they should just get rid of the toggle entirely. Separate the spells and adjust action points as necessary. They should leave enhancing magic the way it is but make them perma AoE, seperate all offensive and healing magic into -ga and single target spells. People saying this stupid aoe toggle injects a sense of challenge into the game are just grasping at straws. Having to strategically decide when to use which spell and what spells you need to equip and when is much more an "authentic" challenge. This game needs strategy, not unnecessary button pushing.

Just shift + action bar spell = AoE

That's why we need a better, larger action bar instead of macros.

Right there with ya sister. I'm a conjurer myself, and it IS annoying. Don't get me wrong, I like a good challenge. I was a ffxi player for quite a while and the challenging aspects of that game was among most of the things that I loved about it. I do think their is a fine line, though, between challenging and just plain ridiculous. The same could be said with convenience and, what Cheebone said originally, letting the game play itself. I like a challenge, but that whole problem you spoke of is not a challenge. It's dumb. But that's just my opinion, of course ^^ So yeah, I totally agree it should be rectified. If not, oh well. I can live with it =/

In FF IV you have aoe spells and non-aoe spells in one, too.
What is hard about to press Z to switch the aoe mode?

i think people should take into account that there are also players that use controller when bringing in new ideas. I believe there is AoE toggle on controller, im not sure.

on keyboard, AOE toggle = Z

on controller AOE toggle = emote button/battle regimen button

the more you know.

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Originally Posted by Felis

In FF IV you have aoe spells and non-aoe spells in one, too.
What is hard about to press Z to switch the aoe mode?

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What I find the worst is that it remembers it's last state.

If it was always off by default it would be much harder to AoE by mistake.

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Originally Posted by TessaJalloh

on keyboard, AOE toggle = Z

on controller AOE toggle = emote button/battle regimen button

the more you know.

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The funny thing is, you were never told that the emote button also toggles AoE on/off. I only discovered it by accident und remapped it accordingly. And while playing with a controller is way better than playing with a keyboard, I dislike it, as you can't chat as fluently. Not to mention the annoyance of scrolling back to #1 for a normal attack every few seconds (yay, auto-attack!).

And as for the keyboard. I think the button is fine, though, it could be better, like pressing #XY for like 2 seconds, to make it AoE, whatever (and cost more than single target!), but why can't I remap it? And not just that. It doesn't even show on keyboard settings. How is that not bad programming?

But that's enough negativity for now. I really appreciate SE's effort -now- to make this game better and I can't wait for the new battle system that hopefully will get rid of many of these annoyances. :D

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Originally Posted by Ilean

What I find the worst is that it remembers it's last state.

If it was always off by default it would be much harder to AoE by mistake.

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Was just about to write this. Spells should not be spammed in AoE, AoE should only be used in certain situations (hence why in other games there are separate spells for single target and AoE). In these cases just hit the AoE button then it goes back to single target automatically for the next spell.

Right now I agree that there's no penalty to throwing AoE heals mindlessly but I think this needs rebalancing. There should be a trade-off for using AoE (reduced spell power or higher mp consumption) other than the risk of getting aggro.

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Originally Posted by Elkwood

One word for you.... Macros, Solves all the problems with AOE

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Problem is you cannot make a macro to turn on aoe, cast a spell, then turn off aoe, that would be effective for a healer.
Adding waits only slows you down. Honestly not good for a healer.

Hit "z" or i believe its "Triangle" on the controller to turn on / off aoe.