Reactive Abilities

Sorry if this exists somewhere already but I'm too lazy to check.

I was wondering if there were any plans to change how reactive abilities are displayed on the hotbar (Battle Mechanics or UI!?)

Say I have a skill that requires me to block before being able to use it. Currently the game has this skill light up when the required amount of TP is acquired thus telling the user that this skill is ready to use. This is not the case because it also requires you to block first. The only ways that I can see that tell you when you perform such maneuvers are by reading the chat log, studying your combat text or listening for the blocking sound. The problem with each of these is that all of them are very easy to miss.

It would be fantastic if the skill would not light up until both the TP and the block, parry, dodge, miss, etc... requirements are met.

This way people would be able to easily tell when their reactive abilities are ready to use.

I hope they add something like this.

In addition to your suggestion, to better indicate when a block or parry takes place I think they should do like they did in ff12, 3 things occur; pop up "Block!", sound effect and even sparks:

http://i.imgur.com/XTEJA.png

It would not only make it clear when you block without having to check log, but it can also make the battles alot more immersive.

I certainly agree with both your ideas, Runkman and Heaven, not only these will make the gameplay better but overall the fighting will also be more fun! I really hope they implement them.

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Originally Posted by Heaven

In addition to your suggestion, to better indicate when a block or parry takes place I think they should do like they did in ff12, 3 things occur; pop up "Block!", sound effect and even sparks

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Some visual aid like this would help out also and is a pretty good idea. I'm not sure if SE already has this in the works but it definitely needs to be! Any other ideas?!

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Originally Posted by Heaven

In addition to your suggestion, to better indicate when a block or parry takes place I think they should do like they did in ff12, 3 things occur; pop up "Block!", sound effect and even sparks:

http://i.imgur.com/XTEJA.png

It would not only make it clear when you block without having to check log, but it can also make the battles alot more immersive.

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YES, yes, a thousand times yes. With the option to disable, of course, to the ppl who will inevitably complain about it.

Also, let me have a separate chat log filter for block, parry, and evade, and allow me to color it bright yellow or something

I've mentioned this in a dozen other posts. I sure hope the devs see this and can implement these ideas somehow.

Yes, please.

I actually think the comobo style notification on the action bar would be enough.

Make it a different colour green would do.

http://img830.imageshack.us/img830/3568/54542586.jpg

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Originally Posted by Rentahamster

Also, let me have a separate chat log filter for block, parry, and evade, and allow me to color it bright yellow or something

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this would be good also.

Something that notifies you that your reactive ability is available to be used would be great. They have the beginning with the combo abilities, hopefully they'll add it later.

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Originally Posted by Jinko

I actually think the comobo style notification on the action bar would be enough.
Make it a different colour green would do.

http://img830.imageshack.us/img830/3568/54542586.jpg

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Ahh, that would be very helpful, yes yes yes

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Originally Posted by Jinko

I actually think the comobo style notification on the action bar would be enough.

Make it a different colour green would do.

http://img830.imageshack.us/img830/3568/54542586.jpg

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This exactly. Would be perfect.

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Originally Posted by Jinko

I actually think the comobo style notification on the action bar would be enough.

Make it a different colour green would do.

http://img830.imageshack.us/img830/3568/54542586.jpg

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This is a pretty decent idea. Even a simple don't light up at all until you can use it would suffice. There's another way I've seen in other MMO's that would also work well but I don't think FFXIV players would enjoy because of "breaking immersion?"

http://i.imgur.com/aZDJe.jpg

Maybe have it pop up when it's ready (possible flashing or animation.) Have an option to move it anywhere you want like other elements of the UI.

Yeah, I was thinking that if they just had a ring around it light up like an ability does in a combo, that would do the trick.

So basically, yeah, I agree with you guys.

Dev attention pl0x

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Originally Posted by Alyssa

Dev attention pl0x

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They are on vacation right now till early January.

But yes I agree, I hope they light up with a ring around it or something in the near future, would help a lot!

I'm more a fan of "Don't light up, until it's usable."
But if we get the combo light up, I'll still be ok.
Heck, being able to put "Parry" in text that shows on your character, or in the log (w/o damage text cluttering my log) where I can alter its color to something unique, I would still be ok.
This is really an issue right now.

(Maybe not for miss/block, if memory is correct, block does show up a different color, and doesn't clutter up the log too much, and miss is the easiest to see, where as Parry is the same color as damage text, and fills my screen up quickly with useless text.)

Considering parry procs are one of the most effective ways to AoE tank with overpower on MRD, this leaves me to just pair it with foresight and ignore it any other time.

No, I disagree. What the OP proposed is a simple, unified indicator: If it's lit you can perform it, if it's not lit you can't perform it. It should be just that simple.

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Originally Posted by Conradus

No, I disagree. What the OP proposed is a simple, unified indicator: If it's lit you can perform it, if it's not lit you can't perform it. It should be just that simple.

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Who are you disagreeing with? o.O;

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Originally Posted by Rukkirii

You want block, parry and evading combos to be more clear when they can be activated? You got it! We can't give you a date just yet, but the dev. team will be working on making this happen for you guys. :D

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Very nice! It's nice to see some feedback on the subject.

I'm going to be the first to disagree to this idea.

I currently use the log to see when my character blocks/parrys/evades but I also use it for things like dodging Ifrit's Incinerate or Moogles Pom-Flares/Mognesia, things like that. If they made it so blocks and such showed up on players characters or had the skills light up when ready, it would just force people to be lazy and not even use chat filters or the logs to see enemy/party abilities activate, which I would say isn't a good thing.

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Originally Posted by Tsubaki187

If they made it so blocks and such showed up on players characters

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Blocks already do - including a sound effect of something hitting the shield. Evading is displayed by a "miss" overlay over the character instead of the damage.

AND Rukkirii already said they will look into making the abilities light up/whatever right after that... so I guess they're done with the topic.

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Originally Posted by Soukyuu

AND Rukkirii already said they will look into making the abilities light up/whatever right after that... so I guess they're done with the topic.

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Guess I missed this bit, my bad.

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Originally Posted by Tsubaki187

I'm going to be the first to disagree to this idea.

I currently use the log to see when my character blocks/parrys/evades but I also use it for things like dodging Ifrit's Incinerate or Moogles Pom-Flares/Mognesia, things like that. If they made it so blocks and such showed up on players characters or had the skills light up when ready, it would just force people to be lazy and not even use chat filters or the logs to see enemy/party abilities activate, which I would say isn't a good thing.

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It's not necessarily making people lazy. I have my chat features set up to see when enemies use a special move.. but to set another one to see when I block/parry/evade moves will add up.

Just think in the place of a MRD, where you AoE tank sometimes... you have about 5-6 mobs on top of you and you can't see a thing with the numbers popping up and the sparks flying everytime you or the enemy gets hit.

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Originally Posted by Tsubaki187

I'm going to be the first to disagree to this idea.

I currently use the log to see when my character blocks/parrys/evades but I also use it for things like dodging Ifrit's Incinerate or Moogles Pom-Flares/Mognesia, things like that. If they made it so blocks and such showed up on players characters or had the skills light up when ready, it would just force people to be lazy and not even use chat filters or the logs to see enemy/party abilities activate, which I would say isn't a good thing.

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Then wouldn't it make more sense to show an on screen indication when ifrit and moogle do these moves. (I believe you can tell by their animations anyway)

The days of watching text to anticipate moves are long gone.

No worries though when 2.0 comes out and we get addons there will no doubt be addons to parse the text and give on screen indications and possibly audio ones aswell.

Aion had a similar mechanic to what you guys are implying. The skill would only light up AFTER the conditions were fulfilled (such as blocking, parry, etc) and would grow dim when the time elapsed (like running out of the "combo" time). Aion also had onscreen indcators that would show criticals, blocks, magic resists, and parries.

Sometimes you dont have time to be watching the chat log for implications of when to use a certain skill, usually the player is more focused on the screen where the battle is actually taking place, not watching the chat log.

I know characters have visually implications of when they block, evade and parry attacks, but if SE wants to make it hard, ppl will need to watch how their own character reacts in battle, even though the system isnt always accurate.

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Originally Posted by DeadRiser

It's not necessarily making people lazy. I have my chat features set up to see when enemies use a special move.. but to set another one to see when I block/parry/evade moves will add up.

Just think in the place of a MRD, where you AoE tank sometimes... you have about 5-6 mobs on top of you and you can't see a thing with the numbers popping up and the sparks flying everytime you or the enemy gets hit.

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I'm not saying that everyone will be made lazy. Some people, like yourself, use the log and filters to their advantage while others don't. Maybe some are even forced to use the chat log in order to see certain things activate which, in my opinion, helps them in the long run. If they're only using it to see when their own abilities proc, and if SE makes it easier for them by letting them ignore the log then they'll be missing out on other information that it provides. That's all I'm really saying.

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Originally Posted by Jinko

Then wouldn't it make more sense to show an on screen indication when ifrit and moogle do these moves. (I believe you can tell by their animations anyway)

The days of watching text to anticipate moves are long gone.

No worries though when 2.0 comes out and we get addons there will no doubt be addons to parse the text and give on screen indications and possibly audio ones aswell.

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If they added indicators for them as well as for players then that would be good. I can get on board with that. But as Deadriser mentioned earlier, when you're tanking multiple things, or DPS'ing in the middle of a large crowd, it can be hectic with all the already on-screen indicators firing off plus the WS light show to distract you. I think either way, people will still use the log and that it is far from being long gone.