The problem with "Instant OFF GCD" abilities makes combat feel less rewarding.

[Steeled]

Yeah, no, sometimes the ability activing when you need it is the difference.

Spamming ifrit, sometimes a healer dies. I have no way to know if the living healer has swiftcast, and sometimes they don't. My immediate reaction is to hit sentinel. In a no-heals or minimal-heals situation, damage reduction cooldowns are more potent the sooner you hit it.

It does not break immersion if graphics stutter just a little bit because I hit Rampart halfway through my Rage of Halone animation.

It does not greatly change gameplay, nor unbalance fights, if this were to function this way. I don't mind doubletapping a stacked cd, like "Fight or Flight, Fast Blade", but i wish the double tap was immediate.

I would love to be able to just hit it once and go, but I understand if that's not their design idea.

[Blimbeard]

Or maybe you're missing the point, since a SE rep has even posted in this very thread telling you that your perception of how these abilities should work is INCORRECT and does not fall in line with their design.

The problem is you're just too hard headed to accept that and want it to work exactly how you want it to, instead of simply adjusting to it and bettering yourself to handle these situations that are giving you trouble.

The problem lies with you, not with the design of the game.

Sorry but that's just nonsense. It's completely counterintuitive. Say a boss ability has a 2 second cast, you're saying is that it's actually supposed to be a .75 second cast time.

If visual cues like cast timers and aoe indicators are not actually accurate, then why even include them? You can't be seriously suggesting that encounter mechanics are actually designed to be tuned towards integrating substandard reponsiveness,and that this is an acceptable approach?

[Steeled]

Have you been keeping up with the Titan thread?

This game could have some of the best combat systems in the genre. It really could. At the moment it's held back by server unresponsiveness and developers being firm on their position.

[Raymeo]

Please share with me a specific scenario where it's impossible to interrupt an ability with either an off GCD stun or Silence due to the animation lock. I'd love to hear it. And whatever you come up with (if anything) I can assure you I can give you advice on how to make it work.

Oh, oh! Let me guess what that advice is. "You need to initiate the stun immediately when the mob uses their ability, so your animation will finish in time to actually stun it. In order to make sure you can react early enough, just auto attack behind the mob until it's time to stun." ISN'T THAT FUN!

If you think about it, this system makes the most sense of all of them. Why should you be able to bash something with your shield while you're in the middle of swinging your sword down as hard as you can on it's head?

Really? I am frickin' holding them in two different hands. That's why.

[Kanzer]

Sorry but that's just nonsense. It's completely counterintuitive. Say a boss ability has a 2 second cast, you're saying is that it's actually supposed to be a .75 second cast time.

If visual cues like cast timers and aoe indicators are not actually accurate, then why even include them? You can't be seriously suggesting that encounter mechanics are actually designed to be tuned towards integrating substandard reponsiveness,and that this is an acceptable approach?

I'm saying nothing of the sort. If a boss has a 2 second cast, then it's a 2 second cast, you have 2 seconds to interrupt it. And if you know it needs to be interrupted, and that locking yourself into an animation is going to possibly make you unable to get your ability off in time, then you wait for the ability, interrupt, then resume your rotation. You see? It's all part of that forming a strategy thing that the SE rep talked about earlier in this thread.

If you think about it, this system makes the most sense of all of them. Why should you be able to bash something with your shield while you're in the middle of swinging your sword down as hard as you can on it's head? It's a matter of doing what's necessary for your situation. If something needs to be interrupted or you die, then that becomes the priority, not your rotation. And if for some reason you can't stop your rotation (for example: Building threat) Then someone else handles that particular one. ADS for example, if you have two Paladin's then the offtank Paladin can interrupt and make sure not to lock themselves in an animation. Then when the offtank becomes the main tank, the other taunts since they no longer have to immediately worry about building threat.

System is fine, it's not bad design, it's just not WoW.

Oh, oh! Let me guess what that advice is. "You need to initiate the stun immediately when the mob uses their ability, so your animation will finish in time to actually stun it. In order to make sure you can react early enough, just auto attack behind the mob until it's time to stun." ISN'T THAT FUN!

If that's how you choose to ensure you get the job done, then by all means go for it. But anyone capable of paying attention knows generally when the ability is coming up and can throw in some DPS while waiting for it. Read above for my advice.

Have you been keeping up with the Titan thread?

This game could have some of the best combat systems in the genre. It really could. At the moment it's held back by server unresponsiveness and developers being firm on their position.

Yep, and I've done titan plenty, consistently even. I personally wouldn't have an issue with them reducing the .3 second location check to .1 or lower. I think it'd improve things, but that's completely irrelevant to this discussion.

[Blimbeard]

Also, still waiting for those specific examples mentioned in the above post. Stop dodging and actually back up your claims.

I'd have hoped you would have been able to see the wider context of the problem, but I guess not. Here's an example

There are many movement intensive fights. I'm not at endgame yet but an example that springs to mind is the second boss in DD. In this fight a healer often has to interrupt their own casts to move out of the AOE's. The key here should be my reactions, not wondering:

1. Is the game going to actually correctly calculate that I'm out of the AOE ?
2. Will the spell I tried to cancel by moving actually cancel in time to start the next cast ?
3. Will the swiftcast i do afterwards actually trigger in time ?

I shouldn't have to wonder these things, they should just work, like they do in every other MMO I've played. That's what makes combat fun, not wondering whether borked mechanics are going to kill the tank.

[Kanzer]

I'd have hoped you would have been able to see the wider context of the problem, but I guess not. Here's an example

There are many movement intensive fights. I'm not at endgame yet but an example that springs to mind is the second boss in DD. In this fight a healer often has to interrupt their own casts to move out of the AOE's. The key here should be my reactions, not wondering:

1. Is the game going to actually correctly calculate that I'm out of the AOE ?
2. Will the spell I tried to cancel by moving actually cancel in time to start the next cast ?
3. Will the swiftcast i do afterwards actually trigger in time ?

I shouldn't have to wonder these things, they should just work, like they do in every other MMO I've played. That's what makes combat fun, not wondering whether borked mechanics are going to kill the tank.

Point 1: has nothing to do with this discussion. I'd like them to reduce the .3 second location check to .1, that'd be great.

Point 2: If you move before the cast is up, it's going to cancel, there's no 'if' about it. The game even allows you to 'queue' the ability if you start pressing within a certain time. Play with it to figure it out.

Point 3: If you know you're going to need swift cast when you get out of the AoE, why not pop it while you're moving? That way you guarantee it's up when you need it. No need to worry.

[Blimbeard]

Continuation, due to 1000 char limit:

I'd just like to add that I love this game. I've been a huge fan of SE for a long time. I've been accused of being a 'White Knight' myself. The issues around this and similar topics is the ONLY major problem that I have with this this game at the moment. What I am acutely aware of though are these facts.

1. I really want this game to succeed
2. People have plenty of choice in the MMO market these days.
3. People who blindly defy that problems exist in the face of numerous pieces of evidence, examples and logic are only doing ONE thing : Jeopardising the future success of the game that they are seeking to defend.

Next

If you can't see how these issues are intrinsically linked to the same root design problem then I'm sorry, you don't know enough about game mechanics to be having this discussion.

[Kanzer]

Really? I am frickin' holding them in two different hands. That's why.

Lol seriously? Ok Mr, why don't you buy a shield and sword and go shield bash a target dummy in RL while simultaneously swinging your sword into it's skull with all your might.

Please record it.

[Raymeo]

Lol seriously? Ok Mr, why don't you buy a shield and sword and go shield bash a target dummy in RL while simultaneously swinging your sword into it's skull with all your might.

Please record it.

http://splicd.com/dkhpqAGdZPc/430/495