[dev1022]Auto Attack and States

[Pale]

The trick to this is to not button mash, that is what is screwing you up. I do maneuvers like this all the time without frustration. Once you finish off your target, don't press anything at all except Tab (or D-pad) to target a new enemy. At this point you can stay in attack stance without being in auto attack. Position yourself behind the next target and initiate your weapon skill and auto-attack will automatically engage afterward.

thanks for the reply, however you have some misconceptions about the battle mechanics. once a target is dead, yes i can use the directional pad to find a new target, and yes i can stand next to him without attacking, that said, i cannot cycle through my action bar to select weaponskills. if i used a keyboard, i could select anything on my action bar, but with a controller the d-pad will still be in a mode which will look for new targets rather than let me have control over the action bar. so if i need to use raging strike or ferocity before my WS, i'm going to probably end up being the victim of auto-attack before i can buff myself for my opener.

there currently is no way to cycle through action bar skills with the d-pad while targeting a mob without having auto-attack initiated, and that is what needs to be fixed.

also there needs to be a way to fix the F8 key to a gamepad without 3rd party software, but thats another gripe for another time.

[Phenidate]

In regards to the switching stances debate, I see no reason why they couldn't just initiate an auto-passive upon defeating the last mob in a group in the same way that we now have an auto-active upon initial attack. They don't even have to remove the ability to switch stances on the fly. I would be in favor of such an adjustment.

Makes sense. One adjustment/clarification to this idea I'd like though; if I initiate active state the game should not try to move me back to passive. I could just imagine going into active to start auto attacking the next monster and the game decides to move me back to passive because of lag or input delay after defeating the first monster.

[Bayohne]

We have picked up a few of the concerns that sprung up since patch 1.18 and auto-attacked Matsui with them. (See what we did there? Auto-attacked? Haha!)

It feels like the interval between auto-attack rounds is too long.

Keeping in mind that we’ll be adding various new elements to auto-attack (such as haste and double attack), we have no plans of making significant changes to the basics of auto-attack, including the speed of attacks.

It’s super hard to accumulate TP! I would like to attack FASTER!

We would like to adjust TP accumulation while considering attack intervals and the balance between classes. Under the previous system, battles often began with the action gauge nearly full, so we understand that this may be why the beginnings of battles may seem slow now.

We would like to improve the pace of battles by mixing in actions that don’t expend TP as the classes are further developed.

I would like auto-attack for Thaumaturge and Conjurer removed. I hate it when my auto-attacks wake up the enemy I just put it sleep!

We are working on being able to cast spells without going into active mode, so if auto-attacking is unnecessary, you can participate in battles using only your arsenal of spells. Passive/Active modes affect a lot of other functions, so we're sorry, but the adjustments will take a long time.

Both the structure and balance need adjustments, so we think it would be better to provide more details at a later time.

I want Spirit Dart and Phantom Dart to have lower recast times!

We will look into this while considering class adjustments and class balancing.

[Sigmakan]

Thanks Bayohne, great info (although i think you were scooped by a few hours )

[Tempestmoon]

auto-attack has presented a catch 22 in regards to the use of incapacitations as an opener attack. since auto attack will trigger upon proximity when a weapon is unsheathed and a mob is targeted, you cannot sneak up behind an enemy without great difficulty.

in example: i frequently kill Doblyns, in which i use Trunksplitter II as my opening attack from the rear as an outer body incap. with patch 1.18 in affect, i now have to race my opening WS against the auto-attack, which will poke the mob, and cause them to turn around, thus making my fight more of a pain. so i am actually button mashing MORE as a result trying to navigate my action bar and smash my weapon skill before my strategy goes out the window. this is very, very frusterating.

having my weapon put away will allow for me to target the mob and be in close proximity, which will buy me enough time to queue up my WS, however TP degeneration is AWFUL in passive mode and the initiation of attack is always a race against time... auto-attack just added more junk to juggle to make killing with strategy even more complicated.

we need a way to toggle the initiation of auto-attack so it doesnt trigger upon proximity or targeting. also if any Devs read this a trait that slows the rate at which TP is lost would be AMAZING.

There is an easy way around that. There are different targeting modes, first you just select the enemy, you can walk right up to it in active mode and you won't attack, BUT you can use your weapon skill. If you hit enter again on the mob it locks on and you start auto-attack, and then if you want to keep facing it you press * to lock your camera. This works for me for this purpose, BUT is also pisses me off when I realize I am not attacking because I am not in locked mode.

[Zenaku]

Wait allowing mage to cast spell in Passive wont that mean that they just getting MP while standing there? Or are you guys thinking of removing this and just making spell"AKA Refresh" to regain MP which would be a nice thing and give Mage and even class DD more MP.

[Lienn]

We have picked up a few of the concerns that sprung up since patch 1.18 and auto-attacked Matsui with them. (See what we did there? Auto-attacked? Haha!)



Keeping in mind that we’ll be adding various new elements to auto-attack (such as haste and double attack), we have no plans of making significant changes to the basics of auto-attack, including the speed of attacks.



We would like to adjust TP accumulation while considering attack intervals and the balance between classes. Under the previous system, battles often began with the action gauge nearly full, so we understand that this may be why the beginnings of battles may seem slow now.

We would like to improve the pace of battles by mixing in actions that don’t expend TP as the classes are further developed.



We are working on being able to cast spells without going into active mode, so if auto-attacking is unnecessary, you can participate in battles using only your arsenal of spells. Passive/Active modes affect a lot of other functions, so we're sorry, but the adjustments will take a long time.

Both the structure and balance need adjustments, so we think it would be better to provide more details at a later time.



We will look into this while considering class adjustments and class balancing.

Well, its such an unfortunate idea just bringing FFXI battle system here...it was a broken battle system that were mainly based into haste and multi-hit gear...and the answer already shown exactly this...and when i say they copied it from FFXI i have my posts removed... :/

I hope you don't mind me not tossing you a "like" this time, Bay.

[Dargoth_Draconia]

Personally I would like Archers and other ranged classes in the future to be able to have an ranged auto attack then a dead zone and then when up close keep the melee attack. (This is common in most if not all other MMORPG's I have played and I feel kind of cheated without a ranged auto attack.) That or keep it like it is and give all classes an auto attack that fits their class. Ranged attackers should have a ranged attack for auto attack. Currently I am fine with the system and it works good (even though I wish my melee attack was with a knife you could equip in your off hand or with the bow itself, In the future I would like to see this implemented. Also, I think special buff abilities like Raging Strike and Ferocity should not effect you next attack, it should only effect you next special attack, TP move or ability. It is so annoying if I am standing next to a mob I try to pop Raging Strike 2 and Ferocity then my guy punch the mob and I lose my buff when I want to use it on my TP move. Sure I guess I shouldn't be standing next to the mob as a ranged class but you don't have a choice sometimes.

Well, its such an unfortunate idea just bringing FFXI battle system here...it was a broken battle system that were mainly based into haste and multi-hit gear...and the answer already shown exactly this...and when i say they copied it from FFXI i have my posts removed... :/

I hope you don't mind me not tossing you a "like" this time, Bay.

This isn't FFXI battle system at all really, it has some very basic similarities but it ends there. It actually fits into the more streamline MMO feel now with some strategy and balance thrown into the mix.

[Mihana]

Also, I think special buff abilities like Raging Strike and Ferocity should not effect you next attack, it should only effect you next special attack, TP move or ability. It is so annoying if I am standing next to a mob I try to pop Raging Strike 2 and Ferocity then my guy punch the mob and I lose my buff when I want to use it on my TP move.

Are you sure about this? As I've never used up my abilities while attacking using Auto-Attack. I punch the enemy and still retain my Raging Strike II, Hawk's Eye, and Bloodbath effect and it's not removed until I trigger an attack. This is how it's been for me anyway...

[Xenor]

ARC really needs auto attack. It's hard to manually attack every 4 seconds when you're using other abilities. This in effect increases the delay on your weapon. Other classes don't have this issue.