We need an option to drop AOE's below a selected target.

[Marcus]

I think OP uses keyboard as if it is a controller. Yikes... I play with keyboard + mouse, and for me that's no issue, especially because sometimes AoE placement isn't always optimal under our current target, but I can see why it would be a nice tool for those who plays with a controller (or OP's case... ._.), because using control stick to place it is a bit sluggish (at least for me, I played the PS3 version quite a bit).
EDIT: just to clarify: I think OP uses keyboard FFXI style. WASD to walk and arrows to control the camera.

[Hanabishi]

I think OP uses keyboard as if it is a controller. Yikes... I play with keyboard + mouse, and for me that's no issue, especially because sometimes AoE placement isn't always optimal under our current target, but I can see why it would be a nice tool for those who plays with a controller (or OP's case... ._.), because using control stick to place it is a bit sluggish (at least for me, I played the PS3 version quite a bit).
EDIT: just to clarify: I think OP uses keyboard FFXI style. WASD to walk and arrows to control the camera.

^This pretty much sums it up.

[Gamer3427]

I can see why it would be a nice tool for those who plays with a controller (or OP's case... ._.), because using control stick to place it is a bit sluggish (at least for me, I played the PS3 version quite a bit).

I play the PS4 version, and I've never had trouble placing AoEs, (beyond perspective issues in certain fights that make it hard for me to tell how far out something is, but that's a personal problem, since I'm bad at that in any game). The only issue I ever have is that if I accidentally click AoE targeting on and off too quickly in a row, I sometimes glitch my targeting system so that it stays stuck in the middle of the screen and I have to log out and back in to fix it. Still, I can see the OP's idea being useful in certain situations, particularly in raid content where there are a lot of enemies, but you want to get the AoE under a specific one or group......

[Marcus]

I play the PS4 version, and I've never had trouble placing AoEs , (beyond perspective issues in certain fights that make it hard for me to tell how far out something is, but that's a personal problem, since I'm bad at that in any game).

I know that it's not terrible to use it to place AoE, it's just that I think it's easier on keyboard + mouse. As I said, I think they made it that way for better use with a mouse in mind. I don't think keyboard + mouse is better for everything, I think both methods to play the game has its downsides. Imagine this situation: as SCH during Giga Flare on turn 13 you have to use virus on boss, place sacred soil and walk to the correct place (at least during 2.x era). I can't imagine how clunky that must be for controller users... On mouse, you could easily use WASD to walk to the correct place, while moving the reticle there, use the right button to move camera around and the left button to use the ability. I think it's way easier this way.

[Gamer3427]

I know that it's not terrible to use it to place AoE, it's just that I think it's easier on keyboard + mouse.

Well, to be fair, most PC users claim it's easier to aim guns in FPSs using a keyboard and mouse, but I have a lot easier time using a controller to aim precisely. I think it's just a matter of preference, and what you're used to in that regard......

[gzuscry]

Well, to be fair, most PC users claim it's easier to aim guns in FPSs using a keyboard and mouse, but I have a lot easier time using a controller to aim precisely. I think it's just a matter of preference, and what you're used to in that regard......

To be fair its far more precise and quicker to aim with mouse, controlers need all kind of aiming assists and special programming to even the playing field. If you ever come from Quake 3 Arena timeline and been used to exact control of your aim, then whenever you come into contact with controler baised aim programming you literaly want to smash the controler over devs heads, thats how dreadful is aim control when the the primary dev platform for game was console.
From Keyboard&Mouse player standpoint current gen fps gamers on consoles are practicaly cheaters, because without official ingame aimbots they are sitting ducks.

[Gamer3427]

I can't imagine how clunky that must be for controller users... On mouse, you could easily use WASD to walk to the correct place, while moving the reticle there, use the right button to move camera around and the left button to use the ability. I think it's way easier this way.

Ummm. You use the right analog stick and it alone to place AoEs followed by a click to actually "place" it, so you can just as easily move to the location while placing it separately by using the left analog stick at the same time to move. If you can't manage using two thumbs at the same time, then I have no idea how you can use WASD to walk while aiming your mouse cursor. Maybe I'm completely misunderstanding what you're saying, but the way you're describing this is as though you suddenly can't walk and place AoEs at the same time with a controller, which is completely false......

[Marcus]

Ummm. You use the right analog stick and it alone to place AoEs followed by a click to actually "place" it, so you can just as easily move to the location while placing it separately by using the left analog stick at the same time to move. If you can't manage using two thumbs at the same time, then I have no idea how you can use WASD to walk while aiming your mouse cursor. Maybe I'm completely misunderstanding what you're saying, but the way you're describing this is as though you suddenly can't walk and place AoEs at the same time with a controller, which is completely false......

Let me quote myself again, so you don't skip the important part:

I can't imagine how clunky that must be for controller users.

You see? It wasn't an affirmative, let alone a statement saying that it's not possible doing that with a controller. I just think it's clunkier.
Edit: also (and I'm not really sure about this, I don't play with a controller anymore), I think the camera movement is different when the reticle shows up. I think the camera follow the reticle, or the other way around, I'm not sure. That doesn't seem as intuitive. I'm not trying to convince you to use keyboard + mouse, I just want to convince you of the necessity of adjustments to make the experience similar on all types of playing styles.

[Ayamia]

EDIT: just to clarify: I think OP uses keyboard FFXI style. WASD to walk and arrows to control the camera.

Wait, who used WASD to move in FFXI? Numpad for movement and arrow keys for camera ftw. Left hand is mainly for abilities and weaponskills.

But yeah, I've wanted this as well and it's the main reason I'm not going to touch Machinist. Yoshida promised before ARR that it'll be possible to play the game with keyboard only. So far it haven't been possible to FULLY play without a mouse. One other thing I've always wanted back from 1.23 was that I could use arrow keys to move in menus as well as move camera. And to make it advanced, you could also move camera with shift + arrow keys while a menu was open (this was also in FFXI). Now I have to use WASD to move the cursor in menus.

[Jynx]

Wait, who used WASD to move in FFXI?

*raises hand*

Never had an issues using my macros either.