Complexity/Sensory Overload

[vp_cmc]

Or maybe we need an Archon mode! 2 people controlling 1 character, one uses skills, second does movements and dodging

[Alexftw]

Honestly I think the complexity is just fine. 2 seconds gcd is a lot of time to think the skill you're using next and the current amount of skills isn't small nor too high. If anything there's too few variations in our rotation at the moment due to the way the game is played.

Instead of get good.. Do this: play only with one class until you're proficient with it. Train rotation on dummy and 50 rotation on titan ex df. Once you're proficient with 50 rotation on titan ex and 60 rotation on dummy go train your rotation agaisnt ravana ex then bismark ex then thordan/sepiroth ex. By the time you're done you will be able to use your class rotation without even thinking about it (except when there's more than one possibility for optimization ).

After you're really good with one class you have an option. Train next one or focus on same one until you reach the perfection.

For instance I'm able to do over 2k dps on a dummy without party(3min) yet on a real fight that's possible but much much harder. Playing to the perfection on dodges and mechanisms and rotation on a real fight itself is a skill a person has to train. Like remember which skills have combos and only look at your skills for these. Same for buffs, only check time left every 5 or so seconds. And from there adjust your internal clock). (And MP/TP check every 3 seconds between gcds + estimate your mana/TP after to save time. Other than that focus on floor under your feet. Finnaly place focus target near your skills so that you can see boss attacks easily if you're not looking at boss bar).

[Animarelic]

Honestly I think the complexity is just fine. 2 seconds gcd is a lot of time to think the skill you're using next and the current amount of skills isn't small nor too high. If anything there's too few variations in our rotation at the moment due to the way the game is played.

The issue isn't the Rotations but the Rotations combined with the Game's Mechanics. The combat is based heavily on muscle memory and mechanic memory which is easier for some flustering many who lack the reflexes especially when progressing. I'd compare the combat more to an Osu game than an action based game because everything is scripted and the penalties are severe if you miss a beat. Training on a dummy will never prepare you for mechanics. The Devs should have given the dummies some dodge mechanics to ease people into the fights because right now they only serve as a gear check.

[Zojha]

http://www.shamusyoung.com/twentysid..._interface.jpg

Could be worse :3

But yeah, I wager that many less skilled people will have trouble even performing decently with the current class complexity at high level and I can wholly agree that more often than not, I don't even remember how the boss looked like at the end of the fight because my eyes were elsewhere all the time - at my buff bar, the enemy cast bar, the debuff bar, my hotbars, the directional indicator below the boss or the ground to watch for AoE indicators.

I think they could take it down a notch or two - even if only via new, more simplistic classes or relieving burden. Playing Monk for example is vastly less taxing than Nin, because you do not actually look at twin snakes, chakras or dragon kicks timer and demolish lines up fairly well with end of the rotation and you can muscle memory it.

[hobostew]

I feel they've kinda backed themselves into a corner with this. If they were to in a future expansion attempt to reduce the number of skills/abilities the immediate knee-jerk reaction from the fan base would probably kill the game.

I would like to also add that the problem isn't available hotbar space (some people always point out they have more space available) but rather ease of use for the player. The game in it's current form is incredibly cumbersome to play if you aren't using something like an MMO mouse or (sorta) a controller. Personally I'm not at all surprised so much of the player base has trouble playing their classes properly. I'd wager these people haven't gone out of their way to purchase extra tools to make the game playable and so they struggle.

inb4 DUMBING DOWN THE GAME RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE

[WinterLuna]

I agree to a certain extent, as others have said, it's definitely more severe with some classes than others.

Using a controller and playing things like Monk or Ninja can get pretty annoying. For me personally, doing something like Void Ark as Ninja feels like I'm running a difficult dungeon (not in difficulty itself, but the fact I have to really focus on what buttons I'm using to maximise my DPS) and don't have time to chat or really enjoy the dungeon.

However, other classes like Bard are perfect. I feel like it isn't complicated but it still plays nice. I could say the same about Astrologian but it wouldn't really be fair to compare a DPS class to a healer.

In short, I think it's more about balance. They do not need to tone down with some of the classes, as they would become boring, but other classes could definitely do with some work, especially for controller players.

[MugenMugetsu]

I think we're in a good place right now with the number of skills available and having room to add more skills. I play with a controller and have zero difficulty playing as Nin, Brd, or Drk. For oGCD abilities that I have to place on a second, or third, crossbar that I can't see while my primary crossbar is up, I place those on a hotbar to the right of my crossbar so I can see when those abilities are ready to use. I do understand completely where there OP is coming from as at times I have also felt like I was missing out on a lot of what was going on on screen because of having to focus on my cross bar, hotbar, chat box, buffs, debuffs, etc. but I have found, like others have stated, that as I became more proficient at the jobs I play that I rely less and less on paying attention to my ability bars and am more easily able to focus on the actual battles and their aesthetics and mechanics.

[MagiusNecros]

If you worry about skill bloat then start using them bars and them macros. At least on PC with a controller I have 8 bars with 16 possible actions. I only ever use at most 1.5.

[WinterLuna]

If you worry about skill bloat then start using them bars and them macros. At least on PC with a controller I have 8 bars with 16 possible actions. I only ever use at most 1.5.

Macros sometimes just don't work.. especially on PS4 with a controller. There have been times where I've had to mash the buttons to even get them to click, and the macros were correct.

[MagiusNecros]

You do have 8 bars you can set right? Too bad about the macros.