I have a request for Camera options. I don't know exactly what the solution is, so I'm just stating the issues I'm encountering, and hoping the developers can understand and adjust something so I feel more comfortable while playing.

Auto Face Target is very helpful for me, because compared to other worlds I've participated in, FFXIV has very narrow and fussy facing requirements for important actions like Auto Attacks, and I enjoy the convenience of being able to focus on responding to battle mechanics and not doing goofy Jump + Spin actions every time I want to activate an ability while strafing out of AOEs, etc.

However, Auto Face Target + Standard Camera is extremely dangerous, because it causes my movement to jerk in the direction of the target. If I'm under pressure and activate a new GCD while escaping an AOE, that zig-zag can be enough of a stutter to get me clipped by the AOE effect.

Auto Face + Standard is also very annoying as certain Jobs. As WHM, I'm constantly (unnecessarily) being spun into the direction of players I heal. As SMN, Auto Face + Standard spins me in the direction of my Egi when I activate Rouse/Spur. These effects are deadly while dodging mechanics.

Auto Face + Legacy is smooth and elegant, because while my character turns (for a micro-second), it does not actually affect my path of travel. Thus, I keep Auto Face + Legacy active on almost all classes, and I'm very comfortable with this Camera set-up.

However, there are two problematic aspects to Legacy Camera: it prevents using Left Mouse Button Mouselook while moving (extremely important for scanning the battlefield during certain fight mechanics), and it overrides the Move Backward key from backpedaling into a 180° turn (not helpful at all while Tanking, where I value backpedal for tiny position adjustments, and I do not value instantly exposing my Back and Flank to enemies).

As a result, I have to keep Standard active while Tanking, resulting in a return of the zig-zag frustrations when activating abilities while moving.

Any combination of any of these changes would make me very happy:
  • Stop changing my direction when I activate abilities with Auto Face + Standard Camera — make it work like Legacy, where I activate the ability, but then immediately return to my previous path of travel. Getting dragged into AOEs because I Tomahawk while strafing around is frustrating. Getting turned into a Spinning Dive because I Goad someone while running is frustrating. etc.
  • Allow an option to disable the 180° spin under Legacy Camera settings, something like 'Always backpedal when pressing Move Backward key'.
  • Allow an option to use LMB camera rotation under Legacy Camera settings (currently LMB + Legacy works while standing still, but not while moving), something like 'Always mouselook with Left Mouse Button, even while moving'.
  • Allow an option such as 'Only Auto Face enemy targets' — I don't need to spin in random directions while casting Regen or Spur.

This seems like such a trivial thing, but I can honestly say that these fussy camera issues are my #1 frustration in FFXIV. Which should indicate how great I think Eorzea is overall — but it could be a little better for me!