Why people still USE ACT knowing their breaking TOS ??

[ColorOfSakura]

Once again, an entire thread as solid proof as to why we don't need parses.

[puts up REEEE shield]

Actually I'd argue that the playerbase's general lack of interest in learning or trying to figure out how to play their classes is evidence that *something* needs to be done about making it so players are held more accountable for their performance in raids and dungeons.

I don't think you need to be pulling top damage or whatever in every single encounter in the game, especially if its not a hardcore raid or whatever, but knowing that there's a significant portion of the playerbase with Jobs at 80 that can't even manage the basic aspects of their Job? It's legitimately frustrating.

I don't parse -- but I do have nearly every job in the game leveled to 80. When you're familiar with job rotations, it isn't hard to notice when people aren't doing what they're supposed to do. I literally had a Bard in a run of Holminster Switch that *only* used Caustic Bite and Straight Shot. Stormbite was never put on any targets, Refulgent Arrow was never used, and they only played any songs when they reached bosses, and even then, they never used Bloodletter or Empyreal Arrow. Holminster is a Level 71 dungeon and they had Bard at Level 80 with Deepshadow Gear on. This person should have known better. The run took *forever* because my friend -- as the other DPS -- had to pick up this Bard's slack.

And this is a constant thing! Black Mages that don't use Enochian, Dragoons that don't use Blood/Life of the Dragon, Monks that don't even do their positionals. Healers that never use a DPS spell, and Tanks that refuse to mitigate any damage. It's a huge problem this community has -- and its just as toxic as someone yelling at another person for low DPS numbers via a parse or something of that nature.

[Videra]

Actually I'd argue that the playerbase's general lack of interest in learning or trying to figure out how to play their classes is evidence that *something* needs to be done about making it so players are held more accountable for their performance in raids and dungeons.

I don't think you need to be pulling top damage or whatever in every single encounter in the game, especially if its not a hardcore raid or whatever, but knowing that there's a significant portion of the playerbase with Jobs at 80 that can't even manage the basic aspects of their Job? It's legitimately frustrating.

I don't parse -- but I do have nearly every job in the game leveled to 80. When you're familiar with job rotations, it isn't hard to notice when people aren't doing what they're supposed to do. I literally had a Bard in a run of Holminster Switch that *only* used Caustic Bite and Straight Shot. Stormbite was never put on any targets, Refulgent Arrow was never used, and they only played any songs when they reached bosses, and even then, they never used Bloodletter or Empyreal Arrow. Holminster is a Level 71 dungeon and they had Bard at Level 80 with Deepshadow Gear on. This person should have known better. The run took *forever* because my friend -- as the other DPS -- had to pick up this Bard's slack.

And this is a constant thing! Black Mages that don't use Enochian, Dragoons that don't use Blood/Life of the Dragon, Monks that don't even do their positionals. Healers that never use a DPS spell, and Tanks that refuse to mitigate any damage. It's a huge problem this community has -- and its just as toxic as someone yelling at another person for low DPS numbers via a parse or something of that nature.

This, this, THIS. I cannot scream across how much this is the case, this is what matters.

[Seraphor]

This, this, THIS. I cannot scream across how much this is the case, this is what matters.

There are a number of things they could do to help.

1. Emphasise Stone Sea Sky etc. when unlocking EX and Savage content. Perhaps having the first unlock of each expac have the quest take you there and award you with something for completing it.

2. Job quests. With future job quests being one at the start and one at the end of an expac. Have the first one feature a battle that walks you through the jobs mechanics. Serving as a kind of Hall of the Novice for higher levels.

3. Not personal damage meters, but personal 'scores' for certain duties. Only displayed once the duty has finished and only features your own score. It gives you a star rating for DPS(/healing) contribution for your particular job, and there's an achievement for getting 5 stars in x amount of duties.

[GeminiReed]

2. Job quests. With future job quests being one at the start and one at the end of an expac. Have the first one feature a battle that walks you through the jobs mechanics. Serving as a kind of Hall of the Novice for higher levels.

While the intent is well meaning I cringe every time anybody suggests expanding Hall of the Novice. Compared to any other game tutorial instances I've played through HoN is head and shoulders above the rest. But that's relative and the bar is hilariously low.

• The tanks in the DPS instances don't AoE
• DPS are penalized if they hit anything other than the Tank's target
• DPS are not taught to AoE packs. Some of the blame here is class design where many don't get AoE abilities until their 30's or 40's.
• Tanks are taught AoE placement but not large pack management
• Unless you're levelling CNJ it's highly unlikely you'll do the Healer HoN.
• Healers aren't taught MP management. Again, class design. Physic is the only heal available at HoN's level.
• I don't think healers are penalized for gross overheals, but it's been a long time since I've leveled CNJ.

They need to fix the existing HoN before even thinking of adding newer mechanics to it.

[Seraphor]

While the intent is well meaning I cringe every time anybody suggests expanding Hall of the Novice. Compared to any other game tutorial instances I've played through HoN is head and shoulders above the rest. But that's relative and the bar is hilariously low.

• The tanks in the DPS instances don't AoE
• DPS are penalized if they hit anything other than the Tank's target
• DPS are not taught to AoE packs. Some of the blame here is class design where many don't get AoE abilities until their 30's or 40's.
• Tanks are taught AoE placement but not large pack management
• Unless you're levelling CNJ it's highly unlikely you'll do the Healer HoN.
• Healers aren't taught MP management. Again, class design. Physic is the only heal available at HoN's level.
• I don't think healers are penalized for gross overheals, but it's been a long time since I've leveled CNJ.

They need to fix the existing HoN before even thinking of adding newer mechanics to it.

I mean... the suggestion I just posted would come into play at level 80 in 6.0 and would be a new and different thing to HotN... so I'm not sure what your point is.
It wouldn't necessitate 'fixing' HotN because it would be different content and would effectively replace it, kinda like Trusts 'replacing' Squadrons.

[SamSmoot]

Because it's the only way to measure your performance, and see if you need to improve.

Idea for in-game performance measurement:

SE maintains a database of average DPS / HPS for all max level jobs and item levels, and reports it to players privately.
So, after I've killed something, if I have the feature enabled, it reports: "Average level 80 NIN 485 DPS is 10000-17000 on this mob. You just did 2000."
It would not reveal you group's numbers, only yours against the average, so you'd know whether you need to seek improvement or not.

[SamSmoot]

Nothing about ACT stresses or burns people out, it's practically what makes optimization - which many find fun - possible.

It stresses me when I see that I can barely beat the healer on DPS. Actually, it's a sign that I should just stop running group content until I get some sleep so I can pay attention to my rotation.

[Videra]

It stresses me when I see that I can barely beat the healer on DPS. Actually, it's a sign that I should just stop running group content until I get some sleep so I can pay attention to my rotation.

You had me in the first half there.

[Awha]

ACT can only ruin one's experience if they let it. What gets me is people claim to not care about their numbers or style of play but then complain when someone calls out said numbers and style of play.

If people do not care then ACT should not be a problem just shrug it off and move on.

[wereotter]

ACT can only ruin one's experience if they let it. What gets me is people claim to not care about their numbers or style of play but then complain when someone calls out said numbers and style of play.

If people do not care then ACT should not be a problem just shrug it off and move on.

It actually can ruin someone's experience if others use it as a weapon against you. I've had it happen to me while I was still learning end game rotations for my job, and was kicked out of parties and disparaged while I was in them for it. And this is part of the reason Square is against them being in the game, at least officially.

They turn a blind eye to it if people are just using it for their own benefit or maybe if you're in a static and want to help your team improve, but they still officially keep the stance that they're agains the terms of service so that they can use that as the reason to ban someone from the game who's being toxic in the use of them.