Auto-attack is a step backward.

[Spellbinder]

Although I'm not for or against the introduction of auto-attack, I'm going to get a good laugh if they implement it and everyone starts complaining about how they implement it because.... well that's what this forum does.

[toshimoog]

I loved FFXI and I'm all for making this game more like an HD version of FFXI but this is one of those features that I think is just dated. Especially an auto-attack system like the one in XI. Auto-attack makes the player even less involved and you ultimately end up just watching your character more often than you are actually playing.

Would you rather be forced to sit in your chair and press one button over and over again mindlessly?

[Mack]

Would you rather be forced to sit in your chair and press one button over and over again mindlessly?

Its all mindless if you think about it, whether its auto attack or mashing #1, the part that has you thinking is the actual battle itself and how you adapt to it. As a gladiator it doesn't matter that you are clicking #1 or waiting for auto attack - what matters is how you hold hate, how you pull the link off your mage, how to use your stamina because tbh even in the game's current state some mob fights require some strategy to take down and I play Gladiator and I hardly attack the mob, I'm always concentrating my efforts on keeping hate on me, therefore whether its auto attack or mash #1, the end result is the same.

What FFXI did wrong is that it didn't give you many abilities to work with, FFXIV already solves that problem and has the player himself, no matter the class he chose, much more involved. Hell they even did good by the mages and built them around a system which allows the mages to attack the mob, throw buffs and heal all at the same time which is just awesome imo. Whether there is auto attack in between all the "hands on stuff" or mashing #1, they're both mindless, its what you do around the battle itself that counts.

[Teknoman]

I loved FFXI and I'm all for making this game more like an HD version of FFXI but this is one of those features that I think is just dated. Especially an auto-attack system like the one in XI. Auto-attack makes the player even less involved and you ultimately end up just watching your character more often than you are actually playing.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying the current system is spectacular but it's definitely miles ahead of an auto-attack system.

I can't be the only one who feels this way. I'm very afraid for the future of this game if the auto-attack change goes through.

It wont be just like XI though. Although the new battle system designer is the lead from FFXI, he's stated it'll be faster and still different from XI. Remember, no FF fighting system is exactly the same as the last.

[Dubont]

I can see how not having Auto-Attack is a headache for tanks and DDs. It's not like Conjurer is spamming Spirit Dart constantly; that might even get in the way of normal spellcasting. Disciples of Magic don't need Auto-Attack nearly as much as the Disciples of War do.

wait until higher level CON where your only use is Cure. You'll want something to do when you aren't curing.

[Mack]

wait until higher level CON where your only use is Cure. You'll want something to do when you aren't curing.

Yes I can see it now...1....1......1........1.........1...........cure.......1.......1. Yes you're right, auto attack would totally ruin it.

[Claire]

I don't see how auto-attack is a step backward. I for one enjoy talking to my party, and even as a quick typist, it is really pressing to communicate how it is now. Along with that, this will actually motivate people to use abilities since right now it's a rather big sacrifice giving up 1-2 attacks in exchange for a buff (for a 30 second battle nonetheless).

[Dubont]

Yes I can see it now...1....1......1........1.........1...........cure.......1.......1. Yes you're right, auto attack would totally ruin it.

No joke, before battle, I prep with 6..7...14(second row, #4). Then, my actions consist of 1...1...1...4(cure3)...1....1....8(Ws)...1....1....5(cure 2 or sac 2)....1...8...1...1...1...1...4..1..1..1..8..1.1.1.1. See the trend? lol

[Vanguard319]

I don't see how auto attack would benefit a class like archer at all. If anything, it will gimp the job.

Don't believe me? Look at arc's skillset, you won't be able to use Multishot to it's full potential because you will always fire before you have a chance to stack the full effect. Raging Strike, Hawk's Eye, Quelling Strike, and Scavenge will also be affected, as you will not be able to stack any of those skills like you can at present. When you are soloing, filling a target with arrows is the last thing you want to do when you are trying to bind a target, so the overall usefullness of Close shot and Shadowbind is gone, as you will unbind the target as soon as you auto attack.

In addition, arcs are heavily dependant on ammunition, once your quiver runs out, you are down to throwing rocks, which is only slightly better than doing no damage at all. As such, there may be times when you do not want to fire, such as when you have excess hate, or are hit with blindness, or another accuracy-down effect. Auto attack will just waste ammuntion, and with arrow prices as they are, it could make the cost of playing arc prohibitive on some servers.

I'm sure the pro-auto camp will say something like "they can set up arc like rng in FFXI." Unfortunately, that will not work because in FFXI, Rangers used either knives or axes as their main weapons, with the bow, crossbow, or gun treated as a sub-weapon. In FFXIV, your bow is your one and only weapon by default, meaning that it is subject to the same rules that govern melee weapons, which will include auto-attack once they add it. They may say "they can switch the bow to a sub-weapon." However, the class would no longer be an archer if they did that. It could also be that the developers intend to make ranged classes exempt from the feature, but I'm doubtful of that, since no mention of such was presented in Mr. Matsui's battle notes, or in yesterday's letter from Yoshi-P.

In the end, I'll have to wait and see how the devs set up the new battle engine, and whether or not it can do so without destroying archer's ability to solo or deal damage. I'm not so sure it can be done however.

[Demacia]

I don't see how auto attack would benefit a class like archer at all. If anything, it will gimp the job.

Don't believe me? Look at arc's skillset, you won't be able to use Multishot to it's full potential because you will always fire before you have a chance to stack the full effect. Raging Strike, Hawk's Eye, Quelling Strike, and Scavenge will also be affected, as you will not be able to stack any of those skills like you can at present. When you are soloing, filling a target with arrows is the last thing you want to do when you are trying to bind a target, so the overall usefullness of Close shot and Shadowbind is gone, as you will unbind the target as soon as you auto attack.

In addition, arcs are heavily dependant on ammunition, once your quiver runs out, you are down to throwing rocks, which is only slightly better than doing no damage at all. As such, there may be times when you do not want to fire, such as when you have excess hate, or are hit with blindness, or another accuracy-down effect. Auto attack will just waste ammuntion, and with arrow prices as they are, it could make the cost of playing arc prohibitive on some servers.

I'm sure the pro-auto camp will say something like "they can set up arc like rng in FFXI." Unfortunately, that will not work because in FFXI, Rangers used either knives or axes as their main weapons, with the bow, crossbow, or gun treated as a sub-weapon. In FFXIV, your bow is your one and only weapon by default, meaning that it is subject to the same rules that govern melee weapons, which will include auto-attack once they add it. They may say "they can switch the bow to a sub-weapon." However, the class would no longer be an archer if they did that. It could also be that the developers intend to make ranged classes exempt from the feature, but I'm doubtful of that, since no mention of such was presented in Mr. Matsui's battle notes, or in yesterday's letter from Yoshi-P.

In the end, I'll have to wait and see how the devs set up the new battle engine, and whether or not it can do so without destroying archer's ability to solo or deal damage. I'm not so sure it can be done however.

You raise a good point. Shame they had to fuck it up from the beginning with the whole bound to one weapon deal.