[dev1022] Auto Attack Video Analysis & Feedback

[Sorel]

Here is a link to the Auto Attack video that Naoki Yoshida provided to us.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGmUoY7Gqzc

Now Naoki Yoshida specifically stated that this is still under development. So don't think this is the final product. But that very fact gives us, the player community, a chance to give some constructive feedback on what we just saw ... and gives the Development team the ability to make adjustment on-the-fly based on our specific and constructive feedback.

And that is what this thread is about. I would only politely request that posts keep the colorful commentary down to a minimum, and focus on specific and constructive feedback on the auto-attack functionality in the video.

So let's begin.

After doing a brief analysis of the video, I observed the following.

• The Gladiator auto-attacked 3 times between 0:30 and 0:36.
• The Lancer auto-attacked 2 times between 0:55 and 0:59.
• The Pugilist auto-attacked 3 times between 1:28 and 1:34.

This by no means rock-solid scientific evidence. These are just observations. But these observations lead me to ask two things of the Development Team.

1. Are the auto-attack speeds different for each Armory Class? Do Lancers auto-attack slower than Gladiators?
2. Are the auto-attack speeds different for weapons within a Class? Do daggers auto-attack faster than swords?

One thing that I can specifically say needs to be adjusted is the overall auto-attack speed. 3-4 seconds per auto-attack is simply too slow. The slowest Armory Class or weapon should take a maximum of 3 seconds between auto-attacks. The fastest should take 1 second.

Epic combat is like music. There is a sense of rhythm and timing in both. Only the most dramatic notes in a musical piece are drawn out, and never more than 2 or 3 seconds before a new note is heard. The only music that I know that regularly holds a single note longer than 3 seconds are funeral dirges.

I can only speak for myself, but I don't think we want the pacing of combat in FFXIV to be like a funeral march. Let's speed things up Development Team!

[Archadius]

You are measuring two 6-second windows and a 4-second window, of course the amount of attacks will differ. By the collection of data, it looks like auto-attack is once every 2 seconds, not 3-4, so it's perfectly reasonable.

[Sorel]

You are measuring two 6-second windows and a 4-second window, of course the amount of attacks will differ. By the collection of data, it looks like auto-attack is once every 2 seconds, not 3-4, so it's perfectly reasonable.

I marked the times of the occurrence of consecutive auto-attacks.

Gladiator:

1. 0:30
2. 0:33
3. 0:36

Lancer:

1. 0:55
2. 0:59

Pugilist:

1. 1:28
2. 1:31
3. 1:34

Please verify my observations if you wish. Another set of eyes couldn't hurt.

[Archadius]

Are you taking into consideration when they use abilities/weaponskills? Those actions may very well cause a delay in auto-attack. Also, take into consideration that the actual attacks may not be perfectly synchronized with the video's "timer". For example, an attack may occur on the 55.6 second mark, but the video isn't going to tell you that, it's going to say 55 sec. This could throw off calculations.

In short, it's probably not such a good idea to deduce detailed information from a crappy YouTube video, who knows what factors are coming into play in this situation.

[Sorel]

Are you taking into consideration when they use abilities/weaponskills? Those actions may very well cause a delay in auto-attack. Also, take into consideration that the actual attacks may not be perfectly synchronized with the video's "timer". For example, an attack may occur on the 55.6 second mark, but the video isn't going to tell you that, it's going to say 55 sec. This could throw off calculations.

The times I gave were auto-attacks done in a row with no special abilities used in between the attacks.

And yes, I am aware that the observed times are not rock-solid scientific evidence. The YouTube time could be rounding. But I suspect it is rounding in the same way each time, so it should not throw off the interval between the auto-attacks.

However the case, that is an assumption on my part. That is why I presented the data. I am hoping that someone with a stopwatch or some other independent chronometer could verify my observations.

Or better yet, the Development Team could provide some details themselves.

[elreed]

well in my op. i felt that pug had slower autoattacks than what i expected, at the moment you can do more normal attacks than those i would like it to be a little more faster, it seemed half faster than FF XI but then again if the light strike and heavy strike keys function as another skill it would be a little faster than what it was showed in the video, at least for H2H class it should be faster 1.5 sec would be fine by me.

[Archadius]

Not necessarily in between attacks, but if an ability/weaponskill was used immediately before an auto-attack occurrence, would the pattern be affected? I think we just know too little at this point

[SydeBeheln]

Have we looked at the damage differentials? Between the normal attack damage we have in-game now, and what the damage in the video shows? It's possible the boost in standard damage could make up for lost time, also on that note, we need to take into consideration about PUG's dual wielding style. Since PUG attacks twice in one round, the damage-over-time variable might make up for it's initial loss of speed in comparison to the other classes.

Regardless, I think we should start looking at the differences in damage.

[Naylia]

Someone could try and break the video down by frames....someone other than me

[Sorel]

Have we looked at the damage differentials? Between the normal attack damage we have in-game now, and what the damage in the video shows? It's possible the boost in standard damage could make up for lost time, also on that note, we need to take into consideration about PUG's dual wielding style. Since PUG attacks twice in one round, the damage-over-time variable might make up for it's initial loss of speed in comparison to the other classes.

Regardless, I think we should start looking at the differences in damage.

We would need a player who is Rank 40 in Gladiator, or Rank 50 in Lancer or Pugilist to volunteer. Then they would have to find Rank 50 & 60 goblins somewhere.

I personally don't know where to find either of those.