Swap out active mode

[Phenidate]

So there's very little reason to make players micromanage the active/passive mode with the auto attack system now. (if anything its holding it back making it clunky. Getting it to auto attack between targets feels awkward right now)

What we need to do is swap it out for a 'start attack' button. Hitting this button or using a combat action should put you into active mode until combat is over or you run away.

[Oscillate_Wildly]

YES, THANK YOU. Currently this is a HUGE issue with me, for reasons I can't pin down. For one this active/passive mode business isn't always working. Yes it is patch day and adjustments are needed, but many games F2P and otherwise have this feature.

I can't wait until they introduce a patch fix for this. 2 runs through Toto-rak + forgetting that even manual targeting is still awkward (Why is it now we still have 'click-this-name-to-target' targeting? If your melee friend steps in front of you it makes targeting the monster even more difficult) has really put a damper on my enjoyment of the game.

I wish they'd just kept the 1 key as the autoattack, as many people probably kept it for basic attack. ):

[Phenidate]

Ideally it could work like this:

You are solo, and want to fight a monster. You target it and hit your attack key. You pull out your weapon and start attacking.
When its dead the character automatically puts their weapon away.

For casters, when they cast a spell their weapon stays out a few seconds after. After a delay they automatically sheathe their weapon.

As long as a weapon is out you are in Active mode (as we do now). Once the weapon goes away you are back in passive.

Players would no longer near to remember to swap back and forth (there really is no reason we should have to in the first place!)

For parties we could get fancier too.
When you hit your auto attack key it could target the nearest enemy from the currently engaged group if you have nothing targeted. (Normally it might just select the nearest monster if none is targeted)

Ideally this will reduce the amount of fumbling between targeting the monster, making sure you are in active mode, hit the enter key and make sure you start auto attacking. Then re target the next monster from the enemy group, hit enter etc.

Would be a boom boom you're in, you're fighting, then you're done and moving on. Keep it fluid!

[RubinRiki]

I totally agree with this! There is no point on having active/passive button all the time. I do not want to press a button JUST to finish fighting. Please get rid of this system. FFXI had a perfectly fine system, so why add this?

[Seif]

How XI managed to do without this superficial state and XIV needs it is beyond me. Surely there has to be better ways to detect that if you're in battle or not. Going through the extra step to attack adds zero value to gameplay.

[Phenidate]

How XI managed to do without this superficial state and XIV needs it is beyond me. Surely there has to be better ways to detect that if you're in battle or not. Going through the extra step to attack adds zero value to gameplay.

XI did have this IIRC, but it handled it for you.

Lots of game do, its just the "in combat" mode. When you leave the fight you leave combat mode :P