I LOVE the new direction.

[MeowyWowie]

Unfortunately I can't share this enthusiasm regarding combat... I was expecting for more to be added in addition to just auto-attack. Combat is very static, and I feel like I spend more time waiting than I do actually making decisions and playing.

It's been said a number of times that 1.18 is just basic AA implementation. They're not done with it yet. I'm really looking forward to the combos we'll be getting soon (1.19 I think? Anyone can confirm?)

[Raze]

rule of thumb for every 1 compliant thiers 8 who dont say anything

Yeah that goes 2 ways, champ. Every complaint has at least 10 counter arguments. In fact most of the people who enjoy the changes are playing instead of complaining on forums, so I think your ratio just got shot to hell.

Just because compliant doesn't show up on spell check doesn't mean it's the right word. Effective communication is important when you're making up numbers.

[Tezz_Xivectro]

It's been said a number of times that 1.18 is just basic AA implementation. They're not done with it yet. I'm really looking forward to the combos we'll be getting soon (1.19 I think? Anyone can confirm?)

^

This is going to sound dumb, but one of my only complaints still is that i don't feel attached to any armor/gear in this game. Am i the only one who's felt this way? I'm hoping materia makes me care more about armor.

[MeowyWowie]

^

This is going to sound dumb, but one of my only complaints still is that i don't feel attached to any armor/gear in this game. Am i the only one who's felt this way? I'm hoping materia makes me care more about armor.

I would agree. All armor still seems expendable in a way. Perhaps that's not the right word for it, but it's the best way I can describe it.

They are however redoing the stat system and adding the materia system, so hopefully that will help with this. I think the main problem is it doesn't matter what armor you're wearing (for the most part), nothing overshadows anything else by any noticeable margin. Also, most of it is still very easy/quick to obtain.

[Yumi_Hibiki]

^

This is going to sound dumb, but one of my only complaints still is that i don't feel attached to any armor/gear in this game. Am i the only one who's felt this way? I'm hoping materia makes me care more about armor.

i can see where you come from, i hope you find a set you get attached to, i as a main conjurer found a set of equipment i really love in the loyalists bilaud and the divining hat, they go so well with a leather skirt (only for town) ^~^
i was also very pleased to see the introduction of rank restricted gear

over all i love the patch and cant wait for more, conjurer finally feels like what i do has meaning instead of aoe cure spamming for almost no mp cost

[Deceptistar]

i just went ahead and read the JP forums regarding the 1.18 patch. Boy their more unhappy and direct about it than the NA side... >_>

[Cichy]

^

This is going to sound dumb, but one of my only complaints still is that i don't feel attached to any armor/gear in this game. Am i the only one who's felt this way? I'm hoping materia makes me care more about armor.

Same here. For me one of the most important things in the game is gear. It brings sense of accomplishment and progression to the game which this game just lacks.

Overall, the game is progressing in a right way but at a snail pace. The exp change should not been implemented until the last patch that would've completed Yoshi's magic chart. Need to see 10 times more content first.

[Misha]

While I was initially upset with the changes, I didn't really play enough to really get a feel for it. Auto-attack takes a little getting used to after not using it for so long but thankfully, which I didn't think would happen, it did fix one of my biggest pet peeves about Battle Regimens.

You still auto attack while in Battle Regimen mode. I'm happy that's been fixed.

Also, at first I though the pace was going to be ridiculously slow, and it was, if you're solo. If you're in a light party though, which I just got out of one, it's just as fast as it was before. At first I was duoing Truffle Hogs and Evil Eyes with another Lancer in Mor Dhona. We each put Speed Surge and Life Surge on respectively. Was getting about 100 hp back per swing. Combined that with the Foresight + Fracture, Leg Sweep, Moonrise II, and Twisting Vice, the mobs would never get a TP move in, and if they did I'd just use Diversion and make them miss.

Then two other people showed up. A THM and a PUG and we just absolutely decimated everything within our level. Ended up getting all the Aetherial Nodes and Camps in Mor Dhona and just had a roaming party.

That was another thing I was worried about. I thought with auto attack and the high MP costs that we'd have to resort to a Camp style party ala FFXI, but that was not the case. With me tanking on Lancer, Life Surge II, Speed Surge II from my fellow Lancer, Foresight and Diversion for Defense, and Second Wind we never had to stop. We were killing things so fast the THM rarely needed to heal us and she was really on top of her MP management make liberal use of Siphon MP and her 10 minute MP refresh ability.

All in all I'm beginning to like the changes. The nerf in SP takes a little getting used to but it'll be nice after today not having to deal with fatigue tomorrow. It's my weekend so I can put as much time in as I want without having to worry about fatigue.

I think once people begin to realize that...
1.) The best SP/hr has shifted form leves to grinding.
2.) Melee's need to think more defensively
3.) Mages actually have to use Siphon MP and their 10 minute MP regen ability

... they may welcome the changes.

So far I've noticed that I'm just as busy as I was pre 1.18 despite not having to spam a basic attack. It's also a bit easier to pull off those context sensitive weapon skills like Fracture and Featherfoot. I'm actually taking advantage of the abilities available to me while before I would mainly just spam the basic attack, Battle Regimen for Defense Down, then Battle Regimen in a weapon skill trio for massive damage. That was pretty much it across all damage dealing classes.

Unfortunately I can't give a first hand opinion about the Conjurer change as I haven't played on my Conjurer yet, but the THM in my party was doing just fine. Never had to stop at all really, I don't see why a Conjurer couldn't as well.

One things for sure, this patch completely tipped what the game used to be upside down. You have to play very differently than you did before but I can honestly say, despite being pretty upset about the changes initially, I actually had quite a bit of fun today, which is saying something. We're far from this game asking for a fee though, but I'd say with some more content (especially missions), some no nonsense uncontroversial fixes, (like better linkshell administration options and chocobos and airships), and a couple redesigns of some key areas (Black Shroud) the future of this game, at least from a fan perspective, is looking better.

Unfortunately I don't know if these changes will really pull in new players. The solo experience seems to have been dampened significantly and that might be a turn off for some. That's actually the first thing I noticed. Despite having access to the armoury I felt almost helpless solo, but as soon as I got just one other person involved things started to change drastically, and a Light party seemed very decent enough to get a good SP session going.

It was MEEE, I was the turkey all along :P ... oops I mean THM Hehe

Anyways ... Agreed, main thing is still need tweaks and more content, but as Yoshi said... things will be alot faster now with 1.18 out, foundation is set :P Funny thing about mp management too, once 1.19 is out we get to cast cure in passive mode Which could possibly mean a in battle refresh tick while we heal^^ Hopefully that'll tone down all the negativity alone about mage nerfs :P

[Cendres]

Funny thing about mp management too, once 1.19 is out we get to cast cure in passive mode Which could possibly mean a in battle refresh tick while we heal^^ Hopefully that'll tone down all the negativity alone about mage nerfs :P

Whaaaat? Yay ^^

[Jabo]

look at the character of these people who love the patch

they're melee

I know what you're getting at.
Then you definitely missed out the great provoke-nerf.

I also said, that I play 4 different classes. One of them being THM.
Also, as a Tank I also greatly suffer from the MP and hate changes in general.

Just want to say, I too, have good reason to be unhappy because of the nerfing, but i sure am not.

btw
I played also with a lot mages in leves, partys and the dungeons and only one mage had MP issues and only because his actions weren't always the smartest (AoE without a good reason, healing while my HP was full and so on).