[dev1005][dev1026] Changing the user interface or adding options that fits keyboards

[Arkine]

Amongst other things.

Hey folks.

Trying not just to be ranty, but here's are a list of things that I'd love to see in the UI if only as an option for keyboard users to play the game without popping a vain or two.

Alot of this was inspired by FFXI.

While I did play Aion, WoW, Perfect world and that super hero dumb game, I found that FFXI's system was very good and most of my gripes with FFXIVs are because it lacks alot of the elements present in FFXI.

Makes you wonder, since they had access to FFXI and know about its great UI.

Anyhow, heres my semi-wall of text of everything that's been grinding my gears since I picked FFXIV up on Spt 25th, 2010 and what I'd like to see change.

1- Controls.

Abolishing IJKL.

Its uncalled for and problematic to use since you need to use 2 hands to control the character.

Either one hand on WASD, or on the Numpad (FFXI players) you'll still need the other on IJKL to move the camera around to avoid stumbling around.

FFXI handled this issue by having the arrows control the battle menus when they're up but otherwise they were used for the camera, thus letting you use one hand to have complete control over your character.

While it wasn't perfect, since once you're engaged the only way to move the camera was to un-lock then use the mouse to drag the screen, which is a sacrifice I'm willing to make to get alot better character control in other situations.


User Interface

1- The return of the pop up menu.

If only as an option.

I believe that a menu that pops on when you click on people/mobs/NPCs/other. that just lists the things you can do when clicking on w/e you're targeting is alot more convenient than having everything stuck in the main menu.

Examples.

*PC*
Chat = send a /tell, set chatmode, anything chat related goes here.
Magic. = cure your buddies, nuke your enemies
Abilities. = you know, right?
Trade.
Items. (does the same as clicking U, use your warp items, food and w/e)
Examine.
Invite. (to party or linkshell)
Browse. (can go under Examine)
Duel/Fight (once PvP is in)

*NPC*
Chat (talks to NPCs to start quests and w/e)
Trade.
Abilities.

*Enemies*
Attack. (serves as double clicking to engage)
Magic.
Abilites.


Now the interesting stuff, for DoL/DoH

1st this requires gathering spots to be target-able, this will help locate them if your prospect or whatever isn't precise.

The menu.

DoL
Mine/fish/Chop wood?
Examine. (tells you how many attempts left, the grade, the item you feel this point has plenty of)

For DoH the same PC menu with a Synth option when you click yourself is what I'd like to see.

For other things like ???s and whatever else you need to touch for whatever reason

Examine.
Trade.
Item.

Thats my basic idea for a pop up menu interface, it doesn't need to take over the action bar, they can coexist to serve both play styles (Gamepads vs Keyboards) and the player can choose whatever hes comfortable with.

Of course this goes hand in hand with tweeking the action bar for better usage.

2- More text commands.

FFXI had a ton of those, they added so much to the game and made playing easier and in a sense more fun.

/Assist, /Target <bt> and so on still don't exist in this game and if put in they'll add alot to the overall experience, and encourage the use of macros for more than just putting in actions and changing gear.

Chat log.

Dear god, this is one of my most hated things about this game and heres what I'd like to see put in to fix it.

1- Make the log history last longer, now things dissapear into oblivion way too fast, they should last atleast 24hrs or so, sometimes I like to leave my Char online while I'm at work, and I miss /tells and such.

2-Add more tabs, just 2 per window is ridiculous, FFXI had say/tell/party/linkshell/shout in 1 window.

3-better chat controls and filters.
This goes hand in hand with #2.

A button to target the log, then clicking enter expand the window to be almost full screen for a better view, then maybe clicking tab to go through the tabs should work nicely, and maybe being able to shuffle between the 2 chat boxes we have now.
(I'd like the button to be + on numpad like FFXI)

3-More colors.

/Echos, loot drops and such are still the same color as the rest of the blue stuff we get is inconvenient.

Talked about this before so I won't now.

Link: http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...n-the-chat-log.

4- Extra filter options.

Remember how in FFXI when you got a /tell you got a ring, and the /tell was held for a moment even if the chat log was flooding like mad?

Was cool, huh?

5- Alt is your friend too.
Ctrl + r
Ctrl +l
Ctrl +s

to talk is ok and all, but having alt do the same (so clicking either alt+r or ctrl+r responds to /ts) is not bad idea, alt's been lonely lately.

6-The case of the disappearing chat-input.

Theres no reason for the chat input window to disappear, regardless of you crafting, fighting, zoning or in a CS.

Why do I have to rewrite everything I typed because the synth window popped up?

Keep the input up no matter what please, unless I Esc to leave it or Enter to say what I was typing.

Thats most of what I got issues with, keyboard wise, since I use it, and refuse to get a gamepad (why should I need one for a currently PC-exclusive game, amarite?)


Linkshells.

1- better LS management.
In FFXI you could see the person's name, level and location, why can't we here?
You didn't need to be next to them to boot/promote them either.

2- Do something about 128.

Either remove the cap or find another solution to handle people that quit and are still hogging LS space.

3-Inter-LS chat.

If I'm on LS#1 and can read whats happening on #2, why cant I /ls2 to respond instead of needing to switch LSes?



Other features.

Mail.
Dear god, why don't we have this? even free MMOs have it.

Expanding the trade window.
4 slots? really?

Better looking gear.
Been trying Aion out for the last few days and by R10 their equipment look better than ours at 50. No need to go overboard, but a little more style and color to the world can't hurt.

Change the world.
With the exception of Cass most of the land scape is too realistic. where are the giant weird plants, or floating islands, or maybe some more steam punk themed areas.

Just anything that isn't as generic as we have now.

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This is all what comes to my mind atm. and though it seems like this is a long way of saying "Make this more like FFXI" I'm hoping that what I typed here despite being very random and poorly researched inspire the Dev team to make the game better.

Oh and like always, sorry if this was (probably was...) discussed/mentioned before.

Happy hunting.