Resource Management

[Alipoprocks]

I think those days of resource management are long gone. Except in coil where some dps run out of tp and healers can run out of mp too, especially when other members do silly things. But this is a whole different burn style of play where there is not much time to focus on resource management. Very simplified game with not many abilities to choose from.

For example, in Xi, pld had lots of abilities to maintain hate and get it back if it were lost. But you also had more time for everything. In this game, everything dies so fast. And with having to focus on mechanics, there is no time to focus on resource management.

[Aegis]

I think those days of resource management are long gone. Except in coil where some dps run out of tp and healers can run out of mp too, especially when other members do silly things. But this is a whole different burn style of play where there is not much time to focus on resource management. Very simplified game with not many abilities to choose from.

For example, in Xi, pld had lots of abilities to maintain hate and get it back if it were lost. But you also had more time for everything. In this game, everything dies so fast. And with having to focus on mechanics, there is no time to focus on resource management.

But interestingly, no ability with the functionality of current 'Provoke'. You had to work to drag yourself back on top of the hate list.

[Bixby]

Agreed. I just feel without it, the game is a little... arcadey. Dodge this, dodge that, keep up DPS etc. It feels like playing Battletoads again.

Can't really argue too much with that. I wish I were making more actual choices in combat instead of just being a living series of simplistic if/then statements.

The thing is that a dps rotation will exist to maximize damage with or without a resource management system. If the system exists, then the rotation will simply take that into account and alter the rotation.

And there's this, too. Making resource management interesting, to me, is 100% tied to the randomness and pace of combat. It goes back to the decisions you're making. If the combat doesn't require you to alter or abandon your rotation to a significant degree, resource management as a mechanic is just sort of a boring/frustrating pass/fail.

[Aegis]

Can't really argue too much with that. I wish I were making more actual choices in combat instead of just being a living series of simplistic if/then statements.

And there's this, too. Making resource management interesting, to me, is 100% tied to the randomness and pace of combat. It goes back to the decisions you're making. If the combat doesn't require you to alter or abandon your rotation to a significant degree, resource management as a mechanic is just sort of a boring/frustrating pass/fail.

I think I agree with pretty much everything you've said, and I couldn't have phrased the bolded part any better.

[Codek]

But if someone follows an optimal rotation and steals hate from the tank he would be lowering the party as a whole's DPS by causing healers and tanks to waste valuable resources on returning hate, additionally running the risk of an AOE from the turned mob hitting other party members.

In this way, increasing your DPS has decreased the party's DPS.



I will admit to having no experience of second coil. My static broke up after clearing T5 and before T6+ were released.

Threat management will be in regardless, but it can be spun around in a way where the player doesn't need to hold back their dps but instead manage another resource to control that threat.

Example:
Monk is given 5 resources every minute called "Numb" - reduced threat from the next ability to 0.

Generally, they would want to utilize this with their heavy hit in a rotation. It would also be more beneficial to use it for all abilities in a string of attacks that line up with increased damage cooldowns going off.

Either way, when to use those resources drastically depends on the situation at play making it a much more dynamic system. It's far more engaging then simply determining your threat output over time and holding back to manage it.

[Alipoprocks]

But interestingly, no ability with the functionality of current 'Provoke'. You had to work to drag yourself back on top of the hate list.

It wasn't that hard, cure 2 and cover the person that stole hate. And yeah, I think that is what OP was talking about, no? He wants to have to work for that.

[Aegis]

Threat management will be in regardless, but ic can be spun around in a way where the player doesn't need to hold back their dps but instead manage another resource to control that threat.

Example:
Monk is given 5 resources every minute called "Numb" - reduced threat from the next ability to 0.

Generally, they would want to utilize this with their heavy hit in a rotation. It would also be more beneficial to use it for all abilities in a string of attacks that line up with increased damage cooldowns going off.

Either way, when to use those resources drastically depends on the situation at play making it a much more dynamic system. It's far more engaging then simply determining your threat output over time and holding back to manage it.

But Numb would still slot into a rotation; there would be an optimal time to use it and sub-optimal times that would remain the same essentially regardless of the fight you are engaged in.

It wasn't that hard, cure 2 and cover the person that stole hate. And yeah, I think that is what OP was talking about, no? He wants to have to work for that.

Indeed he was. In fact, because enmity is so easy to maintain in this game, Cover is almost never used (I've used it a couple of times in Wanderer's Palace) in XIV where it was used fairly often in XI.

[Codek]

But Numb would still slot into a rotation; there would be an optimal time to use it and sub-optimal times that would remain the same essentially regardless of the fight you are engaged in.

It would have a rule set within a rotation. It wouldn't always be utilized the same way as it drastically depends on what kind of threat you are expecting to work with inside a 60 seconds window.

How you use it in regards to attacking a boss for 5 minutes or an add that dies in 20 seconds would be two completely different things.

It's like having a Max damage/High threat rotation and a Normal Damage/Optimal threat rotation, only difference is that the player doesn't decide for the normal damage rotation if they manage the resources effectively. They don't get that feeling of holding back because of the resource system because they can do a Max Damage/ Optimal threat rotation. If they fail to manage the resource correctly, then the penalty will occur somewhere (lower their own dps or pull and cause chaos).

[Kaethra]

I think its fine as it is.

If everyone is doing their job, resource management is a non-issue.

If everyone derps it up, resource management becomes a VERY VERY blatant and important thing.

Just yesterday I did the Gilgamesh fight, a very easy encounter, right? Well yeah it was, simply because I was on the ball with healing those who weren't avoiding damage properly. And for the first time in a while, I went OOM. I popped Shroud and had to go into conservative mode. Had to triage players based on what I perceived to the best route. What this meant is I had to watch the DPS and let the weakest link die and keep the ones alive that assured success.

Wasn't just the DPS's fault. The other healer could have pulled their weight a little more. But that's the nature of Full Parties, sometimes you just gotta pick up the slack. Not everyone is going to be perfect. All resource management would do is require casual players in the DF to be perfect on fights like Gilgamesh and that isn't good for the prosperity of the game by any means.

We gotta have our easy fights to keep the masses happy. And our harder fights to keep the more adept players happy. And right now, it works.