Targeting/attacking difficult. Should I use a macro?

[BisonShade]

I just came to XIV from XI. I find targeting/attacking to be difficult, especially when dealing with links when killing off a group of enemies quickly is important.

A couple questions...

Is there some kind of auto-target option similar to XI's?
Can I set a macro similar to /attack <stnpc> that would also put me into active mode and lockon?

Right now I have targeting set to enemy-only in the config, and I cycle through targets with left/right on my game pad, then press confirm to engage. Half the time my abilities menu is already up and I start scrolling left/right through my set abilities rather than target mobs.

Can someone help me be more efficient? How can I make this less frustrating?

[Frein]

Right now I have targeting set to enemy-only in the config, and I cycle through targets with left/right on my game pad, then press confirm to engage. Half the time my abilities menu is already up and I start scrolling left/right through my set abilities rather than target mobs.

This part is most likely causing everyone a lot of trouble. I can't comprehend the logic behind putting two commands on one button/key like this.

I've modified my keyboard settings to resemble FFXI as closely as possible and I rely on a combination of tab targeting and Target Nearest NPC. I don't think you can possibly play this game as efficiently using a gamepad.

[IXSigmaXI]

I agree. The gamepad was definitely more powerful and comfortable in FFXI, mainly because of the targeting capability in macros

[Rubicon]

Targeting in this game sucks, pure and simple.

I play keyboard only so I can't help you much but I have to tweak things a bit to even get close to FFXI compact keyboard settings (which are WONDERFUL). I also use a combination of Target Nearest NPC, Target Nearest Enemy, and Shift+Num4/Num6 to target. I use an ALL setting.

[Jamison]

I"m not sure what they may have in mind to deal with this, but there is a simple fix: make one key a modifier key that when hit or held down switches you into targeting mode from the action bar. The button that moves focus up to the status effects pallet is fairly useless and could be changed to that.