Would you play FFXIV if it had action combat?

[Kosmos992k]

You know, I have to say that the MMORPG market is pretty well replete with games that cater to the kind of gameplay that the OP and others seem to wish for.

FFXIV is one of the few, if not the only, games to offer a slower paced, more structured/strategic approach. Given that situation, I have to ask why FFXIV should change when what you apparently desire is available in so many other games already.

FFXIV is what it is, many people came to this game because of that. Changing such fundamental things in the game would alienate many players. Hell, just the gameplay changes in HW caused some players problems, and they were just skill adjustments.

[Colorful]

You know, I have to say that the MMORPG market is pretty well replete with games that cater to the kind of gameplay that the OP and others seem to wish for.

FFXIV is one of the few, if not the only, games to offer a slower paced, more structured/strategic approach. Given that situation, I have to ask why FFXIV should change when what you apparently desire is available in so many other games already.

FFXIV is what it is, many people came to this game because of that. Changing such fundamental things in the game would alienate many players. Hell, just the gameplay changes in HW caused some players problems, and they were just skill adjustments.

What exactly do you mean by "structured/strategic"? FFXIV is no more strategic than WoW in terms of combat, when I'm literally waiting on my next ability to be ready it isn't what I'd call strategic. I don't have to adapt my rotation to something else unless there's 4+ mobs, slow =! strategic.... Maybe in Savage content? I don't know, but that's 1% of the overall content. No one's asking for them to change it, I don't think they could even if they wanted to, but combat in the Witcher 3 on Death March is a hell of a lot more strategic than FFXIV. FFXIV's combat seems like easy mode WoW combat pre skill squish.

[Kosmos992k]

What exactly do you mean by "structured/strategic"?

I'm not going to argue with you regarding this. Real time action combat is fundamentally different from what we have right now. What we have now is a halfway house between action combat and turn based combat, though it leans more heavily towards action. However, the changes that the OP outlines seem to me to create a combat system that's little more than button mashing.

If you can't see how target and skill selection, buff and debuff selection and the general flow of the combat system in FFXIV is more structured and strategic than button mashing where all melee skills are also AoE, then there's really nothing to discuss.

[Colorful]

I'm not going to argue with you regarding this. Real time action combat is fundamentally different from what we have right now. What we have now is a halfway house between action combat and turn based combat, though it leans more heavily towards action. However, the changes that the OP outlines seem to me to create a combat system that's little more than button mashing.

If you can't see how target and skill selection, buff and debuff selection and the general flow of the combat system in FFXIV is more structured and strategic than button mashing where all melee skills are also AoE, then there's really nothing to discuss.

Oh of course, every action game is a simple game of button mashing without regard of anything else, right? You're right, there really is nothing to discuss with someone who considers anything even remotely fast to be "button mashing".

[Kosmos992k]

Oh of course, every action game is a simple game of button mashing without regard of anything else, right? You're right, there really is nothing to discuss with someone who considers anything even remotely fast to be "button mashing".

It is what it is. The OP describes a real time (with animation locks) action combat system where all melee attacks are also AoE, has Ranged attackers face their targets (aiming) and homogenizes all jobs with self heal and dodging skills. It sounds a lot like games such as GW2. If that's your thing, have fun, it exists already. FFXIV is combat system is good as it is, it needs no modification to be more reaction time and action based.

[Colorful]

It is what it is. The OP describes a real time (with animation locks) action combat system where all melee attacks are also AoE, has Ranged attackers face their targets (aiming) and homogenizes all jobs with self heal and dodging skills. It sounds a lot like games such as GW2. If that's your thing, have fun, it exists already. FFXIV is combat system is good as it is, it needs no modification to be more reaction time and action based.

I wouldn't consider Guild Wars 2 to be action based, or even remotely close to being action based. It feels like they tried to innovate on the traditional MMO combat but failed miserably and yet somehow managed to turn it into a successful game, I guess that's what happens when you have no subscription fee. ESO for example, it went from being known as one of the worst MMOs and a terrible Elder Scrolls games, to being alright because they removed the sub fee.

I don't know if you've tried out WildStar, but I've just gotten into it and the game is far more complex than FFXIV, while innovating on the MMO combat in the right way. Every ability is an AOE, yes, but you have to manage resources on several classes (Stalker and Warrior both, those are the ones I've tried), manage buffs, stuns actually have a use in early game, and if you don't utilize them it results in a wipe, etc. It is very twitch based in the way AoEs are handled, but it's twitch based while retaining the depth of a traditional MMO. It does not have an animation lock though, because no one loves those. I do love FFXIV's combat (at times), but it's far from being the most strategic game out there, hell I'd hardly call it strategic, more like a game of memorization.

[Kosmos992k]

I don't know if you've tried out WildStar, but I've just gotten into it and the game is far more complex than FFXIV, while innovating on the MMO combat in the right way. Every ability is an AOE, yes, but you have to manage resources on several classes (Stalker and Warrior both, those are the ones I've tried), manage buffs, stuns actually have a use in early game, and if you don't utilize them it results in a wipe, etc. It is very twitch based in the way AoEs are handled, but it's twitch based while retaining the depth of a traditional MMO. It does not have an animation lock though, because no one loves those. I do love FFXIV's combat (at times), but it's far from being the most strategic game out there, hell I'd hardly call it strategic, more like a game of memorization.

I haven't tried out Wildstar, however I'm not a fan of twitch mechanics, my 50 year old fingers don't have quite the same sharp reflexes they did when I was younger. I come from the world of turn based JRPGs, and so yes, I agree that FFXIV is hardly the most strategic system of combat around, but then it's not a turn based strategy game, so I can't fault it. It is however about as actiony as I really want in a game these days. If I could have my wishes with regard to the combat system, we'd first require an overhaul of the skills and skill system, and then have a fully turn based combat system implemented on top of that. But that's pie in the sky these days, only niche market games really offer fully turn based systems, which is fine, I'll enjoy them there. But FFXIV provides a kind of halfway house where people that prefer turn based can coexist with people that prefer action because the systems global cooldown helps provide some of that structure and time that turn based players liked and allows more time to consider actions making it more strategic than most action combat systems.

If my previous posts made it sound like I was putting down twitch/action systems, I apologize, because I'm really not. It's a case of horses for courses, people that like twitch/action systems have options, people that prefer the more turn based solutions have (fewer) options.

FFXIV hits a spot that caters to both groups without necessarily being perfect for either, it works.