Question about PC/Keyboard controls

[416to305]

Hi all,
I play on PS4 only as all healers but am buying a gaming PC and will be playing more on PC soon. I've always found it awkward in the few times I did a demo of ffxiv on my laptop mainly with doing actions. It's fairly straightforward to move with WASD and control the camera/targets with the mouse. What I have trouble with is the action keys, using 0,1,2,3 etc for Cure, Cure II and so on. I always have to look down to see them where as PS4 you only ever push 2 buttons, a trigger and a button never looking away from the screen. Holding ctrl plus one of them seems even harder, and mousing over one to click it seems slow. More people play on PC though so I'm obviously missing something, just wondering if you have any tips?

[Ashelia_Ferron]

Well if you don't end up getting used to it, you could just plug in your PS4 controller and keep playing that way

[Cassandaria]

as a dedicated pc player who also uses a controller from time to time, I can say that whatever is the most comfortable for you is where you should go. However, if you want to adjust to a keyboard, what I do is divide the keyboard up. I use the number keys 1-6 with my left hand, but the 7-9 is done with the mouse, this also provides me having two ways to activate.
The other option to keep in mind is that targeting on the pc is far more intuitive and you have many more party target options. Try going to a simple area with a party that'll help you adjust and try the targeting options. You can use the F keys to immediately target on your party list, select that member on the screen directly, select that member with the mouse in the party list, mouse over that party list if you want to use macros as well as using text commands if you like that instead. The adaptability is the real benefit, but the other suggestion I would have is to plan your heals to begin precasting.

[Februs]

I have a similar question, but in the reverse of the OP's. Sorry to steal your thunder, OP, but it's better than starting a new thread.

I just started healing recently, and so far party healing seems pretty straight forward with a controller... but Alliance healing seems impossible. I avoid PvP or 24 man raids as my healer because I feel gimpy by comparison to the PC players who can easily just click on whatever Alliance HP bar is low and cast a heal. Normally it's fine... until you're the last healer standing any everyone's begging you to rez/heal them. Opening the "virtual mouse" to heal is slow, clunky, locks your hotbar, and locks your camera (both of the last two being utterly stupid), so I don't find that's a good alternative.

So, my question is: Do any controller players know a better way of going about doing this? Or am I screwed in Alliances without a mouse and keyboard?

[Roxas_Andrade]

So, my question is: Do any controller players know a better way of going about doing this? Or am I screwed in Alliances without a mouse and keyboard?

If you use a PS4, you can just use the pad on the controller as a mouse. It's not as good as a mouse, but whatever.
If you're on a PS3 or usin a control with no pad on your PC, I don't know what to say. I played on PS3 a long time ago, but there wasn't alliance content back then and then I transferred to PS4...

[Dayala]

I never use 7-0 keys, I use my mouse for anything I can't keybind on the 7-0 abilities to letters QERT FG ZXCV. I also keybind my mouse wheel (pressing it) to sprint (I'm a healer, comes in handy while I'm running around) so when I'm moving around I can still use abilities around the WASD keys that are within reach.

You get used to it. It was hard at first but once you know your keyboard layout, you do it without thinking.

Helps to keybind similar actions to the same letters through the jobs (Medica II on T, Aspected Helios on T, Sacred Soil on Q, Collective on Q, Medica on R, Succor on R, Helios on R, Addlo on 3, Aspected Benefit on 3, Regen on 3, Esunas (sch, ast and whm versions) on 5, Aetherflow / Shroud / whatever the AST one is on X.) it gets to be muscle memory then no matter what job you're on.

[Ragology]

So, my question is: Do any controller players know a better way of going about doing this? Or am I screwed in Alliances without a mouse and keyboard?

Open the Character configuration menu, control settings, filters tab, then scroll down to "enable customization."

You can set up four targeting behaviors here, each activated by pressing L1+ a face button. You can use this to create filter just for alliance members. So in mid battle, activate the filter, get your heals off and then switch back to your regular filter with ease.

Oh hmm, I've just read that L1+ left/right will cycle through alliance members by default. See if that works too.

[416to305]

Thanks all that helps. I've never had an issue with alliances on the PS4. I mean I worry about my own party, it's not that often that you look and see many other people dead from the alliance. I just use the dualshock touchpad and mouse up to that person and click them though, it's the easiest way I find. I might keep using the controller on the PC we'll see, was more the 7-0 mentioned as they seemed awkward. Where I find the PS4 slightly more challenging is on PC with the mouse it's easier to just mouse over an ability, or a buff on someone etc and see what it is. PS4 it's not as easy to do that, especially tool tips on abilities. I usually just use the touchpad to mouse over one if I need to see but I feel like already having the mouse in your hand would make you faster.

[VanilleFang]

Oh hmm, I've just read that L1+ left/right will cycle through alliance members by default. See if that works too.

It does. That's how I do it. But it's a pain in the butt.

[416to305]

In all fairness though the controller is actually pretty well done considering the type of game this is. I see lots of posts people complaining about fitting stuff on, but with the expanded hotbar there's really no reason you can't have quick access to everything you use the most. I just want to try other games as well like Wildstar or WoW which don't have controller so figure it would be good to get used to it. Back to the keyboard though as you should post a new thread if you have controller questions and not hijack this one. Does it make a difference using bluetooth wireless keyboard/mouse vs plugged in? I know I always see wired is better but I feel like that might be more an issue on FPS games?