Complexity/Sensory Overload

[Snugglebutt]

I have no issues with controller (wll, when runs out of battery...) And I can even acomodate another 16 more skills without problem. Otherwise, I find keyboard + mouse terrible hard to play. I need 56 fingers to use the keyboard. So, I play with combination of Gamepad + Mouse. I don0t need look much at my hotbars, cause I memorize all them for all classes. Also I follow similar schemes for all classes. For example, main combo on melee are always in the same buttons, like DoT or Skill like Blood for Blood are always in the same buttons for all classes. THis makes me easy to memorize all the hotbars. THis way I can put attention to the HUD and the mechanics and forget a bit about the hotbars, only checking when CD are up is all I need.

On classes which have fixed rotations it's less of a problem but on master weaving ones or ones like machinist for example you have to keep an eye on the skill icons to check if they do or do not proc since your rotation is linked to procs to a high degree. Even ones that do not rely on procs so much I still think there is too much going on in the monitoring of the icons, timers, bars, boxes and windows when in combination of the class complexity and fight mechanics all together.

I feel like I rarely get to enjoy taking part in the content because I am not even getting to spend much time watching whats going on outside of micro managing the GUI like tiny timers on tiny buff/debuff icons on mobs/the group and yourself, having to look at position of cursor vs shortcut bar icons a lot because it is almost impossible to keyboard map and control adequately 3-4 shortcut bars full of skills/macros and potions without using mouse to make up for lack of fingers, so many GCD's and oGCD's to manage, procs on the icons plus 3 or 4 bars full of icons itself is not ideal, mentally managing rotations (worse on master weaving rather than fairly static/routine ones), positionals plus also monitoring HP/TP and MP bars, chat boxes and more while also expected to keep an eye on the content itself for party member positions, your position, boss position/skill use and it's AoE's while mentally juggling all the rotations and mechanics.

I feel like I need to be cross-eyed just to keep an eye on everything these days when playing plus and even though at this current stage I can cope just about with it all...I do not get to enjoy it much. I also know SE can't keep going down this path adding more complexity to all three elements before becoming ever more detrimental to the gameplay and most people's experience playing it. I don't expect everyone to agree as everyone has their own line in the sand or crossroads at which that point exists, for me though we have reached that point now and I hope SE stops and changes course from this point on.

I think we have reached to limit on how far they should go with class complexity and should go down the path of new skills being direct higher level more powerful replacements for pre-existing lower level skills rather than adding more new purpose skills which further clog up/increase the shortcut bars. They should continue to add more classes but keep their complexity to no higher than current complexity of pre-existing classes. I think they have plenty of room to go down more complexity to the fight mechanics/variety aspect though so SE should maybe focus on that more than class complexity going forward. I think the GUI needs streamlining and improving because that has slightly crossed the line in my opinion with that element drawing too much focus away from the actual content itself taking part in. As I said though I admit it is subjective and preferential as to how far is too far for each person.