I'm feeling demoralised

[triadne]

Thanks ^_^
So, from what I've read, the limitation of macros is due to the fact that GCD is 2.5 and the macro can only give 3 between each ability. I don't intend on doing those sorts of macros in future, so is that all I need to be concerned with?

[Canadane]

Thanks ^_^
So, from what I've read, the limitation of macros is due to the fact that GCD is 2.5 and the macro can only give 3 between each ability. I don't intend on doing those sorts of macros in future, so is that all I need to be concerned with?

That's not the only reason.
First of all while the default GCD is 2.5 seconds like you said, you'll come across skill speed on your gear which will lower this. You may also end up being slowed (though rarely) by some enemy so it'll be longer! So even if you could set a macro wait command to 2.5 seconds, it'd need constant editing as the situation changes.

Secondly, by design, skills are queued up as you use it. There's a native skill queue that will allow one skill to be preset as the next one to execute once your current skill is complete. This allows the game to give you a more seamless attacking experience as you string together your combos and skills in general. Macros cannot use this skill queuing. And I don't just mean the list of skills you want to put into your macro, I mean the macro itself. You cannot be in the middle of a GCD or even an oGCD animation or else the macro will simply fail to execute. The worst is when people put text in their macros "Raising x" or "Provoking the mob" or something and you just see them say it like 5 times because their macro won't go off as they want it to.

Back when ARR launched (or perhaps it was during a beta) one of the developers addressed this by saying they want players to actually play the game and press their buttons. They don't want a game where you press one button and you'll just flawlessly perform the proper skill rotation for 30 seconds. As such they ensured that while you CAN use battle skills with macros, you probably shouldn't.


FFXIV has a lot going on to it, and simply learning the control scheme seems to come quick to some, and slower to others. Usually depends on what kinda other games the player is used to, I feel like.
If you keep at it, you'll get the hang of it. It looks like you're pretty early on too? Says lancer level 15, so as you learn more skills while leveling up, you'll probably get a better taste3 for how the flow works in targeting, attacking, switching targets, etc. The lower levels can almost be kind of a bore by later level standards! Please look forward to it.

[triadne]

so if i understand correctly, just having the macro for making true thrust act as my autoattack opener, then it won't be an issue? i am pressing the button with my own timings, i can see my gcd by looking at my other moves. i don't tend to queue my skills ahead of time anyhow. plus i'm not looking for ultra efficiency, just playing for myself. as i get used to altering targeting, i may find the need to remove the macro as it does tend to pick the closest enemy and i don't always want that.

it just solves the major issue i had when joining a fight with lots of friendly NPC's. i almost quit due to that, because i literally couldn't target the enemy i wanted. the game kept targetting the npc.

[Frizze]

I could be mistaken, but i think your macro is longer then it needs to be. I am under the impression that using one of your weaponskills on an enemy also turns on auto-attack. So just a target and True Thrust would have the same effect(and as a shorter macro, less prone to failing to work).