Auto-attack

[Naqaj]

There is no reason why this can't be automated to relieve the player of that chore. And it is a chore. There is nothing strategic, engaging, innovative, or fun about having to constantly return to your #1 to continue other attacks.

This is true, but auto-attack is not the only way to fix this problem, nor is it the best. Having more then one attack generate TP is one step to a better solution. Having a better gamepad UI that provides a more direct access to our abilities is another.

[Martin]

I think Auto-attack is irrelevant and should not be implemented any time soon.

[OmegaNovaios]

Auto attack promotes communication, co-operation, helps with server side lag/latency, and does not pull away from tactical play.

Communication is promoted because you have time to chat.

Co-operation is promoted because Battle Regimens will be much more likely to be used.

By forcing less actions to be entered per second (especially with those players who spam) there will be less lag/latency due to having a server side client. Making the game much more enjoyable and allow actions like Feint to be used in appropriate time windows. Cures can be cast on demand rather than waiting waiting for your stupid inferior attack to finish (much worse if you have several queued up) so you can mass heal if the mob(s) score multiple critical attacks or use very strong TP actions. Normally you would die by the next regular attack of the mob because you can't cast Cure in time due to some issue whether directly or indirectly because of auto attack interfering with mandatory animation delays or lag/latency.

This does not decrease tactical thought put into playing the game. My reasoning for this is because regular attacks are too inferior to really have any thought of judgment over other than I have to be careful not to screw myself over in case I need to use a specific action immediately without any delay whatsoever which regular attacks can definitely interfere with. With or without an auto attack I'm spending the same amount of time considering which actions to use and regular attacks are second nature to me (require no thought process behind to execute effectively like blinking)

[Arcell]

How you somehow figured that "I think the battle is completely automated" from this, I have no idea. It does not matter whether the whole battle is automated or not, it does matter that a part of the battle is automated when it does not need to be.

The only people thinking in extremes here are you and Currahee. "It doesn't make the whole combat automated" is an excuse at best, when the battle does not have to be automatic at all.

That's not where I got it from. I got it from here:

Yes, because now instead of spamming you... do nothing.

and here:

Instead of the feeling of spamming, we now get the feeling of not playing the game!

Those sentences imply, to me, that you think that we'd not be playing the game at all.

[Betelgeuzah]

That's not where I got it from. I got it from here:

Explain to me what do we do between using skills, instead of "spamming" the basic attacks?

What do you suddenly replace it with when you add auto-attack that couldn't be done before?

[Arcell]

You can still use your secondary basic attacks, spells, buffs, skills. The time spent between skills is almost negligible, 7 seconds at the most if you're waiting for a large TP consumption skill like Victimize. Let's take Pugilist for example, you could throw in Pummel, Flurry or Light Strike in there. Re-cast any buffs like Featherfoot or even Blindside if you were going to use Pounce. If you're tanking it gives you time to use your taunts again. All of this is simply more convenient with auto-attack simply because you do not have to return to Row 1 Space 1 to throw that regular attack in there every time.

[Betelgeuzah]

You can still use your secondary basic attacks, spells, buffs, skills.

And what stops you from using them now?

All of this is simply more convenient with auto-attack simply because you do not have to return to Row 1 Space 1 to throw that regular attack in there every time.

Convenient? Assign a separate button for the basic attack if this is such a huge headache. That is convenient, and doesn't require any massive changes.

[ChiefCurrahee]

Explain to me what do we do between using skills, instead of "spamming" the basic attacks?

What do you suddenly replace it with when you add auto-attack that couldn't be done before?

mmm... chat with the party, advise PT to set up a BR. navigate more easily to my next desired TP ability, Take a drink of water, eat a cookie. Respond to the tell I got mid battle, mid battle. Blow my nose. Feel less stressed during battle to always make sure I'm using my stamina to 100% effectiveness. because sitting on a full bar = losing DPS.

Should I go on?

Anyone of of those above listed activities could constitute lost DPS while in battle because you're doing something else than pressing a button to keep your DPS up.
That becomes tedious, quickly.
We are playing a MMO and because of the need to press a button for every action taken we lose out on a huge portion of a MMO: Communication.by not being able to take a moment w/o losing TP or DPS or both.

[Betelgeuzah]

mmm... chat with the party, advise PT to set up a BR. navigate more easily to my next desired TP ability, Take a drink of water, eat a cookie. Respond to the tell I got mid battle, mid battle. Blow my nose.

"Everything except actually playing the game", in other words.

This, gentlemen, is exactly why this idea is ridiculous.

Communication

It's called "voice chat" and it was mentioned in the OP. Nobody buys this excuse when better alternatives to promote communication already exist. Sorry.

Also, if communication by chat is the goal, there are still multiple much better ways to handle it that do not affect the game negatively.

[Arcell]

As much as I hate to agree with Betelgeuzah, the communication excuse isn't that great. Any guild worth its salt uses some form of voice communication at the very least for important events. Hell the group I'm with encourages people to always be in vent even if you're just going to listen during leve groups and whatnot. Communication is very important but there are hands-free ways of communicating with people instantly.