SoS Normal, why the mandatory active time event?

[Reinhardt_Azureheim]

Best way is still to make everybody but the one that failed break free. That's how other QTEs of that sort do it (Shinryu).
Then it WILL be clear who failed

This chat message will make it just as clear and will not let people go further than 5.3 Seat of Sacrifice without having learned or put in the effort for an AT-Event in a party-based duty.

I see this as a responsibility check and I hope it stays. We should not actively encourage "it's okay if you die, we will just pick you right up" just because it is story mode. Seat of Sacrifice is a wake-up call.

[Korbei]

Do me a favour? Reply to this post with a quote of at least two (as you did say people, plural) people who are arguging for it.

This is absolutely a fair callout so let me clarify: I'm not saying people are defending it. What's blowing my mind is that people suggest a plethora of workarounds and ways to just deal with it and get on with the game. We should all be rising up in unison with pitchforks and torches over this kind of crap. Not only to have this particular use of it removed, but every other use of it removed and to never have it implemented in the future. It's garbage and it needs to be universally derided.

[Cheremia]

This is absolutely a fair callout so let me clarify: I'm not saying people are defending it. What's blowing my mind is that people suggest a plethora of workarounds and ways to just deal with it and get on with the game. We should all be rising up in unison with pitchforks and torches over this kind of crap. Not only to have this particular use of it removed, but every other use of it removed and to never have it implemented in the future. It's garbage and it needs to be universally derided.

Why do i have to when i don‘t care about them and could be used in cool scenarios? In from the cold still makes good use of it.

I‘m completely neutral to them and since they are in the game, telling others how to deal with it/make things clearer is the only way to go.

Just because you hate them it doesnt mean that I, a neutral party, have to join you.

If i see people say: „you need to mash in SoS“ i roll my eyes because thats not what needs to be done and the bar is not a „keep 100% full“ thing. You don‘t need to like it anyways, but the mashing part is straight up wrong.

[Ravenwatch]

A couple of weeks ago, I configured my keybinds and made R my reply key for chat. During the ATE, I randomly pressed keys in the center like I used to. I forgot about R. Chat box opened, became filled with gibberish, hit enter to close the box, everyone sees gibberish, we wipe.

I apologize profusely and we continue. And then I accidentally did it again.

I reset my PC and hid under my blanket for an hour. I’m 41 years old.

This made my day to read LOL. Thats one of those glorious messups where it happens and it just feels like you crossed the threshold where apologies aren't possible anymore. Appropriate response for sure.

[Avoidy]

When this content released, I got through it on the first try with some randoms. Then I went back later to help a friend clear it, and one guy trapped us there on the QTE six times before he finally broke and left. We queued up for a new member, but nobody was joining a badass msq trial in progress, so we had to abandon. Now I see similar bullshit in Aglaia, because some dev thought it'd be cool to let one cheeky dude waste the time of 23 other people by moving 1 pixel to the left or right during scales. These mechanics are cool concepts, but in practice giving one person the ability to wipe the group isn't great. At best, some newbie earns the animosity of everyone when they screw it up. At worst, a griefer queues up just to trap people on purpose. And the mechanic itself isn't even fun. SoS is just a button mash. Aglaia's is just an add phase. I don't think failing because of one person makes the experience better in these instances.

But of course if they ever remove it or tweak it so that griefers can't waste time, people will come crying about how "soul" has been removed from the game, even though they haven't run this content in a year+

[AmiableApkallu]

In the reworked Porta Decumana (Ultima Weapon) fight, Titan puts you in a gaol, and then you pour yourself drink and twiddle your thumbs while waiting for prayer to happen.

I think that's why Active Time Manuevers exist: to give "struggles" like that a little weight. Used sparingly, I think the concept is fine. The execution could use refinement, though.

- It should be a personal struggle. You failing shouldn't wipe the group.

- It should be "fill the gauge and succeed," not "keep mashing to avoid failure." Shinryu, not SoS, if I recall correctly.

- The "mashing" required should average out to no more than one button push every ~0.75 seconds, i.e., a GCD + double weaving. Combined with "used sparingly", hopefully that's not too much for those suffering from repetitive stress injuries.

[ReynTime]

Instead of votekicking, maybe explain to that person how it works?

A lot of PC players assume the button in the middle of the screen must be mouse clicked and despite having the seen active time manuevers a few times before this, they don't understand that's incorrect unless someone tells them. That leads to failure because depending on the mouse or joint problems in your hand you won't be able to click that fast.

So if someone fails, ask if they're using mouse/keyboard and let them know the button doesn't have to be clicked. Instead, they can just rapidly mash keyboard buttons. They'll learn something new and they'll have a better experience for it while the group will hopefully stop wiping.


Also agreed. I don't know why the developers think they're an engaging mechanic.

But we're stuck with them so have to make the best of the situation.

Well theyre the same developers who thought the SMN rework and Healer design are engaging.

[Cheremia]

- The "mashing" required should average out to no more than one button push every ~0.75 seconds, i.e., a GCD + double weaving. Combined with "used sparingly", hopefully that's not too much for those suffering from repetitive stress injuries.

Seat of sacrifice has a clock ticking in the background which I press my keys to and it's more than enough. Like a heartbeat is what i do.
It IS already super slow, people just think they have to mash, which they do not

[TaleraRistain]

I would leave it out of all content period. It's not interesting as a mechanic. It's extremely immersion breaking to be in the middle of a story combat moment just find ACTIVE TIME MANUEVER suddenly plastered over half the screen.

Want a do or die moment? Give the player the special LBs to use as they do in other solo duties. That works great, it's there on the hot bar for the player to think to use or not. You get a great special effect to watch instead of having your eyes glaze over staring at a grey button next to a bar.

Yeah I tend to agree. It's not an interesting mechanic to react to. The effect is great, like with Cruise Chase or Shinryu or used like in Hades and SoS. But the execution leaves a lot to be desired.

If they want to keep it, maybe make it a carrot instead. Give a buff if everyone gets it like E8. Could also pair that with incorporating the stick only on the one who failed. The basic content in this game is designed that sometimes someone will need a carry, especially if it's an instance where they still require group content to progress for a player who would otherwise stay with Duty Support.

[Stormfur]

A couple of weeks ago, I configured my keybinds and made R my reply key for chat. During the ATE, I randomly pressed keys in the center like I used to. I forgot about R. Chat box opened, became filled with gibberish, hit enter to close the box, everyone sees gibberish, we wipe.

I apologize profusely and we continue. And then I accidentally did it again.

I reset my PC and hid under my blanket for an hour. I’m 41 years old.

I felt this in my soul.