[dev1035] Improvement of Targeting (discuss)

[Jovy]

God so the solution is 2 wrongs make a right? Both systems are very clumsy for targeting. Would be easier to hold a button down, one for PCs and one for mobs and then the appropriate direction buttons. When nothing is held down, it'll work how it did b4. But it make targeting easier.

[kukurumei]

God so the solution is 2 wrongs make a right? Both systems are very clumsy for targeting. Would be easier to hold a button down, one for PCs and one for mobs and then the appropriate direction buttons. When nothing is held down, it'll work how it did b4. But it make targeting easier.

Oh geez no, people will get tired in about 5 fights and leave.

The problem is more a a problem with console vs PC again. PC's have it easy because they expect you to lock on to anything with a click of a mouse, because there isn't any locking, and thus at the same time, chase cameras are banned as procedure. They also use the monitor to their full use, aka top down camera. Into a RTS like procedure.

Consoles have it opposite, you are expected to lock on and chase camera for it to be effective. Mouse and imperfect targeting are the the banned UIs.

This isn't an action game, no one is going to be holding down crap, heck since you're communicating, you rarely rarely have the fingers to do anything permeant.

That's why FF11 invented smart selection. /stpc, tabbing, and intelligent target switching.

There's going to have to be some middle point. You can't have a completely console type but a completely PC type. The best they can do is continue on the path of intelligent targeting. The probability of hitting something close is greater then far, etc, etc.

[Rutelor]

From the moment they introduced the moded targeting system, in patch 1.16, I thought all that system needed was a combination of buttons to cycle between targeting modes (like we do now, to adjust the camera with the gamepad.) If that small change were effected, then they could alter the directional controls so that you could still use the D-Pad's (or directional arrows') up-down to target party members in displayed-list order, and left-right to target positionally, according to selected mode.

If you add to this the ability to toggle between the old and new systems, which apparently is coming with patch 1.16a, then you would have very little complaints regarding targeting from, at least, this one player.

All of this, of course should be accompanied by the ability to write down macro targets in as specific a manner as we could do in FFXI. Where are our <stnpc>, <stpc>, <bt>, <st>, <lastst>, <r>, and of course our /assist command?

[ESAR]

Honestly I think if they just kept the current targeting modes that they have right now, but while in each rather then needing to select the first target it just auto-targeted the closest of that target type from their select by either changing point of view or selecting left or right. It would fix the problems with the current system.

Now there is also the problem of not being able to switch targets for a single attack while locked on. For this, I think they need to bring back some sort of sub-targeting system. They could bring this up by holding down an action on the bar.

[kukurumei]

Honestly I think if they just kept the current targeting modes that they have right now, but while in each rather then needing to select the first target it just auto-targeted the closest of that target type from their select by either changing point of view or selecting left or right. It would fix the problems with the current system.

Now there is also the problem of not being able to switch targets for a single attack while locked on. For this, I think they need to bring back some sort of sub-targeting system. They could bring this up by holding down an action on the bar.

Yes, in FF11 there was a manual sub targeting system for lock on. In FF4, you had to unlock and re target, which isn't bad, but isn't good.

And it also faintly falls into the fact FF14 doesn't have an auto-attack system. FF11 inherently knew that you had to "attack" something, but FF14, you don't you can use any skill without having aggressive action. The easy way would have been skill <stnpc>.

That's kinda unique. Without auto attack, to "initiate a battle", you have to depend on auto locks. Because right now we have target lock and target select. A very confusing state, without auto attacks.

It's a matter of semantics, but it's basically why they had a problem in the first place. The mixing of console and PC got a big crack in this case.

Basically the problem with FF14 is that you get "retarget"ed depending on what skills you do, and how you do it. Which happens a lot if you visit the "auto target next, after monster dies" problem.