backwards casting

[Local_Custard]

Hello again!
Today I learned there is a thing called backwards casting! What it is is you can cast while looking away. If you're curious, I learned it from this video:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Dln7u8oSZJI skip to 5:57.
As you see, for one frame the caster does look at the enemy then for the other frames looks away (may be iffy if effected by gaze on that single frame). As the video mentions, this is good for gaze attacks from your target while keeping uptime. I do know how to slide cast but would like to learn this single frame strat.

The video itself doesn't really outline how I can do this (as in if there needs to be a settings change or something of that effect). I have looked into this but so far the guides on it are for keyboard. How would I go about doing this on controller? Is there a macro I can make for this?

This is also applicable to healers too (or any job with a timer on its ability/job. Though, I can imagine it is far more flexible for melee) but thought I would learn it for casters first (especially blackmage, given its long cast times).

[ZiraZ]

I don't play on controller but I assume you just want to wiggle the camera analog stick incredibly fast while looking away and with automatically face enemy option ticked on, also casters need to really close to the target for some reason.
On melee you can just spam strafe left and right while looking away so yeah it's easier
Also you can test this for yourself in unsynched King Thordan normal or extreme, he does a gaze early in the fight.

[Ggwppino]

I'm not a controller user so I might not tell you the best way but as a controller the only way I can guess is to have the standard cam (the character needs to follow the camera) and look with the camera on the opposite side of the target. At this point when u cast a spell just spam right left (cam) to overwrite the autofacing frames and go back to looking where the camera is pointing.
Id also like to point out that actually the completely opposite camera does not work with wide hitbox targets or when you are far from target, but you should aim the cam at approximately perpendicular (~90°).
Then by doing a few tries on the dummy you understand more or less where the camera should point so as not to make the cast fail.

[Local_Custard]

I don't play on controller but I assume you just want to wiggle the camera analog stick incredibly fast while looking away and with automatically face enemy option ticked on, also casters need to really close to the target for some reason.
On melee you can just spam strafe left and right while looking away so yeah it's easier
Also you can test this for yourself in unsynched King Thordan normal or extreme, he does a gaze early in the fight.

I'm not a controller user so I might not tell you the best way but as a controller the only way I can guess is to have the standard cam (the character needs to follow the camera) and look with the camera on the opposite side of the target. At this point when u cast a spell just spam right left (cam) to overwrite the autofacing frames and go back to looking where the camera is pointing.
Id also like to point out that actually the completely opposite camera does not work with wide hitbox targets or when you are far from target, but you should aim the cam at approximately perpendicular (~90°).
Then by doing a few tries on the dummy you understand more or less where the camera should point so as not to make the cast fail.

thanks for the advice! I'll be testing this out later when I have the time!

[Local_Custard]

I have tried standard camera for a few minutes now. It's a real adjustment. My one gripe is the camera snaps when moving around. Is there a way of changing this? I have tried turning off autoface enemy and it prevents me from doing anything efficiently as a melee...

At this point I'm uncertain if the effort is worth it given how the best configurations seem to conflict for some jobs I play.

[TheDustyOne]

The way it seems to work is that the only time the game cares about your facing when using abilities is when you start the cast, and end the cast, anything during the cast time the game doesn't bother to check if you're still facing the right direction. This is also why the game will continue to let spells be casted when the target is dead, but ends up failing to cast because, well, there's no valid target when the game goes to check if the cast is successful, it doesn't care about whether it's valid or not in the middle of casting, only when it starts or ends.

I don't bother with the technique honestly, the only time it's relevant is during look-away mechanics, and I'd rather burn an instant cast spell to resolve it than switch to Standard controls.

[Ggwppino]

I have tried standard camera for a few minutes now. It's a real adjustment. My one gripe is the camera snaps when moving around. Is there a way of changing this? I have tried turning off autoface enemy and it prevents me from doing anything efficiently as a melee...

At this point I'm uncertain if the effort is worth it given how the best configurations seem to conflict for some jobs I play.

With the legacy cam I don't think it can be possible. On mouse and keyboard you just need to go both forward and backward forcing the character to look at the cam (with the right mouse button) but on controller I don't know if you can do a similar thing.


Autofacing must be turned on, otherwise you can't cast while looking away.
The purpose of moving the camera left and right is precisely to reposition the player's gaze where the cam is pointed.

[Taranok]

With the legacy cam I don't think it can be possible. On mouse and keyboard you just need to go both forward and backward forcing the character to look at the cam (with the right mouse button) but on controller I don't know if you can do a similar thing.


Autofacing must be turned on, otherwise you can't cast while looking away.
The purpose of moving the camera left and right is precisely to reposition the player's gaze where the cam is pointed.

All I want is a third camera type, where if I hold a button (e.g. right click,) it will force the character to face the camera even when stationary. But still have the ability to press S and go backwards at full run speed, while also being able to run and not need to wiggle the camera because the character realigned.

Do that and I'd be happy. Alas...

I have tried standard camera for a few minutes now. It's a real adjustment. My one gripe is the camera snaps when moving around. Is there a way of changing this? I have tried turning off autoface enemy and it prevents me from doing anything efficiently as a melee...

At this point I'm uncertain if the effort is worth it given how the best configurations seem to conflict for some jobs I play.

So, standard and legacy both have merits and drawbacks. The most important thing when playing standard is to always hold right click to force character facing, be very quick with your mouse flicks (or joystick flicks,) and rock the camera as mentioned in the above post to force a realignment.

The strict benefit of standard is that you can greedcast facing mechanics, while the drawback is not having legacy's otherwise good design for running around, running backwards fast, and not needing to wiggle the camera.

It took me a long time to readjust from standard to legacy when standard finally was getting me killed so much that I had to fix it, and the same is true in reverse. So you just have to ask yourself this: Is facing the camera for any of the casting jobs (including reaper/samurai,) worth the downside of not having legacy's stellar movement and camera controls? Depending on the fight, you might prefer legacy more than standard. I know for E9S, I couldn't play well on black mage without standard because of all the faced petrifications. P8S is much the same.

Sometimes it's worth it to change it on a fight-by-fight basis, and it's just about learning what you need out of the class for that fight.

Also, as stated, again, you need autoface enemy on to land attacks while looking away. The game checks for facing when you start a cast, as well as about 500ms before the cast finishes. Understanding that is how you greed facing.

[Local_Custard]

All I want is a third camera type, where if I hold a button (e.g. right click,) it will force the character to face the camera even when stationary. But still have the ability to press S and go backwards at full run speed, while also being able to run and not need to wiggle the camera because the character realigned.

Do that and I'd be happy. Alas...



So, standard and legacy both have merits and drawbacks. The most important thing when playing standard is to always hold right click to force character facing, be very quick with your mouse flicks (or joystick flicks,) and rock the camera as mentioned in the above post to force a realignment.

The strict benefit of standard is that you can greedcast facing mechanics, while the drawback is not having legacy's otherwise good design for running around, running backwards fast, and not needing to wiggle the camera.

It took me a long time to readjust from standard to legacy when standard finally was getting me killed so much that I had to fix it, and the same is true in reverse. So you just have to ask yourself this: Is facing the camera for any of the casting jobs (including reaper/samurai,) worth the downside of not having legacy's stellar movement and camera controls? Depending on the fight, you might prefer legacy more than standard. I know for E9S, I couldn't play well on black mage without standard because of all the faced petrifications. P8S is much the same.

Sometimes it's worth it to change it on a fight-by-fight basis, and it's just about learning what you need out of the class for that fight.

Also, as stated, again, you need autoface enemy on to land attacks while looking away. The game checks for facing when you start a cast, as well as about 500ms before the cast finishes. Understanding that is how you greed facing.

yeah I did give legacy a shot. So far standard hasn't killed me. I do have autoface on. I have tried turning it off but as I said, doesn't really work for me. I would try legacy more if it didn't adjust the camera automatically. In fact, I now have that turned off for standard. I have not seen it as an option for legacy (but if it, do point out where that is!). The sudden angling in the camera disorients me. I could see it giving me motion sickness if it happens enough.
But yeah, my main motivator was keeping uptime even when danger stares are going on. Thanks for your response, I appreciate it.

[Taranok]

yeah I did give legacy a shot. So far standard hasn't killed me. I do have autoface on. I have tried turning it off but as I said, doesn't really work for me. I would try legacy more if it didn't adjust the camera automatically. In fact, I now have that turned off for standard. I have not seen it as an option for legacy (but if it, do point out where that is!). The sudden angling in the camera disorients me. I could see it giving me motion sickness if it happens enough.
But yeah, my main motivator was keeping uptime even when danger stares are going on. Thanks for your response, I appreciate it.

The camera only moves on Legacy if you don't have "Disable Camera Pivot" toggled. Can find the setting here.

https://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/uigui...ng_legacy.html