Battle Animations (Not Effects)

[Col]

So I was browsing these forums last night when I came across this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbViLnj6mnY

And it made me realize something... Watch the player closely. I had noticed this happening when I was playing, but I never really thought about it or noticed how often it happened before.

He/she canceled the animation of nearly every ability to do a new action. Maybe this is just me, but it just doesn't feel right to see your character in the middle of a large swinging motion, then instantly return to a standing position.

What's especially bad about this though is that not only does it happen quite often... But the way that the current battle system is set up ENCOURAGES you to activate your next action as soon as possible. It just looks bad and only adds to the overall 'sloppy' and hectic feeling to the game. I can understand the need to be able to cancel the animation of attacks, but couldn't there be a longer wait time before you can start your next attack, maybe speed up some of the animations, or just create SOME way to make the transition to seem smoother?

I know this might seem like nit-picking, but... FFXIV is a very pretty looking game, and these choppy battle animations just kinda ruin it's fluidity.

[Zozor]

That may be nit-picking, but what isn't nit-picking is the lack of flavour in the animations... particularly the weapon skills.

The standard swings look good. I always thought SE did a good job on the ordinary attacks in FFXIV, but the weapon skills are not only bland, but they don't change as you level up.

One of the most exciting things about FFXI was trying out that new weapon skill. Most of the time it was more awesome than the previous. That just isn't the case here in FFXIV and it's a shame.

[Col]

That may be nit-picking, but what isn't nit-picking is the lack of flavour in the animations... particularly the weapon skills.

The standard swings look good. I always thought SE did a good job on the ordinary attacks in FFXIV, but the weapon skills are not only bland, but they don't change as you level up.

One of the most exciting things about FFXI was trying out that new weapon skill. Most of the time it was more awesome than the previous. That just isn't the case here in FFXIV and it's a shame.

While I do agree with you on the blandness of the battle effects... There's already a 100 threads about it, and that's not what this one is about. ^^;;

[Arcell]

I hate it when the animation gets cancelled out on my skills. While there may not be tons of variety to the animations, it seems strange when they just don't fire.

[Grit]

This is one of the underlying reasons why spell effects are so short and lackluster.

If it took 10 seconds for an effect to finish, you would just interrupt it every single time.