Animation Lock: Why don't you like it?

[Pseudopsia]

GCD is probably just there so PS3 users who need to navigate skill bars, can stand a chance in PvP for example, or don't fall behind to much in DPS department in raids etc.
Animation lock doesn't prevent skill spamming at all.

Just pointing out that PS3 users in ARR won't be navigating skill bars like FFXIV 1.0 controller users. Below is screen shot from official site that show controller users just press a combination of controller buttons to perform a skill. This is very quick to do and is similar Tera's controller interface.


http://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/news/a...nd-concept-art

The PS3 action bar provides a total of sixteen customizable slots. The left eight slots are accessed by holding the L2 button, and the right eight slots are accessed by holding the R2 button. These eight slots are then mapped to the controller's directional pad and the buttons.™™

In short, to use an action, players press a face button while holding a shoulder button.
Up to eight different action bars can be configured for each class. Players cycle through action bars by holding down both the L2 and R2 buttons and pressing the directional buttons.

[Warlock]

This thread is bad and you should feel bad...

[Shougun]

. . .cancel the current animation should you need to, . . .

Exactly, you should be able to cancel your action. Perhaps if you get over 75% your spells go on cooldown and your mana cost is taken - the follow through you were talking of (but I think wasting your channel casting time is punishment enough, like in Ifirit if you dont time your spells right you are wasting valuable DPS time and pressuring your tank and healer more). But being required to stop and basically "stunned" is unnecessary, and you can argue it adds difficulty but I argue not. The devs must design content around this issue, and JUST like Yoshida said - this is a problem, he wants more responsive combat but he cant make it with the system at hand. So yes with what we have it can be an extra challange, but without we can have MORE challenge. (not all my points are directed towards you :P, just so you dont think "but i didnt say that... lol")

With animation blending (which wont be ready until later beta, so we havent seen it yet) the aesthetic issue should be no problem, since the animations will be pulled together to look meaningful.

I think the biggest issue, at least the one I gave the most merit to is aesthetics and that should all be but history with the animation blending system in place.

Animation lock must die.

[Klefth]

Well... imagine someone using Aura Pulse, Dragon Kick, Simian Thrash, Ring of Talons or Doom Spike while moving. Yeah, that would look amazing, wouldn't it?

I say animation lock should still be there for some stuff. For things like buffs and such skills, it is kind of dumb and unnecessary, but removing it from weaponskills also would make them look beyond ridiculous.

[Alhanelem]

Aesthetics that get in the way of good gameplay are aesthetics I can do without.

[KaiTBF]

Aesthetics that get in the way of good gameplay are aesthetics I can do without.

Good gameplay with unfitting aesthetics is no better for many of us. A balance has to be found if you intend to make a good game.

[Yrusama]

Good gameplay with unfitting aesthetics is no better for many of us. A balance has to be found if you intend to make a good game.

Most of the animations I saw from the alpha videos looked fine. I think many of the LNC combos in particular were quick enough that I didn't really notice any sliding. The spear throw move in particular is a great example, as the character does a full-body leap as he performs the throw. It would look great if the character were charging the enemy. So it's a matter of animating the characters in such a way that they don't appear to slide.

As for spells, I'm pretty sure they cancel when the player tries to move. This was a decisive change to 1.0's system for mages, and I'm sure they will leave it that way.

[Issachar]

1.0 WS processing:
[START] Click WS -> instruction sent to server -> damage algorithm processed and damage dealt -> server instruction sent back -> WS animation activates and log updated [END]

This is why animation lock sucks.

2.0/ARR WS processing:
[START] Click WS -> clientside sees if conditions are met -> WS animation activates [END]

Meanwhile, behind the scenes...

(if clientside conditions are met) -> instruction sent to server -> damage algorithm processed and damage dealt -> server instruction sent back -> log updated [END]


These two paths happen simultaneously when the button is clicked. Combine it with a non-locking animation, and it just works out much better than before.

If ARR were to use animation locks combined with the branching process tree that they introduced, it'd still work much better than 1.0's.

[Messenger]

Animation lock is okay, thanks to that i was forced to be cautious and timed my skill activation effectively. Not sure about you guys but this adds challenge to my personal gameplay. For those who complains that it sucks, they are probably the ones who like just to sit down, relax and spam their attacks to kill the boss faster. Next thing they know, theyr probably complaining how the game is boring that there arent any tactics to it :P

[SkyeWindbinder]

Animation lock sucked, imo.

There are better ways to make a battle challenging and prevent skill spamming than rooting a person in place while a spell casts. It was obnoxious, and I say good riddance to it in ARR.