The problem with "Instant OFF GCD" abilities makes combat feel less rewarding.

[Malitias]

It's really not about difficulty. You can adjust the cooldowns on off GCD abilities for that purpose. This is really about the game feeling unresponsive and inconsistent. I push a button and I simply don't know what will happen. Do I need to push it a few more times? Did it go off? Am I sure? That's not challenge nor good gameplay - it's simply bad design.

(Note this has nothing to do with the long GCD, which I like.)

Well... look at your character more instead of the hotbars. As soon as the animatoin is finished you will use whatever ability you are trying to use. And as each skill has its own animation you KNOW if it went off(except for these situations in which you have 20 enenmies, each dying within 2 seconds). I haven't ever encountered a situation in which I pushed a button and didn't know what would happen.

[Malitias]

Good morning Camate!

Then your team needs to look into creating an ability que system if it's intended for instant casts to be this clunky.

Otherwise your game is going to turn into 1 strategy... 1 macro that will be spammed. Players that prefer not to use macros are going to be forced to. GREAT strategy design.

I don't see where the game is "forcing" me to use macros. It also doesn't feel clunky to me (matter of opinion I guess?).

A flexible queue-system would be quite awesome though. ^^

[VisualDeadlock]

i totally agree with the OP. It makes the combat feel slow and clunky, even though I can tell that its not really like that. I can stick with the animation on abilities, and the 2.5s ability recast, but the off-GCD really needs to be immediate and instant.

[complexxL9]

Well... look at your character more instead of the hotbars. As soon as the animatoin is finished you will use whatever ability you are trying to use. And as each skill has its own animation you KNOW if it went off(except for these situations in which you have 20 enenmies, each dying within 2 seconds). I haven't ever encountered a situation in which I pushed a button and didn't know what would happen.

Oh but you have to look at hotbars for your GCD, are you suggesting watching both character animations and hotbars at the same time? It's simply bad design. It looks like an experiment gone wrong and they need to adjust this asap.

[Malitias]

Oh but you have to look at hotbars for your GCD, are you suggesting watching both character animations and hotbars at the same time? It's simply bad design. It looks like an experiment gone wrong and they need to adjust this asap.

You do not know when 2 seconds are over? Well.. Not gonna argue with that then.

You're lvl 50, you should kinda be used to when you can hit the button.
Also, I bet most ppl mash their buttons anyway, so there is also no need to look at the hotbar.

[complexxL9]

You do not know when 2 seconds are over? Well.. Not gonna argue with that then.

You're lvl 50, you should kinda be used to when you can hit the button.
Also, I bet most ppl mash their buttons anyway, so there is also no need to look at the hotbar.

I should not be forced to get used to shitty mechanics. Either put on UI indicator when you can't use skills, or activate them when I push the button.
Who came up with this great idea that UI shows skills as available yet you can't use them. Animation cooldows are bad as they are, but what good is UI for, if you can't trust it? They should put 2 layer GCD animation if they are not going to change the mechanics itself.
But it looks like SE will let this issue "resolve" itself. Just wait long enough and all the unhappy people are gone - problem fixed.

[Malitias]

I have tried out playing the way you mentioned. Staring at my hotbar instead of the scenery. Didn't work for many reasons. This way I couldn't dodge AoEs, realized much too late I had to interrupt something and lost aggro from time to time. And yes, you do not exactly know when your animation is over. So why do it? ^^ Again, it ain't too hard to count to 2 to push the button, is it? (those were lots of "t(w)o" O.o)
But there is one situation in which it would be quite a help to have an indicator for the animation-lock:
Game gets too flashy. If there are 8 ppl using whatever skills they have and some or the majority of them are casters, it is most likely you start to have problems to see your character properly and thus his animation. That is true. Greying out abilities until usable would be an improvement, I agree with that.
I totally disagree with changing the combat mechanics. It is kinda what makes this combat system unique and, in my opinion, enjoyable.

[Malitias]

As for SE.. from what I have read so far, there will be lots of improvements to UI, targeting and other stuff. I do not mean to be the fan-boy here, I also have things I do not like, no hate about the game at the moment (freakin minion targeting, fate-grinding, etc.). But I want to see what happens in 2.1 (the first patch) before I'd dare getting nearly as aggressive and accusing as you are.


An honest question by the way.. if the game is so "shitty" and you are so unhappy with the game (correct me if I am wrong, but it sure sounds that way) why are you playing it?

[complexxL9]

As for SE.. from what I have read so far, there will be lots of improvements to UI, targeting and other stuff. I do not mean to be the fan-boy here, I also have things I do not like, no hate about the game at the moment (freakin minion targeting, fate-grinding, etc.). But I want to see what happens in 2.1 (the first patch) before I'd dare getting nearly as aggressive and accusing as you are.


An honest question by the way.. if the game is so "shitty" and you are so unhappy with the game (correct me if I am wrong, but it sure sounds that way) why are you playing it?

I'd be interested to read that info on upcoming UI changes if you share the source.
Game is not shitty, it has great potential, but it is held back buy some shitty aspects.

[Thunderz]

This is hands down the most annoying thing for a healer

Benediction is so useless right now I want to take it off my bar as to the dozens of time it let me down. This is suppose to be a panic button so when the tank suddenly dips to 10% I can Smash the button and it tops him off... not take 1.5s of animation crap over his head just to see him keel over waiting for that heal to go off....

This does not throw off the balance of the game that is a ridiculous answer. complete nonsense

When I throw out a heal and it costed me MP, GCD went off but since the animation was still running its course my party member still dies I call shenanigans on that