In the Evolved Combat dev panel we saw that the primary focus with the new system was making the combat feel more action based, and giving the user more control. Some ideas they had to achieve this was lowering the GCD and shortening cooldowns. A they had was condensing various actions by having a single action slot (button) do multiple actions dependent on various triggers.
A primary example in the combat demo was a single action slot (button) having different actions depending on your target, for tanks it was Shirk and Provoke. We also saw action slots having different actions based on the characters proximity from the target, for PLD it was Shield Bash up close, and Shield Throw from afar.
These two additions are great evolutions and help create a more dynamic, free-flowing system. However, I think they can go a step further with the Evolved Combat: adding a Tap or Hold input system. Adding this will help address the main issue that players have with the Evolved System, which is that too many actions have been outright removed. This system can further implement the "two different actions with one button" ideology they are set on. It would also allow them to add more actions in place of ones we currently have. This system can primarily benefit Healers a lot, which is really needed if we are taking the White Mage demo at face value. It can also heavily benefit DPS and Tanks if they dive deep enough into it.
Say for example, your basic combo is single target when you tap it, and it's AoE when you hold it down. Another example is a Mage button being an instant cast action when you tap it, but a channeled action like Flamethrower when you hold it. A healer ability being an instant heal when you tap it, but a DoT or channeled heal like Collective Unconscious when you hold it down. The new Dragoon move, Sky High, can be something you have to hold down for the duration to get maximum potency.
Tap or Hold is already a common system in action games, look at FFXVI for example. It's also proven to be very Controller friendly, while not affecting K&M gameplay much at all. Tap or Hold is also common in a lot of other MMORPGS. It's proven to work really well in a more action focused multiplayer game like Warframe for example.
Being controller friendly is just an extra benefit, don't take that mention the wrong way. The main idea of this is to help make the combat feel more dynamic, intuitive, and complex. This system is already implemented in a lot of your favorite games, I guarantee it. Obviously this is a different genre, but look at Expedition 33's tap to dodge and hold to parry system. Think of it more like we currently have just tap to dodge in XIV, only one main way (input) to interact with the combat system. By adding a dimension (hold) of input it can open up double the amount of possibilities (actions) with the Evolved toolkit.
Obviously they would have to change a lot to make this happen, but this should already be expected with 8.0 if what they have shown is an early indicator.
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A primary example in the combat demo was a single action slot (button) having different actions depending on your target, for tanks it was Shirk and Provoke. We also saw action slots having different actions based on the characters proximity from the target, for PLD it was Shield Bash up close, and Shield Throw from afar.
These two additions are great evolutions and help create a more dynamic, free-flowing system. However, I think they can go a step further with the Evolved Combat: adding a Tap or Hold input system. Adding this will help address the main issue that players have with the Evolved System, which is that too many actions have been outright removed. This system can further implement the "two different actions with one button" ideology they are set on. It would also allow them to add more actions in place of ones we currently have. This system can primarily benefit Healers a lot, which is really needed if we are taking the White Mage demo at face value. It can also heavily benefit DPS and Tanks if they dive deep enough into it.
Say for example, your basic combo is single target when you tap it, and it's AoE when you hold it down. Another example is a Mage button being an instant cast action when you tap it, but a channeled action like Flamethrower when you hold it. A healer ability being an instant heal when you tap it, but a DoT or channeled heal like Collective Unconscious when you hold it down. The new Dragoon move, Sky High, can be something you have to hold down for the duration to get maximum potency.
Tap or Hold is already a common system in action games, look at FFXVI for example. It's also proven to be very Controller friendly, while not affecting K&M gameplay much at all. Tap or Hold is also common in a lot of other MMORPGS. It's proven to work really well in a more action focused multiplayer game like Warframe for example.
Being controller friendly is just an extra benefit, don't take that mention the wrong way. The main idea of this is to help make the combat feel more dynamic, intuitive, and complex. This system is already implemented in a lot of your favorite games, I guarantee it. Obviously this is a different genre, but look at Expedition 33's tap to dodge and hold to parry system. Think of it more like we currently have just tap to dodge in XIV, only one main way (input) to interact with the combat system. By adding a dimension (hold) of input it can open up double the amount of possibilities (actions) with the Evolved toolkit.
Obviously they would have to change a lot to make this happen, but this should already be expected with 8.0 if what they have shown is an early indicator.
Continue reading...