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Oh controls why art thou so hated
narakuu
Member Posts: 348
Am I the only person who actually liked the controls and UI of FFXI? It seems like anyone who dislikes the series go "booo on the controls" and anyone who likes the series go "well yeah I cant really defend the controls..." and I'm not really going to defend them either as it seems universally accepted that the controls were bad.
Though personally I remember liking it and how it was different from other mmo's and I realise most people probably would say "yes different in a bad way" but I found it to be different in an enjoyable way and never had any problems with them.
So what is it about the controls that you found annoying?
p.s: I hope the FFXIV controls are improved and feel even better but... hopefully not that different from XI...... =O
Comments
The invisible weight behind the camera that just couldn't turn as fast as i prefer.
I'm usually zipping my camera around at 100mph with my mouse.
Nope, I love them very much, KB only FTW, and in FFXIV KB only FTW x2!
I prefer the keyboard controls as well.
Its not that I hate them, I just prefer having the option to use my mouse aswell.
Hopefully there will be a option fo both, that will solve the problem.
i cant see why we cant get both. I really liked the controlls in ffxi, i liked that i did not need a mouse at all while playing.
- Nothing lasts.. but nothing is lost. -
I had no problem with the controls in FFXI. However they do require a lot of learning. You also need to look at it from a development stand point. You want the controls to be as intuitive as possible so that your players can jump in and enjoy as quickly as possible.
My theme song.
i liked FF11 despite the controls, not because of them
i can get used to them but if there's a kb+m that works like its sposed to, then i'll use that.
Itch
RIP Ribbitribbitt you are missed, kid.
Currently Playing EVE, ESO
Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and not clothed.
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Ive tried using the keyboard to move in other games and it was never as fluid as using the mouse.
Controls are something that should be universally standard. That's why both Sony and Microsoft have specific standards for what the controls are, for instance when developing a game for Xbox if you have a main action button it's usually "A" and jump buttons are usually "X", if they aren't then they you may not be able to release a game for their system until you change them to be. Games during the retro era with Atari/Nintendo/Sega didn't have any specific standard and often times you'd get games where the controls were just god awful and unintuitive (a lot of games that Angry Video Game Nerd reviews for instance have this problem).
People need to be able to pick up and play your game instanteously and familiarity with controls are important. FFXI in particular has issues with a mouse and keyboard. It's really hard to manipulate the camera, you have to go through several menus to perform an action which could in most MMOs be performed with a single keypress or click (a result of it being designed for a console, but not properly ported to the PC), the mouse movement is slow, hotkey placement makes no sense (this might be due to the multiple languages thing, but again it should have been properly ported), etc. It's just not something you can pick up and play. Controls shouldn't be different unless you are using a new kind of controller.
You can get use to FFXI's controls - especially if you switch to a dual stick controller, so those dedicated will eventually get used to it and possibly even enjoy the control scheme. The problem is there are a lot of players who pick it up and will have so much trouble that they'll simply stop playing which causes Square Enix to lose subscribers with a rather easy fix (controls are easy to program, especially with DirectX).
I think this discussion should be put on hold until after Phase 3 has started, theres some interesting changes, thats all I can say.
You're not the only one, I loved them. Once I got use to them I loathed most other mmo controls. But don't forget change scares most folks.
END OF LINE_
~V
Well I sorta understand better now what peoples problem with it was I guess, personally I always used the mouse with the keyboard and I guess I didnt notice the bad quality of the mouse turning and all that.
Guess most of us will know soon enough whether we like the way it is or not... cant wait much longer! >.<
I loved the controls of FFXI. FFXI had the most efficient controls and most efficient UI of an MMO I have ever played....Once you got past the learning curve. The only problem I had with the UI was the chat. With just having to use the keyboard it made it very laptop friendly also. I just hope FFXIV is something very similar control wise. Also, as far as i have seen they have improved the UI to more up to date standard. But we will see at launch how thing pan out.
Not a chance in hell. There is not a god damn thing anyone could possibly say to convince me that pressing a button to activate a menu, scrolling through that menu, pressing a button to activate that submenu, and then scrolling through it again is more efficient and intuative than simply mousing over the damn buttons and clicking them.
This. I hated scrolling through menus. But then again, it's a lot faster and more intuitive if done with a controller.
Well if you refuse to listen to reason then there is little meaning to try and educate you but lets give it a go anyway... so for this example I will be using starcraft as an example since its relevant to current real life events ;P
Someone who uses only the mouse to issue commands will never beat someone who uses the keyboard, clicking somewhere and then pointing the mouse to another location and clicking again etc, wont be as fast.
Clicking the inventory, pointing your mouse to a potion and double clicking it, isnt as fast once you know that pressing i brings up the inventory and then the use button to activate that potion. Thats why I dont see why he couldnt be telling the truth... because most people who just never go beyond playing with the mouse dont realise how much faster you can be with keyboard commands with some repetition/practice.
Lol pretty sure a mouse is still better than going through 3 menus, which was his point. Your education is unneeded as I doubt anyone would argue using a keyboard and mouse TOGETHER is the best combination on a computer, which, marvelously, a lot of people not infatuated with the idea of using a pad to play this game are hoping SE does very well.
My first time logging into the game (PC version) I was completely lost with the UI. I actually bought WOW and FFXI the same day at the mall, so this was before I was introduced to the "steamlined UI" -- closest thing I experienced was Asheron's Call 2. All the games before that had pretty original and no so streamlined UIs (AC, olddd EQ UI). I was completely lost with the UI in FFXI. The controls were different, but after a few hours in game you realize they fit the pace of the game quite well. I actually grew to not mind the UI or controls of the game at all.
SE should have noticed how the PC crowd is really picky about their game. Inversing the role with the UI/control and giving the PC the best UI the game could make and giving consoles the afterthought UI would have been a better choice.
Console users don't really have much choice with their games anyway and even less with MMOs. They would have been happy to be able to just play FFXIV. (its like racing games on PC, not matter how bad they are, most racing enthusiast will still try it on PC.)
If the default the games controls to some WASD and mouse bullpie I'm gonna strangle a midget with a learning disorder.
You think I'm kidding? Huh? Ask the midgets if I am kidding!
If console users are their target demographic, that would not make much sense to do it that way since MMO players jump between games like no other, but FF players won't
.
What you say is true, however it's only one side of the coin. It's ALSO much slow to just use a KB than to use a KB *and* a mouse. Because you have two forms of input, if the UI is constructed properly, you can use each to its full advantage. Using a hot key on a KB is faster than manually clicking some thing, but clicking with a mouse can be much faster than using a KB if a long list of items is displayed two dimensionally instead of in a series of nested menus. So you want a mix of KB and mouse for optimal speed and efficiency (not to mention the abilty to multi task).
Turning (character or camera) is always going to be faster with a mouse if you compare a perfectly optimize mouse setup with a perfectly optimize KB setup. This is pretty much a no brainer to any one who's ever played an FPS or an RTS. There's a reason why PCs started coming with a mouse in the first place, and precision is the reason why.
So the bottom line is that a good PC interface will be constructed from the ground up for both KB *and* mouse where appropriate. A good console interface will be constructed from the ground up to use a game pad and KB, mainly emphasizing the game pad for movement and common actions.
Where FFXI failed and where FFXIV has failed so far is that they were constructed to fit a controller, then when it came to a PC, controls were adjusted for the lack of a controller instead of being designed specifically to make use of a mouse.
Specifically what FFXIV needs to do (maybe this is part of the P3 build) is to allow rebinding of keys (this is common sense for a modern PC MMO because you're going to spend SO much time playing) and to allow a traditional mouse look/camera look setup exactly like WoW/EQ2/etc. It's what has become intuitive, it's extremely efficient, and it works.
Lately all the threads are repeting the same thin over and over again.
Is geting so boring.In the end is all up to personal preference.1 thin that is certain is that keyboard only is the most effective way of playing on FFXIV as far as beta goesYes we are talking bout FFXIV, not a shooter.It does not mean that everyone have to play this way , but is how it is.Once keybind is implemented + macros everythin will be allright.Like others said tought this discussion should be on hold until beta phase 3 tought, since they said mayor changes for UI , controls and such.
For me it's very simple. They change it or they don't get my money under any circumstance. Sure I'm only one unimportant potential subscriber but I'm just saying...
Sometimes trying hard to be unique just sucks, no need to reinvent the wheel.