article:FFXIV and the Active Time Battle System

As the Final Fantasy XIV alpha test chugs along, we have seen news
steadily trickling in to give those of us outside the loop some idea of
how Eorzea is shaping up. Along with general stability issues and basic
controls, it has been reported that a main focus of the testing is on
the battle system. This time around, Square Enix is taking a departure
from the automated attacks of Final Fantasy XI and giving players a more
hands-on control of the flow of combat.
Is Square Enix adapting the Active Time Battle system for FFXIV?
Discuss this in the ZAM Forums!The Final
Fantasy series began with a simple turn-based system, similar to the
Western table-top RPGs from which the series initially drew
inspiration. The heroes select their commands and said commands are
executed. The enemy then retaliates, and the battle goes back and forth
until a victor emerges. Each unit takes their turn, and the flow of
battle is paused while each action is selected.
This turn-based style fell out of use by the fourth installment, but
has proved successful in strategy games like the Final Fantasy Tactics
series. The Dragon Quest series has also retained this style up through
its latest incarnation on the DS.
From the information we have available so far, we know FFXIV will not
utilize a turn-based battle system. Let's move up a generation to
something that might work for the upcoming MMO.
Final Fantasy IV brought the series to the Super Nintendo,
and also introduced fans to the brand new Active Time Battle system.
While players and enemies still took turns, they were no longer in a
fixed order. A character's speed would now determine when they could
attack, and the flow of battle would continue while selecting a command.
Square Enix's ATB system made battles more realistic and
action-packed. It proved so successful that it has been in almost every
numbered title in the series in some shape or form.
In games with the ATB system, an Active/Wait option is also sometimes
available that would pause the flow of battle during the player's turn
to retain some of the turn-based feel and give players more time to
choose their actions. For those who wanted a little help (or a greater
challenge), the Battle Speed is also adjustable.
Essentially, each character has a speed value that determines how
fast their action bar fills up. Once the character's bar is full, the
player can select their action. The selected action then executes after
a set period of time. For example, generally speaking, melee attacks
and item usage is near instant, while special abilities and magic spells
take time to charge.
Already, this is sounding similar to what we know about FFXIV's
battle system so far. Interviews have revealed that characters have an
Action Gauge that fills over time. Once the Action Gauge is full, the
character can execute a command. One tweak to the system is that
players can now queue a command for their character before the Action
Gauge is full, and it will be executed automatically once it fills.
FFXI was like this in some respects -- casting magic would take a
certain amount of time depending on the spell and recast timers
determined how long a player must wait before using a spell or ability
again. FFXIV now adds this concept to everything, including physical
attacks.



FFXIV's ATB variant also has an additional
bar: the Effect Gauge. Separated into 3 levels, the Effect Gauge can be
stored up to enhance your actions in various ways. This may again
sound familiar to fans of the earlier series, as a similar system was
used for Cyan, loyal samurai of the kingdom of Doma, in Final Fantasy
VI.

In said title, Cyan could select Attack
like any other character, or use his Sword Techniques. Opening the
Sword Technique menu would show a bar that slowly filled from 1 to 8.
The 8 sections corresponded to 8 different attacks with different
strengths and abilities. Generally, the longer you waited, the stronger
attack you could pull off, though some were admittedly not as useful as
others. Still, this concept of sacrificing time for strength seems to
be what the Effect Gauge is all about. With Producer Hiromichi Tanaka
presenting FFVI as the title having most influence on FFXIV, this may
not be an unreasonable assumption.


With speed and initiative playing a big role in ATB, Final Fantasy
fans were also introduced to Back Attacks and Preemptive Strikes. These
are two elements that have been confirmed for FFXIV. Developers have
stated that a player in Active Mode can get a Preemptive Strike on an
unsuspecting monster in Passive Mode. Conversely, a monster in Active
Mode attacking a player in Passive Mode will effectively surprise the
player as well. However, the benefits (or penalties) in either case
have not been made clear.
Another element that FFVI brought to the table was Pincer Attacks.
Could these make their way into FFXIV as well? Certainly, we know
positioning is a huge part of combat strategy in FFXIV. With the
addition of party vs. party combat, it's likely there will be situations
where player parties find themselves surrounded by foes. The
combination of these elements could lead to Pincer Attacks, though like
Preemptive Strikes and the like, we don't have enough information to
know whether there will be real bonuses and penalties, or if it will
simply be an inconvenience.
Is Square Enix adapting the ATB system for FFXIV? It certainly feels
like it, and interviews would also appear to confirm that fact.
Besides the influence of FFVI, the developers have said that with this
current generation of technology, FFXIV is their chance to create "Final
Fantasy" as they have always imagined it.
So, how is it working out so far? Here's what we can glean from
current reports in the Japanese media:
Benefits: More control, deeper strategy
The methodical progression of battle will give players more control
over their actions. People who find meleeing in FFXI a little tedious
should be excited at being able to select each ability and attack. The
focus on positioning also keeps players on their toes, constantly moving
to get an edge over the enemy. This, along with the increased number
of dials and gauges deepens the strategy of battle and allows for more
clearly defined roles. One job could speed up Effect Gauges, another
could remove penalties for receiving attacks from the back or side, and
another job could affect elemental affinities. A more complicated
system should be able to handle more jobs without having their roles
overlap, inevitably rendering one role redundant.
Drawbacks: Slow, confusing
Most of the complaints that have been voiced mention the slow pace or
confusing nature of battles. There's a gauge for attacks, a gauge for
TP, a gauge for bonus effects, a line of abilities... it can be a little
overwhelming. Not to mention, since battles don't progress
automatically, you essentially have to scramble to set up each and every
sword strike or nock every arrow. However, these concerns may clear up
as 1) players get used to the system through testing and 2) Square Enix
improves and tweaks the system during the alpha and beta test phases.
Those were my minor assessments based on alpha reports, but what do
you think? Does the FFXIV battle system remind you of something else
from the series? Do you feel that this system is appropriate for an
MMO?