Macros - ETA?

[Bald_Haliaeetus]

for gods sake dont use a "WoW" format to macros... SWG macros were quite nice. in fact, strip this game of all of its WoW-like components and move it more in the direction of SWG. lol

 

I never played SWG (which I'm regretting... sounds like is was awesome before NGE) so I'm not familiar with their macro system or how it was different from WoW's. Could you post some examples / elaborate on what their system is?

[RagingSage]

Nevar.

[Bald_Haliaeetus]

First, I read the post.

 

Thank you! It's a lot easier to take criticism seriously when the poster knows what they're talking about. Your post might be the first one I've seen that's opposed to macros because of something other than "I don't want all my abilities controlled by one button" or other non-issues or off topic gibberish. That said...

 

2nd, he says not to assume that they'll be like any other game, but then says he wants them like WoW.

 

I did not say not to assume they'll be like any other game; I said not to assume they'll suck because another game came up with a horrible macro set up. Namely, Rift.

 

I think WoW's macro setup is very well refined, and would be a good model to follow.

 

3rd, Assigning modifiers to keys so 1 key could situationally trigger 2-howmany abilities would be analogous to having the game play for you. Miss hitting a button or having the wrong thing targeted should be part of the game.

 

1 key can already trigger multiple abilities. You can use different keybindings to assign several several abilties + button (ctrl, alt, etc) modifiers to the same button. The game has a built in "Cover" bar, so functions like "/cast [cover] Snipe; Rifle Shot" are already built into the game UI. I'd simply like to not have to use multiple keybings to set that up, and to give similar functionality as the cover bar to stealth, combat, etc - the player chooses which ability to use by being in stealth, combat, etc.

 

Where I DON'T want to see macros offer is something like "/cast [behindTarget] Backstab; Shiv" ...that would be an example of a macro playing the game for you, and that's the kind of garbage you can do in Rift, but cannot in WoW.

 

Having the wrong target should not be a part of the game. This is not a FPS. Well, not a large part of the game anyway; things like huttball passes or target-area AoE involve the possibly of missing, but that's how they were built. Most abilities do not function that way... or rather, should not function that way, but currently do, due to an archaic UI.

 

4th, You 100% do not need a mouseover macro to heal. Don't lie. It only makes it easier. The only annoying thing about healing currently is that if your mouse is over the raid frame (even after clicking) it seems to not heal. (could be fixed).

 

Never said I needed them to heal. I said that without them, it's not fun to heal. I can function as a healer just fine without them; it just makes the game feel cumbersome and awkward. It's like trying to operate a ten-foot tall Rubix Cube vs a three-inch tall one; the smaller one is easier to use, but just as difficult to solve. Macros would shrink SWTOR's 10' cube down to 3" like it should be.

 

5th. What's so difficult about clicking on the raid frame instead of hovering your mouse over it?

 

^answered in #4. It's not a matter of difficulty.

 

6th. You don't need macros to do that. You could just have them add an option in the preferences to say "cast spells on mousetarget if one is available."

 

I'd be fine with that, but macros offer a plethora of other utilities that the game would be missing out on if BW implemented mouseover-only. BW would be doing themselves and their players a disservice to solve this problem any way other than macro implementation.

[Zeral_storm]

Hopefully never, always have been and always will be against both macros and add ons.

 

Promotes nothing but laziness and (yes I will say it) lack of skill. Instead of learning their class, forums are just spammed with "Can someone give me a good macro for X class plz???"

 

To many times have I encountered players in high end pve/pvp that really had no clue how really play, they just relied on their macros and if said macros werent really that suited for a certain situation they were at a complete loss. They have no idea how to actually use their class skills or what they are good for.

 

Also the same reason I see english speaking people spamming a chat asking how a certain quest is done even though it says it clearly in the quest description, just because their addon dont cover that quest.

Edited February 3, 2012 by Zeral_storm

[Gomuningen]

No thank you to handing out EZ mode to those who are too lazy to play a game as it was meant to be played.

 

Down Macro's Up with Skill!!

[Pvtcarnage]

BioWare hasn't given us an ETA for macros

 

I think that by the time they add them, it will be too late

 

This......

[Pvtcarnage]

Hopefully never, always have been and always will be against both macros and add ons.

 

Promotes nothing but laziness and (yes I will say it) lack of skill. Instead of learning their class, forums are just spammed with "Can someone give me a good macro for X class plz???"

 

To many times have I encountered players in high end pve/pvp that really had no clue how really play, they just relied on their macros and if said macros werent really that suited for a certain situation they were at a complete loss. They have no idea how to actually use their class skills or what they are good for.

 

Also the same reason I see english speaking people spamming a chat asking how a certain quest is done even though it says it clearly in the quest description, just because their addon dont cover that quest.

 

So what if you "Think" it's laziness and lack of skill huh. If they still have lack of skill you should have no problem beating them in PvP, if anything it would add a little more of a challenge for people with skill, Or are you one the people with no skill and like to blame macro's and addons for your loses and feel salty from it and like to troll anyone who is for it. The reason i talk about pvp is that what people who would use in pve is of no concern to you.

Edited February 3, 2012 by Pvtcarnage

[GalacticKegger]

BioWare hasn't given us an ETA for macros

 

I think that by the time they add them, it will be too late

Too late for what? Commercial success? The game's already achieved that.

[BossDoc]

I am on the side that doesnt want macros and i am having a tank with aggro and damage skills all usable and hard to master but still a chalenge and not just 11234 reapeat.

I like to geting things the hard way and not the easy way.

Thats why i rolled republic also.

[Lankyspanky]

I am on the side that doesnt want macros and i am having a tank with aggro and damage skills all usable and hard to master but still a chalenge and not just 11234 reapeat.

I like to geting things the hard way and not the easy way.

Thats why i rolled republic also.

 

So should they remove the ability to bind keys where-ever you want? This isn't about making everything 1234 win.. This is about the fact that many people have 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,q,e,r,f,c,v,b,g,`,f1,f2,f3 plus shifts and ctrls just to have access to every ability that a pvp situation might call for (without clicking... shudder).

 

I like the challenge of hitting the right buttons in the right order just as much as anyone else, I just find it tedious and uncomfortable for my hand to do this to the extent that this game often requires. I have the feeling that I am less masochistic than you are, though.

 

There is also the problem of hotbar space. It would be grand to be able to put my AoE abilities in macros along with my normal dps abilities but with shift modifiers. Guess what, I'm still pressing just as many buttons (for all you "skill" mongers), however, it only took up one action bar to display all my damage dealing skills.

Edited February 3, 2012 by Lankyspanky

[grandmthethird]

macros bah

 

whats wrong with good old muscle memory reflexes ??

 

macros appeal to tho's that have smoked to much wacky backy to remember where their keybinds are, or them that are currently too stoned to know what key to press in which situation.

Edited February 3, 2012 by grandmthethird

[Zeral_storm]

So what if you "Think" it's laziness and lack of skill huh. If they still have lack of skill you should have no problem beating them in PvP, if anything it would add a little more of a challenge for people with skill, Or are you one the people with no skill and like to blame macro's and addons for your loses and feel salty from it and like to troll anyone who is for it. The reason i talk about pvp is that what people who would use in pve is of no concern to you.

 

 

Yea right, the normal epeen flexing I assume?

Look, im a DEDICATED healer, I beat no one in pvp, perhaps my slow or a random insta dot have killed someone but mostly I die, alot, in pvp.

Doesnt matter if the enemy use macro or not, I get focused by multiple players so my health vanish fast.

 

It matters in PvP because many of my ALLIES have no idea how to even play, just running around triggering premade macros.

 

No concern to me in PvE? Are you serious or just trolling? Do you know what the concept of "high end PvE" means?

Hint: Its not running around solo doing the daily token grind.

 

So what if you don't agree with me huh? If anything having no macros would add even more challenge for you since you cant just press one button and count on it to spam abilities, or are you one of those people with no skill that can't use multiple skills in the heat of battle and need everything preprogrammed to one button for you to compete and is rather bitter because of it so you troll anyone against macros?

 

See what I did there?

[Sarkav]

Agreed - a basic macro system is definitely needed

[EllipticSmile]

My account is cancelled until they add macros. Absolutely ridiculous they were not in the game at release and anyone arguing against WoW-like macros (that don't play the game for you) doesn't know what they are talking about.

 

They are not an addon that allows elitist to flash their epeens everywhere, it is a QoL change. One that you don't have to take any part in and it does not affect you in any way.

[Patrickgf]

I play the game with a ps3 controller because of carpal tunnel caused from playing *********** MMO's lol. I have certain abilities that I always proc one after the other if I could put them on one macro I could free up the few extra skill slots, as I currently desperately need about 3-4 more cuz I'm all out of buttons. CLICK CLICK CLICK CLICK CLICK CLICK x a bizillion = Carpal Tunnel so why not let us stack a few abilities here and there to reduce the stress on our poor wrists. It isn't about making the game easier for me, it is healthy for CT suffering.

[Pvtcarnage]

Yea right, the normal epeen flexing I assume?

Look, im a DEDICATED healer, I beat no one in pvp, perhaps my slow or a random insta dot have killed someone but mostly I die, alot, in pvp.

Doesnt matter if the enemy use macro or not, I get focused by multiple players so my health vanish fast.[/qoute]

 

See Bold --> Glad you agree

I also play a healer alot and unless you group with good people will get trashed most of the time. your a healer dah.....

 

It matters in PvP because many of my ALLIES have no idea how to even play, just running around triggering premade macros.

 

They still would not know how to play with out macro's, your point?

 

No concern to me in PvE? Are you serious or just trolling? Do you know what the concept of "high end PvE" means?

Hint: Its not running around solo doing the daily token grind.

 

Again if you group with people who suck they will suck either way, But people who are good will be more efficient.

 

So what if you don't agree with me huh? If anything having no macros would add even more challenge for you since you cant just press one button and count on it to spam abilities, or are you one of those people with no skill that can't use multiple skills in the heat of battle and need everything reprogrammed to one button for you to compete and is rather bitter because of it so you troll anyone against macros?

 

No I don't agree with you, but what made me respond is your Epeen insults of laziness and no skill. It just trolling and if it's not I can only assume you are butt hurt about something. I have decent skills I would like to believe, but thats neither here or there.

 

See what I did there?

 

Sure did:p

[Selestian]

The fact I have 4 bars almost entirely full (around 40 something abilities) should be a big farking red light that we need macros. Edited February 3, 2012 by Selestian

[ferroz]

>use macros

>'play' a video game

 

choose one.

both.

[ferroz]

Macro-functionality, yes please. WoW-macros, no thank you.

that's kind of odd, since wow macros are so much more limited than most other games. I mean, in EQ you could have multiple actions with timers

Edited February 3, 2012 by ferroz

[Gleneagle]

I play the game with a ps3 controller because of carpal tunnel caused from playing *********** MMO's lol. I have certain abilities that I always proc one after the other if I could put them on one macro I could free up the few extra skill slots, as I currently desperately need about 3-4 more cuz I'm all out of buttons. CLICK CLICK CLICK CLICK CLICK CLICK x a bizillion = Carpal Tunnel so why not let us stack a few abilities here and there to reduce the stress on our poor wrists. It isn't about making the game easier for me, it is healthy for CT suffering.

 

Choose your health over any game. There are other ways to stay interested and entertained if computer gaming is damaging you.

 

It would not help you if they give you macros, because you will still have CTS. See a doctor, because it is debilitating untreated.

Edited February 3, 2012 by Gleneagle

[ferroz]

macros bah

 

whats wrong with good old muscle memory reflexes ??

I prefer less risk of RSI's personally.

 

macros appeal to tho's that have smoked to much wacky backy to remember where their keybinds are, or them that are currently too stoned to know what key to press in which situation.

they're also good for anyone who has any sort of mobility impairment. Say, the guy I know with 4 fingers and 2 thumbs combined on 2 hands.

[ferroz]

It would not help you if they give you macros, because you will still have CTS. See a doctor, because it is debilitating untreated.

no, macros can make a huge difference for people with CTS.

[Gleneagle]

no, macros can make a huge difference for people with CTS.

 

Not as big a difference as it would be to stop playing video games altogether.

 

Books don't give you CTS.

 

You know a man in Korea was thrown in jail a couple of years ago for what his macro-operated character (a bot) did in a Korean game? He had his macros laden with conditionals for interacting with the game environment to the point that the bot's machine reflexes could kill any character that tried to interfere with his harvesting, or so I hear.

 

Macros can open a pandoras box of problems in a game, and can be quite challenging to limit to acceptible parameters. It can be done, yes: but it isn't a simple matter.

 

The sort of macros that would really help your carpal tunnel syndrom would allow you to play with very little actual input beyond the building of those macros. You are in essence asking to be able to bot.

 

If you aren't, if you are only asking to reduce the number of keystrokes in a minimalist kind of way, then it wouldn't do squat for your CTS, and I would have to infer that your claim of CTS is bogus.

Edited February 3, 2012 by Gleneagle

[DaxRendar]

no, macros can make a huge difference for people with CTS.

 

And as harsh as this sounds...

 

People with disabilities can (and should already have) 3rd Party Hardware/Software to help with this.

 

It's available. It's there for people with specialized needs. That's why it exists.

 

If you or your friends really do have serious CTS/RSI - you should be well-aware of the health risks of playing games like SWTOR as well as the potential challenges/extra costs that need to be incurred if you do.

 

Don't make in-game Macros an "accessibility issue" because it's not - SWTOR is a recreational activity, not a means to livelihood.

 

Sorry

[Bald_Haliaeetus]

And as harsh as this sounds...

 

People with disabilities can (and should already have) 3rd Party Hardware/Software to help with this.

 

It's available. It's there for people with specialized needs. That's why it exists.

 

If you or your friends really do have serious CTS/RSI - you should be well-aware of the health risks of playing games like SWTOR as well as the potential challenges/extra costs that need to be incurred if you do.

 

Don't make in-game Macros an "accessibility issue" because it's not - SWTOR is a recreational activity, not a means to livelihood.

 

Sorry

 

Not sure if using those kinds of programs is within the rules, but I'll agree that the whole accessibility argument doesn't really belong here. I can't see the impact macros would have on disabled / impaired players amounting to anything noteworthy.