Random Question Thread (FFXI Related)

Does a addon or anything exist that will show active debuffs on a mob? Something like timers but just has what is active typed out. Dia,slow etc.

No it doesn't exist because there is no way atm to check that. Wish SE would add that info to packets actually...
The only things that can be checked through packets atm are the chat messages relative to debuffs sticking or wearing.

I've been trying to make such an addon called "Watcher", that displays on a separate drag/droppable window the messages of debuffs sticking/wearing on targets, with customizable filters.
But I have zero knowledge in how packets work, so I've been trying to get in touch with more competent people.

I might be able to develop such an addon if I were to rely on the client-based chatlog, but developed this way the addon would be useless because it would depend on your currently set filters, whereas if we could make a packet-based one, it would work regardless of the current chat filters you have active.

I see. Yea even one that would only read chat logs would work. One just would have to make sure the have filters right. Well anyways get to work! JK lol.

To be completely fair and seeing the huge scale of different addons we've seen developed over the years, I'm surprised nobody even remotely thought of developing something like this before.

In most (all?) other MMOs having ways/addons to check the target's current debuffs is pretty much a given standard and has been for many many years

Debuffed sort-of works, but afaik it's limited to spells you cast and either disregards additional effects (WS, BLU spells, etc) or simply assumes they landed. Addon developers are simply hamstrung by the lack of available info in this area, else we'd have had such functionality a long time ago.

I don't think it's that developers haven't thought of creating something for this - I believe it's due to the lack of information the server sends the client in this area.

And you also have ***that you have to track like JAs used before Debuffs (like Tabula Rasa with Helixes/SV with Lullabies), armor that extends debuff durations (Kishar Ring/Erra Pendant), and priorities of debuffs that aren't told (like Helix 2 > Lower Damage Helix 2 > Helix 1 > Lower Damage Helix 1 and Bio III > Dia III > Bio II > Palling Salvo > Dia II > Bio > Dia). And the lullaby durations and armor used by other people can't be tracked unless you manually set them up that way.

It's just really awful to set up.

It wouldn't be terribly hard to do. I was just wondering about something like this the other day. A basic script like this would have to be able to detect a keyword in the chat log, garner whether a Spell/WS/JA successfully landed on the target, based on combat log text, and then begin a countdown timer based on the information contained in a short .ini file. Unfortunately, someone would have to manually type out the timer duration for every manner of debuff to be referenced based off BG wiki data.

For.
Every.
Single.
Thing.

The only issue with this method is that debuff times that are affected by merits would have to be manually altered by each user to reflect the new merited duration, which isn't really an issue. However, abilities affected by other abilities would definitely complicate things further.

Any debuff that shares a similar name but has different durations would just play out under the generally defined times in the .ini, whether they were accurate or not. Unless mob debuffs were specifically referenced to each and every other different target mob name and the specific debuffs they use. You could split the timers into registering player specific debuffs and mob specific debuffs on separate places on the screen if you really tried, but I have a feeling getting these to align in the proper columns and display accurately would be somewhat of a pain in the ***. That and the game's code is over ten years old and I doubt it plays nice with XML.

Also, I have little to no real programming experience.


Pretty much why SE's development nor the Windower community has tried to tackle this effectively.
I don't think anyone really wants to type out that many if;ands;or buts.

SE would be better off tackling this issue than the add-on community, because they have full access to the buff/debuff information tables and the interface code to display them. Considering how basic this element is used in say, XIV, I have to wonder why they already haven't done something like this in say, oh, the last five years? If they're saying it's too much of a pain in the *** for them to put an accurate debuff monitor in this game, it'll probably be twice as much of a dicking for outside developers.

Member when SE took awhile for a buff icon timer for GEO spells? I can't even imagine how long it'd take them to output debuff time remaining.

Yo, that buff icon was one of the best things they added in awhile. Being able to see if you have a Debuffing Indicolure active and for how long is so nice.

But it boggles me why they are afraid to at LEAST make a status visible for targeted foes like they did for party members. I imagine the day they actually DO implement it we'll finally have it available for Trusts as well. It's obnoxious that we have to just ASSUME additional effects of WSs and Blue Magic landed or not.

blue magic functions a little differently, if a stat doesn't land such as with sundden lunge, the mob gets knocked back, however can't say thats the same with all spells

The Party buff information wasn't present either until a while ago.
Just like they added that information to packets, they could be adding target debuffs info as well.


@Nightfyre
Can't see Debuffer on Windower client, where can I find it to take a look at it?


I wouldn't bother with the countdown timer.
My idea for "Watcher" was far more simple.
It just reads chatlog (through packets) and checks for stuff present in a list. When that happens Addon takes the whole chat line and puts it on a different drag/droppable window with a time stamp.
"(12:32:20) Debuff XX sticked on target Y"
"(12:35:57) Debuff ZZ wore off on target Y"

As simple as that, no timers involved.
It wouldn't be too different in logic from Omen and Reive addons, but it would work with packets so that even if your current chatfilters do not display certain lines, the Watcher addon would still catch them and put em on the custom window.

Hm that's way more simplistic than I thought, and definitely possible.

Are we sure all debuffs wearing are outputted? I know that Avatar debuffs don't display a message when they wear from a mob - posted it in the bug reports for SE and it was moved to confirmed forum so I dunno.

My random question is, "WTF, SE?"
https://www.bg-wiki.com/bg/Cupid_Chocolate

I noticed this a couple weeks ago and was like really SE gd why can't we get that STP on a useful food!

I'm suprised its not selling for like 10-20mil

No, some debuffs wearing aren't being outputted, but it usually works fine for the "main" stuff.
Of course Watcher wouldn't work with those strange situations but it's fine.

Even if it's not perfect or 101% reliable, it would still be incredibly better than not having anything at all.

Anybody have any suggestions for what sword to lockstyle with Ridill?
I have Joyeuse paired with it at the moment, but I want to put that on a mannequin. Any suggestions for other sword combinations to go with Mavi armor are fine too.

Excalipoor

https://github.com/mverteuil/windower4-addons/tree/master/Debuffed

Just making sure that you know Equipment Sets are a thing, right? Under Macros, you can make a set of gear from anywhere on your char (sack, safe, storage, wardrobe, etc) and then do /lockstyleset ##

You could keep your joytoy appearance even if you have it on a mannequin.

do we know where we can get more of this food? the STP sounds great

you can't

/sadface\
thanks

I always figured lockstyle could only use equipment that you can actually see from the menu. I also remember reading about some way to use the same weapon for both main and sub appearance, is there still a way to do that?

The trick is to just lockstyle it in one hand, move the weapon to a different set of inventory, then lockstyle it in the other.

Thanks for the info everybody.

considering to add leaden salute to my WS precast, does this seem about right since i'm not so good with element effects?

Is there a single updated map pack posted somewhere? I can't seem to find one that has the good Abyssea maps and SoA (or even include all of SoA apparently).


Are the DPS spreadsheets still stored in a central Google Drive location? In particular I'm looking for DNC, THF, PLD, and MNK.