[Darkhound]

Ok, I ran into this issue last night. Here is the situation.

I would appreciate any feedback!

I was casting Madrigal and Minuete on the DDs.. just fine.. got my 2 songs....
Then I immediatley ran back with the mages.. and casted ballad 1, got my song, then i casted ballad 2... and i did not get the song.. I still had minuet and 1 ballad!!!! This happens all the time, unless i wait a few seconds before i start casting balld in order for them both to stick?

Any comments?

[Pavlyn]

It sounds like you are using the +2 instruments for minuet and madrigal. When you play a song with songs already active the song with the least amount of time left is overwritten. Since most people do not have instruments that enchance ballad it will almost always have the shorter overall duration than songs played with thier appropriate instrument. So, if you go directly from minuet/madrigal/march/whatever with a +2 instrument to ballad without a +instrument the duration of the first ballad played will still be shorter than the duration left on the last melee buff played. Thus, you will keep one melee buff on yourself and only receive the second ballad played. The only real work around is to spread out your cycle a little bit. I know that isnt always possible so what i do is play Ballad 1 first and then Ballad 2 so if i will at least have the stronger of the two songs on me if i am in need of ballad. Hope this helps.

[Darkhound]

Thanks for your prompt answer!
Let me see if i get this straight...

My +2 instruments for the DDs are making those songs last longer right?
So when I go cast ballad one of the ballad songs WILL NOT override one of the melee songs becuause it's duration is still shorter than the melee songs ?

[Firewind]

I'm fairly sure that the new song will overwrite the song with the least amount of time left regardless of how long the new song will last.

[Darkhound]

No.. it does not... when I started noticing this....
I saw that even though I casted ballad 1 and ballad 2 on me with the mages... i endedup with one melee sone and ONE ballad instead of 2 balladas!

[Pavlyn]

The new song always takes effect, but the song with the lest amount of time left is overwritten. I'll use numbers so it is less confusing, but i dont remeber exactly how much each +1 gives so i will just use round numbers.

Finish playing DD song 1 >> 2m 30s left on it

Finish playing DD song 2 >> 2m 20s left on DD song 1 and 2m 30s on DD song 2

Finish playing ballad 1 (DD song 1 is overwritten) >> 2m 20s on DD song 2 and 2m for Ballad 1

Finish playing Ballad 2 (ballad 1 will be overwritten because DD song 2 still has more time than ballad 1) >> 2m 10s on DD song 2 and 2m for Ballad 2

hopefully that was less confusing instead of more.

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

There is no "casted," only "cast."

Also, the HQ2 instruments do not make songs last any longer than HQ1, the HQ2s just have some lame-ass stat slapped onto them. They both give +2 to any song. As such, HQ2 instruments are a waste of gil.

[Sabaron]

I believe this is a glitch. The effect you are describing is something that I generally observe only on myself and I'm not sure what the mechanism is that causes it. Generally speaking, the buffing targets will have the correct buffs, but I have occasionally ended a Ballad cycle with one ballad and one march instead of two ballads on me. Since the mage wasn't in range of the March, they still have 2x Ballad.

There is only one song/HQ instrument combination that increases song duration rather than increasing effect. The Harlequin's Horn increases the duration of Mazurka by 20 seconds rather than augmenting the movement speed bonus.

Bard buff songs all last 120 seconds which means that a new song can never be "older" than an existing one (with the exception of the Mazurka effect as described above). If it were true that the measurement was based on the amount of time remaining on the buff rather than the time that the buff was created then you wouldn't be able to overwrite a Mazurka played on a Harlequin's Horn for 20 seconds which I don't believe is true, but I haven't tested it.

I agree with kitten that +2 Instruments are a waste of gil.

[Andrinor]

I'm curious, which ballad effect did you actually have 1 or 2? If you have MP you might be able to determine this.

It sounds like a glitch to me. Did you ask your mages if they had both ballads? Also, did the log indicate you received the effect on both songs?

[Darkhound]

Thanks for your responses guys!
I noticed this happening when i casted the ballads almost right after i finished with madrigal and minuet.

I will do more testing in a while and give you guys full details

---------- Post added at 12:58 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:01 AM ----------

Ok.... I just finished a XP PT

And here is what happens... We pull, I go Cast Blade Madrigal and Valor Minuete III on the DD's, I and the DD's get 2 songs. I have a Cornette +1 that gives Minuete +2

I go back with the mages... Cast ballad 1.... I get one balland and minuete. I then cast ballad 2... and i still have ONE BALLAD and minuete.

For some reason Ballad 2 is overwriting ballad 1.

If i want both ballads to stick.. i need to wait a while befor casting them both