Third party tools have gotten completely out of control. This is even evident on FFXI made Youtube videos etc. It's quite literately like a lawless wild west.
There are people blatantly using "hacks". As you mentioned, magically running up to an NPC or Portal and by passing the menus, speed boosts. There are groups of "players" that have been doing this month in month out, for around a year and continue to do so. Yet, its so obvious, even to the untrained eye that these people are hacking and more than likely selling on the gil.
There is a real threat to game balance.
