The Real Problem with Parsers

[Viridiana]

I personally don't care if we can have them or not. I just think it's unfair for people to use parse numbers against each other in unfair ways. Someone says you're doing 900 for example and acting like a douche about it, meanwhile they're doing 800 and you can't call them out on it cuz you can't see the numbers. I know most people won't use their parsers for evil, but I'm sure situations like this to happen.

Welcome to the conversation, where we keep asking for SE to implement an official parser specifically so that PS3 and PS4 can have access.

You're trying to argue that parsers are bad because PS3/4 don't get them and people could harass people with it, but we're arguing that PS3/4 should have them and harassers should be banned.

[Kumori_Kumo]

but we're arguing that PS3/4 should have them and harassers should be banned.

That's the hard part, though. That sounds agreeable, to be sure, but when something is a part of the game, it becomes harder to police. Right now Parsers aren't officially allowed, so if you use it unwisely, it's easy to justify punitive measures. But if parsers are just another part of the game like, say, gear, well it's much harder to say that you can't use that against somebody. It's not a 1-to-1 comparison, as you can always get better gear, but... for instance, someone I play with has arthritis in their hands. Still more people just don't have very good reflexes. Their numbers being inferior aren't things that they can improve and aren't generally their fault, but they would suddenly be responsible for them by the game's very UI.

[Viridiana]

Their numbers being inferior aren't things that they can improve and aren't generally their fault, but they would suddenly be responsible for them by the game's very UI.

They're already responsible for them. For people with actual legitimate issues hindering their play, they need to be able to properly assess their own play level and determine what content they should be doing and how. Just like everyone else should be. If someone sees the person you're talking about and thinks they're underperforming, there are many reasonable courses of action from there that all lead to a simple explanation of the circumstances and both parties moving on. People who physically or mentally can't muster the needed DPS shouldn't be doing content that they can't finish, agreed? And they shouldn't be harassed for it, just like they shouldn't be harassed for anything else because harassment is unacceptable.

[Kumori_Kumo]

People who physically or mentally can't muster the needed DPS shouldn't be doing content that they can't finish, agreed?

How can I put this?
Okay.
I don't know if you've ever been or dealt with someone who is disabled, but an important aspect of being so is trying to break through previous barriers. Sometimes these can be consistent wins, and sometimes they're flukes that happen in moments of extreme competence and focus. These moments are incredibly important. So locking oneself out of something they might complete (especially with job mixes, interactions and other facets of teamwork) is a really bad place to be in, and a bad precedent to set. You're not required to help someone try and overcome their limitations, but that's kind of the whole story thematic of the entire game and I would kind of hope that would resonate in some way.

[Almalexia]

Is there any reason why folks like OP cannot form their own non-judgmental, parser-eschewing communities to enjoy content?

We can all homogenize ourselves with understanding of our shortcomings and work to improve, and they can live in ignorance because being unique is more important than being useful - especially when an ancient dragon is trying to eat you.

[Isala]

How can I put this?
Okay.
I don't know if you've ever been or dealt with someone who is disabled, but an important aspect of being so is trying to break through previous barriers. Sometimes these can be consistent wins, and sometimes they're flukes that happen in moments of extreme competence and focus. These moments are incredibly important. So locking oneself out of something they might complete (especially with job mixes, interactions and other facets of teamwork) is a really bad place to be in, and a bad precedent to set. You're not required to help someone try and overcome their limitations, but that's kind of the whole story thematic of the entire game and I would kind of hope that would resonate in some way.

I'm gonna be that guy. And I really hate that I have to be. Just because someone has a disability, it doesn't excuse them from having to put out the same performance as someone who does not. Whether that's here in Eorzea, or in the real world in any sport situation, it is unreasonable to use your disability as an excuse, when you're doing any team activity. And this is coming from someone whose physical limitations prevented me from playing any sports at all. I didn't expect to be able to join a team, fail horribly, and say "You have to accept that I can't perform. It's my disability!" The same holds true here. If you cannot do it, you cannot do it. To pretend otherwise, and hope that maybe this time, the stars will align, and give you just enough power in your broken body, just to accomplish something ONE TIME... It is not fair to the other seven players you play with, to hold them back with something neither they, nor you, can control.

[Kumori_Kumo]

snip

Good.
God.
Video games for the elite are too important to let the disabled escape their lives for a minute even in a random pick-up group. Cool.
I want off this planet.

[ThirdChild_ZKI]

Good.
God.
Video games for the elite are too important to let the disabled escape their lives for a minute even in a random pick-up group. Cool.
I want off this planet.

I'm gonna attack this one head on.

After the military, I have an issue with my right arm. Not sure what or why, but every so often, it just goes numb. From the shoulder down. Never for too long; few minutes or so. And while sometimes it can slow me down a bit, it is NOT my excuse to not try.

I'm not one to insult someone's disability, but where that disability is not a direct impairment to being able to play this game, I say it should not be a free pass to allow one to be mediocre or underperform. We have an "almost-blind" player on my server (by his own admission, to which I respect), who has just about done everything I have as well. I can even say seeing him in action in Bismarck Ex, if I didn't know of his disability, I wouldn't be able to tell at all. And I'd argue that his disability is certainly worse than my own.

[Whiteroom]

Good.
God.
Video games for the elite are too important to let the disabled escape their lives for a minute even in a random pick-up group. Cool.
I want off this planet.

You must think fairly lowly of disabled people if you think they are sitting around wanting people to do everything for them.

Tbh, regardless of my situation, I would be sure to meet the minimum requirements before playing with random people. If that means waiting until I have enough of a gear buffer for it, then so be it. Alternatives include FC/ Linkshell/ PF runs.

But then again, without a parser, how would they know if they can meet the minimum requirements...

[Viridiana]

I don't know if you've ever been or dealt with someone who is disabled, but an important aspect of being so is trying to break through previous barriers…

Right. Which can happen a number of ways. If someone is disabled, I'd recommend that they take a moment to consider any new content they're running. Most such people I'm assuming won't have much reservation against running normal and expert dungeons, even in pugs. But there are completely competent and able-bodied people who refuse to do even extreme primals among strangers. I'm not saying players with disabilities should wait for full premades or anything, just that they consider (as everyone should consider, really) whether they can make a fair contribution to a group. If they feel they can, by all means queue, but be aware that they will be held responsible for their numbers the same way everyone else in the party will. Most parties I've seen don't mind one person's numbers being low as long as things are going smoothly. Or they can make friends and try to push through with steady teamwork among understanding friends.

Yea but teamwork or not if you're doing 900 dps in faust you're not going to get anywhere. And throwing yourself at it over and over isn't going to magically teamwork your way to victory.

Just because someone has a disability, it doesn't excuse them from having to put out the same performance as someone who does not.

Eh, going to respond to these two parts together. I'm totally fine with people with slight disabilities (y'know, not quadriplegic or anything) joining statics that are willing to work with them. If the static is willing to wait a little I see it as perfectly valid. And as long as the disabled person is putting forth about the same level of effort as the others (even if the result's not the same), then I don't consider it a carry, really.