Parsers add replayability for casual players

[Raelsar]

Well then, seeing as this is still going... time to summarize my thoughts on the subject.

#1 - Parsers are not an automatic positive
There is potential for parsers to be used constructively, yes... but there is also a great deal of potential for them to be misused and abused. Both need to be considered, period.

#2 - Not everyone wants them
A similar point to the first, but there are plenty who believe that the potential for harm parsers have greatly outweighs the potential benefits they bring... doubly so when it often appears that some posters are actively looking for some kind of excuse that would allow them to berate and harass under-performing players. As such, there are players (like myself) who don't want to see them added to the game because it looks like players would not use them correctly; and this thread is actually going a LONG way to support that particular argument.

#3 - They cause strife within the community
You want proof? This thread is AMPLE by itself. If anything, the subject could be described as "explosive"... and I would say the FFXIV developers are inclined to keep the game's reputation for a good community intact. Adding an official parser would be a festering wound to that reputation, so there's no way they'll be implementing it if the wider community responds to their addition in a way that's remotely similar to how this thread has progressed.

So all in all... yeah, there isn't anywhere near enough good reasons to add parsers.
However, there appears to be ample reason to avoid adding them just by looking how posters are acting in this thread alone.

[ZedxKayn]

Well then, seeing as this is still going... time to summarize my thoughts on the subject.

#1 - Parsers are not an automatic positive
There is potential for parsers to be used constructively, yes... but there is also a great deal of potential for them to be misused and abused. Both need to be considered, period.

#2 - Not everyone wants them
A similar point to the first, but there are plenty who believe that the potential for harm parsers have greatly outweighs the potential benefits they bring... doubly so when it often appears that some posters are actively looking for some kind of excuse that would allow them to berate and harass under-performing players. As such, there are players (like myself) who don't want to see them added to the game because it looks like players would not use them correctly; and this thread is actually going a LONG way to support that particular argument.

#3 - They cause strife within the community
You want proof? This thread is AMPLE by itself. If anything, the subject could be described as "explosive"... and I would say the FFXIV developers are inclined to keep the game's reputation for a good community intact. Adding an official parser would be a festering wound to that reputation, so there's no way they'll be implementing it if the wider community responds to their addition in a way that's remotely similar to how this thread has progressed.

So all in all... yeah, there isn't anywhere near enough good reasons to add parsers.
However, there appears to be ample reason to avoid adding them just by looking how posters are acting in this thread alone.

You know those points you listed could be flipped around right?
#1 Parsers are not an automatic negative, 2# Not everyone is against them and/or a significant portion wants them, and 3# them causing divide is a thing whether or not they are in the game. Though I would argue it's not the tool itself that causes the divide but how people approach multiplayer content.