Would you be opposed to SE implementing a program to scan for addons/parsers?

[Troxbark]

Oh I see. So it's like, because the training dummies and SSS don't have any mechanics or forced downtime, you plug those in to know if you're optimizing properly?

Pretty much. While there are gear differences to consider, I normally ran it casual/ex content to see how I stack up to others of the same class. Doing this helped me refine my game play.

[Kazhar]

I don't understand why players use ACT on low-end content either. It's honestly daft, especially the ones who choose to plug them into FFLogs... like... honeys... what's the point of knowing how much damage someone did on one single Normal Raid? There's no point, and FFLogs enabling it is just as dumb.

Some players just have ACT open for everything they do in a day, which includes casual content, and uploads them in bulk along with their raiding activities because it's simply easier.
If you see you were logged in a dungeon, it's most likely the reason. Almost nobody takes dungeon parsing seriously.
(Normal raids and alliance raids are a bit more popular to actually parse for reasons Rein already explained, even though it's still a niche usage)

[VelKallor]

(Also, the WoW forum is actually very civil. More civil than this one at times)

[Rilifane]

Yeah, that seems like a constructive use for it o:

Like I told VeyaAkemi, I don't know how much the fact you'd be with randoms that don't have the best optimization in mind would skew the results, but if that helped you do better, then it's a good thing :3

In most cases, randoms can't impact all that much.
Because the most important part is how well you kept dot uptime/ uptime, if you kept your cooldowns on cooldown, if you managed to use your strong skills during buffs - and while a tank can screw a bit of melee uptime from time to time by being terrible at pulling the boss or someone could screw your caster uptime by standing on you with a mechanic and you have a choice between cancelling the cast and moving or dying, the overall impact is fairly low.
While the parse number itself can give you a rough overview, the analysis is the more important part.
If you walk out with a 40 on DNC because nobody managed to do more dps than the AST but have a really clean xiva, you played well. Doesn't matter if you got a shiny number for it or not, you did well.
I've seen ASTs walk out with an orange in savage clears where the entire group was single digit grey. What matters most is still your personal performance and the better you are at that, the less something like a tank pulling a boss poorly or someone trying to make you into roadkill with spreadmarkers will impact your dps.

[Kaurhz]

They're not wrong. This forum can be so, so reductive at times with their discussion, it's almost depressing to witness sometimes.

[VeyaAkemi]

Like I told VeyaAkemi, I don't know how much the fact you'd be with randoms that don't have the best optimization in mind would skew the results, but if that helped you do better, then it's a good thing :3

ACT and FFLogs don't just keep track of your raw numbers, that's just what the parser can show you on the fly, but it also logs input history, which FFLogs can make in an easily viewable format, this can be used to check your ability to keep your rotation going in stressful situations, regardless of the numbers you are actually outputting, the fact you didn't have Battle Litany or Dance Partner from your party will make your numbers tank, but that's probably not what you are looking for if you are looking to just practice.

[SieyaM]

I don't understand why players use ACT on low-end content either. It's honestly daft, especially the ones who choose to plug them into FFLogs... like... honeys... what's the point of knowing how much damage someone did on one single Normal Raid? There's no point, and FFLogs enabling it is just as dumb.

But if anyone is actively using ACT to harass you, then report them.

Raiders generally don't use it to harass, especially not players where massive performance isn't necessary. And even raiders who do it among themselves are really just opening themselves up for retaliation. So yes, if that happens to you, hammer 'em.

...that said, are you accusing raiders of actually doing it with proof to the point of it actually being so widespread? Or are you saying this in the fear that it might be used that way? Because the way this topic is dealt with by Square Enix, especially when it's used for harassment directly, is a good enough deterrant, it usually isn't a thing that actively happens. And when it does, it's reprehensible; even raiders agree. But idk your experience, are raiders really being so overt with using these tools to discriminate against you and people you know?

I have not been harassed but I have the feeling were I to attempt savage I would be for not having any savage logs first and then about the numbers already present on FFlogs. My point is about parsers already being used outside of savage and people already unknowingly having their performance evaluated and published in content where it is absolutely unnecessary. It's also about the stance SE taking right now allows raiders to use tools to evaluate their performance as long as they are discreet while also allowing SE to take action against their use in content where performance is not as important.

[Kazhar]

I have not been harassed but I have the feeling were I to attempt savage I would be for not having any savage logs first and then about the numbers already present on FFlogs.

Contrary to popular belief most savage raiders couldn't care less about your logs. They might look at your clears if you're trying to prog a fight with a checkpoint like P8S (to check if you're not lying about having cleared part 1), or if you're joining a parse party but that's it. You're generally happy enough to see your clear or training party filled to bother kicking all the gray parsers (and for what gain? Good parses don't guarantee you won't fail at easy mechanics anyway.)

Your logs might be looked at if you're trying to apply for a static with previous savage experience but statics which accept complete beginners are common.

[TomsYoungerBro]

I have not been harassed but I have the feeling were I to attempt savage I would be for not having any savage logs first and then about the numbers already present on FFlogs. My point is about parsers already being used outside of savage and people already unknowingly having their performance evaluated and published in content where it is absolutely unnecessary. It's also about the stance SE taking right now allows raiders to use tools to evaluate their performance as long as they are discreet while also allowing SE to take action against their use in content where performance is not as important.

So you have not been harassed, but you feel like you will be? Thats not a good argument xD

[Rilifane]

I have not been harassed but I have the feeling were I to attempt savage I would be for not having any savage logs first and then about the numbers already present on FFlogs. My point is about parsers already being used outside of savage and people already unknowingly having their performance evaluated and published in content where it is absolutely unnecessary. It's also about the stance SE taking right now allows raiders to use tools to evaluate their performance as long as they are discreet while also allowing SE to take action against their use in content where performance is not as important.

As Kazhar and Bro said, they won't give a fudge about your logs and looking you up while the party fills unless

• you're joining a prog/ clear party for bosses with checkpoints to see if you cleared the door boss
• you're joining a parse party to see if you're ready to actively chase parses
• you're applying for a static with specific goals, e.g. midcore static, aiming to clear within the first month, wants to do one of the ultimates after everyone is BiS.
• the party keeps wiping to enrage even though mechanics are going really well

The latter is still fairly rare, though. More often than not, it's easier to just disband instead of looking through 7 profiles to identify the potential cause if they don't have ACT running to get the general idea.

I've done plenty of PF on alt classes or even on alt characters that didn't have a clear yet or any decent logs yet, bonus points if that char had a sprout/ returner icon. I've never been kicked or let alone harassed about my numbers.