FFXIV parser/DPS meter

[Zirael_Foxfire]

Hi,
As far as we know,developers use some kind of DPS meter to measure damage/healing done as often they justify nerfing something in game as "Summoner was doing too much damage in this and that event compared to other jobs" or "Bard is too strong" etc. It has been asked by players to have DPS meter in game to measure our own performance.
For casual playing not knowing if you play your job well doesn't really matter but for end game one needs to figure out offensive/defensive and buff ability rotations, what food to use etc to meet Damage-Per-Second and Healing-Per-Second checks.


At the moment we have striking dummies in game, I presume for the purpose of working out one's rotations. But if you want to check if the "Thunder III > Raging Strikes > Fire x5 > Transpose >Blizzad III > Thunder III > Fire III >..." is better than "Thunder III > Raging Strikes > Fire x4 > Flare > Transpose >Blizzad III > Thunder III > Fire III >..." or any other subtle variation over the course of 5min or 10min battle against dummy, you have to do everything ON PAPER and CALCULATOR from either battle log, or recorded video, which is archaic. I hope we agree at this point.
Now, if you participate in an end game event, like Coil T5 and try to beat it for a month, testing among other things various job combinations, you have very little indication of your party performance beyond "oh, we reached rage timer and enemy's HP bar was somewhere in the 1/10 or 1/15 on my screen, but maybe more or less because I was too busy trying not to die to pay attention".

Now, as seeon in ToS and here explained by a nice GM:
http://i.imgur.com/eGZYUHD.jpg

Intercepting, collecting and mining game data using unauthorized software is against ToS.

I have few questions regarding that:

1) Does recording game video count as "intercepting/collecting game data"?
2) Is recording a video of your/party damage in the game against the ToS?
3) Which, or can be any, video software does count as 'authorised'?
4) Does copying your/party/alliance damage/healing from battle log for the purposes of calculating performance (by hand and paper or by use of algorithm on a website or executable program) against ToS?
5) Which, if any, 'parser' program is currently "Authorised"
6) When, and if, SE will be adding a built-in in game DPS meter?

I've heard people got warnings, maybe even bans for using parser to measure performance and complaining to other people that they are under-performing. For me this is very strange and unusual. I want to know my own performance without resorting to archaic means. I want to know my party's exact performance.

If I'm being told by someone that I'm under-performing, I want them to be able to back that claim with solid numbers, not gut feeling and prejudices from ignorance.

It's been in WoW for ten years (pretty much as long as FFXI existed) and in other mainstream MMO games, I'd expect parsing be allowed if not encouraged. Adding iLV score to the game was the step in the right direction, but it doesn't tell the whole story. As producer Yoshida said in regards to PvP gear, for example, skilful play versus bad play can nullify up to 20 iLv difference in gear.

Gut feeling is bad, knowing exactly how you've performed is good.

[Viridiana]

They really do need to add something. I get the feeling that the recent reversal on the matter is because parsers are now reading memory to be more accurate, but this just goes back to further issues with SE. One, parsers wouldn't need to read the memory if the combat log weren't a joke, and two, they said they were going to give us a toolbox to develop addons but haven't mentioned it since. In the absence of official addons and quality combat logs, the only way to get remotely accurate info is through reading the memory.

Ultimately, I think it makes no sense to try to ban the use of parsers. This is especially true given that they want to eventually allow user-generated addons through an official API. We all know that one of the first addons that will be released is going to be a parser if it's at all possible under the API; and if it's not, SE's going to have to deal with a lot of dissatisfaction over the issue. I don't know why they wouldn't just get it out of the way now.

[BozoBlanco]

They said 6 months after release they will let players develop addons.

[Viridiana]

They said 6 months after release they will let players develop addons.

So, if everything had gone according to schedule, that would be this month? I guess I'll expect it around 2.2 in March, then. . .

[Zirael_Foxfire]

Producer Yoshida about parsers:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-WXYg-S05U#t=360

tl;dr
treat parsers like fight club

[magdahmhara]

As long as it's for the player only and can't be spammed or shown to others.

[fistantalius]

I do not like the idea of Parsers. the reason why is simple. The community it all comes down too that. The community wants too be able too have these and use them too find the weakest link in the party. and then kick then. I find this a form of Harassment. how would you like it being in let's say Titan Hard battle for your relic. The group has issues with damage too the heart. next thing you see is a vote too abanddon and poof your kicked from party with no word. or running CT.. and next thing you know your sitting back in town cause you did not meet the groups standards. this is harassment and not allowed by the ToS. I know people are saying it is for personal reasoning and to help them be better at the job. But it is only human nature too abuse these things. It has happened in many MMOs to date. Lets not have it or allow it in FF. thank you

[Viridiana]

I know people are saying it is for personal reasoning and to help them be better at the job. But it is only human nature too abuse these things. It has happened in many MMOs to date. Lets not have it or allow it in FF. thank you

It's logic like this that keeps us from being able to send tells in dungeons. . .

[Sparky]

I take contention with the notion that these parsers are "Intercepting, collecting and mining game data using unauthorized software is against ToS." as defined by SE.

They don't do anything of the sort.

As we know, the damage/healing dealt and received in the combat log is written to a file in Documents folder. Parsers are not intercepting data, nor are they collecting it. All they are doing is reading data that has already been written to the hard drive. And it's written to my personal documents folder too, therefore I am allowed to read it if I were to choose to use such a parser.

If SE doesnt want it to be accessed, then they should encrypt it and store it elsewhere.

[Velox]

I believe what SE should really do is implement a parser that only tracks your own DPS, this will help with self-improvement and refute possible claims by others that you're not performing up to par. After such a thing is added, take a firm stand and outlaw ALL third-party parsers. This way the people who are legitimately going to use it for improvement won't get punished by the possibility that others will abuse parsing (like they do in EVERY MMO).