FFXIV parser/DPS meter

[Doomhammer]

The only justification I could rationalize for anyone to be against damage/healing meters is that they don't play well, they know they don't play well, and they're too stubborn to improve. Half the fun in an MMO is gauging your performance and how you improve over time with gear/execution. I don't understand how this is even a debate. I completely disagree with the notion that you should only be able to gauge your own performance. I like being able to see how I stack up against others and if/when I'm not at the top it only pushes me to get there. I like being able to analyze what others of the same class are doing differently than me if they're outperforming me and if they're not, I can gauge what they're doing wrong and guide them in the right direction.

[Niwashi]

I like being able to analyze what others of the same class are doing differently than me if they're outperforming me and if they're not, I can gauge what they're doing wrong and guide them in the right direction.

But not all others are of the same class. If you've got a bard who could use his songs to boost the black mage's damage output and dramatically help the group's overall damage, or instead could focus solely on his own personal DPS, the use of DPS meters would encourage the later. They make people less apt to work together because they're being judged individually and not by their contribution to the group.

[Viridiana]

If you've got a bard who could use his songs to boost the black mage's damage output and dramatically help the group's overall damage, or instead could focus solely on his own personal DPS, the use of DPS meters would encourage the later. They make people less apt to work together because they're being judged individually and not by their contribution to the group.

Foe Requiem has no effect on a BRD's dps beyond the 3 seconds it takes to cast it. Most fights have a gap where you can use it while the boss is invulnerable, meaning it has 0 effect. Any BRD using that as a justification needs to learn what he's doing.

[Niwashi]

Foe Requiem has no effect on a BRD's dps beyond the 3 seconds it takes to cast it. Most fights have a gap where you can use it while the boss is invulnerable, meaning it has 0 effect. Any BRD using that as a justification needs to learn what he's doing.

It doesn't (apart from that 3 seconds) affect his DPS when compared to itself (e.g. his DPS in this fight as compared to his DPS in another fight where he used slightly different tactics). If he's the one looking at his own DPS, that's the sort of comparison he's likely to be making.

If, however, it's the rest of the group looking at everyone's DPS, and comparing the Bard's DPS output to the Black Mage's DPS output, it does hurt him there. It sets up a situation where, instead of trying to help the entire team, he's effectively competing against his own teammates to try to out-DPS each other. That situation does discourage things like Foe Requiem or any other support skill that helps your teammates perform better.

This is why a number of people (myself included) would only support a DPS meter if it's limited to showing you only your own DPS and not anybody else's —to avoid competition within what's supposed to be a cooperative team.

[Viridiana]

If, however, it's the rest of the group looking at everyone's DPS, and comparing the Bard's DPS output to the Black Mage's DPS output, it does hurt him there. It sets up a situation where, instead of trying to help the entire team, he's effectively competing against his own teammates to try to out-DPS each other. That situation does discourage things like Foe Requiem or any other support skill that helps your teammates perform better.

"DPS was too low that time. BRD, why aren't you playing Foe?"
"I don't want to. . ."
"Too bad. That's your job."

Just saying, if the group isn't meeting DPS checks (and thus replacing someone is even an option), the first person I'm going to look at is the BRD who's not helping the group any. Unless one of the other DDs is just doing abysmally. And by "abysmally," I don't just mean "a little below average." I'm talking "just above the tanks."