Is WTFast against ToS?

[TheRogueX]

I can't imagine that changing the routing would be an issue - traffic is dynamically routed across the Internet anyway.

THIS. Your data routes change constantly and without you even knowing most of the time.

[Castillan]

THIS. Your data routes change constantly and without you even knowing most of the time.

I wouldn't quite say "constantly", although it may happen around once a day 'cos some router went down for whatever reason, or more rarely (and generally causing much greater disruption) some technician screwed the pooch and punched in a bad BGP config while attempting to support some new network, and then all hell breaks loose as different routers start disagreeing on the best path to route traffic (generally referred to a route-flap). Usually it is noticeable as a significant lag-spike of a few seconds or more, as the routers between yourself and the server attempt to renegotiate the best possible route to work around whatever went dark.

As is quite often the case, Wikipedia provides a half-decent introduction of the topic: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Border_Gateway_Protocol

[Shioban]

a parser does not affect data in any way, shape, form, or fassion. it reads what is posted on a chat log and compiles it into an easy to read format. however, a vpn does alter the route the data is sent from your isp to the server so it does DIRECTLY alter data.

Parsers directly read the battle logs and memory dumps from FFXIV battle encounters which is seen by the development team as an unfair advantage as not all players have access to it.
So yes, it doesn't alter the data but it is reading it, which is against their terms of service against third party applications.

(Fixing your awful internet connection through any of these 3rd party programmes isn't an unfair advantage)

Arguing otherwise is silly.

[Ninix]

There are a whole lot of misinformed or just flat out incorrect statements being thrown about in this thread.

The only things we can say for certain are the following.

1. Tunneling services such as Battleping, WTFast, et al. are not seen as ToS violations. You can argue all you like over whether or not these "modify" game data (they don't, of course, only the route the data takes), but Community Rep Hvinire has flat out said they are not breaking the rules. You do of course use them at your own risk since SE cannot endorse them, but you will not be banned for using them.
   
   
2. Parsers are against the ToS. This is not up for debate. They are third-party applications that read data from FFXIV's memory space and that give players who use them an advantage (primarily in the form of boss alerts, timers, overlay widgets and so on). Square Enix has even specifically called out "parsers" as a type of third-party application that is not allowed.
   
   
3. Square Enix is not currently checking for or banning users of parsers. There is nothing in the game client looking for parsers, or bots for that matter. Bans are done completely through player reports and server-side heuristics. Since it's impossible for said heuristics to detect the presence of a parser (because it does not directly alter the behavior of your character), the only way you can be banned for using a parser is by basically admitting in-game that you are using one, and then being reported. In other words, you will only be banned for using a parser if you are being an asshole about someone's DPS and they decide to report you.

Square Enix, of course, may change this at any time by implementing client-side automated cheat detection. If they choose to do this (which is unlikely, most games seem to be forgoing client-side cheat detection in favor of server-side detection because it's a never-ending battle that developers cannot win), it is up to them to decide whether or not to ban users of parsers. Good business sense would probably dictate that they don't do this because a very large portion of the endgame raiding playerbase uses parsers at least occasionally and are not harming the game in any way by doing so, and losing their business would be silly.

[darkstarpoet1]

Parsers directly read the battle logs and memory dumps from FFXIV battle encounters which is seen by the development team as an unfair advantage as not all players have access to it.
So yes, it doesn't alter the data but it is reading it, which is against their terms of service against third party applications.

(Fixing your awful internet connection through any of these 3rd party programmes isn't an unfair advantage)

Arguing otherwise is silly.

i know what you are saying and like i said earlier i do not see it as wrong to use programs such as wtfast. what i am saying is i do not see how knowing what your dps is gives any advantage at all over another player, but i can see how the paid tunneling service will. look at the example below to see what i am talking about.

let's take next door neighbors on the exact same internet provider. in this example both are always getting hit by stuff before it shows and their dps is quite low for both players.

step 1. give one a parser and not give it to the other and send them into an encounter and see if it helps them win. do you think the one with a parser is going to do better dps just because it tells them how much they are doing?

step 2. now give one them a paid tunneling service like wtfast and do not give it to the other. do you think the one with the tunneling service will dodge more of the attacks then it did before?

the answer to step 1 will be no and step 2 will be yes. one is a free program and one is paid. which gives an advantage over the player that lives next door with the same internet provider? that was my only point is i do not see how one is not allowed and one is. personally, i think they both should be allowed.

[Cherie]

Are you using cable internet to play FFXIV?

Then you are in violation of the TOS possibly. Using a method other than dial-up may be considered using a third party to access the game which is not allowed.

Personally I made a long distance call to SE Japan's data center number, then place my rotary phone down on to my modem receiver box. After that I'm good for a gaming session for quite a while. I highly recommend it. I experience zero lag this way.

Those of you using cable are manipulating the game data in ways that are not allowed and it really grants you no special benefits. I can understand it's cheaper than calling Japan long distance, but it's something you just have to do if you truly are a Final Fantasy fan.

[darkstarpoet1]

Are you using cable internet to play FFXIV?

Then you are in violation of the TOS possibly. Using a method other than dial-up may be considered using a third party to access the game which is not allowed.

Personally I made a long distance call to SE Japan's data center number, then place my rotary phone down on to my modem receiver box. After that I'm good for a gaming session for quite a while. I highly recommend it. I experience zero lag this way.

Those of you using cable are manipulating the game data in ways that are not allowed and it really grants you no special benefits. I can understand it's cheaper than calling Japan long distance, but it's something you just have to do if you truly are a Final Fantasy fan.

no, but i do write everything down that's shown in my battle log and figure out how much dps my whole party does since it shows everything. see 2can play that game.

[Cherie]

no, but i do write everything down that's shown in my battle log and figure out how much dps my whole party does since it shows everything. see 2can play that game.

That information you are writing down is property of SE and is copyrighted. If you must, you may enter the data you are reading into a abacus or TI-85 calculator. Those are the only allowed options.

[Alistaire]

if WTFast if its a dns change theres no problem, vpn & other tunneling services are ripoff's thats stuff you can fix with no software.
learn how to portfoward, QoS ports on your router. ask your IPS whats the best MTU for your router. get another DNS from a third party company thats not your ISP.

User Agreement: http://support.na.square-enix.com/ru...1&tag=users_en

Are you trying to use that statement to say WTFast violates ToS? Wow...just no.

To put this in simpler terms, let's use the mail system, with the only difference being based on receiving mail you're not allowed to open; you're only allowed to have your computer interpret the letters.

So intercept would be opening the mail, mine would be reading it, collect information would be either a combination of reading it or idk, looking at what stock of paper it's on.

WTFast just puts your mail on next-day delivery instead of normal mailing time. There's nothing against that.

...and yes that analogy's not perfect, just trust from an IT tech perspective that that 2.5 note about data mining has absolutely nothing to do with running a vpn such as WTFast.