Why we need parsers

[radioactive_lego]

There are a few options out there that would improve player comprehension of their roles without just throwing data at you and expecting you to understand how you are falling short:

- A trainer
- A quest/line of quests
- (OMG!) Forums
- (PSN) Gameplay Broadcast

There are some options out there that could be added that would improve player performance that would be easier to implement than a parser:

- Macro Swapping Macros
- Macro Cueing
- /Command and /wait timings that don't round to the nearest second
- Manually placeable AOEs centered on current target
- ...tbc

[KikoriL]

There are a few options out there that would improve player comprehension of their roles without just throwing data at you and expecting you to understand how you are falling short...

Because everyone who will say "I'm parsing you at about 300 dps, but at your gear you should be averaging 500" will refuse to offer tips after that statement...?

Don't get me wrong, your other methods are nice for people who have the free time to just sit and explore them. But parsing is on-the-fly data that's easy to confirm, hard to dispute, and if actually implemented as an option in the game, a method for people who don't have access to the Internet / time to search the other options to look said things up. And since almost any DPS value call out will be happening mid-Duty, on-the-fly is pretty useful.

[radioactive_lego]

Because everyone who will say "I'm parsing you at about 300 dps, but at your gear you should be averaging 500" will refuse to offer tips after that statement...?

Don't get me wrong, your other methods are nice for people who have the free time to just sit and explore them. But parsing is on-the-fly data that's easy to confirm, hard to dispute, and if actually implemented as an option in the game, a method for people who don't have access to the Internet / time to search the other options to look said things up. And since almost any DPS value call out will be happening mid-Duty, on-the-fly is pretty useful.

And the problem with parsers is they don't account for actions that are taking place that bring down a characters deeps.

-some bard songs
-summoner rezzing
-healers... uh... healing.

I see folks getting indignant when I conserve a bit of mana by not spamming Aeros/Stones during that 5s window where I might not have to heal someone. Or they just get rude when I let FoF lapse for 10s because i'm trying to keep the NIN from getting killed.

If someone is obviously lacking, it will be obvious. Parsers are just another excuse for people to be *******s when someone goes off recipe by two grains of salt.

[KikoriL]

And the problem with parsers is they don't account for actions that are taking place that bring down a characters deeps.

Many players are smart enough to know to account for this. There's no hard set line where a healer absolutely HAS to contribute ___ dps to a fight, but there are estimates for what someone should be able to do at their item level. Bards are expected to play their songs, and their DPS drop is equally expected in the estimate. If a Summoner has to revive someone, it's a very justified excuse for why there's a DPS drop. Lack of communication or experience is a far more likely culprit for arguments than the actions themselves here.

If people are getting grumpy over you not using every second of your time to its absolute maximum for dps, dps, dps, that's a brand of elitism that's also present and not really dependent on parsers. I personally don't enjoy when healers do nothing but heal despite knowing the tank isn't in danger of dipping under half health, but if someone gets snippy for that reason, it's a behavioral issue. And not one I condone.

Parses are still just a tool. Harassment is still harassment, regardless of its tools, is reportable, and will still be reportable if an official parser comes out. And elitists' harassment is still harassment, regardless of correctness, and is also reportable.