I don't want to use parsers

[Bloody]

I think the best way to implement a parser, if it's truly for the players own benefit, is in a training dummy type situation, rather than actual content.

My FC raid and have a great time, but when the DPS is low, we don't need to know who is failing hardest. We just keep trying and eventually succeed. I would hate to have any one player in the group suddenly have to face being the lowest DPS on the scoreboard after every fight. That would be demoralizing and take the fun out of it for any player. Bear in mind that even a good DPS could end up being last in the group all the time due to a great group.

On the flip side of this, training dummy tells you squat when it comes to your ability to DPS while dealing with mechanics. Sure an experienced player doesn't need a parser to know when the raid-wide DPS is low, but sometimes having a parse will let you know "hey, everyone is kinda pulling low, let's push harder guys" or "we are doing good, except that one person probably could improve their rotation a bit" (which is the isolation idea you are against and I agree) but being able to see the difference between dummy DPS and actual DPS is something useful because you have to see how to adapt your rotations to the fight mechanics. People who are good and push themselves, or encourage others rather than berating them are sadly not the norm, but they are the awesome people who help more casual folks improve.

[Cynfael]

My FC raid and have a great time, but when the DPS is low, we don't need to know who is failing hardest. We just keep trying and eventually succeed. I would hate to have any one player in the group suddenly have to face being the lowest DPS on the scoreboard after every fight. That would be demoralizing and take the fun out of it for any player.

To play devil's advocate here, I have to wonder which is really worse: to risk that someone might feel uncomfortably singled out for poor performance or to risk that the entire group (including that person) might feel hobbled and understandably frustrated when there is obviously a problem with DPS but no concrete method for identifying it so that it can be corrected more quickly and effectively.

Context makes all the difference there, and that's why it's up to players to use parsing tools responsibly. When I run FCOB, I know that everyone and their mom is parsing the data, but it's rarely brought up except maybe to congratulate someone on pushing abnormally high DPS for their Job. When players I know recognize that they have opportunity, they will ask a friend to parse them as they work on better rotations so that they can get an idea of their progress.

TL;DR: It's admirable to want to be inclusive and not place unwanted pressure on other players, but there comes a point where purposely keeping players in the dark as to where their opportunities lie can cause more bad feelings in the long term.

[Jamein]

I would hate to have any one player in the group suddenly have to face being the lowest DPS on the scoreboard after every fight. That would be demoralizing and take the fun out of it for any player. Bear in mind that even a good DPS could end up being last in the group all the time due to a great group.

Why is everyone such a delicate flower? Can people not take a bit of criticism in a video game? If they don't care about their DPS, then they won't be demoralized. If they do care then they should suck it up and say right I care about my DPS, let's improve it and then ask for the parse after every fight and watch it go up and up and they would be happy about that.

Also, it doesn't matter if you are 'last' in DPS but everyone is doing good DPS. To be honest it becomes a bit of a fun mini-game when things are on farm, our melee's and I do it myself when I go monk, all compete with each other to see who can win every fight and have a laugh and a joke about it.

Parsers aren't the problem, it's the occasional idiots that are, but you get those anyway no matter what so why stop the rest of the community from having an informative tool because of a minority of people who abuse it, or because certain people are too delicate to be told they aren't doing good DPS, but they are still willing to chew the healer or tank out when they don't get a heal or a tank loses aggro.

[alsims2007]

But yeah, if you buy a clear and it was obvious you were carried, don't go joining farm parties until you get more practice. You'll get blacklisted anyways and then you've wasted your gil.

This was actually my point. I just didn't convey it properly. I've participated in paid clears. I've even used them to recruit players (refunded gil). People are free to do whatever and normally it doesn't bother me until someone claims a title/clear makes them skilled or better than someone. but yeah the point I should've made is I've seen a player I've cleared immediately jump into a farm party on patty finder. Another person I did the clear with jumped in the party and informed the group.