Red Mage could be Dev's Answer to Breaking Parsers.

[Svalitz]

So all these RDM and SAM threads got me thinking...


If they really want to encourage players to stop running parser programs in the background they could attempt to diminish it's value using Red Mage.

How?

If RDM was a melee DPS but ALSO a buffer class that was able to cast varying spells on the group that increased damage / enfeebled the enemy, and I mean like 50% of that job would be casting buffs etc... then it could totally change the outcome of parsers. Obviously the creation of a 4th class as solely a Support Class would greatly effect this, but they seem reluctant to implement it.

Obviously certain jobs would still be on top, but if they encouraged it, stats would be pretty varied via spells and parsers would not be able to properly reflect how people played or geared.


It's a longshot, I'm aware, but it would be a first step in the right direction (if that direction is to remove 3rd party parsing software from use that is).

I dunno, I'm aware of the benefit of parsing, but I also find people too reliant on it, and more often than not for the wrong reasons... I'd like to see people less obsessed with numbers, and more into the game itself, so I'm very for encouraging people to use these less.

[basketofseals]

I don't think this would work/be accepted. AST came under a ton of fire for being a mediocre healer and an even worse buffer. Instead of buffing......buffs, they decided to increase their healing. I don't really think a true support class could ever work in this game. It's just not designed for it.

[Edenholt]

People are not obsessed with numbers. The game itself is designed around enrages and dps checks. Persers are not the villain, they're just a tool used to measure the performance of the players in certain fights. People are a-holes for any reason, parsers results are just one reason among way too many. I wish parsers were allowed already.

[Erim-Nelhah]

I like the idea of RDM being a melee buff class, but I have a question for you: Why do you want parsers broken? You see, parsers are a valuable tool that can show you your personal dps, or your party's dps. Can that tool be misused? Yes, it can. I, however, believe that our definitions of misuse are a bit different - here's mine: Using the output of a parser to put down seemingly-bad DPS in a demeaning way ("Your DPS sux, L2P, Noob" or worse). Note that that does not include stuff like "Bad DPS will be kicked" in PFs - that's not abuse, and sometimes you don't even need a parser to know who's bad. Do people who abuse parsers exist? Certainly, but they're actually very rare in-game. Even people with parsers generally don't say anything unless the party is wiping on DPS checks, and I don't think this would change much even if an official in-fight parser were to be implemented.

TL;DR: I don't think parsers need to be broken. They're a valuable tool which can be abused, but they usually aren't, and I don't think it's because such tools are technically illegal either.

--Erim Nelhah

[Higashikata]

The only people who afraid of parsers are the people who don't do well on them...

[zcrash970]

Well if it does do lower dps than other classes, then we'll calculate that in.
We do the same thing with BRDs/MCHs so why not RDMs?

[Whiston]

Further to what's already been said, I think there's a much greater misunderstanding of what a parser actually does.

I think the biggest misconception is that a parser is a damage meter, and exclusively that. A parser has an extremely varied range of uses, and by definition simply breaks the encounter data down into individual and sortable components.

Adding something like a buff/Debuff class would actually increase the potential of parsers to accurately dissect what component of the damage was buffed and to what degree the buffs were contributing to the damage.

As an added note, I'm not sure where the idea that anyone would want parsers to be broken is coming from (other than the select few obviously butt hurt contributors on the forums).

[Assirra]

Yea, let's make a class purely to "break parsers"
That will never work, there are always ways around it.

[Shori]

I dont see RDM/Buffs breaking parsers at all, and I'm on the fence as to wether thats good or bad.
If its known that a particular buff adds 30% damage, (not that we're likely to see that kind of buff) then you just take that into consideration. Its like if a WHM joins a full party and I'm on SCH, I know that my own healing potency will be higher because of the MND bonus. Same for SMN if a BLM joins.
If someone was to parse then from what I read of reddit, the most accurate tally is when against the dummy in housing and camp areas without party. Using a parse in places like AS1 seemed to just be to check that collectively there was enough DPS, and to hand out advice. The only times I've seen players talking down BRD/MCH were ex-bards, since the majority of the community accept that BRD/MCH contribute in other important ways that have an effect on the party's DPS or HPS, and I believe it would be the same for RDM if it was a support-style.

[Pooky_Pasha]

How would this break parsers exactly? Unless you think they are used to only measure individual performances versus each other (they aren't).

If a group decides that Buffer/Support+3 DPS+2 Tanks+2 Heals is more optimal (usually means more group dps) than 4 DPS+2 Tanks+2 Heals, they will take the former. Guess how groups figure this stuff out...with parsers. (Hint: They measure group totals as well)

There is a reason BRD/MCH are taken into Savage despite being lower on the DPS totals (usually). There is a reason NIN is taken despite (usually) being the "weakest" melee DPS.