PS4 Players want usable parsers

[Velox]

They technically violate the TOS, but SE's stopped punishing people for using a parser as long as you're not being an asshole with them.

If you're being an asshat or using one without everyone's consent, you can be suspended if someone decides to report you. Unofficially, you only want to be parsing a group of friends, FC, or static where everyone agrees to it. If you parse a random PF or DF group with people you don't know who haven't consented to being parsed, you will probably end up getting hit with the ban-hammer.

[Callinon]

If you're being an asshat or using one without everyone's consent, you can be suspended if someone decides to report you. Unofficially, you only want to be parsing a group of friends, FC, or static where everyone agrees to it. If you parse a random PF or DF group with people you don't know who haven't consented to being parsed, you will probably end up getting hit with the ban-hammer.

No. You don't need everyone's consent to parse combat data. You don't need anyone's consent to do that. The data exists in your combat log. You don't need permission to do math.

That being said, it usually isn't super useful to parse a group of total strangers. You use a parser to improve performance over time, which is not a thing that's going to happen in a pick-up group that will likely never encounter each other again.

The only time I've found it useful to parse a DF group is when I'm trying to make sure my own numbers are in-line with other people. Sometimes when I'm not super comfortable on a particular job, or if I'm trying out a change in my rotation.

SE's only objection to parsers is that they hook into the game's process to do their jobs. This could easily be solved by giving us the addon API they've been promising since before ARR launched and we could create a combat parser that operates entirely within the game itself through that API. Until then, we have to rely on third-party tools to do it. SE is, fortunately, not stupid. They know that this is data we need to have. So as long as you're not using a parser to be a jackass, they don't care.

[Laraul]

If you're being an asshat or using one without everyone's consent, you can be suspended if someone decides to report you. Unofficially, you only want to be parsing a group of friends, FC, or static where everyone agrees to it. If you parse a random PF or DF group with people you don't know who haven't consented to being parsed, you will probably end up getting hit with the ban-hammer.

If your being an "asshat" they have reason to report you for harassment. If you're just using a DPS parser, there's nothing to report you for. You aren't cheating, nor are you harassing players.

SE's only objection to parsers is that they hook into the game's process to do their jobs.

They care about using something that hooks into the game that would allow you to do things not normally possible, like teleporting or showing the locations of mobs, mining/harvesting points that you would normally never be able to see. This is called cheating. And is obviously a valid reason for a reprimand.

Right now, with all the RMT Spam tells that currently flood the game, not to mention all the reported legitimate cheating that goes seemingly ignored, the last thing they should be doing is punishing players for using harmless tools like a battle log parser. Parsers are not alienating players. RMT Spammers are!

[TechnoTechie]

As long as they allow them on PC (I know they don't 'allow' them, but from reading the forums you'd think everyone and their dog was freely admitting to using one) then PS4 players are inherently disadvantaged by their absence. I don't mind not having one personally, but knowing that people are parsing me bothers me when I can't view the data myself. Having something similar which worked with dummies would be interesting for trying out new things, if nothing else.

Actually I remember yoshi mentioning something about a training area that will show you your own dps on a target dummy in a future patch. I just don't know exactly when -- supposedly 3.1 or 3.2

[Pence]

If they're going to add them it shouldn't be half arsed. Add it for every encounter (And system)

Hitting 123 standing still is easy, managing mechanics and 123 is completely different.

[Kaiser-Ace]

I really don't see the need for them as I'm also not 100% sure what they do exactly.

I get that it keeps track of combat data to show the numbers that are being dealt and healed but with the exception of the first clearers that are the source of all the enrage timer and phase percentage data, to me as long as mechanics are being followed and DPS/Heal Checks are being met I really don't care who's out put is what as everything else is just speed and bragging rights after that.

Example, I was actually berated shortly (Though a snappy comeback quieted it for the rest of the run) because my "Dps was low" by the parser info. Well yea, it's low. I was i180 in a i90 dungeon I can literally half ass it and still meet dps checks. Or the Warrior in The Great Library who could "crit for 7k damage" but couldn't hold hate or survive even small trash pulls.

It seems that parsers provide good "Fun Fact" info or keep track of decent raid data but over all for the casual and mid core player base are kind of a moot point.

I can tell when my DPS is low just by Eye Balling the HP gauges. Because if me attacking isn't making it drop noticeably faster than if I'm not attacking I'm doing something wrong.

[Laraul]

It seems that parsers provide good "Fun Fact" info.

This is really what they are and do. Provide interesting stats about what's going on in a fight.

I was actually berated shortly (Though a snappy comeback quieted it for the rest of the run) because my "Dps was low" by the parser info. Well yea, it's low. I was i180 in a i90 dungeon I can literally half ass it and still meet dps checks.

Telling someone their "dps is low" is no different from telling someone should "learn to dodge" or "stop getting hit." Statements that are completely unhelpful and provide no valuable feedback and undermine the groups morale. If someone says something like this too me, I would respond with something "I'm open to any suggestions that you have that would help me improve."

[Hinalover]

Well there is one thing people in this thread are not talking about is log sites that are using the parsed data. Not only do these sites say what the dps of the players in the parses, but also, these sites can tell you the order at which you are doing things, where you where on the boss fight at the time of each attack, and how you were killed. Knowing you died to a tank buster on A1S is fine but knowing that you were at half health with cooldowns up at the same time indicates you were not topped off. It may not have been apparent at the time of death but it does show who was at fault on that.

[Hinalover]

*Continued to second post since original post was too long*

Also with Parses it can show the order at which you are doing your rotation. Maybe you are doing something wrong in the order of your rotation. It's easier to say "here are my logs, I know I am doing something wrong. Can someone go over the my logs and tell me what it is?" Yes I can check the guides but maybe I am doing everything exactly as they say, but still coming up with low dps. At which point you could just say I am missing a class buff (such as having no summoner in my Static group, thus my dps is not benefiting from a magical damage boost for my Black Mage).

[Sicno]

You know that parsers are external tools not made by SE, not endorsed by them in any way and against the ToS, right? The fact that they don't actively police who's using a parser and that there seems to be an unwritten policy of "we don't care until you use the results to harass other people" doesn't mean they're ok with the use of parsers. Yet here you are requesting it to be implemented into the game just because on your PS4 you can't run exteral tools interacting with running games without getting your hands dirty.

Well... good luck with that one. This is the equivalent of asking other PS4 game devs to implement cheat tools into their games just because some PC kids use them so you feel you should be on equal grounds. I'm actually having a hard time believing you're honestly requesting this and that this is not a troll thread.