add an in game parser please!!!

[Ayuhra]

I completely agree with this: there are so many other ways to make hard fights where the dps isn't required. Having SOME dps checks are ok, but making every fight a dps check isn't what i call fun. I'm no battle programmer or anything but I remember enjoying the old raids (not in ffxiv specifically) for a good reason: it encouraged tactical knowledge and awareness rather than blunt dps checks. And 1-hit deaths.

I mean come on, Karazhan (yes the worst mmorpg of all time yadda yadda) had a chess battle and I loved that raid so much i would pug every week for it (yes, it was possible still), just for the fun factor and because i genuinely loved that raid for how well designed it was. I never felt frustrated while doing that and i don't really recall any dps check in there (if it did, it was so well hidden I never noticed.).

If they want dps checks as the main gimmick for the game, I'm fine with that too: I won't touch any raid content. But as DarkB said: if you put dps checks, support a dps parser. If you don't put it, think of something else for making fights challenging. Dps checks aren't the only tactics to go for!

I agree with this. I enjoy fun mechanics over dps checks.

My biggest problem with this game is endgame stuff seems to be focused around strict mechanical precision in a strict rotation so you can beat an enrage timer. Mechanics that are present are usually (not always) based on stepping out of bad things and failure to do so is a one hit KO (at least there is not a limit on battle rezzes in this game outside the mana cost). I find that more stress inducing than enjoyable.

I would love to see more fun mechanics. World of WarCraft has always easier rotations, fewer one shot kills (they still exist but aren't the focal point of most bosses) but much more varied and interesting raid encounters as a result. Karazhan is fantastic. I was also very fond of Ulduar.

My dream would be to see rotations streamlined, fewer one shot mechanics and bigger, more varied boss encounters to provide the actual challenge. Less "robot precision" more "think on your feet".

Until we see a shift to that sort of design, however, it seems a shame to not give damage dealers tools they need to actually approach the encounters the way they're supposed to. Dummies and similar are fine...provided you ignore that my class exists. Meet the Black Mage. We ignite the atmosphere on dummies but when actual mechanics force us to move like any other class our dps can plummet to sometimes catastrophic levels (I HAD A FRACTION OF A SECOND LEFT ON BLIZZ IV BUT ENOCHIAN FELL OFF WHY DOES-*incoherent hour long tangent*).

I know my own numbers because reasons. I have never and would never throw numbers at anyone else but to me live evaluation is much more accurate and important than the dummy due to how drastically different my class's performance can be on a dummy vs a real encounter.