Would you like an in-game parser?

[Kaurie]

So... because some people find measuring performance fun, all people need to have their performance measured even if they don't find it fun? I don't think any of us have said stop using your parser to measure and improve yourself if that's your thing. Just don't use it to measure others if they don't want it done. That's been my entire argument this whole time and many of you just scoff us off as "you must be bad, so you don't want to be parsed."

I believe their argument was based soley off Reynhart exclaiming, "No, I play for fun, not for measuring my performances." where in fact the two are not mutually exclusive.

There are times when your parser numbers aren't going to tell you the whole story about someone. There are some people who will just look at the numbers-- just like the people in this thread who say "oh, anti-parser must be bad player" (and there are many in this thread alone), and abuse it. Can't you have your cake (which you currently do and are enjoying) and I have my cake (which likewise, I have and am enjoying) and so long as I'm not shoving my cake down your throat (let's call this the people who spam blizzard I in lvl 60 dungeons) you don't cram yours down mine (we'll call this the people who rage if you're not at 100% optimization) and we'll call it even?

I cannot think of a single example where a parser will tell you the whole story. I don't think (m)any people are stating as such. It is simply one piece of the puzzle and a useful tool to augment the rest of the game. "There are some people who will just look at the numbers" is possibly a true statement, but there are already people who do ridiculous things in the game. We cannot and should not make design choices around people's stupidity.

I do find it interesting how you state, "just like the people in this thread who say "oh, anti-parser must be bad player" (and there are many in this thread alone)", where the anti-parser crowd has been particularly more toxic in this thread. At least as far as I have seen. Yes, there are definitely people on both sides who seem to have misplaced their manners upon entry to the internet. That said, there are plenty of people (I quoted three of them a few pages back) who directly insulted another player who simply shared his story about how he improved as a player. These anti-parser players responded with condescending remarks such as "git gud", and learn 2 read.

The thing is, performance measurement can be an incentive to improve, as well as a tool to help you improve. That is something that is good for the game as a whole. The issue is the ignorance of one's performance is likely one of the largest contributing factor to sub-par play. This wouldn't be an issue in most video games, because we're all just trying to have fun, but in an online/cooperative game, your performance has a direct impact on other players around you. With your performance directly impacting others, then I think it is only fair that they are aware of what your performance is.