If running a parser makes you cynical and depressed, why do it?

[RivinStormfang]

I've been avoiding picking up a parser ever since I came back to FFXIV specifically for this reason--after 11 years of WoW I ended up resenting DPS meters more than anything. I've found that I'm much happier judging myself by my own performance (did I handle mechanics well, did I do my rotation properly) rather than strictly by numbers. And I'm much, much happier not being able to see anyone else's DPS numbers--that's information I strictly do not need to care about.

I don't fault other people for using them if they want to, especially savage/ultimate groups where maximizing DPS output really matters. But I hope this game never reaches the point WoW did where it felt like DPS meters were required because everyone was judging you by your DPS.

[TheMightyMollusk]

I don't need a parser to be cynical and depressed.

[Alucard135]

I don't need a parser to be cynical and depressed.

Exactly. We have lalas for that.

[Endeleon]

I don't need a parser to be cynical and depressed.

Yep, they gave us idle battle poses for that. All you need is seeing that White Mage idle pose for 90% of the fight and you are good and set on the cynical depression.

[HyoMinPark]

I see a lot of people complain about tank DPS or other people's DPS, why look at others numbers? or even your own if you think SAM or Ninja or BRD or DNC or RDM are now ruined? I really fail to see how people are enjoying the game when they complain about how numbers are so low or that their numbers aren't high enough compared to other people. So really if looking that closely at numbers is hurting your enjoyment of the game, why do it? Does your numbers have to be X amount higher than someone else's for you to be having fun? I can understand running one for self improvement but it seems like this obsession over numbers is just ruining the game for people by causing them to be bitter and cynical.

A lot of people use parsers to judge their own self-improvement. I believe that this has been stated repeatedly in the past in the multitude of parser threads that appear on this forum. There’s nothing in this game that tells us how well or how poorly we are doing—unless we want to actually add up all those numbers in the Battle Log. And, let’s face it: no one wants to do that. So they run a program that automates the process.

In high-end settings, parsers can be used to determine where weak links may be, be it in healing or damage dealing. Coupled with FFLogs and XIV Analysis, further analysis can be done to see why things may not be as smooth as some think. FFLogs and XIV Analysis have to have a parser in order to provide a player with the rotational information they seek, so parsers, by extension of these applications, help players figure out where they may be making errors in their rotation/gameplay.

At an even higher end, parsers, repeated testing, and simulations are used to determine optimal rotations for every job. Those that take all of the time and effort required to acquire these numbers then publish them and rotations for the rest of the playerbase to follow.


Some people would like to see improvement, but, for whatever reason, may not be seeing it in their logs. There can be a myriad of reasons for this (e.g., lingering rotational issues, poor kill time, poor optimization with static/party members, job balance issues, etc.), but it can be disheartening to not see the improvement that you might be wishing for. And sometimes this isn’t the fault of the player. I main DNC—the lowest job in terms of aDPS—and it is a bit depressing to see myself, in a good run, rolling 11~12k while the BLM is pushing 17k. And let me tell you how awful it is to see DNC numbers synced down in UCoB, where I trade places with the WAR because DNC doesn’t have access to Flourish or Saber Dance at level 70, and those are two huge chucks of our personal damage.

But this discrepancy between myself and a BLM isn’t really a reflection of poor skill or play—it’s the sheer gap between my job and jobs at the higher end of the DPS food chain. And this can be said for any of the physical ranged right now, but for DNC especially, since parsers do not show rDPS and we get a big chuck of contribution through that. I notice higher numbers on BRD because BRD is mostly aDPS now—barely any rDPS. And it feels ridiculous sometimes, and I wish that parsers showed rDPS as well. Anyways, how else am I to continue to judge how I’m doing if I decided to close the program? Then I’d be completely in the dark, and I’m not sure being ignorant of my performance is any better than the 11~12k.

What makes me cynical isn’t necessarily the numbers I see. It’s the knowledge that the physical ranged are so imbalanced and undertuned compared to the rest of the DPS jobs that makes me bitter and cynical. And the lack of acknowledgement of that from the development team doesn’t help. We’ll see what 5.1 brings, but I’m not holding my breath for something substantial. For what it’s worth, seeing what they did to BRD and AST in ShB makes me just as cynical and depressed as knowing that my preferred role is basically limping its way through high-end settings.

[SerLuke]

To clarify I'm not taking about savage or extremes but people who put under's a microscope in daily casual content like roulette.

[Anselmet]

When we parse a fight we can upload it to an analyzer that suggest how you can improve. For those of us who wish to improve this is a wonderful tool. I do find it depressing to be on war and often either the highest or the second highest in 4 man content. It makes me sad when partner tank is better geared and a pld or gnb and doing less damage than me. I turn it off more often now but man when I forget its bleak. But its worth it when you are learning a class, frankly.

[Hysterior]

I never complain per se based on parse numbers but if I see room for improvement I would mention to the person, without mentioning a parser or any number.
If a DPS has a very low DPS, it is either because he/she is not geared, his/her rotation is wrong or he/she just does not understand the fundamentals of the job.
And as a mentor, I think it is not wrong to let them know how to optimize a bit, as long as it is done in a polite manner. Parse just gives validation to you providing feedback (based on data).
Helping them improve is good for them in the long run and good for everybody they will be playing with.

I also like using parse when there is a dancer. I have no shame asking them to pair with the tank or myself if I see the other dps lower than us. It helps the whole team in the end.

[ChocoFeru]

The problem comes when your group keeps wiping over and over again because they want to have high numbers. They even wipe on purpose if they're not happy with the parser numbers, and destroy the entire run because of it.

I don't like to waste other people's time so I prioritize the clear before parser. If I have to use cover or Clemency to save a kill, I will do it even if I lose damage.

[Reap00]

I see a lot of people complain about tank DPS or other people's DPS, why look at others numbers? or even your own if you think SAM or Ninja or BRD or DNC or RDM are now ruined? I really fail to see how people are enjoying the game when they complain about how numbers are so low or that their numbers aren't high enough compared to other people. So really if looking that closely at numbers is hurting your enjoyment of the game, why do it? Does your numbers have to be X amount higher than someone else's for you to be having fun? I can understand running one for self improvement but it seems like this obsession over numbers is just ruining the game for people by causing them to be bitter and cynical.

I agree with you 100%. I used ACT and spent the vast majority of my time comparing myself to other people and being generally very bitter. I stopped using ACT and my enjoyment of the game has greatly increased. People like to hide behind its just for self improvement. I am sure there are a select few that use it for this purpose. The vast majority use it for an ego boost. ACT should have been banned from the get go as it was part of the ToS anyway.