What is parsing?

[Ranaku]

It is probably also nice for those who gather information to compare the different jobs to each other. To bring up which job needs a buff or nerf. R.I.P. my beloved bard...

[Risvertasashi]

I have hope that Yoshi P will think of something genius again that will bring the best of both worlds about this conundrum so that both learners and progression groups can reap its benefits.

I was hesitant to ask this question first for its sensitive issue, but I am glad that people here are still wholesome ♥

This thread's already descending into dark places so I hope my post won't be lost, but I'll try to explain it all - some have already answered but a few points could be more complete, so.

1. These days there is really only 1 parser, but under SE's policies, we can discuss them in the general sense but naming the specific app/how to get it/etc is a no-no. It's most basic function is to measure damage and other statistics of other party members, but in truth these days it is more of a "mod platform" and people make many tools to enhance gameplay/information available. For example, you can look at the buffs and debuffs a person had, and the healing and damage they received leading up to a death. Or it can be used for noncombat stuff like collating and aggregating marketboard data, UI things like providing job gauge alternates, and so on.

2. There's also others that aren't really built around combat at all, for example if you acquire a stalker and the blacklist isn't cutting it and the GMs won't take action (a story that, alas, isn't so uncommon), there's a blacklist upgrade available. There's also clothing, graphical and hairstyle mods and so on. For example if you see a reddit screenshot of a pose or outfit not in game, that's probably mods at work.

3. All of these are forbidden. So the safest way the play is to not use any of them. But in practice, you have to talk about it in game for SE to care/take notice, most of the time. And the way the TOS is worded - and Yoshi-P himself noted during a live letter - technically even Discord is against the FF14 TOS. But obviously SE isn't going to ban everyone using Discord. So we're forever stuck in this weird grey area.

4. Back to parsing specifically - there's a fair few people here on the forums frothing at the mouth and dreaming of the day that SE takes more active enforcement. But it's not going to happen - it's so necessary that the raid community would largely die off without it, as the game lacks in-game feedback about performance and fights are designed around tight DPS checks, among other things. There's been many suggestions to improve the status quo, such as limited authorization of addons or adding better in-game feedback tools, but SE has continually refused to budge.

5. But lastly, it's worth noting that SE has lately started to, in very limited circumstances, accept evidence from outside the game. Namely when a streamer or reddit community harasses other players, or pictures of nude mods are found. So, even showing that oneself uses a mod or addon outside the game is not completely safe.

I hope this is a fairly a comprehensive answer?

[ForteNightshade]

You don’t need numbers to tell if you’re making progress or not. You either are, or are not. If you’re not dying and you’re hitting your proper rotation, odds are your performance is good.

Or your team mates are carrying you through said content. When I'm within the top ten on Warrior in something like Paradigm's Breach. Suffice it to say, people aren't "hitting your proper rotation."

I don't need to see my numbers to know if I'm getting better. I'm already aware if my rotation could improve, where I messed up my rotation, or where I messed up on the fight that hurt my dps. Get enough experience and that comes naturally.

You do realize that rotation you're using is made through a parser, yes? So even at face value, you're indirectly benefiting from a parser.

[Caitsithhh]

Or your team mates are carrying you through said content. When I'm within the top ten on Warrior in something like Paradigm's Breach. Suffice it to say, people aren't "hitting your proper rotation."



You do realize that rotation you're using is made through a parser, yes? So even at face value, you're indirectly benefiting from a parser.

Shhhhhh, the sheep will riot.

[Nabril]

It’s for people who need a numerical read out, to tell them they are playing the game good or bad.

Don’t join the cult, it will just suck the joy out of you.

You honestly think that it doesn't help ones performance? Really?

[Ranaku]

Or your team mates are carrying you through said content. When I'm within the top ten on Warrior in something like Paradigm's Breach. Suffice it to say, people aren't "hitting your proper rotation."



You do realize that rotation you're using is made through a parser, yes? So even at face value, you're indirectly benefiting from a parser.

Yes! Wait...what? Let us be fair here, i learned my rotation from the game not from some parser. But yes i guess for some people it's too hard to press 1-2-3 (etc.) without a addon or rotation guide. Jokes aside there are some valid arguments for damage meters, you don't have to make stuff up lol.

[ZedxKayn]

Yes! Wait...what? Let us be fair here, i learned my rotation from the game not from some parser. But yes i guess for some people it's too hard to press 1-2-3 (etc.) without a addon or rotation guide. Jokes aside there are some valid arguments for damage meters, you don't have to make stuff up lol.

But have you ever searched up a guide for your job or your character on fflogs before?
If not, how would you know that the rotation you're doing is correct? Because the game teaches absolutely nothing and gives no feedback, which is why a lot of people, unbeknownst to them, aren't exactly stellar.

I wonder, because I see a lot of players claiming they know what they're doing when they're not using crucial parts of their kits.

[Ranaku]

But have you ever searched up a guide for your job or your character on fflogs before?
If not, how would you know that the rotation you're doing is correct? Because the game teaches absolutely nothing and gives no feedback, which is why a lot of people, unbeknownst to them, aren't exactly stellar.

I wonder, because I see a lot of players claiming they know what they're doing when they're not using crucial parts of their kits.

The game teaches you everything you have to know. Heck how do you think the people who made the guides found out? Throug some visions from hydaelyn and yoshi p after they smoked too much? And how did stuff worked before damage meters were a thing? Guess in ancient times people never did their rotations right. The really linear job design of FFXIV isn't really rocketscience.

I can see how guides are useful to many players but heck saying the rotations exist just because of some damage meter and everyone using a jobs rotation in the right way does that cause of these guides/damage meters is a really really bold statement.

[Rein_eon_Osborne]

Here we go again...

[IckeDerTyp]

Parsing can be very helpful for personal improvement!

Sadly a lot of people don't feel the need to improve themselves. That's fine in most content imho.

But I dislike the mindset those people have, just as I dislike the people that try and blame dps, or the lack thereof for all things wrong in this game.

However, playerbase is broad enough that everyone can find like-minded people and hey, those can play the game however they want ^^