They need to find a way to detect XIV Alexander and ban people

[Kuroka]

Gives an unfair advantage to PC players. Meanwhile, console players don't get to use such things.

Its not even about that, cheating and modding, makin things easier as theyre supposed to be gets us to a point where you either use it or be left behind....

[Shurrikhan]

So, you are against everything that makes it easier for players to do stuff. Are you then also against all these fan sites that are out there? Who help you create crafting rotations or show you the most efficient route of gathering materials? Who have timer for gathering nodes or FATE spawns? Which use math and probability to "solve" cactpot?

Because if you are not against them, you are a hypocrite.

Used YouTube to learn about your job? Third-party tool. Banned.
Visited the Balance? Third-party tool. Banned.
Used Garland Tools to more handily figure out where to get the materials for what you intend to craft? Third-party tool. Banned.
Used a calculator at some point? Third-party tool. Banned.
Recorded your gameplay for future reference or sharing? Third-party tool. Banned.
Streamed on Twitch? Third-party tool. Banned.
Mathed out your chances for optimizing your Cactpot on a piece of paper? Not SE's. Banned.

I'm not sure why people think that having an overlay is somehow fundamentally different than, say, a picture-in-picture mini-window of the website they're borrowing crafting rotations from. And, as you said, if the latter is permitted...

Its not even about that, cheating and modding, makin things easier as theyre supposed to be gets us to a point where you either use it or be left behind....

There's a difference between a plugin that shouts at you which mechanic is coming next and one that simply makes your UI something you can stand or that allows for better PF filtering, prevents getting booted over certain types of lobby errors, corrects netcode as not to doubly punish players for their ping in attempting to double-weave, etc.

The prior is a cheat and yes, should be prevented; the latter is the community picking up the slack for the dev team.

[Rhysati]

The prior is a cheat and yes, should be prevented

Is it though? One could simply read or watch a guide and they would know what move is coming next. In fact, this is what just about everyone does when tackling harder content. Very few times will a run be completely blind for everyone in the party. And when it comes to raids and the like, it is almost mandatory for everyone in that content to know ahead of time what to expect.

So it isn't a cheat to know what's coming. That only leaves the idea that a tool that tells you what comes next is a cheat. And then I ask: What if you wrote down the order at which abilities are used in the fight and had that next to your monitor or on a second monitor? What if you are watching a video of the fight that's 5-10 seconds ahead of where you are in the fight so that you know what's coming? Are those cheats?

At this point I would hope we would agree that none of the things states so far are a 'cheat'. So what about a tool that tells you in-game is a cheat? Plenty of other MMOs allow such tools because it's just another way of using the information that is already available. It's just a different way of reading the info, watching the info, or listening to the info. It's just in-game to make it more convenient.

So I'm very curious: What is it that makes this a cheat that should be prevented?

[gotaname1]

Used YouTube to learn about your job? Third-party tool. Banned.
Visited the Balance? Third-party tool. Banned.
Used Garland Tools to more handily figure out where to get the materials for what you intend to craft? Third-party tool. Banned.
Used a calculator at some point? Third-party tool. Banned.
Recorded your gameplay for future reference or sharing? Third-party tool. Banned.
Streamed on Twitch? Third-party tool. Banned.
Mathed out your chances for optimizing your Cactpot on a piece of paper? Not SE's. Banned.

Sorry, I just could not resist taking it 1 step further when reading this bit of your post......

Using anything to interact with the game that is not really hurting others, is a third party tool. By OP's logic, that would mean the following:
-Using your hands to move your character. Banned.
-Using your eyes to see what is happening in the game. Banned.
-Using your brain to solve quick maths in the game for any kind of progression. Banned.

SE clearly needs to ban humans from the game because those things make it easier and we just can't have that.

[ForteNightshade]

Its not even about that, cheating and modding, makin things easier as theyre supposed to be gets us to a point where you either use it or be left behind....

This doomsaying will never happen in XIV because none of these programs are supported by the dev team themselves nor are they enforced. At best, you'll see parse parties in PF but nobody really cares if you have a bunch of QoL plugins or triggers installed. The latter has existed for half a decade now; getting more elaborate with each expansion. They've still never become mandatory amongst the community. Modding harms absolutely no one. They're just texture changes to make the game appear differently for that player.

[Sarevok_Thordin]

I play on PC. Still doesn't make it fair for console players. Nice assumption though.

If only it were even easy to get a proper PC right now, it's like they forgot there is this whole silicon shortage thing making GPUs worth 3x as much as they should be.

[Rinhi]

I play on PC. Still doesn't make it fair for console players. Nice assumption though.

there's a similar tool on the same github page as the PC tool

[Packetdancer]

there's a similar tool on the same github page as the PC tool

Doesn't it require having a Linux-based router that you can modify the firmware on?

I mean, yes, you could do the same sort of network traffic tweakery at a router level -- thus giving console players the same benefit -- but you need a router you can modify in the first place in order to do so.

And unfortunately, those sort of routers are also in somewhat short supply due to the silicon shortage...

So while technically it might be true that it's a level playing field (inasmuch as console players can also use the tool), from a practical standpoint I'd argue that presently that's not really the case.

[ryouma17]

Not going to lie isn't moding just one of the many benefits if PC gaming? When did it become so vilified?

theres a difference between modding a single player game and an online game, a single player game only effects you so no one cares if you mod it (well some people care but those people are weird) modding an online game can lead to cheating. granted i dont see this mod adding any real advantage, like who cares how much MGP someone has all the gold saucer items are glamour anyways. mods like parsers on the other hand do not belong in this game

[Bobby66]

theres a difference between modding a single player game and an online game, a single player game only effects you so no one cares if you mod it (well some people care but those people are weird) modding an online game can lead to cheating. granted i dont see this mod adding any real advantage, like who cares how much MGP someone has all the gold saucer items are glamour anyways. mods like parsers on the other hand do not belong in this game

Is there really a difference? As I said I could see the stance from a competitive POV if they had to maintain fairness across the board due to a prize pool. Though for general play when nothing is really on the line expect reputation and personal enjoyment. Sort of the samething at sake in single player games that are heavily molded be it cheats or visually.

I think people simply care too much about what others do. If got alienated or belittled due to not having a mod installed or knowledge I am not privy to like parsing I just try shrug it off and try again. Why is it for some their reactions is FAIRNESS and EQUALLY! They world is nor fair and equal sooner people accept that the happier and more enjoyable their gaming and life experiences will be.

Remember moders often add many QOL changes that should be in the game.