Third party tools are a game design failing in a multi-platform game

[LeonKeyh]

Thing is, better graphics and resolution ARE an advantage, in and of themselves. For example, if you do Savage / Ultimate with an ultra-wide screen, you can see the full arena without turning the camera, making mechanics way easier. Especially safe spot type ones.

That's a...stretch.... (yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh)

Does PS4 support keyboard macros. toggle keys, 18 mice buttons with macro customization? Which is another thing, many gaming keyboard and mice require their manufactures software to function, and a lot them provide access to macro and toggle key tools that normally aren't available to default windows drivers. They're gonna have to start banning hardware too. Or at the very least since we need to ban all 3rd party tools that will include your gaming keyboard/mice as they provide an unfair advantage. Discord too, another unfair advantage. Can't look up anything in a web browser either, technically that's a 3rd party application. Its a gray area because it has to be. Some things are essential to just using a PC that could be considered a 3rd party tool that provides an 'unfair' advantage.

But more importantly there is literally nothing they can do. You think anti-cheat spyware that boots up when you run the game is going to prevent people from using mods? It will make it more difficult for the average player to access QoL improvements and literally do nothing to stop people who are adamant about cheating. Virtual machines can run software outside the games active environment and are therefor not detectable by anti-cheating software. Or you can go one step further and literally run things that sniff your network packets on another machine entirely. People could have their entire raid callouts happening on their laptop next to the PC they're playing FFXIV on. There's absolutely no way SE could do anything to detect or stop that.

I mean, playstation controllers are the equivalent of 52 easily hit buttons, with a fairly easy way of toggling to other hotbars if needed. So, toggle keys, and 18 button mice really aren't necessary. If we're talking about those things if anything controller is better and those macros make up for the shortfalls of KBM.

As for the (overdone, silly) Discord/Web browser argument. It's not that difficult. If it doesn't interact with the game it's not a "third party tool."

Anti-cheat implementation would be incredibly stupid because it's going to hurt more than it helps.