Comparing WoW Addons to FFXIV Mods and discussing if they are a problem in the MMORPG genre. The culture around addons and mods in MMORPGs varies between different games the developers always have different rules.
In WoW Addons are pretty much freely allowed and are encouraged for the more post. They bring huge quality of life improvements and drive real change in the genre, but also lead of increasing difficult content due to developer scaling.
Compared to FFXIV where addons third party tools are a strange grey area. FFXIV Addons and Mods are frowned up and using them can result in a ban, however it is rarely enforced. Leading to a strange environment in the community where those willing to take risks can be rewarded. We recently saw drama in the Omega World first around a group using FFXIV mods and gaining a competitive advantage.
source
Addons aren't inherently a problem… they're a tool. They create both solutions and problems, and it's okay that different games have different cultures around them, because some game devs want the solutions they create, but others don't want the problems they create.
The issue with UI 'categorization' is that the developer then needs to review literally every add-on to decide 'is this allowed'. It's an unfathomable ordeal to try to restrict add-ons without making them just hard banned.
The only way it COULD work would be to have a dev team have a whitelist of add-ons that are permitted. Basically 'all add-ons are banned except these ten' or whatever. But even that requires a lot of work to maintain.
In FFXIV I use a few QoL add-ons. One such I'll mention is called "Gather Buddy." It basically gives me all the info I need in tracking down rare gathering nodes and will even let me set reminders and a schedule queue.
What having this available in game for me save me the trouble of having to temporarily leave the game to go a third party website to tell me the same information. Maybe this is a hot take, but I think this kind of information and extra features should be in the game by default. Or at the very least in GW2 for example as a core feature you can use /wiki via the in-game chat to redirect you to information really easily.
Addons on 14 are banned for 2 reasons. First: we (console players) cannot get the advantage that they provide. And second: those who watch streamers like you, can buy the game with the wrong idea that it looks like X or Y addon modifies the UID to look like. Going to the first point, damage meters aren't that much a problem, console players would get better if we had it, but it provides no direct benefit. HOWEVER, an addon that allows you to: auto invite people writing LFG on hunts, an addon that tells you if an attack without a tell is AOE or single target, an addon that tells you when your DOT is about to run out, that reminds you what in your rotation is meant to come, that allows you to craft withotu screwing, etc,etc,etc, they all bring benefits that console players have no access to. It is not something that "fixes" a problem for all, it is something that generates power levels and isolates players in general. WHILE at the same time, giving specific players bad habits. I am forced to know my rotation, others don't. I am forced to know when to reaply my dots, others don't. I am forced to pay attention to boss body language, sounds, lines, etc to know some specific mechanics, others… don't. And that's unfair. They're banned for a reason. But that doesn't mean you cannot use them. You just don't say it in public.
I really enjoy looking at fflogs, how many times you casted x in the fight, and then looking into xivanalysis to see how to improve, but maybe having a ranking system and looking at how much damage players do causes toxicity, I think square likes to keep everything friendly and aim to have 0 toxicity to the point they won't even risk it, like how they have no chat in pvp.
Like WoW raids until Legion (where I stopped playing) where impossible IMPOSSIBLE without add ons…… even the dungeons where awful without them….. it’s a mixed bag in my personal opinion as a former hardcore raider dps meters created so much toxicity bullying and so on and it’s kinda lame to be only able to succeed at a boss if you used add ones that basically told u exactly where to stand , I remember there being add ons that highlighted your rotation for u so u just need to follow that…… or the one that showed you exactly what enchantments and gems to use on which piece
I do not hardcore raid anymore I play FFXIV casually and use no add ons and have a lot of fun. But each to their own, if someone enjoys using them and doesn’t use them to be toxic or bully others I’m totally fine with it.
I like modding my RPG experiences, MMORPG or ortherwise, and I've gotten to use a ton of addons in WoW, FF14 and ESO. GW2 has some as well but not nearly as in-depth or offering the same quality of life that addons add to the aforementioned MMOs. I certainly wouldn't enjoy those MMOs as much without them, because to me it usually feels like they add another layer of customization to your own experience, which is quite fitting for the role-playing genre, and it's all pretty harmless, as long as you don't go out of your way to hack the game or influence other ppl's experiences, though that does happen here and there, mostly in WoW anyway.
I'm not a fan of addons at all. Back when I played WoW, I never used them. I wasn't in some top tier raiding guild, nor did I really care to be in one, but I played the game just fine without them. It's one of the reasons I really enjoy GW2, because Anet kinda discourages against addons (archdps is a thing i know but i don't use it). I don't want to be told "download this external 3rd party to enjoy this content". If I ever went back to WoW, I would still not use addons.
I don't use combat addons, but I also don't care what other people do. FF has always been a quiet agreement that we just don't talk about these things, and a lot of people are breaking that social contract with the devs lately. I'd also be lying if I said I didn't look up the guy who joined my PF and announced "I am a god healer; I take east." on fflogs.
Addons are largely bad.
also marty if you want a more clickbait title I'd recommend "The Addon Problem in MMORPGS: Who is right?" :3
I'm a console player and have had act used on me without my knowledge during an old Ex trial. I didn't know what act was till I was told by a guild friend and know the anxiety is a huge issue when I want to run something such as a new ex trial (I already have anxiety and this game did help me with that) with the thought of constantly being tracked and having my damage up for others to see.
I play the game to have fun and relax not to be judged on if I'm running my class right (if a dancer is in 3rd on the aggro list there is something wrong somewhere). If I want stress and anxiety I will play Eldenring or one of the Souls Borne games.
Also as a console player who has no access to add ons and such pc players have a huge amount of advantage with it. FF XIV is supposed to be a game we're everyone has equal footing that's why there is no high armour which can only be got by doing X, Y or Z nothing brought for real money that can give you a huge power boost or god like abilities. No massive pressure to be be the best which 14 does better than other games. Add ons well the ones which help you with trials and raids just ruin the whole thing because it's something that makes it easy for you, you don't need to learn anything to be best were as others do.
Also were is the fun in learning if it's already done for you. If you need help with the game why play it the first place. There is no challenge in cheating.
Addons are not necessarily a problem in and of themselves, but if the larger portion of the playerbase feels they are VITAL for gameplay (looking at you, WoW) it indicates a design issue with the game itself. Addons are generally a tool to alleviate or circumvent such shortcomings and to add QoL the game doesn't offer – but just some people like to take it too far and abuse them to cheat or to attack others.
I don't like addons, they are too easily abused, i don't want to use them and i don't want to be "forced" to use it, and some addons like damage logs can cause some real toxic players. While i don't have an issue with people using purely cosmetic addons i understand why ff bans them, it's easier to ban them all than try to figure out where the line is and enforce that. I like playing games in the environment the devs designed if you "need" an addon to play a game then the developer has fundamentally failed to design their game. Lastly if you addon in a multiplayer game when does it become cheating? when does it become the addons playing for you?
Imo all addons should be straight up banned apart from those for pure accessability like a more customizable one for colourblindness for example or the one where you can put your combo`s on 1 button like in XIV PVP (and yes that one is accessability as well for older people who can`t move their hands as fast anymore).
I think the devs should make a QoL-voting-poll where the comunity decides which 2 QoL should be worked on on each major patch and 1 on each small (X.X5) patch.
I play XIV and a male Viera so i get shit on the most graphicly when it comes to that stuff.
Why do I think all addons bar the ones mentioned should be banned?
1) if you have crossplatform, like XIV it`s just straight up unfair towards those not on pc
2) fucking no one wants the WoW-situation where, if you want to raid you have to have addon xyz
And for the people crying "It`s too hard without" in XIV I can only say: I clear the savage-tier blind week 1 when no addons even work or exist for that stuff so how about less crying, more practice.
While cosmetic mods might seem pretty innocuous FF14 people have seen how this can go really wrong really quick with all the NSFW stuff that was produced. Then a bunch of screenshot get circulated around the web, some people will stay way from the game because they believe this is actually something present by default… or worst … be mad it's not. The "Anime" look of the game will already turn off some player just because of the more problematic piece of anime they will associate that art style with…
if it never left the player screen that would be on thing… but lets be honest it really does not.
On a personal note, I'm not for mods of any kind outside the accessibility tools (that should already be here anyway), I think it is fine that not all contents caters to me and I don't really like the idea of brut forcing using non-intended tools.
The biggest difference between FF14 and WoW is one has beta test which allows time for addons to get updated for the main release and others don't. My advice is this for anyone new to the FF14. Do not get too comfortable with addons. When new content drops, you are back to zero with vanilla setting. Which means the new dungeons and raids are cleared like how it is intended for all of the FF14 players. It may stay that way for a week or two. The longest was a month. So, if you are addon user, learn how to play without addons first.