Help Wanted!

[DarnYak]

Alright, it struck me today that I could let someone(s) help work on a part of EotA pretty independantly, so lets see who's interested.

This would be about completely re-writing the bot's rank system code (calling the current one crap is an understatement). There is 3 parts to this: the bot, the database, and a web interface. The bot will probably be using SphtBot, although I haven't messed with it yet to be sure. Plugins for that bot are written in C++ from what I can tell. Some decent understanding of math is probably best as well.

Time requirements on this are minimal, as its not nessary and I'm in no rush ;P

If you're interesed either reply here with what you've done before to give me an idea that you're capible of this.

DarnYak

[Reaper]

Check pms yak

[Dekar]

go go codewipe!

[Kibiyama]

I'll throw my hat in.

I've spent a lot of time lately working in C# and ActionScript, so going back to bare-bones C++ will be a bit of a jostle, but I can manage. Only thing I'd be concerned about is that I've never worked with databases in C++.

As for the web interface, what're you thinking for that? I know some basic Ruby and ASP.NET, do you want like a full web 2.0 community thing with profiles and shit or just a leaderboards thing, or what?

Credentials:

4 years C/C++
3 years Java
2 years ActionScript 3.0
1 year C#
1 year Ruby
A few months ASP.NET
(Also, some old version of VB and Torque, but those suck)

Experience: Worked with Allegro, OpenGL, AllegroGL, helped with the AllegroGL backend for Guichan. I made a billion tiny games that were pure shit and leaked memory out the ass. Then I worked on an AllegroGL event-based engine framework for a year and found out XNA was almost exactly what I was working towards and I've been in C# ever since.

[DarnYak]

go go codewipe!

While there will be a "code wipe", the experience portion will still exist and be imported. Getting new exp may even be easier. Standings will be completley wiped though...although standings will begin having meaning.

As for the web interface, what're you thinking for that? I know some basic Ruby and ASP.NET, do you want like a full web 2.0 community thing with profiles and shit or just a leaderboards thing, or what?

For what to use, that largely depends on what the hosting can handle, which Emu knows and hopefully he'll read this and chime in. It would more or less just be a leaderboard with some pages for more details (game history, some statistics like heroes played etc.). Similar to bnet's ladder stastics more or less, just with less information.

And for those who may be worried about code length, loading shouldl be shorter, saving might be slightly larger (maybe 6), but there will also be an extended save code with a bit more detail but isn't required (can't see this going over 8, for 14 total).

DarnYak

[AnAngryBearDoctor]

The only way ratings will begin to mean anything is if every game is saved

[DarnYak]

The only way ratings will begin to mean anything is if every game is saved

I hope to have methods to both encourage saving everything more then it already is, and ways to deal with people exploiting it.

Plus the ability for anyone in the game to force a save code for other people in the game.

DarnYak

[Soulbourne]

/w eota -saveall


Would require tweaking to directly whisper the bot with the code for each person...Trying to think how you could get it to save without directly linking bot and game....can the two computers be set to whisper codes at a command?

[DarnYak]

Not possible short of using some sort of "hack" for wc3. Might be fairly easy or fairly hard to write/modify one, but I have nointentions of trying to set one up.

DarnYak

[Dekar]

While there will be a "code wipe", the experience portion will still exist and be imported. Getting new exp may even be easier. Standings will be completley wiped though...although standings will begin having meaning.

Codes which contain the exp will be wiped, but exp will be kept, yet standings which are based on exp will be wiped.
I dont understand that.

On being able to save for other people:
A single hacker could wreak havoc with the complete ladder.

[DarnYak]

Codes which contain the exp will be wiped, but exp will be kept, yet standings which are based on exp will be wiped.
I dont understand that.

Not that hard to understand.. your rank will be maintained, so all in game perks stay. The standing, aka the "ladder", will be completley reset and calculated in a brand new way.

On being able to save for other people:
A single hacker could wreak havoc with the complete ladder.

There will be protections against that, and a full log of who entered what codes will be kept allowing for easy reversal. Plus, this is EotA, i dont think enough people care about it to fuck with it.

DarnYak

[Emufarmers]

As for the web interface, what're you thinking for that? I know some basic Ruby and ASP.NET, do you want like a full web 2.0 community thing with profiles and shit or just a leaderboards thing, or what?

For what to use, that largely depends on what the hosting can handle, which Emu knows and hopefully he'll read this and chime in. It would more or less just be a leaderboard with some pages for more details (game history, some statistics like heroes played etc.). Similar to bnet's ladder stastics more or less, just with less information.

The current hosting will be able to run the Web interface (DreamHost includes Rails support, although I've never used it) and database (assuming it's MySQL- or flat-file-based). I've also got partial use of a high-powered VPS if the requirements prove to be more demanding (or if you need a place to run the actual bot).

[Kibiyama]

Alright, it's official -- I'm in love with C#. Just did my first application in C# 3.0, and it was beautiful.

So, is there any chance you'd use a bot that uses .NET plugins? Or is there even a bot that uses .NET plugins?

Could also make a husk of a C++ DLL that does the necessary COM shit and bridges the bot with a C# DLL, but that might be more work than it's worth.

[Zcuron]

I've been wondering if it's possible to do the following:

In a EotA-HB game typing -save would make the bot /w EotA -save Zcuron *code*
If only I could write code.

[DarnYak]

Not quite, but HB does allow other automatic save possibilities i hope to explore in the future...if bots come back.

DarnYak