Usage scenario
From DKPLP Doc
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This article provides an outline of how someone might use DKPLP to administrate their raid, starting from the gaming experience, and finishing with viewing their raid data on an EQDKP website. It assumes you are using EQDKP and have it set up and configured with the DKPLP plugin.
Contents |
Before the raid
Rolling over the log file
How to roll over the log file
It's recommended that before commencing a raid, that you roll your log file over. That is, rename the existing log file to something with the current date in it, or move it aside into another directory. For some games, there will be commands available from within the game to rename the current logfile. For others you will need to do this step manually (it is possible you won't be able to rename the log file if the game is currently running).
Why to roll over the log file
MMO log files can frequently grow to be quite large in size, extending to hundreds of megabytes after just a few days of gaming. DKPLP needs to process the entire log file in order to locate the information it requires: the bigger the log file, the longer the parsing takes. By starting with a new log file before the raid, you'll ensure that the log parser only has the minimum amount of data to process when you're done.
Deciding on the DKP configuration
What is meant by a DKP configuration?
Will you run a zero-sum dkp system? Will you accrue DKP over time (if so, how much), or by events, or both, or neither? How do your members go about using their DKP to obtain loot? Do they bid using their existing DKP? Does the loot have a set value? What are your policies on alts: should they accrue DKP separately from their mains? Do you have a DKP cap on how much DKP someone can bank? Can people bid themselves into negative DKP?
Why consider your DKP setup now?
These questions are only the tiniest subset of considerations when setting up your DKP arrangement. As there are so many variations, it is recommended that you run a test system for a while before making it a policy for your MMO guild, to iron out how you want to use it. Hopefully once you've set it, you won't need to adjust the values again.
How to set up your DKP configuration
Now that you've got an idea on your DKP management policies, you need to configure the log parser so it's ready for when you parse your data. You will want to read the configuration guides in more detail, paying attention to the initial values tab, DKP settings tab, and parse patterns tab. If you decide to change your DKP setup, you will need to reparse your log file: changes made do not automatically update any data currently loaded in the tool.
During the raid
Recording Participation
The parser reads information from the log file in order to know who was present on the raid, and for how long. So you need to get that data into the log file. Depending on which parse mode you're using (classic, approximative join/leave, exact join/leave, first/last), the parser will look for different data in the log file.
- Classic
- Classic mode expects to see a full list of participants periodically. Every list is considered as the start of a new reward interval. At a minimum you'd need to take the attendance list at the start and end of the raid, and any time a member joins or leaves partway through the raid (if you don't want them to earn DKP for time spent not on the raid). Under Everquest or Everquest II, these lists are generated and sent to the log by performing a /who or /whoraid command.
- Approx Join/Leave and Exact Join/Leave
- These modes expect to be told when people join and leave the raid. Under Everquest and Everquest II, this is best done by sending a message to a chat channel. In World of Warcraft this is handled by CT RaidTracker.
- First/Last
- This mode expects to be told about the presence of people, but will only care about the first and last time a person was present. This favours period partial lists of participants.
Recording Events
If you wish to record additional DKP on events (such as boss kills, or a single DKP bonus for those who were at the raid on time), sending a command to the log file (e.g. by speaking in a chat channel in EverQuest) will have the details recorded. This command is usually of the format:
*Event <event name> - <DKP reward value>
Recording Loot
Surely no raid is complete without loot! And indeed the whole point of a DKP system is to provide some measure of equality, or justice, with awarding loot to raid participants. The parser just needs to know what the loot item was, who won it, and how much DKP they paid for it. Quite how the DKP value and loot winner is decided is a matter of guild policy and irrelevant to the log parser.
If the information is not automatically recoreded then the loot details can be sent to the log file by speaking in a chat channel to get the details recorded. The command is of the format:
*Loot <loot winner> - <item name> - <DKP cost>
Other commands
This is not the full list of commands, just the most elementary to get you started. There are a variety of options to also add and remove members from a reward interval, and supply DKP bonus values to raid participants on the fly. The full list of commands is provided by each pattern set.
Customising these patterns
The format of these patterns is outlined in the parse patterns tab. All patterns can be configured if you would prefer to use a different set of commands. See the customising patterns and formats guide for more information.
After the raid
Congratulations! You raided, you battled, you fought, you hopefully didn't die (too much), you won loot and found fame and infamy. You also sent all the right commands at the right time to the log file and now it's time to read in all the data, check it and send it up to your server so it's viewable by your guildmembers.
Processing the log
You can't sensibly process the log until the entire raid is completely. DKPLP is not designed to be used in real-time: your members will not be able to get minute-by-minute updates to their DKP totals.
So, you've completed your raid, now it's time for the administration of the DKP system. Fire up DKPLP, making sure your configuration settings are correct, and open up your log file using the commands off the File menu. The parser will whir for a while, as it reads in the contents of the log. A dialog box will open, showing a list of all the days it has found within your log file. Select the one containing the day you raided, by double-clicking. Data will appear in the main GUI, with the DKP calculated according to the settings you organised earlier. If you change your mind on the DKP settings, you will need to reparse your log file, by reloading it.
There's a sequence of steps to perform to check that you are happy with your data before uploading it to your server. Do not automatically assume that these will be correct! If you misspelled a command, item name or player name while registering loot, events or join/leave patterns, it's easy for errors to creep in. Keep an eye on the status bar at the bottom which records the number of intervals, suspected errors and DKP in/out.
- Intervals
- Are your reward intervals correct? Has the parser picked up some extra information along the way that doesn't relate to your raid? (For instance, some participant information from earlier in the day. Or a different raid earlier in the day). You will want to remove any intervals that don't belong to your raid.
- Participants
- For each reward interval, are the participants correct? Is anyone missing that should be included. Is anyone included that should be removed (such as pickup raiders who aren't guildmembers and therefore don't receive DKP)? Don't forget to check the suspected errors tab which can give hints as to missing participants and non-registered DKP members. You may need to adjust the participants per reward interval, or add members to the member list.
- Events
- Check all your events imported correctly and are worth the correct amount.
- Loot
- Check all your loot imported correctly, for the correct amount, awarded to the correct player.
- DKP calculations
- Have a look at the Global tab: did your members earn what you expected for DKP? Does the reward by interval and by event seem correct? You may need to reparse if you have your DKP settings incorrect.
Uploading the data
Now you're happy with your data, you need to choose how it will appear on the server. The server plugin can provides a number of different display alternatives, for instance EQDKP does not inherently support time-based DKP rewards, so the data has do be displayed in another way. The section on uploads describes these options in detail.
Having selected how your raiding day will appear on the EQDKP server, you can now upload. Go to Upload->Day. These will package up the data and send it off to your EQDKP server where it will be added to the database.
Viewing the website
Direct your web browser to your website. Check that your raid has been uploaded correctly and that all members have received their allotted DKP, and loot.
