Top List Experience Tracking (?)

[MiOw]

My recent return to the game and subsequent dive into board hosting has made me aware of many tools and tricks that I was previously unaware of. The item that is causing the most noise right now is whether or not to show experience on the Top 100 list due to it's use with applications to allow for fairly accurate character tracking(?). The list on our board updates in almost real time so I do not think any of the standard game buffers are feeding it (and hence could not be used to retard updates of the list), but is anybody aware of any simple edits or modifications that will allow showing experience on the top list while limiting it's use with application-based trackers? Any suggestions, feedback, and/or thoughts would be appreciated.

Thank you!

[BearFather]

What? Are you worried about people watching exp? Why?

[MiOw]

What? Are you worried about people watching exp? Why?

I am not so personally worried, only putting the question out there because of any settinng the showing of exp on the top list has been the most debated.

[syntax]

Can't believe anyone would actually be concerned about it. Would have to be some hard core PVPers to care about what I think you are describing. Potentially increasing the time the user buffers are written to disk could delay the top list being updated?

[MiOw]

Can't believe anyone would actually be concerned about it. Would have to be some hard core PVPers to care about what I think you are describing. Potentially increasing the time the user buffers are written to disk could delay the top list being updated?

I thought it but wasn't sure... I've got a planned takedown tonight for a quick menu update so I'll tweak the buffers and see If there are any changes when the board comes up.

[Joker]

Here's the issue, Gentlemen. In a realm where PVP is fairly prevalent, any issue that can be exploited may provide an unfair advantage to certain players. There is an application out there (limited distribution) that allows a person to use the TOPLIST experience, and performs a "very" accurate assessment of where each person is scripting, based on their updated experience. So, character A uses the application to find character B. Character A types in the current experience, waits 1 minute (in most cases, it doesn't even take this long), and updates the experience for character B. The application takes the time factor, and compares the difference in EXP to get the EXP/HR rate, then performs an analysis of which mobs would be able to provide that exact EXP rate. It also factors in character B's level, and determines which of the available mobs would be the most likely scripted area. Then, character A proceeds to the direct location, attacks, and either hangs character B or gains the kill outright.

Although it's not "really" an advantage, using this method precludes someone from having to search the realm for their victim, they always know exactly where they are based on their EXP rate. I have this program and can attest to it's accuracy and usefulness in being able to pinpoint users location. I am also one of the players in the ClassicMud realm who is a proponent of NOT displaying exp in the top list, just for this reason.

I understand that anyone can use this method of exp tracking with a simple calculator and then viewing mob exp values. However, this method provides some degree of work involved, and will provide a list of potential areas where a person may be scripting. Let me state again how accurate this application is, and it accounts for more than just exp rates to find a person. It is an unfair advantage to those who have it. Just my two cents!

[BearFather]

15 years ago they had this app, and wasn't that big of an issue. Now if your on an edited board wouldn't that mess it all up? Or does it work off MME?

[MiOw]

15 years ago they had this app, and wasn't that big of an issue. Now if your on an edited board wouldn't that mess it all up? Or does it work off MME?

App or not, I suppose the question really comes down to whether or not you want EXP on the top list considering the pros and cons; placement, tracking, 'et al. We have a week long poll running on the board for active players that will settle it for us and it's a close race.

Edit: being able to modify the polling rate, or even restricting it to a cleanup-only update would be a nice middle-ground for most issues outside of the real-time xp tracking