The stats system for TPU is based on select(bf). It has a lot of interesting features, but many of those features require a lot of maintenance, especially when new mods are added to TPU. Basic support for tracking kills, deaths, etc. by player and map happens automatically; all I need to do is remember to add the mod's data folder to the stats collection system.

But there are other things the stats can do:

1. Show map images on the map tab. To fully support a new mod, it's necessary to extract the thumbnail image from each map's source files and upload it to the appropriate folder on the stats site. Then the maps appear in the list with those images instead of just their names.

2. Assign weapons and kits to mods. Select(bf) uses this information to display the origin of Kits and Weapons in the stats. I've never done this so I'm not even sure exactly how it would look in the stats, but it might be useful.

3. Assign weapons to categories that appear on the Weapons tab of the stats. When I first set up the stats, I created the existing categories (Air; Anti-air; Anti-tank; APCs, cars, trucks, etc.; Artillery; Emplacements; Explosives; Knives; Pistols; Rifles; Sea; Tanks) and assigned all the weapons from the original mods (bf1942, xpack1, xpack2) to those categories. But with the addition of BG42, FH, and so on, there are many more new weapons in use on TPU and I haven't kept up with this. The day before posting this, I went through each of the most important categories (especially Air and Tanks), adding as many as I could identify. However, much work remains in those and other categories.

4. [Added 2011Dec24] I just realized any map that is part of more than one mod - and has the exact same name in those mods - appears in the stats map list as one map (e.g. Midway). In other words, stats for that map in all mods are glommed together as if they were just one map. This is clearly not ideal. We should definitely try to separate identically-named maps by mod, but this may prove difficult.

So here's my question: how much of this work should we do? Is the additional information worth the extra work? If there's general agreement that some or all of this is useful, I'll go ahead and do it, but I could use some assistance in identifying weapons. What are your thoughts?

---

-- Jeff (boot13)

Well it kinda goes back to June,when I had an idea about TPU metals of honor. In which would have a few more categories: Ace, Naval, air to ground like bomb runs and etc, anyway you had said it would be a lot of work in the codes inside stats. So even know the idea I had did sound good, it wasn't practical. Yes,that would be cool to have new upgrade in stats for old and newer players. Having a list for so many weapons from all mods would be a very tiring event for you. But if you go a head and make mods, having a newer category for air would nice: Be split up in groups,helos,b17s etc,etc But to get back your your question, I think it is more work than its worth in the long run,unless you did a poll asking players to vote on this.

hey i got a question... tomorrow is 1/1/2012. doesnt that mean stats get reset?? and this year, with all the new mods maybe we will be seeing more stats from all kinds of weapons. i know what jeff means by what really needs to be tracked, i think the planes and tanks are the most important, as for the other stuff, each gun/knives, apcs, AA guns and such aint all that important, but if it was me i would tinker with it every now and then as i tend to do with the map modding. and slowly add things here and there, iv notice playing secret weapons, the knives are not tracked by the website, i know this because iv killed many dudes at mimo with a knife, probly well over 1000, and in my stats i got like 100 knife kills and thats it, but again, its not really all that important, u get credit for it as a "none" kill right?

know what you mean, in DC Final the extras like knife,nads,pistols etc,etc never shows in stats but then again I don't really get into those but I am in with the idea you have. What would be cool? stats that show who has the best non tk and stuff like that but then again I don't know about the codes that go into play when it comes to the programing here and thats way past my understanding for sure, so all this maybe a bigger problem then its worth? Jeff what do you think? To much math here? I have not a clue on this subject.

That's the plan, yes. I'll do it later today.


The stats system automatically tracks stats for each individual weapon as it finds them in the raw data. The trick is getting the stats to appear in the weapons section, which involves flagging each individual weapon as a knife, tank, plane, etc.


That's basically what I'm doing. I usually spend a few hours flagging weapons in the stats system's admin back end after I've added a new mod to TPU and it's had a few days of activity. I'm thinking that if you're interested, I can give you (or any other admin who's interested) access to the stats back end so you can help out. Let me know if you're interested. One of the challenges is identifying what all those weapons are. Some are easily recognized; others not so much.


Yes, you still get credit for the kill, it's just that it doesn't appear under the "Knives" category on the weapons page.

---

-- Jeff (boot13)

Modifying the current stats system (SelectBF) would be a big job as it's amazingly complex. I made a lot of changes to it early on and even contributed some bug fixes to the official SelectBF project, but adding new features is going to be a lot tougher than finding bugs. Still, if there's enough demand for something, I can certainly take a look at how much work is actually involved.

Can you explain what you mean by 'who has the best non tk'?

---

-- Jeff (boot13)

My apologies- I had a thought of a slot for players that would keep human tks down. We have a wide range of players on TPU and most of them really don't mean to tk where as some are just reckless when they play. The ones reckless really has no beef with other players,they just don't pay attention and cause some fuss with players. I even seen them and they really don't mean nobody any harm but what if TPU had something that could encourage players to play a little more responsible? Then some will try to get that and so they play smarter because while I am in game I do hear chats about stats etc,etc and who has the most etc etc. I myself really don't care on what stats I am in,I have no ego so to me, stats mean nothing I just enjoy the game however,to some stats matter and I just thought this was an idea. But as I said before this type of math,codes or whatever programing goes on, I have no clue on.

Oh yeah, one of the things I witness myself personally would be players ramming planes all the way up to bombing you "not on purpose" however it does heat up players. These players to me don't deserve to be kicked when they tk like this, but while in game I would see the vote kick up a lot and when ask why,they tell me,then I tell them it was not on purpose,then I would tell that player to be more carefull. However, no motivation is there for them.

Sorry to ramble on.

i held the stats for 2 years straight, and u know what it sucked!!!! yeah it was a rush building up them stats, but once i was on top, i stayed there, no more rush, no more fight, no more challenge. only untill tenaciousmojo came to the server did an actual competition start going. he pecked away at my score for months, i knew he was gonna take me over so i started pumping up the pressure. in the end i knew he was gonna pass me but i realised, for 2 years straight i was bored with my score, only in the race with mojo did it become something, the race was fun. losing sucked but i still got the record!!! lol. longest running top score holder.
im sure sisko experienced the boredom with his score, being on top takes all the fun out of ur stats. its the race, its the challenge, and its the fear of losing ur top seat that is fun. ever since mojo and sisko knocked me off the top, iv had more fun trying to get my top spot back. after 2 years on top all i did was sleep on top of that score, no fun. now i am challenged.

When there are a lot of planes in the air, some PvP ramming is going to happen. It's usually hilarious when it happens, in my experience, but if someone is doing it repeatedly or clearly on purpose, I think I would ask them to cut it out and kick 'em if they didn't comply. As for the stats on this, the current stats system lets you sort by TKs, so that's a good way to see who leads in that category. On the other hand, I know Mojo thinks he TKs too much, or at least he's mentioned it in the past, probably because he likes to bomb crap from his plane and collateral damage is gonna happen when you do that - and I'm okay with that too since again it's often hilarious. It's repeated, apparently intentional TKing that should be discouraged.

---

-- Jeff (boot13)