Discord Bot and Form Integrations - Poll to display online users.

[Goat]

Hello!

We're working on adding integrations between the forums, discord, and the game. One of them is involving a bot that AoS had created. The bot can have some additional features but to start, it will show the online users per server, and who's online currently. It will respect the hidden field if you hide yourself. Originally it used to be on the server, but was removed. I believe having little tools like this are quite nice to add however!

I just want to confirm with the community if it is fine with everyone, and any concerns anyone will have. The goal is to add it to discord so it can be seen, and on the forums somewhere. Again, as I said, we will make sure it obviously respects the hidden player and it will most likely display something like 27 online (2 hidden) for example, similar to the online scry now.

I want to be transparent and make sure everyone is okay with this however before we proceed!

Examples:




P.S. The current tool does not support the hidden scry list, but that the future forum/discord tool will when it is supported. The information it currently provides is already available on the player list however, even if it's hidden on the scry.

Thank you!

[gedweyignasia]

This is a useful tool that provides information everyone ingame already has. I see absolutely no reason not to support it.

[EasternCheesE]

I think it's fine as long as it's hosted serverside so sudden changes don't make it obsolete/doing something not expected. Also, please consider licensing as relying on third-party software should be covered properly in terms of legality of use.

[Steve]

As Ged states, it would be showing the information already available ingame, but now in a more public place.

I suggest that DMs logged in are also on this published list on Discord bot.

Fair is fair!

[gedweyignasia]

I suggest that DMs logged in are also on this published list on Discord bot.

While this might prove helpful in motivating players to get on, informing players when someone is on who can help them solve certain problems, etc, DMs also play a role watching for misconduct and preventing abuse (of players, bugs, etc.) ingame. For that reason, adding a feature that would allow players to make sure there's no DM online merits some internal discussion, even if there are a lot of potential benefits. (Note that DMs do not appear on the playerlist, and there is presently no way to determine if a DM is online; players can only see if a DM has logged in after them.)

It definitely merits consideration however, and perhaps DMs can even be added to the top of the Scry with their own status flags to tell players if they're busy running an event or free to assist players. (With the option to remain hidden if they wish, naturally.)

[Steve]

I suggest that DMs logged in are also on this published list on Discord bot.

While this might prove helpful in motivating players to get on, informing players when someone is on who can help them solve certain problems, etc, DMs also play a role watching for misconduct and preventing abuse (of players, bugs, etc.) ingame. For that reason, adding a feature that would allow players to make sure there's no DM online merits some internal discussion, even if there are a lot of potential benefits. (Note that DMs do not appear on the playerlist, and there is presently no way to determine if a DM is online; players can only see if a DM has logged in after them.)

It definitely merits consideration however, and perhaps DMs can even be added to the top of the Scry with their own status flags to tell players if they're busy running an event or free to assist players. (With the option to remain hidden if they wish, naturally.)

A DMs name shows up on the Player Chat. Unless they change their name to an NPC name while running an event.

If the community has a tool to “spy” on who’s ingame, then it should be Everyone that is ingame. If players have been avoiding DMs being online to do bad shit, then that’s already been happening for years, so I don’t see how seeing if they are online outside the game changes the behavior.

But knowing if a DM is online is very helpful if trying to get DM help. Though I can understand that DMs don’t also want to be “bothered” when running an event. But sorry it’s the nature of the Role of DM to be helpful!

[gedweyignasia]

A DMs name shows up on the Player Chat. Unless they change their name to an NPC name while running an event.

I acknowledged in my original post that if a player can see if a DM logs in after them.

Please don't take my post to be dismissive or discouraging; I only meant to explain why that decision requires additional consideration. I think it is a good idea.

[renshouj]

I acknowledged in my original post that if a player can see if a DM logs in after them.

Steve is pointing out that that "acknowledgement" is incorrect, dm doesnt need to log in after them, if theyre not in an NPC, they show up as "DM Whatever".
Now, I do think it'd be cool if dms could choose to show up as busy, or available, or not at all - and even more, I think thats a question to pose to the DMs themselves. And yes, while it is the role of a DM to be helpful, it often happens that people feel entitled to their help, now. Karens, if I may. Which is why I think DMs should be given the choice

[Steve]

I acknowledged in my original post that if a player can see if a DM logs in after them.

Steve is pointing out that that "acknowledgement" is incorrect, dm doesnt need to log in after them, if theyre not in an NPC, they show up as "DM Whatever".
Now, I do think it'd be cool if dms could choose to show up as busy, or available, or not at all - and even more, I think thats a question to pose to the DMs themselves. And yes, while it is the role of a DM to be helpful, it often happens that people feel entitled to their help, now. Karens, if I may. Which is why I think DMs should be given the choice

For sure, DMs should be able to “hide” themselves, just as Players have that ability in the SCRY (and this bot, as I understand it).

Entitlement to getting helped…that’s a whole other issue, though related. But that is something a but of education can fix (okay okay…in most instances…).

[DaloLorn]

It definitely merits consideration however, and perhaps DMs can even be added to the top of the Scry with their own status flags to tell players if they're busy running an event or free to assist players. (With the option to remain hidden if they wish, naturally.)

This definitely sounds like a good amendment to the Scry (and this integration, by proxy)!

A DMs name shows up on the Player Chat. Unless they change their name to an NPC name while running an event.

I acknowledged in my original post that if a player can see if a DM logs in after them.

These statements are actually both false, in subtly different ways:

• Changing their name does not outright remove a DM from Player Chat (it just changes the corresponding entry), nor does it add them to Player List or the Scry. Someone sufficiently invested in determining with absolute certainty whether a DM is logged in can just compare the two lists.
• Player Chat doesn't care if the DM logged in first. I've frequently caught a few DMs within a span of seconds after I logged in; you can't seriously tell me I'm so magnetic that half the DM team tries to log in immediately after me.

[Aspect of Sorrow]

Online DMs are populated in the chat box, even if they connected earlier than the client that is now rendering its local copy of that list.

Now, I do think it'd be cool if dms could choose to show up as busy, or available, or not at all - and even more, I think thats a question to pose to the DMs themselves

I have an entire suite of additional tooling for DMs at the ready based on feedback with them and Admin, but the criteria is that I'm staffed before its implementation.

If the community has a tool to “spy” on who’s ingame, then it should be Everyone that is ingame.

It's no more a spying mechanism than using the game itself, but for this I'm staying within the boundaries admin has expectations of. The hidden filter is something I personally approve of as well and would've incorporated it into my personal projects but emulating the foundation for what I need takes more time than I was willing, at that point in time. The filtering mechanism for this has been identified and agreed for its simplicity and security.

Also, please consider licensing as relying on third-party software should be covered properly in terms of legality of use.

For my part, wherein Discord is the medium, the GDPR is satisfied with the Scry's opt-out mechanism in the hide all toggle. There is no storage of user data with exception of the interval frame for visible players until they hide their status in game. The bot will answer this interaction in one of its commands, probably /GDPR.The only thing stored is the gamespy protocol exposed counts in intervals which are non-identifiable and is not subject to any EU nor US privacy laws for activity count graphing which will look similarly to the old graph we used to run. Though I've want of making another line thrown across this chart for a "this time yesterday" and "this weekday last week". Idea is that the bot generates the graphs and updates them in lieu.

I think it's fine as long as it's hosted serverside so sudden changes don't make it obsolete/doing something not expected

The server holds authority on the generated output. A snip of code was supplied to provide this service if/when it becomes necessary, but until then the bot is hosted independently of the server as I update its features a few times an hour. Its permission scope / needs of operation has already been cleared with admin. Its means of ingest is the same that the web listing, developed by admin, will pull from.

[gedweyignasia]

Also, please consider licensing as relying on third-party software should be covered properly in terms of legality of use.

For my part, wherein Discord is the medium, the GDPR is satisfied with the Scry's opt-out mechanism in the hide all toggle. There is no storage of user data with exception of the interval frame for visible players until they hide their status in game. The bot will answer this interaction in one of its commands, probably /GDPR. The only thing stored is the gamespy protocol exposed counts in intervals which are non-identifiable and is not subject to any EU nor US privacy laws for activity count graphing which will look similarly to the old graph we used to run. Though I've want of making another line thrown across this chart for a "this time yesterday" and "this weekday last week". Idea is that the bot generates the graphs and updates them in lieu.

• Opt-out is true only of the proposed project and not of your bot that's been running for six years
• GSID is identifiable under EU laws

until then the bot is hosted independently of the server as I update its features a few times an hour. Its permission scope / needs of operation has already been cleared with admin.

Specifically, Zanniej has given permission for its continued operation, contingent upon players in this thread being okay with it.

[Aspect of Sorrow]

[*] GSID is identifiable under EU laws

The bot in this proposal is not providing GSID, only character names, even if they show their GSID in Scry it will not be present on neither the Discord nor on this site.

until then the bot is hosted independently of the server as I update its features a few times an hour. Its permission scope / needs of operation has already been cleared with admin.

Specifically, Zanniej has given permission for its continued operation, contingent upon players in this thread being okay with it.

This bot and proposal is independent of that conversation and the predecessor bot.

[selhan]

>.>I really dont like people with the ability to easily "Meta " Know my business...ijs..<.<

[DM Mimic]

Speaking only for myself, I believe players need the option to exclude themselves from this list and ideally, this should be functionality that is included before being brought live. If only to protect the privacy of those players who do not wish to be included on this list.