DPS Parser Window?
 

Just curious if anyone might be able to make a DPS parser window so that you don't have to tab out to check your DPS. I believe that the CombatStats parser developer has posted on his site to contact him if you know DX9 and would like to try and make an in-game version. www.combatstats.com

Infinius Soulweaver of Kithicor

If you take the time to perform a search here, you'd see that there is one already available. ;)

That's not a DPS parser, it's an average DPS calculator. Not quite the same thing. A parser looks at the damage you've done and tells you your actual instantaneous DPS. The link you reference looks at your weapon stats and tells you what average DPS you can expect given normal circumstances.

It doesn't even do that. All it's doing is generating a number to let you compare weapons.

It's Relative Damage Per Second when dividing the weapon's damage range, averaged, by it's delay (relative being the key word).

Quib

Blast! I got shot down by a mere technicality! :p

Parser...
 

Thanks for the quick reply. I was intending for the instantaneous DPS parser rather than a quick weapon summary. Any ideas for that?

The only way you could have an in-game display would be to use the HTML window to load a file generated by an active log parser. Using DX9 calls to force display of a fake in-game window is likely against the EULA.

Quib

Possibly not if it was a separate program that didn't mess with the eq2 process at all. There are lots of programs that will overlay a frame counter on your game screen, and I can't imagine that they are violating EULA's left and right without getting sued out of existence.

Making a program that violates an EULA won't get you sued; neither will using one. It could, however, get you banned. To force a new window into the DirectX display layer is modifying active memory, which, at least in EQ1, was against the rules.

Quib

Programs like FRAPS use an overlay that I don't think violate the EULA/TOS.

Well that was fun, going through the EQ2 EULA.

Here's the paragraph pertaining to 3rd party software.

9. You may not use any software to modify the Software to change Game play. You may not create, facilitate, host, link to or provide any other means through which the Game may be played by others, such as through server emulators. You may not decrypt or modify any data transmitted between client and server and you may not use, post, host or distribute macros, “bots” or other programs which would allow unattended game play or which otherwise impact game play. You may not take any action which imposes an unreasonable or disproportionately large load on our infrastructure. You may not buy, sell or auction (or host or facilitate the ability to allow others to buy, sell or auction) any Game account, characters, items, coin or copyrighted material or any other intellectual property owned or controlled by us or our licensors without first obtaining our express written permission.

A person could argue that fraps does or does not modify gameplay, so depending on your interpretation of if framerate (or a DPS display) changes the way you play, this would or wouldn't be against the EULA.

I liked this paragraph. According to it, we aren't actually allowed to modify the UI. At least, that's how I interpret it.

7. Subject to the terms of this Agreement, we hereby grant to you a non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable license to use the Software solely in connection with playing the Game via an authorized and fully-paid Account. You may not copy (except to make one necessary back-up copy), distribute, sell, auction, rent, lease, loan, modify or create derivative works, adapt, translate, perform, display, sublicense or transfer all or any portion of the Software. You may not copy any of the written, digital or electronic materials accompanying the Software unless we expressly permit you to do so in writing, and then only to the extent permitted. You may not reverse engineer, disassemble or decompile the Software except to the extent that this restriction is expressly prohibited by applicable law. The Software may contain license management software that restricts your use of the Software.

And this last one was truly my favorite and *************** should take a closer look at. SOE owns all rights to any works based off of EverQuest, so anything made here, for EQ2's UI (like maps), or just related to EQ in general is theirs. Now I doubt this claim of theirs would hold up in court if you tried to lay claim to something you made, but they still included it.

8. We and our suppliers shall retain all rights, title and interest, including, without limitation, ownership of all intellectual property rights relating to or residing in the CD-ROM, the Software and the Game, all copies thereof, and all game character data in connection therewith. You acknowledge and agree that you have not and will not acquire or obtain any intellectual property or other rights, including any right of exploitation, of any kind in or to the CD-ROM, the Software or the Game, including, without limitation, in any artwork, music, character(s), item(s), coin(s) or other material or property, and/or any compilation or copyrightable arrangement of any of the above (collectively, “Rights”), and that all such property, material, items and Rights are exclusively owned by us.

Just some stuff to consider. Their EULA is definately up for interpretation, and I imagine was very carefully worded. Also, it's not a legally binding contract.

Quib

Just a question Quib are you truly human not only do you put in a Heroic effort with mods particularly the MAP, I assume you play the game but you find time to actually read and break down the EULA. The only reason I ask is that I suffer from insomnia and have for 17 yrs. and just thinking about your efforts exhausts me :)


Oh and you also manage to read and post regularly on these boards.

Hahahahaha, maybe I should get a DNA analysis.

Quib

http://www.combatstats.com/forum/vie...asc&highlight=

That program you listed above specifically said he wasn't going to add in functionality to remove the ALT TAB Necessity because Moorgard told him it would violate the EULA.

Moorgard told him that he couldn't make a program that would paste the results into the chat window. That isn't what the poster in this thread is asking about - he just wants a window to show DPS. I don't think that is against the EULA, and in fact, it looks like Moorgard has indirectly stated that such a program would be okay.

So, a window overlayed on the game view that only displays information gleaned from the log file in realtime, without interacting with the game window would not violate the EULA, and, if I have interpreted Moorgard's comment correctly, wouldn't be frowned upon at all by SOE.

I would refrain from calling this tool an in-game utility. I'd call it something generic related to DirectX, and make it function for multiple applications. (ie, not EQ2 specific - make a browse button for the user to specify a logfile, not autodetecting the EQ2 logfile)

"A MMORPG logfile parsing utility to display your realtime DPS in a small window on a DirectX overlay surface."