Link: DCUO Character Name TrackerOverview
This is a Google Sheet that will allow you to track various characters names and character data. It can be used for simply stat updates (for example PvE CR and skill points) or, its main use, to track activity.
Activity is tracked by watching the hash data each character has. This data changes whenever the character is "saved" and it allows a tool to track character in-game activity. It is not popular in larger apps due it requiring the creation and maintenance of a database storing the character id and hash for that character. It also requires fairly constant updating/pings in order for the activity information to be accurate. This is not easily manageable for large datasets while maintaining a lower hosting cost. However in a smaller dataset (such as a personal one) this is typically manageable. Google Sheets provides a way to conveniently store this data.
Alternatively you can also track alias character names, powerset and leagues. This can be helpful to keep track of name hoping, powerset hoping or league hoping friends.
Usages
This tool can be used to:
Instructions
- Keep track of your own characters progression without needing to manually search or login to the game
- Keep track of your league outside of the game and see who is active regularly or to simply track progression rates
- Track the roles and character name changes of your friends. If you ever wondered which roles your friend on your friends list could play you can use this tool to keep track. Or you can you can lookup an unrecognized name and see what your friends used to be named. May be helpful if another reclaim or merge were to happen again
- Track names that you would like to have but are currently taken. By using alias names you can figure out when a name becomes available again daily
- Simply lurk someone for your trollish needs.
I have provided a fairly comprehensive list of instructions on the index of the spreadsheet. In summary:
I have added some error checking but some errors/unexpected functionality may still happen. I tried to limit this occurring however. Also if you are to extend the functionality please note that you could start by making several optimizations to code structure and lookup techniques (for example further limiting which data you retrieve from Census) if you wish to do so. I may go back and perform some of these changes at some point.
- Open the sheet and save a copy to your Google Account. Create one first if you don't have one.
- Follow the instructions under How to Setup and Use on the Index sheet
- Read the Index sheet thoroughly to figure out how to craft and use the spreadsheet
- Read the Google Scripts to figure out how to extend the spreadsheet's functionality if you have JavaScript development knowledge
You will need your own Service ID to make Census requests. I cannot provide one as I would not be able to control who is requesting data. If I were to ever get a request to throttle data using a Service ID I provide I would not be able to do so since this is an open source client tool. It is not hard to obtain a Service ID. I have provided instructions on the Index sheet.
Further Features
Although it is fairly useable as is there are some key features I have yet to implement:
Some features I probably won't implement myself but others possibly could:
- Notifications - Would be using for a Watchlist sheet. Would update through email, IFTTT, SMS, Android, etc. if, say, a character on your Watchlist changed their name. This would alert you to potentially claim that name.
- Estimated Role - It is possible to estimate what role a character is in by comparing their stats (mainly Health) to certain tier spans. Before I can do this I need to create a lookup table containing their tier spans. I have templated a spot in the League and Friends sheets where this data could go.
- Track Role Based CR - After estimating a character's role it would be possible to track a character's CR for each role. Would be useful for Owned, League and Friends sheets. It is also a fairly requested feature in DCUO in terms of Friends and League.
- Options Sheet - Would include, but not limited to, push updated characters to the top, automatically sort characters by an attribute, self-updating attributes/realtime updates, notification preferences, etc.
Just some ideas regarding what you could do. I have made it fairly simple to reuse and add properties and tweaks to the spreadsheet.
- Allow access to more character data such as stats, feats, etc.
- Implement a progression rates. You could add alias columns to data such as PvE CR and Last Recorded Save so that you can track how often PvE CR is upgraded per character. You will want to throttle how many aliases are stored in order to make the spreadsheet manageable.
- You could create an Averages sheet that would average your various sheets in terms of PvE CR, # of aliases or total characters. You can make these changes in the data sheets itself however you will need to do it in a column without a predefined name.
- Feats - It would be possible with the creation of a new capture routine to track feats as well. I provide the basics you need to access the Census API under the DCUO Census Calls script. You will just need to create the appropriate functions in order to call from either CaptureCharacters() under the DCUO Name Tracker script or through your own custom function (if using your own function you will need to exclude more sheets from the top under CaptureCharacters()).
- Some applications regarding feats include: figuring out the feats most needed by your league or owned characters, get a list of feats you need to complete, see if a character you are tracking needs a particular feat. Note: I kind of have an interesting in tracking feats. However my implementation would be uncertain.
Additionally you could translate the Google Scripts to VBA (or somehow use them directly in Excel) so that they can be used in Excel and post the Excel sheet for others (or use for yourself). I don't have Excel access to even consider doing this at the moment.
Feel free to make suggestions but I may not implement them quickly. I am currently working on a "what would be best for my use" principle at present.
Thoughts?
What do you think? Would you actually use a spreadsheet like this? Let me know what you think below!
