Chris is possibly thinking of removing the public API

Years ago we created a public API for players to use to access game data make enhanced websites. It seems that instead this is used mostly by individuals for their personal advantage or worse. If you use it for good, please share an example to help convince me not to shut it off.
Alternatively, if some are using it for public good vs personal gain (or worse), I can consider adding IP exceptions to it.
https://twitter.com/catnipgames/status/1475528840227217413?s=20

 

Shutting off the public api would make more quite sad. It's more data that we need. Not less.

 

Well sending a screenshot of the api as a private message to one of the devs was the way I finally convinced them they had accidentally removed ferocious brown arachnids from the game just days after introducing them. The only one killed in over 6 months had been in their combat hub and I only knew they had ever been in game because I had tamed one right after they were introduced. So I consider that using the API for good. This was quite some time ago but more recently it has been handy to be able to check that the mastery recipes had indeed dropped . For some reason the API doesn't know about all the drops (I thought unshared ones were supposed to be included under anonymous but they aren't all) but if they remove API entirely devs are just gonna get more bug reports.

 

How exactly is it being abused? The only thing I can think of is maybe dumbass gankers look to see if things are dropping in PvP zones. But then, I thought there was a day or so delay on the data.

 

If you're talking about sotagraphs, the delay is my doing (collects once a day). However, most of the raw data does have "rounded" time stamps. I can't remember exactly what that was protecting though.

 

I do not have a twitter, so I can only reply to this post. I'll post my own personal thought's on this:

I (as well as others) use the public API data all the time for various information. I don't use this information in any way shape or form for my own personal gain. In fact, I share curious, interesting or even strange finding in the API all the time with the people in Discord. I will always share any information from the API to anyone.

We also use this data to update the wiki for various things, like what area has a specific creature. And various other things.

I also specifically use this to inform the team that sometimes drops in a location are not working correctly. I'll use an an actual case that did happen: The Earth Elementals in Wyrmsands didn't get the Gaiaism Shrine Recipe added to their loot table when this was first added. I then checked the API after a few days and could actually see they were not dropping at all there. I then reported that and this was then fixed.

I also use it to see if I see anything very very strange happening. Of which, if I feel it is a concern, I will send an email to support and at least report it that way. And then I will leave it up to Catnip Games to decide if such a finding is or not an issue. And I will leave it at that, this is their game.

I can't actually think of any reason the API data could be used for personal gain? Artifacts are NOT listed in the Public API. COTO's are listed, but that's a random drop.

I've also been able to explain to someone that they felt that COTO's were a Pay To Win, and that this game was completely Pay To Win because of that. I then pulled the API numbers for the last 30 days, and showed them how many COTO's dropped in the game over 30 days. And then stated, where is this Pay To Win?

If this is removed, I will be greatly angry. As I feel this is a public face that also helps share and is open information to everyone.

I also have a large concern if this is removed, due to your current development process. But I have no other comment to say on this.

 

Not specifically Sotagraphs. TBH, I don't look at the API stuff usually, I was just going off what I vaguely recall being told about it, probably by Anpu. But maybe I am misremembering.

 

I would think that the biggest upside of the public API is that sometimes players will be able to spot exploits, imbalances, and broken things sooner than they might have been discovered otherwise.

I'd also like to sign up for personal gain.

 

Asking someone to get Twitter is like asking them to scuba dive in a septic tank because there might be a diamond in there.

 

I DO completely get the point that people could use the public API data and use it for negative reasons. Like falsely stating how many people are playing etc...

BUT it's important to counter their completely false accusation about the Public API data, in that, is only a very very small amount of data, that in no way shape or form actually reflects the actual numbers from the game. Because many many people have Public API sharing turned off. (Me and Coswald noticed this the other day).

The public API is in no way any accurate information at all, and is only a small amount of information.

It is also similar to the false information stated when people use Steam numbers for this game. That's also not, in any way, an accurate number. (I use the stand alone)

 

You would think. I got Twitter solely for Shroud, and everything else out there still finds ways of sneaking in. Once Shroud tweets were on Discord, deleting my account was an easy decision, even if it means no longer being able to speak up there. (I'm sure you miss my snark with all your heart... )

 

Any thoughts to maybe addressing these issues with more data instead of less????

Personally, I think the lack of "openness" provided by the existing data would be better addressed with more data. Both data that is not currently available (artifact drops, vendor data, etc) as well as clearer "anonymization" that would allow us to spot and report bad actors individually more easily.

As for game health, I'd rather you be bold enough to just publish the average player counts right on the main page of the site as well as the API. Facts are worth more than SWAGs and rumor. Besides, I don't think any MMO has tried publishing such data. Who knows, you might start a trend.

All that said, if the API is more harmful than good for the game, kill it quick.

 

side note, i never did set up an instance of this, i just go through shawn's.

(also gwendolyn obscuro and browncoat jayson, off the top of my head)

 

You don't actually have to setup a twiter account, just click the link on the SotA main page.

 

My two cents:

False information is best fought with transparency.