The API - Inventory Viewing

Should we make inventory viewing through the API possible?

  • Yes

    Votes: 8 3.4%
  • Yes, but you have to opt-in.

    Votes: 38 16.2%
  • Yes, but with an option to opt-out.

    Votes: 50 21.3%
  • No

    Votes: 139 59.1%

  • Total voters
    235
Status
Not open for further replies.

Amy

Well-Known Member
Head Administrator
#1
Okay so inside of the VMK server there's an API. This lets anyone pull out information from the game, such as item statistics and history (who owned it, when it was traded, etc), room information (how many people are in that room, the rooms ID, layout, the amount of furniture in that room, etc), user information (things like which items are in their inventory, nothing too personal and will probably be opt-outable) and more. The question for this poll is, should I make this kind of thing publicly available? Maybe publicly available but with an option for users to opt-out of people viewing things like their inventory? The inventory viewing one will be quite useful for trading outside of the game because you'll be able to provide a link to the items in your inventory.

Being able to view peoples inventories could come with some risks. For example, say you're a new player who doesn't know what they're doing and doesn't know the value of items. Some generous person gives you a rare, but you don't realise it's a rare. So you go into a room to do whatever it is you do when you're not destroying this facility, and there's someone there. They're watching who comes in and looking them up on the API. They see you, notice you're a new player and notice that you have a rare. So they trade you, ask for it, tell you it's worthless and give you what looks like a good offer of 5 crates!

The risk of this is quite low because new players probably wouldn't have rare items like that. It's more of a problem in TF2 because people play the game and Valve pushes the crate and key system, so they buy a key and happen to get an unusual hat without knowing what it is, so people take advantage of new players in that way. The risk is a lot lower in a game like VMK.

So, the poll question here is, should we make it so people can view other peoples inventories through the API?

This thread is being reposted a few times with different content in the middle and a different poll for different parts of the API.

EDIT: I should probably clarify. The API is a feature of the gameserver that anyone can access. You can request things from it and it'll reply with JSON containing the information you requested. This stuff won't be viewable on the game itself, but rather viewable on external websites that use it. JSON looks like this for those of you who are wondering: {"success": 1, "data": {"PlayerName": "Amy", "Credits": 5000}}.
 

Lost

Well-Known Member
#4
I guess I'll redirect my question here ~

Lets say for example I had my inventory "open" and I had an item that there was only 5 of in-game and everyone else with the item had their inventories "closed", I wouldn't want to get bombarded and hunted down by people trying to trade for it all the time, as it would be extremely rare and desirable and if people knew I had it it would just bring hassle.
 

Foamy

Well-Known Member
#5
That's something that will always be a problem when trading is a factor. I think it's a great idea and we don't really need to worry about it. The problem could be mitigated with a scam report or avoided altogether with a database of item values (preferably something like a wiki so as to avoid someone manipulating the price). I think you mentioned that you wanted to have a list of item values somewhere previously anyway. Assuming that opting out is the default, most people who are new probably wouldn't have it on to begin with.
 

Kiki

Well-Known Member
#6
I guess I'll redirect my question here ~

Lets say for example I had my inventory "open" and I had an item that there was only 5 of in-game and everyone else with the item had their inventories "closed", I wouldn't want to get bombarded and hunted down by people trying to trade for it all the time, as it would be extremely rare and desirable and if people knew I had it it would just bring hassle.
I wonder if there is a way to check just the items you are willing to show?
 

Amy

Well-Known Member
Head Administrator
#7
I guess I'll redirect my question here ~

Lets say for example I had my inventory "open" and I had an item that there was only 5 of in-game and everyone else with the item had their inventories "closed", I wouldn't want to get bombarded and hunted down by people trying to trade for it all the time, as it would be extremely rare and desirable and if people knew I had it it would just bring hassle.
Unless item history is added and they know the item IDs, they won't be able to track it down to you unless they specifically check your inventory and happen to see it. They can't search for people who own a certain item. With the inventory history option they'd be able to track it down to you IF they've seen the item before or the IDs are available, and even then it'd probably be possible to opt-out of that separately. By item ID I mean the number of the item in the game, not the type of the item (as in 1 is Ace of Spades carpet for the type, but for the item ID 1 could be any item).
 

Lost

Well-Known Member
#9
Unless item history is added and they know the item IDs, they won't be able to track it down to you unless they specifically check your inventory and happen to see it. They can't search for people who own a certain item. With the inventory history option they'd be able to track it down to you IF they've seen the item before or the IDs are available, and even then it'd probably be possible to opt-out of that separately. By item ID I mean the number of the item in the game, not the type of the item (as in 1 is Ace of Spades carpet for the type, but for the item ID 1 could be any item).
That sounds more logical if you could opt out certain items or opt in certain items without showing everything. It could help when going into trade rooms so people know what you're trading without having to list everything, but as someone said it would change the game mechanics quite a bit. I don't know I'll have to think about this one.
 

Foamy

Well-Known Member
#10
That sounds more logical if you could opt out certain items or opt in certain items without showing everything. It could help when going into trade rooms so people know what you're trading without having to list everything, but as someone said it would change the game mechanics quite a bit. I don't know I'll have to think about this one.
I personally don't mind a change in game mechanics so long as what is added actually works. I wouldn't say this is a huge change, though. The only thing it does is allow for easier trade which is okay in my book. I had a few friends who did a lot of trading in Team Fortress 2 and websites like tf2items were a huge help for them. I think it'd be much better if we were to see an example of how it will look and function.
 

Kiki

Well-Known Member
#11
I personally don't mind a change in game mechanics so long as what is added actually works. I wouldn't say this is a huge change, though. The only thing it does is allow for easier trade which is okay in my book. I had a few friends who did a lot of trading in Team Fortress 2 and websites like tf2items were a huge help for them. I think it'd be much better if we were to see an example of how it will look and function.
Yes, maybe Amy could show us how it would work in a video? Also, in the games where I've used this before it was an addon you could download.
 

Foamy

Well-Known Member
#12
Yes, maybe Amy could show us how it would work in a video? Also, in the games where I've used this before it was an addon you could download.
She made an edit to the original post which you might want to have a look at. Basically what she said is that it's all going to be done externally meaning that it'll be on the website and not in the game. The only thing I'd like is to have it look nice so it's not just a string of text, but something with pictures of the items similar to the way it's done on tf2items. That may require a bit of work, though.
 

Amy

Well-Known Member
Head Administrator
#13
She made an edit to the original post which you might want to have a look at. Basically what she said is that it's all going to be done externally meaning that it'll be on the website and not in the game. The only thing I'd like is to have it look nice so it's not just a string of text, but something with pictures of the items similar to the way it's done on tf2items. That may require a bit of work, though.
That's for someone else to do if they want to. I'll have an item schema request linking to images of all of the items, along with names etc.
 
#14
She made an edit to the original post which you might want to have a look at. Basically what she said is that it's all going to be done externally meaning that it'll be on the website and not in the game. The only thing I'd like is to have it look nice so it's not just a string of text, but something with pictures of the items similar to the way it's done on tf2items. That may require a bit of work, though.
I agree Foamy - definitely pictures maybe as part of a players profile here. I do think it should be an option though; that way everyone can be suited. I suppose it would be a kind of 'update' to the game, compared to VMK. I may have time to develop this part once advised.

On the other hand, it was fun sometimes to shock people who thought you had no rare when you try trade for something else rare - never judge a book by it's cover ;)

But overall, I am swayed by this and it could work. Maybe even develop it once the game is up and running - once everything is running smoothly.
 
#15
Why not have a privacy setting similar to Google Docs for all of these things, share publicly or share with certain people, and you have to be logged into the game to view it? Or a one off key? You could share a key to see you inventory with someone, perhaps set to expire after a week? I see no reason why this shouldn't be available.
 

Bird

MyVMKPal Webmaster Dev
#17
I love the idea and the more features the better. Build-a-bearville has that feature and its weird seeing people browsing my inventory but im rather prominent in there so i dont mind showing all my rares off to them :D
 
#18
There's a ton of "no" votes and I wish the people would explain why, especially when you could probably opt-out anyway?
I think it'd be a cool addition.
 

Kaeliah

Previously Tessa
#19
There's a ton of "no" votes and I wish the people would explain why, especially when you could probably opt-out anyway?
I think it'd be a cool addition.
{Yeah, I would like to know as well. I think people aren't reading the thread thoroughly. There's no point in voting for No when you can have the option to opt-out.

-Tessa
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top