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DPS Parser Question

groomofweirdgroomofweird Member Posts: 1,045 Arc User
hey guys,
I know this has come up on several occasions before. But I forget if any real conclusions were drawn at the time.
I am looking for reliable dps parser for the game. I have heard of several including act and combatlog reader.
One or two of my fleetmates are using various different programs to parse thier dps and I was wondering as to which was the most accurate and indeed the most useful as some of them I have heard rely on various ranges of enemies from the player and can be.... unreliable at best.
I thought I would come to the forums to seek answers on this issue.
Thankyou in advance. :)
Nimoysig1_zpsr79joxz3.jpg
"If this will be our end, then I will have them make SUCH an end as to be worthy of rememberance! Out of torpedos you say?! Find me the ferengi!".
Post edited by groomofweird on

Comments

  • sqwishedsqwished Member Posts: 1,475 Bug Hunter
    edited May 2014
    There are pros and cons for both the current parsers. I've used both at one point or another. The combat log reader is the easiest of the two to set up. But when this was originally released a few people raised concerns about the programs integrity with regards to its security and such because it uses Java. Also I can confirm from personal experience that its parsed people into four figure negative numbers on ground maps which shouldnt be possible. But obviously as someone will no doubt shout about it was never designed for ground combat. Also I've had two sets of numbers parsed from a person also running the combat log reader sitting right next to me in a map and I'm talking so our hulls are a stones throw apart yet the results were radically different. Also there's the question of how it calculates the DPS. Since it only records when your firing weapons and doesn't take into account transit time for example from the left transformer in ISE to the right one. So people will argue over the validity of its results.

    ACT is the harder of the two to set up and again has good and bad points. Good points are that providing your can see the numbers floating up above a target then it'll record that DPS. And will continue to do so until you leave the current map or manually stop the parse. Also during testing with two identical parsers again side by side the numbers although slightly different weren't that far apart on both space and ground maps. But I don't think it factors in damage inflicted by carrier pets. Since I believe it was written before they even existed.

    And one thing that should be noted which is not known to people who don't have combat log reader installed but have their DPS parsed by it is that the person doing the parsing has the option to upload that particular parser run to a database I believe to be hosted by the people who originally wrote the CLR program and in doing so it collects certain information about the individuals in that particular run. I've gone through this list and found my information on there along with several other fleet members. And we've had to request that our information be removed. Which the people hosting the site very kindly did. But it must be stressed that if I hadn't stumbled upon the database we'd have been none the wiser.

    But for me personally until cryptic come up with their own dedicated parser I think I'll be using the ACT one.
    Oh, it's not broken? We can soon fix that!

  • groomofweirdgroomofweird Member Posts: 1,045 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    thankyou for the info :) im just looking into the ACT parser now with the sto plugin. i am wondering having read some more into this particular parser if people have had problems with it as a result of incorrect setup?
    ill see how it goes (once i get the darned thing all set up and working lol!
    Nimoysig1_zpsr79joxz3.jpg
    "If this will be our end, then I will have them make SUCH an end as to be worthy of rememberance! Out of torpedos you say?! Find me the ferengi!".
  • toivatoiva Member Posts: 3,276 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    When it comes to the Combat Log Reader, make sure to set it in the way you want: The first setting in advanced makes you choose whether it shows the average DPS calculated from the first shot to the last one in the event (lowest DPS value), while others can show up to several times higher values (the active combat, for instance - if you AFK half the event, your average DPS will be low, but the DPS from the time you fought may very well be high).

    That is one of the reason for many numbers discrepancies.

    Either way, I like to use a much older Combat Log Parser. There I can compare dozens of runs easily. But it lacks options, like all of them. All you can do is coun shield damage into damage dealt and show results by the exact dealer (not counting your HY plasmas, GW, Warp plasma, Pets, ...).
    TOIVA, Toi Vaxx, Toia Vix, Toveg, T'vritha, To Vrax: Bring in the Allegiance class.
    Toi'Va, Ti'vath, Toivia, Ty'Vris, Tia Vex, Toi'Virth: Add Tier 6 KDF Carrier and Raider.
    Tae'Va, T'Vaya, To'Var, Tevra, T'Vira, To'Vrak: Give us Asylums for Romulans.

    Don't make ARC mandatory! Keep it optional only!
  • shar487ashar487a Member Posts: 1,292 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    My fleet uses CombatLogReader because it was specifically coded for STO. It also has standardized settings for its dedicated DPS logging forum, thereby minimizing the number variables that can cause numeric variances. When running ISE, CLR seems to be pretty consistent from player to player unless someone moves out past 10km or detonates.
  • erei1erei1 Member Posts: 4,081 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    I had a lot of problems to make the ACT parser (on sto) accurate. I only use the combat log parser now, and I think it works much better.
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • ridddickxxxridddickxxx Member Posts: 479 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    I actually have ACT accurate, i took some records from the webpage, starting with 81k and below.
    ACT shows exact values.
    But Combatlog reader shows 104.8k instead of 81k, and does that on every log, about 20% difference.

    Is it me or?
    What exactly dps records use as "offical" log reader?
    2nhfgxf.jpg
  • erei1erei1 Member Posts: 4,081 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    What exactly dps records use as "offical" log reader?
    Combat log reader.

    I think it's more accurate than act because AFAIK act plugin was not updated in years. Combat log readers is patched regularly.
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • captainpirkocaptainpirko Member Posts: 270 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    I actually have ACT accurate, i took some records from the webpage, starting with 81k and below.
    ACT shows exact values.
    But Combatlog reader shows 104.8k instead of 81k, and does that on every log, about 20% difference.

    Is it me or?
    What exactly dps records use as "offical" log reader?

    if i understand the two right, the difference in DPS is that the gap of not firing is measured in ACT, whereas CLR doesnt record any period of time where weapons dont fire. so this means you may be doing 50k DPS, but because you also spend 30 seconds flying to the next group, ACT is only going to say you do 36k. this is the biggest issue i've had with ACT as my 100% damage ship gets measured the same DPS as the speed boat, simply because my warbird takes twice as long to get somewhere as the guy who sacrificed damage for the ability to fly around quicker. something designed to count DPS should be used to count how effectively you did damage, not how short an STF was. if finishing quicker was so important then i might suggest a stopwatch app instead of a parser.
    [SIGPIC]Timelords Fleet [/SIGPIC]
  • groomofweirdgroomofweird Member Posts: 1,045 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    Thanks for the feedback. I have found this whole move into trying to see what dps I am doing to be quite complex with ACT, and though the data I am collecting is sound the overall numbers seem allot lower when parsing myself and fleetmates than I thought they would be considering some of the builds/power combos a tested today.
    I will definately look into combat log reader to see if its a bit easier to configure, I must admit that as a reasonably tech savvy chap I have found it allot more difficult to get the data I need than I originally envisaged.
    Nimoysig1_zpsr79joxz3.jpg
    "If this will be our end, then I will have them make SUCH an end as to be worthy of rememberance! Out of torpedos you say?! Find me the ferengi!".
  • shar487ashar487a Member Posts: 1,292 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    Thanks for the feedback. I have found this whole move into trying to see what dps I am doing to be quite complex with ACT, and though the data I am collecting is sound the overall numbers seem allot lower when parsing myself and fleetmates than I thought they would be considering some of the builds/power combos a tested today.
    I will definately look into combat log reader to see if its a bit easier to configure, I must admit that as a reasonably tech savvy chap I have found it allot more difficult to get the data I need than I originally envisaged.

    CLR is considerably easier to configure. Just point the application to your STO combat log file, check the DPS forum settings checkbox, and you're ready to go. Just remember to type /combatlog 1 at the STO chat box to initiate its logging feature.
  • toivatoiva Member Posts: 3,276 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    I actually have ACT accurate, i took some records from the webpage, starting with 81k and below.
    ACT shows exact values.
    But Combatlog reader shows 104.8k instead of 81k, and does that on every log, about 20% difference.

    Is it me or?
    What exactly dps records use as "offical" log reader?
    if i understand the two right, the difference in DPS is that the gap of not firing is measured in ACT, whereas CLR doesnt record any period of time where weapons dont fire. so this means you may be doing 50k DPS, but because you also spend 30 seconds flying to the next group, ACT is only going to say you do 36k. this is the biggest issue i've had with ACT as my 100% damage ship gets measured the same DPS as the speed boat, simply because my warbird takes twice as long to get somewhere as the guy who sacrificed damage for the ability to fly around quicker. something designed to count DPS should be used to count how effectively you did damage, not how short an STF was. if finishing quicker was so important then i might suggest a stopwatch app instead of a parser.

    In Combat Log Reader, open 'Advanced Settings'. The first option box lets you calculate DPS values depending on what you want. Here lies the difference of what it shows.

    As CaptainPirko says, CLR is defaultly set not to take into account the time you're not shooting or healing (or staying in respawn, ...), then the DPS numbers will of course be much higher. However you can change it to only calculate an average DPS value over the whole match, no matter respawns, time you spent flying from one side to another without shooting...
    TOIVA, Toi Vaxx, Toia Vix, Toveg, T'vritha, To Vrax: Bring in the Allegiance class.
    Toi'Va, Ti'vath, Toivia, Ty'Vris, Tia Vex, Toi'Virth: Add Tier 6 KDF Carrier and Raider.
    Tae'Va, T'Vaya, To'Var, Tevra, T'Vira, To'Vrak: Give us Asylums for Romulans.

    Don't make ARC mandatory! Keep it optional only!
  • groomofweirdgroomofweird Member Posts: 1,045 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    Awesome sauce :) I have a feeling this may be allot more user friendly to fleetmembers on the whole (I wish to standardise dps parsing for the more competative fleetmembers to ovoid disputes) and I think ACT may be a little too complex for many to get reliable data.
    I shall endeavour to look at this tomorrow. Could anyone please provide a safe link? I have found some not so safe links out there during my time today.
    Nimoysig1_zpsr79joxz3.jpg
    "If this will be our end, then I will have them make SUCH an end as to be worthy of rememberance! Out of torpedos you say?! Find me the ferengi!".
  • ridddickxxxridddickxxx Member Posts: 479 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    http://tinyurl.com/nke2xoy\

    Here, the combat log reader.


    toiva thanks, i just click the DPS channel default setting button in advanced setting, and seems ok now.
    2nhfgxf.jpg
  • groomofweirdgroomofweird Member Posts: 1,045 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    http://tinyurl.com/nke2xoy\

    Here, the combat log reader.


    toiva thanks, i just click the DPS channel default setting button in advanced setting, and seems ok now.

    Thankyou very much :) ill be on to that in the morning.
    Nimoysig1_zpsr79joxz3.jpg
    "If this will be our end, then I will have them make SUCH an end as to be worthy of rememberance! Out of torpedos you say?! Find me the ferengi!".
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