All,
First off let me give a brief introduction. I have played a number of games previously. Most religiously I was an eveonline player. I played this for years. One of the best things about eve was the ability to see basic data about yourself, your corporation (we call it an alliance) and your alliance (we would say alliance, wings & NAPs). One of my favorite integrations is the ability to, using an API, pull combat reports and present them (see veto-corp.com/ as an example).
I'd like to know if GF would consider opening specific data values for players for external tools (e.g. gtool) to consume via an API.
Disclaimer: Now before you dismiss this out of hand please take time to read what I am suggesting. I am not asking to have a method for me to intercept and be warned of a pending attack. GF would have full control of the API (similar to the officer functionality) data that is available. Users could generate new API keys to "stop" their data from going to a tool at any time (e.g. kicked/leave an alliance). Now that I have made the disclaimer please read on.
A player could choose to expose data via different APIs. These API functions can be determined by the user based on the tool they are using.
Example APIs:
Full API - This is a superset of all the allowed data. Fleet, Mine levels, research levels, defense levels, etc.
Combat/Fleet API - This is the non-economy subset of the data. This might include Fleet composition, CR data, transport data, etc
Statistics API - This is the economy subset of the data. Mine levels, defense levels, research levels, etc.
Other APIs as needed
What does this do for GF?
The key benefit for GF is the ability to control the data that tools consume. True, there will still be scripts and browser plugins to gather data, but as the API functionality becomes standard other tools/scripts would become unnecessary. I would think that in a short amount of time the data would become the standard for external tools.
What does this do for players?
Limits the need for countless scripts and plugins potentially causing browser lag and the potential for malicious items corrupting their systems. It gives them the ability to control who has their data with the ability to change their APIs at a moment. Reduced bandwidth for players as they API would come directly from the OGame servers themselves.
What does this do for alliances (and their wings)?
Data. Look again at the veto page. I can quickly see where players are fleeting, raiding, crashing or having the same done to them. I might then be able to see a wing member that is getting hit, while afk, every day at 0300 server time. I might decide to catch a quick ACS defend one night and hopefully intercept the attacking fleet. A quick ability to see members that might need help understanding how to do basics (read: fleetsave).
What does this do for OGame?
I think exposing this type of data, consistently, will bring war back into ogame. It brings cohesion to alliances and their wings. It consolidates the data layer and allows a better and more consistent external tool development to be used.
Well, there is the first brush for my request for an API. Please consider the idea. Comment below and share your ideas of how this can help ogame and our community of users better experience a fuller (more full?) ogame.
TLDR version - An API would be really cool!
Cheers,
Talidorn
First off let me give a brief introduction. I have played a number of games previously. Most religiously I was an eveonline player. I played this for years. One of the best things about eve was the ability to see basic data about yourself, your corporation (we call it an alliance) and your alliance (we would say alliance, wings & NAPs). One of my favorite integrations is the ability to, using an API, pull combat reports and present them (see veto-corp.com/ as an example).
I'd like to know if GF would consider opening specific data values for players for external tools (e.g. gtool) to consume via an API.
Disclaimer: Now before you dismiss this out of hand please take time to read what I am suggesting. I am not asking to have a method for me to intercept and be warned of a pending attack. GF would have full control of the API (similar to the officer functionality) data that is available. Users could generate new API keys to "stop" their data from going to a tool at any time (e.g. kicked/leave an alliance). Now that I have made the disclaimer please read on.
A player could choose to expose data via different APIs. These API functions can be determined by the user based on the tool they are using.
Example APIs:
Full API - This is a superset of all the allowed data. Fleet, Mine levels, research levels, defense levels, etc.
Combat/Fleet API - This is the non-economy subset of the data. This might include Fleet composition, CR data, transport data, etc
Statistics API - This is the economy subset of the data. Mine levels, defense levels, research levels, etc.
Other APIs as needed
What does this do for GF?
The key benefit for GF is the ability to control the data that tools consume. True, there will still be scripts and browser plugins to gather data, but as the API functionality becomes standard other tools/scripts would become unnecessary. I would think that in a short amount of time the data would become the standard for external tools.
What does this do for players?
Limits the need for countless scripts and plugins potentially causing browser lag and the potential for malicious items corrupting their systems. It gives them the ability to control who has their data with the ability to change their APIs at a moment. Reduced bandwidth for players as they API would come directly from the OGame servers themselves.
What does this do for alliances (and their wings)?
Data. Look again at the veto page. I can quickly see where players are fleeting, raiding, crashing or having the same done to them. I might then be able to see a wing member that is getting hit, while afk, every day at 0300 server time. I might decide to catch a quick ACS defend one night and hopefully intercept the attacking fleet. A quick ability to see members that might need help understanding how to do basics (read: fleetsave).
What does this do for OGame?
I think exposing this type of data, consistently, will bring war back into ogame. It brings cohesion to alliances and their wings. It consolidates the data layer and allows a better and more consistent external tool development to be used.
Well, there is the first brush for my request for an API. Please consider the idea. Comment below and share your ideas of how this can help ogame and our community of users better experience a fuller (more full?) ogame.
TLDR version - An API would be really cool!
Cheers,
Talidorn