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Thinking about setting up a steam community group called TF2 Mercs. Competitive players could join this group, stick in some info on their profile about what their skill level is and what classes they play.

Would allow clans to have quick access to a group of mercs through steam, if u need to fill in one for some pcw’s

When you see someone in this group with TF2 loaded but arent already in a match, you could ask them if they want merc for you. The group would be private but would allow for current members to invite others. People should only consider joining if they want to merc often for a variety of teams when they arent in matches already. The idea is that mercing is better than being idle :)

Perhaps even if your available for mercing you just change your steam name to include MERCING at the end, to make things easier

If this idea gets alot of positive support ill set this up, it wouldnt require much effort on my part :P

Maybe an IRC chan aswell?

Ya, getting a bot (as AcidRenix mentioned) would make this a lot easier so people can be like !add demo etc etc

bring it

lol, appreciated, waebi`

Im still searching for suggestions in which language to program it in. Ive never done an IRC bot before but i have confident programming skills with various languages. Just not perl, or python. Anyone know of some decent articles/tutorials on IRC connectivity and ill get it all done. Thx ppl

good idea wlv!
an other thing, think it would be good to make a difference between the merc seekers and the merc available! my idea : !availabe make the guy who types it becomming +v showing he is available for merc. !unavailable transforming his +v in -v then he will merge down with the not available players and merc seekers.

resuming: !available = ok for merc = +v // !unavailable = -v // players getting -v are player in match (recruted to merc) , or player who seek a merc and then we know we dont have to ask for these players.

im not a roxor in english i hope you understood!

ps: maybe we need to find better commands but i think the global job works

Ive had similar idea in the think tank, and before venturing off to code the bot its probably best if everone draws input and evaluate my design, ill document it and post it part by part on this forum if i dont have time to do it on whole. Once all the suggestions are in i can get to work coding the bot and we can have a happy merc channel

IRC MERC BOT

Design Goals
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Implement automated system to serve 2 client types to structure a quick effective way of finding appropriate mercs for appropriate teams.

System must be easily expanded
Should attempt to use a structured file storage which can be used for information calling and possible future html parsing.
Provides quick and structured service
Tracks systems service record
Uses familiar concepts to pickup channel bot
Is implemented in a controlled irc channel environment
can handle hundreds of users
Attempts to reward merc/teams that make good use of the system and leave appropriate feedback.
Provides some public information to the usage of the bot in the channel
creates a self sustaining system that provides its own redundancy from user input

Functionality
——————–
Merc will be able to join channel, and add to the mercbot their class, this can be done multiple times for different classes. A team leader can search for a merc by class and/or skill level and receive a pm list of appropriate candidates, a candidate can be chosen and the necessary information will be sent to the merc to contact the team leader. Post-match, the merc can suggest the attitude and skill level of the team and the team leader can suggest the skill level and attitude of the merc and class played most.

The mercbot will retain information on feedback of teams and mercs for future reference in communication between clients. Disputes on feedback requires evidence to a channel admin.
The mercbot will track who is mercing what classes, and use references to determine skill level and attitude. Mercs who do not leave feedback cannot add again as a merc. Teams who do not leave feedback can not search for a merc again. When feedback is left it informs the subject so that false allegations can be disputed.

For a merc to use the system he only has to AUTH and supply merc class, and also feedback when necessary.

For a user to hire a merc he must register a team by private messaging the merc bot with his teamname and a password, then supply information for voice communication. Other members of his team can then apply to represent his/her team in the merc channel by also private messaging merc bot with the teamname and password. An AUTHED user may only belong to one team, and must remove his team status to apply to a new team. Users that leave a team cannot join/make another team for the next 7 days. When mercbot recognises a new merc for the first time he private messages about how to use the service correctly, this information should always be available through a command.

Commands – Note that ‘/msg mercbot’ does not have to be typed if chatting privately to mercbot.
—————————————————————————
!merc (scout/sniper/soldier/demoman/heavy/medic/pyro/spy/engineer), this command allows a merc to add to the waiting list of mercs. Multiple sub entries can be given to indicate multiclassing merc. Without supplying sub entry mercbot only pm’s user classes and skill levels he is mercing at

!remove (scout/sniper/soldier/demoman/heavy/medic/pyro/spy/engineer), used to remove any particular class a merc has added as. Sub entry defines which class to remove, if no class is stated, the merc is removed from the available hiring list.

!seek (scout/sniper/soldier/demoman/heavy/medic/pyro/spy/engineer/low/low-/low+/mid/mid-/mid+/high/high-/high+), Using this command a user of a fully registered team can be private messages information on the current mercs available that filter into the sub entry given in the request (example !seek soldier scout mid+ would show a list of all soldiers and scouts in the mid+ range, typically a !seek will involve one class and one skill level request) The returned list will show all candidates names with their filtered class + skill level, plus all other !merc classes and skill levels, his attitude rating, number of times hired, followed by number of contracts declined. (note if a merc has no suggested skill rating for class he will appear at the bottom of every list for the filtered class with an unknown rating. A merc can request a skill rating for his classes from an admin)

!hire (username), used to send a request to hire a merc that is added. The user will be sent information on the team attempting to hire him and be requested to respond with a yes/no. If yes, the user is sent contact information on the team including voice communication channel info and the employer username to private message. Once a merc is hired the mercbot effectively uses !remove on him.

/msg mercbot REGISTER (teamname) (password), used to register a new team or subscribe as a member of an existing team.

/msg mercbot COMMS (program) (address) (port) (password), used to register the comm channel details of your current registered team. Program can be abbreviated as M-mumble T-teamspeak V-ventrilo is no password sub entry is supplied it is assumed there is no password on the communication server or the team is not willing to share it to the mercbot.

!help, used to have the mercbot private message the user the rules around using the mercbot system and how to use the mercbot system, like how a player would receive it during his first merc request.

/msg mercbot RESPOND (teamname) (yes/no) used to reply to the mercbot after it has sent a hire request to a merc. Identify the teamname request and if it is accepted or declined.

/msg mercbot RATEMERC (scout/sniper/soldier/demoman/heavy/medic/pyro/spy/engineer) (low-/low+/mid-/mid+/high-/high+) (good/ok/bad) (NIL), this will add feedback on your last hired mercenary to the merc database, and allow your team to hire another merc in the future, the NIL sub entry is used if the match was not played, unexpectedly, but there is to be no bad feedback on the merc. The merc in question will receive a copy of this feedback.

/msg mercbot RATETEAM (low-/low+/mid-/mid+/high-/high+) (good/ok/bad) (NIL), this is how the merc leaves feedback on the team he was last hired by, and allow the merc to !merc again. Indicating the team skill and attitude, a NIL sub entry is used if the match was not played, unexpectedly, but there is to be no bad feedback on the team. The team in question will receive a copy of the feedback.

!admin, will simply call the attention of an admin to sort any issues on the service.

Mercbot interactivity
——————————–
Mercbot will set the channel topic accordingly, to include how many of each class are mercing, how many of each skill level are mercing, and how many total mercs are up for hire.

In the channel Mercbot will announce when a contract has been made which team has hired who(TeamX has hired Akill!)

Q’s welcome message will include the basic commands !merc, !help & !admin, and request that users keep it civil.

The channel shall be in conference mode to keep the communication clean.

Mercs who do not respond to requests within 2 minutes are automatically declined a contract, and
!removed by mercbot.

Mercbot will congratulate every 100th merc hired. Announce and congratulate a merc when he has received every 10th contract.

Mercbot will eventually have some static responses to certain words, or questions

Feedback Rating System
—————————————–
When a merc receives a skill rating for the first time, it is applied to all of his classes, each time afterwards, when he received feedback it only applies to the class stated. Skill ratings are worked out accordingly:
low- =+1
low+ =+2
mid- =+3
mid+ =+4
high- =+5
high+ = +6

scores are cumulative to the merc/team. And to derive his suggested mercing skill level this score is divided by the total number of times he has been hired (note if an admin gives a merc/team a default skill that also defaults him to 1 time hired)

Attitude works accordingly:
terrible sportsman = 1
troubled sportsman =2
OK sportsman = 3
Good sportsman = 4
excellent sportsman =5

Scores are cumulative, however if the feedback is good, the player/team receives +5, is it is OK, the player/team receives +3, if it is bad, +1. His total score is divided by times hired