Add-On Releases - vBExperience 3.8

vBExperience 3.8 (aka xPerience)

Created by Marius Czyz aka Phalynx.

Triple Winner of the "Mod of the Month"-Award (March 2008, September 2009, July 2010) on vBulletin.org.

A version for vBulletin 4.0 has been released! Thread: https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=245023


vBExperience 3.8.6 is currently (August 2010) in development.


Description
vBExperience is your feature packaged solution for motivation and satisfying your users. vBExperience is an advanced Level/Promotion and Activity System with Shop, Awards and Activities. It will calculate an activity and experience score for every user based on their activites on the forum. Now your users will see how their level is increasing by participating on your forum.

This mod was developed by me because I was never satisfied with the post count. Communities are not only defined by post count, they need much more parameters: Are the postings the user creates helpful? Are his threads frequently read? Does the user participate on the community by posting pictures, attachments, leaving visitor messages, tagging threads? All this can be answered with this mod.

Comments, suggestions, translations, bugs, etc... are very welcome! Support is only given to people who have clicked Mark as Installed.


Compatibility
This mod will work with vBulletin 3.7.x and 3.8.x. For vBulletin 3.6 you will need vBExperience 3.7



Demo:
http://www.insideearth.net/xperience.php?langid=5

Demo 3.8.6:
http://www.insidetwoworlds.com/xperience.php

Other Demo Site:
http://www.insidesupcom.de/xperience.php?langid=1


There are mainly four things visible for the users: The users score, his level, his next level up in %/points and his activity in %.


Calculation of the score
Taken into calculation are these things:
Threads
- Created threads
- Thread views of own threads
- Thread replies of own threads
- Thread votes of own threads
- Thread tags
- Replies to own threads
- Sticky threads
- Socialgroup Discussions (Discussions, Posts)

Posts
- Created posts
- Views on attachments

User
- Days since registration
- Average posts per Day (for users who are on forum for at least seven days)
- Referrals
- Received infractions
- Reputation / Use of reputation system
- Visitor messages on profiles
- Members of own social groups
- Albumpictures
- Friends
- Completing Profile

Misc
- Calendar entries


Additionally there is support for 3rd party addons (some are already installed):
- vB Tournaments and Ladders (via CDP Addon)
- Post Ranking System (via CDP Addon)
- Helpful Answers (via CDP Addon)
- AWCoding-Donation System LITE and PRO (via CDP Addon)
- Cyb Paypal Donate (included)
- DownloadsII (included)
- ibProArcade Highscorer Points (via CDP Addon)
- LDM Links and Downloads Manager (included)
- PhotoPlog 2.1 (via CDP Addon)
- PhotoPost vBGallery (via CDP Addon)
- PhotoPost Pro (via CDP Addon)
- Post Thank You / Use of Post Thank You (via CDP Addon)
- QuoteIt! 3.16 (via CDP Addon)
- SAPR: Advanced Post Rating system (via CDP Addon)
- thanks via vS-Hide Hack Resurrection (Expanded Edition) (included)
- v3arcade Highscorer Points (via CDP Addon)
- v3arcade Submissions Points (via CDP Addon)
- vBulletin Blog (included)
- Who Downloaded This Attachment? (included)
- Other Addons can be easily added via CDP - Custom Data Provider plugins.

Additionally you can install these modifications:
- Thread Necromancer: Gives (minus-) points when a user is posting in old threads.
- Scrupulous Poster: Gives points for editing posts. Award users that are editing own posts instead of doing double post.
- Deletion Addicted: Gives points when an user/nod soft-deletes post, thread, visitormessage, groupmessage or picturecomment.
- Arm of Law: Give points for moderators who are using the infraction system
- Discussion Ender: Give points for people who are the last on a discussion
- RadioActivity: Reduce points for every day the user is not online

Also, there are already addons available that are working as Custom Data Provider (CDP). A CDP can extend vBExperience by collecting data and adding it to the vBExperience datastore. All point providers can be used for Awards and Shop.

You have to install these hacks for your own, vBExperience doesn't install nor touches these.


vBAdvanced
There are three vBAdvanced 3.0 XML modules: Most Active Users, Most Experienced Users and Last 20 Activities. Import them via vBAdvanced AdminCP.


Awards
There are six default awards: Most Popular, Activity Award, Posting Award, Community Award, Frequent Poster, Blog Award, Calendar Award. The awards are shown in Rankings and Profile. You can set them also to display in postbit near the username. There is a scheduled job running once a day (02:30h) to calculate them.
Via AdminCP they are completely customizeable and can also be assigned manually.
Awards can be created for every data provider.


Rankings
Showing User, Level, Awards, Activity Points (experience, thread, post, user, misc) - sortable.
Since 3.8.3, there is a also a ranking for Social Groups

Shop
A virtual Shop will motivate your users to earn more points. You can define categories and put virtual items with pictures in it. A currency can be defined seperatly for every item, e.g. 20 points from threads or 100 points from gallery. Users can purchase the items, they appear in their profile. The costs of the item are substracted from their xperience points. Additionally you can set quantity of the items.
The Shop will motivate your users to collect specific points to buy an item. Optionally you can show the last purchased items on postbit.
You can put virtual items in it, like WoW addons: Sell WoW Items in exchange of f.e. thread points. Great for RPG forums.
Non-Virtual Items like bold Usernames or Downloads for Points are already on my todo list.

Earn Points
There is an overview for the user on how points can be collected, with a list of users own points. All data is beeing pulled from the database (settings, phrases)

Statistics
The statistics is showing a Top-X list of the leading users. Usefull for optimizing points of the point provider. Only enabled point providers with results will be displayed.


Promotion system
To motivate users to do more on your forum I created the promotion system. By reaching defined xperience points the user will be moved to another usergroup - where you can set graphics, shadows, highlighting, etc... What is interesting in combination with this: you can give the user more possibilities f.e. larger avatars or bigger PM box. A log of the promotions is available.


Calculation of the activity
The system calculates the activity by taking the average post count/visitormessages/group discussion/Blog entries of the ten most active user and comparing it to own post count. This can be set to count only the last X days, f.e. 21 days.


Settings
You can control how many points are given to every calculation. For example you can give many points for creating new threads but only a few for views of that thread. Setting a value to 0 will disable a setting.
Additionally, you can set ignore users (f.e. for bot users), forums (f.e. offtopic forums) and usergroup id's.


Performance, Big Boards
vBExperience has been tested on smaller and also on some bigger sites. I know from boards with around 120k users running this mod smoothly. More about this topic can be read in the file readme_optimization.txt


Frequently asked questions
Q: How do I change the name Experience to something new?
A: You can change the name via phrases. Just search and replace all phrases that contains vBExperience.

Q: When installing vBExperience, does everyone start from scratch, or will it automatically configure everyone's points based on actions before the install?
A: If you recount, vBExperience will calculate ALL existing data since the beginning of the board.

Known Issues:
- Awards: On "Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread" awards are only shown for the user who is viewing this.
- Awards: If activated in with rich username, they are attached to the username. If the username is linked, the awards are also linked. If a link is underlined, the awards are also underlined. This behaviour is hardcoded in vBulletin and cannot be fixed.
- Settings are showing only a blank page, read here: http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/proje...6979#note74140
- If you completely remove vBExperience, you need also to uninstall the product XML manually from the pluginssystem

Credits for icons
- FAMFAMFAM, http://www.famfamfam.com/lab/icons/silk/
- IconExperience


History
3.8.4.3 / 3.8.5 Beta 5, 10th July 2011
- Prio 1 security patch, please update just xperience.php!


3.8.5 Beta 4, 25th September 2009
- Promotions: Listing now also the last Usergroup. Please notice the new settings for nethermost/uppermost usergroups.
- Several minor cosmetic changes
- Clear Activities (except Shop)
- Fixed error with GetActivityAll() on profile
- Several Beta 3 fixes

3.8.5 Beta 3, 18th September 2009
- Fixed Promotions
- Fixed Notifications
- Added Activities to Promotions
- All Activities are not obeying limit
- AdminCP/Experience has a recount for Promotions and Achievements
- Fixed listing of Achievements with Firefox
- Several Beta 2 fixes

3.8.5 Beta 2, 02nd September 2009
- Just a short note: Condition in Achievements and Promotions are calculated in POINTS, not in counts of items.
If you choose 10 Day, you must enter the points needed for this.
For example: You have an achievement for 10 days. You have set 2 points for every day since registering. Calculation: 10*2 = 20
You will have to set 20 as the condition.
- New tabbed interface. If you want to change the style, edit the template xperience_navbar_css
- Promotions now showing usergroups and conditions for a promotion to the next group
- You can import old vBExperience Legacy promotions (that were created within level.xml)
- Achievements in Profile
- Achievements below Avatar
- Several Beta 1 fixes

3.8.5 Beta 1, 28th August 2009
- Achievements!
- Promotions!
- Notification on Awards, Promotions and Achievements
- GAP: Empty pointfields will not be displayed anymore
- Activity: Showing percent values with a decimal
- Activities now also for users
- Awards below Avatar
- Default Awards are now also creating new category
- Shop: Fixed issue in not returning cash on sells
- Reworked Edit Shop Items



For more see history.txt

[Phalynx]

WHY NOBODY READS THE DOCUMENTATION?!?

Originally Posted by MrAbc

Thanks Phalynx for this great mod .

Currently moderators are receiving a lot more points than normal users for a post (more than I would like to). Can moderators be set to receive the same amount of points as normal users for a post?

Moderators are gettings the same points as users, there is no difference in calculation.

Originally Posted by leannet

what do each of the coloured bars represent ?

--> readme.txt
"Calculation of the activity
The system calculates the activity by taking the average post count of the ten most active user and comparing it to own post count. This can be set to count only the last X days, f.e. 21 days (controlable via AdminCP) ."

Originally Posted by love.

Hi,

could u plz tell me why it does show on my default style but it is not showing on my second style?

--> readme_install_uninstall_upgrade.txt
"Espacially take care of the images, copy them to your style misc folder if you use a customized style."


"Troubleshooting
If there are no bars visible at the postbit, you don't have a fully vBulletin 3.7/3.8 compatible postbit/postbit_legacy template. You will need at least $template_hook[postbit_userinfo_left] - make sure it's there. Take a look at the origin 3.7/3.8 template to see where it should be."

Originally Posted by leannet

not sure if its a coincidence or not but I installed this and now I can't access my admin section all my admin privileges have been removed.
I have emailed my head admin but still no reply, please help.

--> readme_levels.txt
"Promotion system
To motivate users to do more on your forum I created the promotion system. By reaching defined xperience points the user will be moved to another usergroup - where you can set graphics, shadows, highlighting, etc... What is interesting in combination with this: you can give the user more possibilities f.e. larger avatars or bigger PM box.
Admingroup (ID 6) is not beeing touched. Such a user will be ignored on promotions. Change your administrator's primary usergroup to secondary to include admins in promotions.
This feature is disabled by default."

Originally Posted by EagleNick

I have a question: Can this be used behind-the-scenes for running a contest? I'd like to use this but I don't want all the extra stuff to be added to profiles, postbits, etc. The only thing I would want shown to users is a page with a table/list of users and their current point-value.
Is this possible?

Yes, should be possible by deactivating the relevant plugins. Some parts can be already disabled by settings.

Originally Posted by EagleNick

Secondly, a suggestion I thought of: The ability to award points for purchasing a Paid Subscription through vBulletin's Paid Subscription system.

I sure hope what I am wanting to do is possible as I'd really like to use this.

Sounds doable, I will take a deeper look and maybe implement it in next version.

[Phalynx]

Originally Posted by megroup

Do you have a Russian version of this mod?

Not yet. Will you be the first who translates it?

Originally Posted by Sador

Even though I liked this mod a l?t, I uninstalled it, because it made my forum insanely slow because of something in the database. I'm not quite sure why that happens, but I had to uninstall it. Still, thanks for a great mod.

Yes, it's using much queries if not optimized to your needs. See also readme_optimization.txt

Originally Posted by mwgroom

Mate, I love this mod and members of my forum love it for the motivation it provides. I run a small board of just under 1000 members and we utilise the blog features a lot. I see in the adminCP it states that blog comments and views are treated like threadreplies and threadviews. I can see the score for threadviews (set to 0.2), but cannot determine which of the fields represents threadreplies. I can see Replies to Own Thread, but not thread replies.

If you could shed light on exactly how blog activities score that would be fantastic.

Cheers,
Mike

Update: I've done some checking and thread(anything) doesn't appear to take into account any blog comments or views. I have users who have been extremely active in the blog (ie 100's of comments) and they only have 4 thread view points. Not sure if there's another setting I need to set.

Blog posts, replies and views are using the same settings like normal threads, but they are not counted towards the threads, they are bundled to the blog points (listed under misc).

Originally Posted by Nadeemjp

hello there
i have been experiencing some problem with the negative markings.
for some reason, some of my very active members have negative points in the range of thousands in the heading [points for threads] i was wondering why this is?

could you help?

Hello
Do you have negative points entered in the point settings for threads? Check statistics to see where it exactly comes from.

Originally Posted by bjkinzluvr

I hate to be dense, but I have read and read . . . and I don't understand what "level" is? What are the different levels I can install? Do they do something more or different? Thanks much. We love this, by the way!

Levels are like a staircase. You can define which and how big/small steps a user needs to reach the next level. With levels everybody sees how much points someone has.

[Phalynx]

Originally Posted by uprentiss

is there any way to just add the store???

No.

Originally Posted by EagleNick

Is there only a way to calculate points starting at a certain date?

Currently not, but already on my todo list.

Originally Posted by Nadeemjp

how do i have this option displayed in the navbar of new styles i have installed?

The Style must support template hooks (mostly all 3.7+ compatible styles have this).

Originally Posted by Endlesskiss

I have an idea\request for a feature.

I want to include a little PHP Code for each award, to execute some queries [My idea is some kind of VIP Code generation], If you can make it up, I will be glad.

Thanks from advance!

I don't think this would be implemented soon, but will add this on my todo list.

Originally Posted by Rideharder

Okay have a problem with my host server server was hacked server restored the website now for some reason the mods not working but when I try to uninstall vBExperience it he gives me the following error..for a complete kill use ZIP\extras\Remove vBExperience\upload_via_ftp\admincp\kill_xperience .php any suggestions on how the fixes?

great mod cant wait to use again

Please install vBExperience 3.8.3 which corrects this error.

Originally Posted by Rideharder

Parse error: syntax error, unexpected T_STRING, expecting ']' in /home/xxxxxx/public_html/includes/class_visitormessage.php on line 375

Are you sure this comes from vBExperience? It does not have anything active in this area.

[Rideharder]

3.8.3 is what I have..

[Phalynx]

Than you need just to install the product - or what is your problem?

[Nadeemjp]

Originally Posted by Phalynx

Hello
Do you have negative points entered in the point settings for threads? Check statistics to see where it exactly comes from.

Dear Phalynx
i am attaching two screen shots.
i havent given any negative points for threads and the statistics yet show negative points for 4 of the total members and their negative marks keep on increasing

any suggestions?

[Phalynx]

Originally Posted by Nadeemjp

Dear Phalynx
i am attaching two screen shots.
i havent given any negative points for threads and the statistics yet show negative points for 4 of the total members and their negative marks keep on increasing

any suggestions?

It's "Thread Necromancer". This one is a negative point provider.

[Digital Jedi]

Ran into what you might call a minor bug poking around in the ACP. Not knowing what the Add Points link would do when I clicked on it, I didn't add any information but the blank fields were saved as an entry anyway. I wasn't sure at first, as I didn't notice till I came back to Manage Custom Points menu and clicked it again just to be sure. Sure enough I now had two blank entries. Deleting them caused a database error which I just now realized I should have copied and pasted here. The two entries deleted okay, but just in case it could cause a problem, I thought I'd mention it.

[Tacama]

Originally Posted by Digital Jedi

Ran into what you might call a minor bug poking around in the ACP. Not knowing what the Add Points link would do when I clicked on it, I didn't add any information but the blank fields were saved as an entry anyway. I wasn't sure at first, as I didn't notice till I came back to Manage Custom Points menu and clicked it again just to be sure. Sure enough I now had two blank entries. Deleting them caused a database error which I just now realized I should have copied and pasted here. The two entries deleted okay, but just in case it could cause a problem, I thought I'd mention it.

Something similar happened here. I added 5000 custom points to 4 users (What i called Staff Points). Then i gave one of them 5000 more so he could buy some items at the shop and give them away to some users. When i tried to take away the extra points remaining, he got negative numbers.

Graphically

Users original points: 5000+ 5000 (to buy and give away items) = 10000.
Once finished giving away presents users points: 11000. -6000 custom points... got -5000 or something like that. I had to fussion that user with a new one i created :erm:.

By the way... Are you planning to consider money & bank in a near future? That's a faq in my forum.

Forgot to say...

One of the greatest hacks ive ever installed :up:

[marshal_ramdev]

thanks