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

[Revan]

First of all, it uses the absolute post count, rather than the user table's posts field.
Secondly, it is actually faster to manually add achievements to the database via SQL than it is to use the interface.
Thirdly, when clicking "add new" (award, achievement) it actually saves a default award/achievement then opens the editor. When someone clicks "add new achievement" they want to see blank fields for a new achievement.

[grtony]

thank you ..

[DarkArmada]

Phalynx - just want to say great work, this latest BETA is leaps and bounds ahead of the previous one. Just one question regarding promotions.

Is there a line of code that controls the "Display Usergroup" field for promotions? I have many groups on my forum that are set as Additional Groups and that I'd like to keep as the displayed group, however everytime a user is promoted, this field changes back to "Default".

I looked myself but nothing jumps out at me. Even if someone with some vB coding experience knows what to look for, it'd be appreciated and I'll just make the change myself. Thanks

[DarkArmada]

Actually would I just need to omit the usertitle commands?

PHP Code:

    $userdata->set_usertitle(
        $user['customtitle'] ? $user['usertitle'] : '',
        false,
        $vbulletin->usergroupcache[$user[usergroupid]],
        ($vbulletin->usergroupcache['2']['genericpermissions'] & $vbulletin->bf_ugp_genericpermissions['canusecustomtitle']) ? 


[Mysterious2207]

Hey guys, I need some help with this mod.

I've got it installed, but all my users are on level 1, and this wont increase?

For example, my accounts has 5000+ points, and is still on level 1? Everyone's "Level Up %" is on 99%, and every single user is on level 1. How would I fix this, is it a setting somewhere?

[Phalynx]

Originally Posted by MandachuvA

vBExperience installed plus all my members are on level 1, as recounted points several times and they left the level 1, can someone help fix this

http://img390.imageshack.us/img390/2403/vbexp.png

Install a higher level xml.

Originally Posted by snappy1313

If it's in beta, should I have downloaded the previous version?

As you like. With the newest beta you can try new feature. If you prefer the last stable release, install it.

Originally Posted by snappy1313

1: The Experience link on my navbar is going to a 404 page not found. Everything else looks to be running fine. Doublechecked each and every folder/file in the upload folder as well. Any suggestions?

Are you using a subfolder? Can you try to call the xperience.php?

Originally Posted by snappy1313

2. db error
Database error in vBulletin 3.8.4:

Invalid SQL:
SELECT
COUNT(id) as cnt_images,
SUM(views) as sum_views
FROM pp6_photos
WHERE userid=1
GROUP BY userid;

MySQL Error : Table 'pnoo_forum.pp6_photos' doesn't exist
Error Number : 1146


Love this mod and can't wait to work these issues out!

Do you have the plugin for photopost installed? Please check the XML and replace the DB prefix with your own.

Originally Posted by doubleclick

Hello -

I just finished reading the first 33 pages to find this, and still not luck. I hope you haven't already answered this.

1. I've been fiddling with a lot of point values to get to adjust point values. As a result, many of my members are wondering why they lost 45,000 points, 2600 points, etc. Is there a way for me to clear history of these wild fluctuations and set them to start on a particular day?

Check activities, details. There you have a detailed list of what happened. You cannot re-start with 0 points.

Originally Posted by doubleclick

2. I don't have any Infractions to keep track of. How can I remove the "Infractions" Tab on their profile page?

Thanks,
dc

Disable the infractions system. It's not part of vBExperience.

Originally Posted by DarkArmada

I gotta say, nice work. I tried the Beta 2 and it failed on my board terribly. Installed the latest Beta and so far so good. I can see the differences in the promotion system and although I had to hit recount multiple times to push people up the promotions ladder, it worked flawlessly.

Nice work

Nice to hear

Originally Posted by BWJ

Regarding the setting: Latest achievements
In the admin panel: Displays only the last x Achievements of the user (postbit, profile). Lets say we choose = 5.

Problem: If you have a user having 6 or more achievements - the software will:

In the profile navbar -> latest news = correct result -> the system shows the achievements in a rolling fashion.

In the postbit and profile block -> latest achievements = not correct result -> the system shows the achievements according to how their parent achievement category is positioned (display order).

Suggestion: Besides making it rolling for postbit and profile block: In the profile block make a 'view more/all' setting. It is nice to see them all together at one place - but not if it fills up the whole profile window. So e.g. show the latest 5 and then a "view more".

Noted on todo list.

[Phalynx]

Originally Posted by Cfreyna

How would I get those bars to not show up in users posts?

To get support, you will need to click "Mark as Installed".

Originally Posted by reddyink

Just installed this wonderful MOD. However, I am not seeing any point under the user name while in expanded mod and expierence tab, I am seeing points.

How to get points show below username as shown in the atttachment on MOD post. Where do I need to enable it?

Many Thanks

https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/attachmen...3&d=1249986518

Check settings, Experience, Bars.

Originally Posted by MikalMirkas

Will you plan on releasing this for vBulletin 4?

Yes, as stated already multiple times.

[Phalynx]

Originally Posted by Revan

First of all, it uses the absolute post count, rather than the user table's posts field.
Secondly, it is actually faster to manually add achievements to the database via SQL than it is to use the interface.
Thirdly, when clicking "add new" (award, achievement) it actually saves a default award/achievement then opens the editor. When someone clicks "add new achievement" they want to see blank fields for a new achievement.

Great. Why are you using this, as it's so bad? Or you just want to complain?

>> First of all, it uses the absolute post count, rather than the user table's posts field.
Before you start to criticize, read the source and try to understand this. Doing it, you would see that you can exclude forums like offtopic from the post count before calculation.

>> Secondly, it is actually faster to manually add achievements to the database via SQL than it is to use the interface.
Sure, if you are working like a SQL guru and know all columns from your mind, you can do it that way. But I think most people are not SQL nerds sitting on their SQL console and not knowing the SQL Scheme.

>> Thirdly, when clicking "add new" (award, achievement) it actually saves a default award/achievement then opens the editor.
What is bad on that fact that it is prefilled? Every coder is free to do things like he want. I prefer to have it prefilled. And it seems you prefer to make trouble.

Originally Posted by DarkArmada

Phalynx - just want to say great work, this latest BETA is leaps and bounds ahead of the previous one. Just one question regarding promotions.

Is there a line of code that controls the "Display Usergroup" field for promotions? I have many groups on my forum that are set as Additional Groups and that I'd like to keep as the displayed group, however everytime a user is promoted, this field changes back to "Default".

I looked myself but nothing jumps out at me. Even if someone with some vB coding experience knows what to look for, it'd be appreciated and I'll just make the change myself. Thanks

Will change this in next beta.

Originally Posted by Mysterious2207

Hey guys, I need some help with this mod.

I've got it installed, but all my users are on level 1, and this wont increase?

For example, my accounts has 5000+ points, and is still on level 1? Everyone's "Level Up %" is on 99%, and every single user is on level 1. How would I fix this, is it a setting somewhere?

Install a higher level xml.

[Whatah]

first off thanks a million for creating and supporting this. I installed it on friday and consider what a big change it is I am amazing that so many members have had nothing but positive feedback about it! (some of our members are resistant to change lol)

before posting i read the first 36 pages then jumped back to the last 5. i see that i have installed the (vBExperience_385_Beta3) beta version so am not complaining at all

i installed the system
loaded correct level file (i think highest level is 85ish)
calculated points
calculated achievements
tweaked some values
disabled "vent" forum from calculations
added some achievements
recalculated points
recalculated achievements

i have disabled the activity bar on our default skin

i have disabled activity and level bar on one skin (black)



some error 404 issues: (tested these on all skins)

just plain
http://www.yugiohforums.com/xperience.php
Goes to 404

Ranking goes to 404

Shop goes to 404

see all rewards goes to 404

Give away points goes to 404



some achievement issues:



i set a "5 years" achivement to "days since registering > 1826" but it seems to have given the achievement to many members who have registered in 2005, 2006 and 2007.

also i was given the 10k post award (posts > 10000) when i have 9,300 posts listed and probably at least 2000 of those have been fully deleted from the forum. (or are in the excluded vent forum)



this member is showing the silver circle "first 1000 points" achievement twice in his postbit_legacy.

this member only has 7 friends but has been given the "friends > 30" achievement

this member signed up june 09 but has the one year (days since registering > 364) achievement. also in his profile, under "Achievements" it is not displaying any icons.

thanks again for your time and effort on this amazing mod!

[reddyink]

I would like add custom points for a specific forum

FOrum ID: 4
Submit Threads: 150 points
Posts: 100 points

How can I do that?

Thanks