Web MSVoter - Anyone actually interested?

[mfjc]

Ok, so as I was posting in some other thread I was working on a program that's able to check if someone actually voted. Now I'm at the point, is anyone interested in such a thing?

As you might know all of the current implementations work something like:

<?php
include("db.php");
mysql_query("UPDATE users SET votepoints=votepoints+5000 WHERE user={$user}");
echo "We've added your vote point, now click <a href='http://gtop100.com/in.php?site=12345'>here</a> to actually place your vote even though we'll never actually check!";
?>

which I don't know if it's just me but it even looks plain retarded.

What mine is is basically either a Flash or Air application you would embed into your website, you pass it the user's username (and optionally some authentication string to prevent friends voting for the person) via FlashVars and once user votes we do a callback to your site. You can add the point on the callback so only after the user votes with valid everything he'll get his point. Also means that you don't have to reward users every 12 hours even though you only get 1 vote every 24.

Now, this system isn't limited to MapleStory, any site on Gtop can use it. It's also easily modified to work with other ranking sites with some small limitation that should rarely apply.
Regards.

 

[oxysoft]

what kind of question is this ? of course anyone would want that lol

 

[Five]

How is this method any better than the php & mysql checks?

 

[holthelper]

How is this method any better than the php & mysql checks?

from what im guessing is he is saying after you vote on the gtop site then you get your points with the call back versus getting the points first then going to the site for voting

 

[mfjc]

what kind of question is this ? of course anyone would want that lol

Just wondering before I try to finish it, no point in wasting time if nobody would even want it.

Basically, the current method adds the points, then says "We've added your point, now click here to vote" or something of the sort.
Leaving, of course, the possibility the user doesn't enter the correct CAPTCHA, doesn't actually vote, etc.

My method would say "Please vote, after we detect you successfully placed your vote your account will be credited."
Thus, the user can click on the Vote page and enter his username as much as he wants (which on the old method would already result in the point being added) but only until he enters a correct CAPTCHA does the point actually get added.

Should increase the number of votes you get by a surprising amount.

 

[greenelfx]

Seems unnecessary, but that shouldn't stop you from developing it.

 

[SuPeR SoNiC]

I think this should be released. I will use it for sure.

2

 

[Snopboy]

Be sure that I'll use it

 

[iJFAC]

Most of ppl redirects to the website, they get their Vote Points and are lazy to type the re-CAPTCHA.

This could Slap that.

 

[mfjc]

I'll have something up for you guys to look at in a bit.
Another good thing is the person completes the entire vote on your website so they're not exposed to the advertisements of the other servers on gtop. May or may not help, whatever.

EDIT; Upon testing it on a live server I discovered an issue that will prevent a Flash version from working, that on both reCAPTCHA and Gtop100 they have to host a 'crossdomain.xml' file. So, development on a Flash version can only be halted until a workaround for that is found; as of now I've only been able to see what they say will be using a proxy to access the service, but the obvious problem with this is that then gtop will log all the votes as coming from the proxy's ip rather than user IPs. until i find a workaround, anyone interested in the executable version? it's still very small and lightweight, the user is able to simply download and vote right there.

 

[retep998]

until i find a workaround, anyone interested in the executable version? it's still very small and lightweight, the user is able to simply download and vote right there.

No.
Nobody would want to waste their time downloading and running a program just to vote.

Now, if you built it into localhost or launcher, then you've got something good.

 

[mfjc]

No.
Nobody would want to waste their time downloading and running a program just to vote.

Now, if you built it into localhost or launcher, then you've got something good.

Not hard to build it into launcher, or localhost. How should it be started though?


Ok- For now, here's what I have of the exe version:

If I end up releasing that, it'd be a simple file you could pass your gtop100 site ID and a username to, it'd open that window, and place the vote and add the point. You can have it open however you want, if you were to make a wrapper for your localhost and have a splash screen that says "Vote / Start Game", add a "Vote" button to your launcher, etc.

 

[Skorch]

This is a great idea, most people tend not to vote.
As retep said, its better to build it into a launcher.