Run Counters - How do you view them

[jjscud]

Run Counters - How do you view them

I'm looking at making some improvements to my run counter but realized I might be doing a lot of work for a very small minority.

So, this is really a question of "How would you [highlight]prefer[/highlight] to view run counter stats"?

"I don't view them while playing" - Remember, this is what you [highlight]want/prefer[/highlight], please only choose this if you really don't want to see this info while playing or only when you alt tab out of D2

"Second Monitor" - You have dual monitors and do/would keep a run counter program on the second - nice and visible. [highlight]Please select this if you play in windowed mode and still have a good bit of screen area for a run counter.[/highlight]

"Overlayed over D2" - This is about the the only way if you have only one screen. Writing directly to the screen (over the top of D2, like fraps does) without interfering with d2 is entirely possible.

"Audio cues" - probably not full text to speech, but at lest some simple cues to indicate best, worst, and rough count of run times.

"Something else" - Any other ideas you have to get the run counter info from the computer to your brain, barring telepathy. Just let me know what you have in mind. I'm already looking into LCD devices like Logitech's G13/G15/G19.

Remember, this is [highlight]how you would like it to work[/highlight], not just how you use it currently.


While were at it, please feel free to toss out any other run counter ideas you may have, even the wild ones. I'm looking at fairly aggressive improvements so have at it.

 

[Tubba Blubba]

Re: Run Counters - How do you view them

I have my D2 in a window centered, with the run counter in the upper-left corner.

 

[pwangsta]

Re: Run Counters - How do you view them

The one I'm using right now (I don't remember who designed it) is just a java app. Since I run D2 in windowed mode, I simply move D2 to one side of the screen, and stick the counter on the other side (D2 takes up ~70% of my screen, and the counter is small enough that everything fits easily). I'd be perfectly happy keeping the display that way, but of course that doesn't work if playing full screen or if your monitor's resolution isn't large enough to have enough space left over.

One annoying quirk of the run counter I'm using is that since it counts updates to the D2 save file, when I die the counter always increments twice, and the "fastest time" number gets all wonky. It'd be great if a filter was added to the run count and the "fastest time" updates, so that anything less than say 10 seconds would be ignored.

One feature that might be interesting and useful (in theory, at least) would be something like the "lap time" thing you see on stopwatches. I know that I like to track my average run time over say 100 runs at a time to see what, if any, impact gear changes, map changes, strategy changes, etc have on my run times. Currently, there's no easy way to do that. I'd like it if I could do that, but also have the results added to my overall numbers so I don't lose track of times/runs for things like the various MF tourneys.

Best of luck with the improvements. I'm looking forward to your new counter. Thanks in advance!

 

[scottee]

Re: Run Counters - How do you view them

I've been trying to use silospen's. Every time I install it, it breaks down and stops working within about 4 uses. When I asked, he said it was because there's something wrong with my java. Since I have been unable to fix whatever is going on, I have two requests- the overlay sounds awesome, and don't make me fix my computer to use it

 

[Pijus1]

Re: Run Counters - How do you view them

I play fullscreen and alt-tab when I want to check my runtimes. Usually at the very start of a run. I use silo's counter.

 

[nermind]

Re: Run Counters - How do you view them

Same as Pijus - silos`s run monitor is just fine for me, I don`t need to see the counter while playing.

 

[sirpoopsalot]

Re: Run Counters - How do you view them

My 3 requests:

- I like having it in the background. This is my primary requirement.

- I like an audio clue (just a simple beep will do), maybe once every 10 or 20 runs. Ideally this would be configurable, but even a simple on/off checkbox for those that don't want this would be nice.

- Small enough interface (that refreshes often) that I can see all of it when I run in windowed mode.


Additional thoughts:
- stats export/dump/save. IIRC silospen's latest one has some/all of this, but I haven't upgraded yet. Still, it would be nice to occasionally do a text dump so I could see each run time or more easily compare the results of tweaking equipment.

 

[Trim]

Re: Run Counters - How do you view them

I voted for an overlay. However, I do wish that an option could be toggled to either enable/disable this and it would always be running in the background. I think sometimes I'd want to know how many runs I've done as I'm playing.. but sometimes I think that would make runs feel like they're really dragging.

Audio cues would be nice, too.

I like silo's counter, but it has its faults (no need to get into it; anyone who uses it already knows). I, too, have my faults, and I've come to live with them as I have done with silo's counter.

 

[Ohomemgrande1]

Re: Run Counters - How do you view them

I would like something that auto-pauses if I Alt+Tab out of D2 (and auto-resumes when I jump back to D2). Maybe the phone rings or one of my kids needs something.

Any option that you add would be nice if it's configurable.

Lots of good suggestions above (I really like the "exclude runs <10 s" from the stats (aside from overall time)).

 

[bassano]

Re: Run Counters - How do you view them

Run counter is big motivation for me since I am possesing this program
I am just not playing D2 in fullscreen (only sometime PvP)
I have run counter on corner of monitor to see time when I am running
Beacuse challenge time and then see time of another players in simillar urns is biggest motivation for me in D2 and for that I am plying that
For me new silo run counter is best I can have and I do not need change for somethink else

 

[Nubikoen]

Re: Run Counters - How do you view them

Currently using Silo's RC. In the past I've used both yours (jjscud) and K-T's RCs.
I run DII in windowed mode with RC visible in the top left corner.

My suggestions would be based on what I would like different from how Silo's is today.

Global hotkey combo to add / subtract 1 run. - The first run is not counted when starting or after pausing. Run is counted when I die. (Maybe an autodetection feature to check if an XP loss occurred, is that possible?)

Audio Cue after every x (configurable) runs. Maybe 2 different sounds - 'beep' after 10 runs, 'honk' after every 100. Again, configurable - Maybe even a 'pick your own sound option'

I don't need a counter to show the time more accurate than full seconds. Display should show average time (overall), average time (session), average time (last 10 runs, configurable), status (running/stopped/paused/whatever) and current runtime.

Edit. Should also show total number of runs, duh!

 

[Low Key]

Re: Run Counters - How do you view them

Durf.

Seriously though, I don't realyl actively follow mine while I run. I have a 22" widescreen monitor and I run the game in a window. The counter sits in whatever part of my desktop I have unoccupied at the moment. I take occasional glances at it when I feel like it.

 

[jdkerr]

Re: Run Counters - How do you view them

I have dual monitors. I keep ATMA and my run counter on one monitor and run DII on the other monitor.

 

[jjscud]

Re: Run Counters - How do you view them

(Maybe an autodetection feature to check if an XP loss occurred, is that possible?)

Its certainly possible and imho, the first interesting idea in this thread.

I've actually had things like beeping after a configurable # of runs and a list of "lap times" in mine for years.

 

[Nubikoen]

Re: Run Counters - How do you view them

(Maybe an autodetection feature to check if an XP loss occurred, is that possible?)

Its certainly possible and imho, the first interesting idea in this thread.

I've actually had things like beeping after a configurable # of runs and a list of "lap times" in mine for years.

That was going off the assumption that the count would go up whenever the game was saved.

How about simply just detecting the save & exit command to increase # of runs, then?
Edit. That would also eliminate the miss-count you'd get if you have run times of 5 minutes +-30 sec.

 

[sorcererbob]

Re: Run Counters - How do you view them

I would like something that auto-pauses if I Alt+Tab out of D2 (and auto-resumes when I jump back to D2). Maybe the phone rings or one of my kids needs something.

Yes! Do this. It's the reason I don't use a run counter. I am constantly skipping between D2, MSN, IRC, Firefox, Winamp etc. Then at the end of the day I can go "oh, cool, I did X runs and the average time was Y and the total time spent was Z" instead of having Y and Z distorted like it is now.

 

[Fabian]

Re: Run Counters - How do you view them

What I do is, I have dual monitors and I play in full screen mode. I do/would like to keep my run counter visible on my second monitor while I play.

 

[jjscud]

Re: Run Counters - How do you view them

How about simply just detecting the save & exit command to increase # of runs, then?
Edit. That would also eliminate the miss-count you'd get if you have run times of 5 minutes +-30 sec.

Just my point of view, that crosses over into the realm of interacting with the D2 app, something I'm not prepared to do. Everything else so far relies only on looking at the static char file on the hard drive.

I actually may be able to look at active windows and determine when you alt-tab out of D2, but not a user's interactions with d2.

 

[Machete]

Re: Run Counters - How do you view them

I am using your (jjscud) counter now which is just fine, the "beeps" are good for reminding me what run I am up to (though they can get a bit monotonous after a while - perhaps you should be able to import your own sound file to play here? Or like nubikeon said, be able to choose different sounds). For the something else option also, it would be cool if you could get something to display on the screen of a G15, but obviously not everyone uses this keyboard so probably not the best solution.

I've been trying to use silospen's. Every time I install it, it breaks down and stops working within about 4 uses. When I asked, he said it was because there's something wrong with my java. Since I have been unable to fix whatever is going on, I have two requests- the overlay sounds awesome, and don't make me fix my computer to use it

I have the exact same problem dude. I was using silospen's counter fine until a couple of weeks back when I re-installed my D2 with the lower 2d graphics option as I was getting a bit of slowdown on screens crowded with monsters. Now the counter just crashes when I start up the game, perhaps it only works with 3d graphics installed?

 

[UllaV]

Re: Run Counters - How do you view them

I just loaded silospen's run counter and it works fine for me. I run D2 full screen so I only check it when muling off.

The autostop/start would be fine, but also a stop when difficulty is changed.

The later would be useful when one accidentaly changes difficulties. Then one could start it anew when suitable map is refound.

Ulla