DDO Audit: View population trends, browse live grouping panels, and see what server is best for you!
We've all been curious at one point
"How many players are online right now?" "What server has the highest population?" Maybe you're a new player looking for a good server to call home. Maybe you're transferring from Hardcore League and want to start a new chapter in an active community. Maybe you're itching to part with your current server in search for a new avenue for adventure. But you're stuck wondering, "What server is best for me given my time zone?" Wonder no more.
Whether you're trying to find what server is most active given your personal availability or you're just curious how the servers stack up, we're here to fill you in.
Methodology
These reports are generated with data taken on a 5-minute interval indirectly from the Social Panel. The Who tab provides the population data, and the Grouping tab provides the LFM data. Once the data is collected, it may take up to 2 minutes for it to be displayed on the website. The reports are autogenerated 1 minute after data collection by various server-side scripts, and the website polls data on a 1-minute interval from those reports. If the data doesn't align with the exact numbers you see in-game (especially LFMs given their volatile nature) this is likely the cause. If the numbers are significantly different than what you see in-game (especially regarding the population) please report it with the "Report an Issue" button at the top of each page.
One of the concerns players had with the Who list is its exclusion of anonymous players. As of March 26, this method of data collection includes anonymous players (about 3% of the population for those who are curious) and addresses many, if not all, of the issues causing players not to appear in the Who list. Given the third-party nature of this data collection, it's not possible to guarantee 100% accuracy, but after extensive testing by many members of the development community we've found no reason to believe that any data is missing. This is the most accurate data we're going to get without direct participation from the developers. Please accept this information with a healthy amount of skepticism.
Player data is directly responsible for the population of the Grouping page of this website. In an effort to give the user the most accurate results, the Grouping data is refreshed on a 1-minute interval around the clock and a 30-second interval during peak population times.
Downtimes and updates
This utility requires some amount of time to come back online after a downtime or update. Since these downtimes happen every Wednesday, expect some amount of interruption Wednesday mornings. It may take longer for this utility to return after a game update. If you believe the Grouping panel might have stopped refreshing, you can verify the last update time by checking the timestamp printed in the top bar (it's red and says "Social").
Wayfinder
As of April 5, 2020 we're tracking the population of Wayfinder. In an effort to incorporate Wayfinder into the various reports this website offers, data before April 5 has been estimated using population trends and login data. As a result, Wayfinder's data prior to April 5 may not be completely accurate, but given the low and relatively stable population of Wayfinder, it's likely a very good estimate. That data will be completely flushed from the reports by July 4, 2020 as new data becomes available.
Reporting an issue
This project simply wouldn't be possible without the continuous feedback I've received from the community. To make it more convenient for players to report issues with the website or the data it provides, I've added a Report an Issue button at the top of every page. Please use this feature to provide any relevant information about the issue you're experiencing, be it issues with the webpage, incorrect/inconsistent data, accessibility concerns, or technical reasons. The comment field is optional but it's the most important. Requests, major issues, or anything that requires a two-way conversation should be sent to me on Discord or Reddit.
(Information this website automatically collects when you submit a report: Date and time, the page you're currently on, the server you're currently viewing (if applicable), and the browser you're using.)
Time zone
All times are in Eastern Standard Time (UTC-5). This is the preferred time zone because the time changes associated with EDT interfere with the report data. Please note that during daylight saving time, EST is one hour behind EDT, which is observed by the eastern United States. See timeanddate.com/time/zones/est for more information.
Want more information?
Check out all of the data that goes into generating the graphs and reports on this site: Data Repository
API
This project belongs to the community. We're offering an API for any developer looking to create their own live LFM panel (mobile/desktop application, webpage, push-notifications, raid alerts, etc). Find out how to freely access the data on the API page.
A special thanks
A special thanks to the members of Vault of Kundarak for their generous contributions to the Live LFM viewer. Visit their website at https://vaultofkundarak.com or stop by their Discord channel for news and updates on their various projects.
Contact me
You can contact me on Discord as Clemeit#7994, Reddit as Clemeit, or on Twitter @DDOAudit.