View source for Damage Number Data Collecting Guide

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==Introduction==

Hello, this is Autofire. I've submitted some damage numbers to the wiki before, and it does feel nice to contribute, so I felt I should contribute a guide to teach how to contribute numbers ''correctly''. It may help to start with what damage numbers are and how are they used. Damage numbers(Will abbreviate to DNs from now on) are the amounts that a weapon damage things. When having properly recorded and stored DNs, players may make informed choices on which weapon is the best. Here is an example of what the end result should look like from the Proto Sword:
{{SKDamageTable|
{{SKNewRow}}
{{SKDamageRow|Hit 1 and 2|20 - 26|21 - 19|17 - 16|15 - 14|14 - 13|12 - 11}}
{{SKDamageRow|Hit 3      |25 - 33|26 - 23|20 - 19|18 - 17|16 - 15|14 - 13}}
{{SKDamageRow|Charge     |35 - 48|41 - 34|29 - 25|24 - 22|21 - 19|18 - 17}}
}}


When you have read all the way through this guide, you will have (hopefully) learned the following:

* How to prepare for the DN collecting expedition.
* Things to remember during your expedition.
* Harvesting the numbers for usage.
* Formatting your DNs in a damage table on the wiki.

===How to use this guide===
''To be completed at the end of this guide.''

==Preparation==
Before you ever start, you '''must''' prepare, lest you risk having a, if not several, errors.
===Out of game===
First off, you need to decide how to collect your DNs that you find. I have found the following methods, each with their own pros and cons.

;With the chat log
: Come up with a naming theme and format which works for you, and then punch in the numbers as you go. Then go back through the chat log and sew the data off of it. I use ''[Depth] [Short name] [Attack code] [Effective-Number]". Then when I say ''1 SuperSlime sh norm-23'', that means 1st Depth, Super Slime Slasher, Soft Hit (Hard Hit being the last slash in the combo), Normal Damage (In this case, not against Slimes), and deals 23 damage. I favorite method. If this doesn't work for you, read on.

;With a friend
: If you have a friend who is handy, he may be able to record for you, either to paper or to a text file on a laptop/tablet/etc. Even though I have never tried it, it should work very well, except that both of you need to be there at the same time and at the same place.

;With another knight
: Like with a friend, but you don't need to be there at the same time. The other knight must be dead so that he/she/it can spectate you. The monsters also gain HP, giving your more chances to get numbers.

;Taking screenshots
: Easiest to setup. I use this when my screen capture program isn't working. (See below) For this one, you need to take screen shots as you beat/shoot/blow up the data out of them. I recommend mapping the screenshot key to something you can reach easily, because you'll be taking a lot of 'em. The drawback of doing this is that when you are going over the images over again is that it can be tricky to know what attack the picture is of.

;Using a screen capture(movie, not still) or camera
: This is the method I use and prefer, as I find it very easy. The DN gatherer must simply start up his recording device, and start playing. Before starting, though, it is a good idea to test your device to make sure it works so that you don't start a level (or go through a whole run!) when you aren't even recording at all. If you are using a camera, it is best to use a tripod or another kind of stand so you don't need to be holding the camera. Also, make sure your camera angle won't allow for a glare. A screen capture is more convenient, but you will need a powerful computer if you want to keep your FPS up, because they use a lot of resources to run. Once you're done, you can watch the video at your own leisure, getting the numbers from that when you can. If you lag when using this method, try the following:
* Use a lower resolution. You might need to use windowed mode for this.
* Turn down the quality of SK. Compatibility Mode doesn't seem to count, but you could try it anyway.
* Set your screen capture program down. Remember, you aren't putting it out on the net, (unless you want to) so you can turn the quality down quite a bit, which should free up a good amount of CPU. The quality only needs to be good enough so that you can read the numbers.
* Close as many other programs as you can.
* This is a little related, but if you are low on space, you can pause the recording whenever there is a long space of no enemies, such as a long hall or a loading screen. Just don't forget to play it again. This ended in disaster when I first tried it.

:You can use your favorite capture program. If you don't know of any, I have a few here:
* [http://camstudio.org/] This is the one I use.
* [http://www.fraps.com/] I think this one is popular, but my brother said it slows things too much.
* [http://philbradley.typepad.com/i_want_to/2010/06/screentoaster-closing-alternatives.html] This has a list of em.


===In game===
Once you got everything ready and decided, you can now setup the game. You need to get an armor and a helmet that doesn't effect the weapon(s) damage. If your using a sword, you can't wear a fencing jacket. Same goes for trinkets. You must make sure that all your weapons you are getting data from are at level 10. (I know it's tedious with the new heating system, but...) Because of this, it might be a good idea to get the DNs from one weapon, while taking another to heat it up so you can get its DNs later. When deciding which weapon to use, check the page, [http://wiki.spiralknights.com/index.php?title=Category:Pages_with_empty_damage_entries&oldid=33641 Pages with empty damage entries]. You also must chose a gate or mission to gather info from. If the weapon has poison, going into poison levels is a good idea. And on one last note: '''The only good numbers are from the first and last depth of a stratum.'''

==Expedition==
No matter what you use to record, or what weapon you are using, there are some things you should remember.

* Use all your different attacks and weapons on each new enemy you encounter, or at least each time you encounter a new resistance to your weapon. If you have several weapons and/or if you have a weapon possessing the weakness of the target, you might need more than one of that type of enemy. Menders and Silkwings are very useful, because you can use all of your different attacks on that enemy while the healer keeps the target's HP up.
* Only get the damage numbers from the first level and the last level of a stratum. Those ones are the only ones you'll need.
** Because of this, don't go to boss stratus. Not only do bosses always have just one enemy type, (excluding Vanaduke) but bosses also usually have different resistance values.
** Also, try to get your damage numbers from clockworks levels and arenas, as these usually have several types of enemies.
* Avoid getting damage numbers from Alpha Wolvers. They tend to have higher resistance than most enemies, because they tend to come from deeper levels, therefor giving them upped defenses.
* Avoid danger rooms. (Wave fight arenas with an energy gate blocking them.) Usually these have enemies from the next stratum or even the next tier. This will throw off the numbers because their defenses are so much higher.
* If you're weapon deals Freeze, freeze an enemy. After that, keep it in your view so you can see how much damage the freeze thaw will deal, because it counts too! Try to find enemies which freeze does a lot of damage against, because freeze resistance varies. ''Confirmation please''
* If you have Fire, it is harder to calculate, even though it is easy to find how much each tick does. You must also see how many ticks are done after dealing the status once. To do this, you need to make sure you only deal the status once, (it doesn't get re-dealt as the fire goes on. This makes something like the Pepperbox tricky.) and then count how many times the fire hits. If the enemy dies to the fire, you need to start again. Note that some enemies are weaker to fire. I am not sure what to do about this.
* Shock is the hardest, because of its elemental damage. Repeat what needs to be done with fire when counting the ticks, but you need the see how much damage needs to be dealt to each type of resistance.

==Saving and Formatting==
Once you are done, you will need to place the DNs you gained on the wiki. Your DNs are useless unless others can see them, and they give wrong information if an error has slipped through your fingers.

===Saving===
Either you will be keeping your DNs on a txt file(or your friend might), or to a video file, or directly to the wiki. If the latter, you can skip to the next section. Otherwise, you will be wanting to keep your information somehow.

====Text file(.txt) or Spreadsheet====
It is simple to keep them like this. If using a text file, the result could look like this:
(Note that these aren't real numbers, but estimates based from the Proto sword damage table)
<pre style="color:blue">
Proto sword
    Slash1-2  Slash3  Charge
D1:   20        25      35
D2:   23        29      40
D3:   26        33      48
Robo wrecker
    Slash1-2  Slash3  Charge
etc etc etc
</pre>
If you are using a spreadsheet, you can record this in any way you like that is similar to this.

====Image file(.PNG)====
Simple: take the numbers from the images and slap them on the wiki. Just make sure you know the attack you are using in the image, because it can look confusing.

====Video file(.avi, .mp4, etc.)====
When looking at a video file, you must watch closely to ensure that you are recording the right number. You can place your findings directly on the wiki, or to a text file if you are offline at the time of watching it, to save time when you get your internet back.

{{SKDamageTable|
{{SKNewRow}}
{{SKDamageRow|Hit 1 and 2|20 - 26|21 - 19|17 - 16|15 - 14|14 - 13|12 - 11}}
{{SKDamageRow|Hit 3      |25 - 33|26 - 23|20 - 19|18 - 17|16 - 15|14 - 13}}
{{SKDamageRow|Charge     |35 - 48|41 - 34|29 - 25|24 - 22|21 - 19|18 - 17}}
}}


''Note: this is a draft I have saved in case of a crash, and I may be working on the guide as you are reading this!