What you’re talking about creates an inaccuracy for overall player count, which is why you can’t use these samples for that. This is a count of active characters only. You can only use the stats to compare against other samples that were collected in the same fashion.
Remember, while you were getting counted multiple times, someone on the opposing faction was ALSO being counted multiple times. Unless you can show some reason for one faction to have more alts per player, that doesn’t effect the final statistic we’re discussing: faction ratio.
Things this addon does
- Create a census for active players
- Gives data for those active players creating a list
- List of data includes Faction, Level, Race, Class
Things this addon doesn’t do
- Tell you how many battle.net accounts are using characters on a server.
- Track WHY characters are made; characters used for PvE, how many for PvP, how many for farming, how many are bank alts, how many are twinks, how many are there to create summons
- 100% accuracy (whatever that does or doesn’t mean)
Anyone bringing up things that the addon doesn’t do, is creating an argument for an issue that doesn’t exist. i.e. Stop burning strawmen.
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I wish the discussion here was less about denialism that these methods could actually work, because I’d rather have a coherent conversation about the data itself.
I do see areas where the data could be biased, and I could actually make an educated guess at which way and how much it’s biased.
We just have to all get past the point where we all agree that it’s possible to use samples of a population to determine demographic shifts.
It’s contrarianism. It’s the feeling people have about being trapped into argumentation for the sake of it.
You count as 3 people as much as the guy with 3 level 20 warlocks for summons counts as 3. You count as 3 people as much as the level 60 gearing up 2 twinks. To assume that one faction is alt’ing more than another is really weird TBH.
To assume that some sites information is Even close to accurate with out having anyway of verifying it is weird to me TBH
Why isn’t it accurate? It’s the most accessable information as consumers that we have, unless you got something better?
It’s definitely accurate enough to be a usable and reliable source of information.
Definitely, it’s useful information. I dont understand the bickering but I digress.
Finally figured out how to quote others. 
Wait a minute, what?
Correct me if I’m wrong, but doesn’t the census website depend on people who use it and when they’re online, and that crap ironforge website depend on raid logs?
How could these be considered even remotely valuable…?
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Everyone who uses the addon will poll the entire server with /who commands to get everyone currently online. Many different people at different times of the day have this addon. The data is compiled in a list, the duplicates are filtered out and we have a server list for the day.
Just 2 people running into a wall for 24 hours with the addon could compile an accurate list for a server of any size. Imagine several hundred.
That would seem to be most accurate, but I got some … pretty funny results on their actual website when checking the population data of several servers recently.
Not sure I trust it.
no they couldn’t because it would count alts as separate people. it even says on the site… Keep in mind that the data is only as good, as of how many people are uploading their data.
So?
So?
No one is making the argument that it needs to be 100% accurate. It can still be extremely accurate and also be a good reference and still be a reliable source of information.
i’ve got ocean front property in arizona I can sell you really cheap
So, like the people who take word of mouth as 100% accurate?
Because a census doesn’t need to be 100% accurate to be a useful and reliable source of information.
I am saying how do you know its even close??? it counts alts as separate people 1000 people play on one toon for a few hours then roll on an alt for a few hours the addon thinks that is 2000 people …I know several people who play many alts this can quickly scew the results to pretend its even close to accurate is delusional at best. the only way it could be even close to accurate is if most people were using the addon that way it would log all their alts as 1 person
Level 60 data is pretty accurate. And if you have multiple level 60s you play on, they SHOULD be counted multiple times.
I know a few people who have more then 3 already and why should they be counted multiple times they can only play on one at a time seeing as how they are all on the same account.
To be honest…someone with 3 level 60s they play with several hours a day should definitely be counted 3 times. There are people with 1 level 60 they play less time on than people do with their alts. So yeah, counting them multiple times pretty good for determining server activity.