Forums Scripts & Popups IRC quiz buzzers

Right, let's try this in the right forum this time.

I'm wondering if it's possible to script buzzers/lock-outs over IRC for use in quizzes? I'm aware it might be possible but my knowledge of scripting is nil. Any help would be much appreciated!

Importantly, it would need to be fair and take lag into account. So that when the question appears on people's screens the ping time isn't an issue - I'd just need to know who "buzzed in" first after the question appeared on their screen.

Is this even possible?

Is it possible to accept an answer or trigger from one person?

The Answer is YES.

It is done in quite a few Trivia and other irc games scripts.

Could anyone point me in the right direction of a good script then please?

The big idea is that I copy and paste the questions from Word as and when they're needed. A buzzer system would be better than "first one to type the word in quickly!" which would give me a much better chance of judging things as well as allowing us to play the game the quiz hangs off.

Crucially it's got to take lag into account.

Thanks in advance!

If I understand you correctly and you want to judge how long it took each individual to answer, you would need to know the lag to each user, and that can change from millisecond to millisecond. Short and sweet, IMHO not possible.

The idea that someone had was that the question would be timestamped and timed on their end and then the speed relayed to me. It might require two scripts: one for me and one for them, but I think this is something that can be lived with.

Any help appreciated as always.

This script might be a good start-point for you:

• alias ask {
  ; Usage: /ask <question>
  if $hget(quiz) { hfree quiz }
  hmake quiz
  hadd quiz @ $ticks
  .raw privmsg #quiz $+(:,$chr(1),PING 0,$ticks,$chr(1))
  msg #quiz $1-
  }
  
  On *:ctcpreply:PING 0*:{
  hadd quiz $nick $calc($ticks - $mid($2,@))
  haltdef
  }
  
  On *:text:@*:#quiz:{
  var %lag = $hget(quiz,$nick)
  if !%lag {
  notice $nick Sorry, but you can't participate until your client properly responds to PINGs.
  return
  }
  msg # $nick answered within $calc(($ticks - $hget(quiz,@) - %lag) / 1000) secs.
  }

To ask a question, type /ask <question>, and the channel (#quiz) will be pinged as well as messaged the question you specify. Also, a hash table will be initiated.

The lag of everyone will be stored in the hash table "quiz".

The answers must start with a trigger - @. For example, you type: /ask What's my favorite color? and a user replies: @green. You can change @ to anything else by modifying the matchtext area of the "on text" event.

When an answer is received, your script will automatically subtract the lag time from the time it took to the user to answer, allowing a fair game.

I'm not good at explaining scripts, especially mine, so if you have any further questions feel free to reply below.

Thank you very much! I will try this out tonight.

Just a slight correction, $mid($2,@) should be $mid($2,2), I probably held shift while typing "2". I don't think this typo affects the script though.

Well it works well enough to be able to have a fun quiz at any rate. Thanks very much!