Understanding gameplay records
How this version records rounds, and what those records can and cannot tell you.
What a start records
The server records game_started after it creates a round and assigns words. Records include room ID, round number, player count and game mode. A round is not a unique person or a new group: the same room can start many rounds.
What a completion records
The server records game_completed when voting is tallied. In Deep Cover this can be an intermediate result with no final winner. A completed event therefore does not always mean a whole Deep Cover game has ended.
What duration means
The current duration field measures seconds from the recorded round start to the voting result. It excludes joining and explaining the rules. It is not the length of an entire game night. A mean should identify which completed records had usable durations and how interrupted or test rounds were handled.
Why starts and completions are not an abandonment rate
A comparison needs matching room IDs and round numbers, a defined time window, consistent instrumentation and filters for test or duplicate records. Dividing unmatched totals can misrepresent what happened. Repeated rounds also prevent event counts from being treated as a count of people.
Historical figures
Previously published totals and averages have been withdrawn while their source records and calculation methods are checked. No numerical claim from that snapshot is used here. This page retains the useful event definitions and limitations.
Privacy and interpretation
Server records contain room identifiers and are not fully anonymous. They are separate from optional browser analytics consent. Reports should publish non-identifying aggregates, state their collection window and sample sizes, and distinguish practical suggestions from measured findings.