RCLootCouncil - Merit

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RCLootCouncil - Merit
Version: 5.14.0
Target API: 12.0 (Midnight)
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v5.14.1 Sync Hotfix 
v5.14.0 Launch
- Fixed Errant BG/World Boss Spam.
v5.13.0 (The "Soft Launch" Update)
- UI: Migrated the addon icon from standard TGA to Blizzard's native .blp format (MeritLogo.blp) for flawless AddOns list rendering and optimized memory footprint.
- Spreadsheets: Built the dynamic "Nuke" formula utilizing AVERAGEIFS and dynamic wildcard text matching ("*"&R9&"*") to completely bypass accidental spacing errors in Wowaudit player names. 
- Spreadsheets: Fixed the item level average mapping to correctly point to Column F.
- UI: Explicit instructions added to the in-game export frame directing officers to paste formulas exclusively into the Wowaudit 'Summary' tab to prevent #REF! sheet explosions.
- System: Implemented the Non-Roster Penalty slider to mathematically normalize base Audit scores for active guild members not currently tracked in the external spreadsheet.
- System: Hot-Sync payloads now silently push Non-Roster Penalties and Normalize toggles to active raid groups without interrupting combat or triggering popup windows.

v5.0.0 (The 12.0 Midnight Overhaul & PUG Protocol)
- Engine: Rebuilt the aura parsing engine and core loot routing logic to strictly comply with Patch 12.0 (Midnight) API restrictions (handling Secret Values in UNIT_AURA payloads).
- Security: Implemented robust 12.0 C_GuildInfo privilege gating. Only recognized Guild Officers, Raid Leaders, and Assistants can access the database import, alt-linking, and slider controls. Standard raiders are locked to a read-only state.
- PUG Routing: Introduced the "Magic Number" PUG Protocol.
  * Phase 1: Auto-Greeter whispers rules of engagement to non-guild members upon joining the raid.
  * Phase 2 & 3: Hosts an automated, server-side /roll gambit for Need/BiS responses, mathematically guaranteeing fair loot distribution without forcing PUGs to install the addon.
- Cross-Realm Engine: Developed a foolproof, three-tiered fallback system to guarantee same-realm and cross-realm guild members are perfectly identified and matched in the database.
- Stability: Core combat-safety protocols added to ensure UI frames and hot-syncs are blocked or deferred during boss pulls to prevent taint errors.

v4.2.0 (Alt-Routing & Internal Attendance Engine)
- Alt Engine: Added Identity Routing. Officers can link Alts to Mains in the UI. All attendance and 14-day Loot Histories are retroactively and universally combined under the Main's Audit Score.
- Alt Engine: Added the Global Alt Penalty slider (0-100%) to globally tax Alt rolls.
- Attendance: Completely detached from external APIs to use a custom, internal "Boss Pull" tracking system. 
- Attendance: Added the "Guild Run Threshold" slider. Attendance is only recorded if a set percentage (50-80%) of the raid shares the active guild tag.
- Attendance: Created the "First Seen" mechanic. New recruits are no longer penalized for raid days that occurred before they joined.
- Attendance: Officers can set Global Cutoff dates (ignoring logs before a new raid tier) and instantly toggle Blackout Dates for holiday or optional raids.

v3.0.0 (Spreadsheet Integration & UI Controls)
- Wowaudit: Added the Master Export Formula popup to quickly extract the required Lua table from the guild's external spreadsheet.
- Roster Management: Built the Import Roster UI allowing officers to paste Wowaudit data to update the local Merit database.
- Roster Management: Added the Sync Roster button to safely broadcast the full database to the raid (requires manual acceptance to prevent accidental overwrites).
- Instructions: Created the comprehensive /merit info Landing Page to explain the algorithm, the 0.6 Greed Allowance, and the PUG rules in-game.
- Commands: Added slash commands /merit, /merit roster, /merit sync, /merit attend, and /merit help.

v1.0.0 (The Core Merit Algorithm)
- Inception: Created the initial proof-of-concept for replacing subjective Loot Council voting with an objective, math-based Audit Score.
- Core Formula: Final Score = [ ((Audit + 40) * 0.4 * UpgradeBoost * Attendance%) / LootDivisor * BaseRoll ] * AltPenalty
- Loot History: Introduced the Factorial Decay system for items won in the last 14 days, implementing a 0.6 "Greed Allowance" deadener so players can win their first item without incurring a divisor penalty.
- Architecture: Built as a seamless plugin module that integrates directly into the standard RCLootCouncil voting frame.