nflfastR 3.1.1

New features

Database Function update_db()

• The argument force_rebuild of the function update_db() is now of hybrid
  type. It can rebuild the play by play data table either for the whole nflfastR
  era (with force_rebuild = TRUE) or just for specified seasons
  (e.g. force_rebuild = 2019:2020).
  The latter is intended to be used for running seasons because the NFL fixes bugs
  in the play by play data during the week and we recommend to rebuild the current
  season every Thursday.
• Fixed a bug where update_db() disconnected the connection to a database provided
  by the argument db_connection (#102)
• Fixed a bug where update_db() didn't build a fresh database without providing
  the argument force_rebuild
• update_db() no longer removes the complete data table when a numeric argument
  force_rebuild is passed but only removes the rows within the table (#109)

New Functions

• Added the new function build_nflfastR_pbp(), a convenient wrapper around
  multiple nflfastR functions for an easy creation of the nflfastR play-by-play data set
• Added a function that applies our experimental expected pass model, add_xpass(),
  that creates columns xpass and pass_oe

Minor improvements and fixes

• More fixes for fixed_drive which was not incrementing properly on drives
  that began following a timeout
• Fixed more bugs in EPA and win probability on PATs and kickoffs with penalties
• Fixed a bug where scoring probabilities weren't adding to 1 on field goal
  attempts near the end of a half
• Messages to the user are now created with the new dependency usethis
• Fixed bug where plays with "backward pass" in play description were counted as
  pass plays (pass = 1)
• Fixed missing kick distance on touchbacks and blocked punts (#53)
• Added the option fast (either TRUE or FALSE) to the function
  decode_player_ids() to activate the high efficient C++ decoder of the package
  gsisdecoder