Bring back Turn Based "No Time Limit + Friends Only"

[daniel1977]

Yes, the old option to play without a time limit is badly needed. It's basically the only way I play with friends, so we have time to think, discuss moves, explain new games, take short breaks to get refreshments and snacks, ...

Now you get an immediate note in your profile for taking to much time, although no one was bothered by it.

Switching to training mode wouldn't be the same as it misses features like the ELO points, which are fun part of the games.

[Virgil Prane]

Switching to training mode wouldn't be the same as it misses features like the ELO points, which are fun part of the games.

It's also bad for their matchmaking if they pit someone who has 100+ turnbased games that would be considered unranked
against someone who is playing for the first time.

Better to have a system that accounts for the sharks in the water than to ignore it.

[marta_night]

I did not say that it means removing. Please read my whole post. I’ve been one of the most vocal against the change in both threads.

[Cotj]

Any updates from the admins about this?

[znajder]

The possibility to be trapped however only existed in a real-time-setup of the game

Sorry, not true, there are both realtime and turn based tables concerned by the problem.

Hey sourisdudesert, would you care to answer the question I wrote in response to this, back in end of December. I assume it slipped under your radar, as it was posted in the middle of the holiday season. So here it is again, to make it easy for you to read and reply:

The possibility to be trapped however only existed in a real-time-setup of the game

Sorry, not true, there are both realtime and turn based tables concerned by the problem.

Could you please explain in what way this is not true? And in what way players in a Turn Based table can be stuck, because I think a lot of us are failing to understand how this happening. Or perhaps phrased differently, what is your definition of "being stuck" in a Turn Based table?

If I launch a No Time Limit Turn Based game with a group of players, and one of them stop playing after a day..
* I will still be able to access all my other ongoing games to play those
* I will still receive notifications for when it is my turn in all my ongoing games
* I will still be able to create or join a real-time game to play
* I will still be able to create or join any number of other turn based games
* I will have the table automatically removed from my list of active tables after 40 days
* BGA staff does not need to take any action as the table is automatically removed after 40 days

As far as I can see, there is NO impact to my ability to use the full feature set of BGA during this 40 day time period.

In what way am I stuck?
In what way is the scenario above a concern for BGA?

And given that several people expressed an interest in understanding this (as you can see below), I'm sure will be appreciated that you take the time to actually explain this part of the reasoning which we're just not able to understand.

Could you please explain in what way this is not true? And in what way players in a Turn Based table can be stuck, because I think a lot of us are failing to understand how this happening. Or perhaps phrased differently, what is your definition of "being stuck" in a Turn Based table?

I've got the same questions.

I also have the same questions...

[Virgil Prane]

I wanted to highlight this comment from the previous thread that was closed.

Even the smidge of removing penalties on friendly games would be a good compromise.

Then folk could take as long as they want on ranked games regardless of the time limit, between consensual adults, and still participate in the community, and gain value in their subscription.

i'm pretty bummed with having prepurchased a premium subscription prior to this huge negative change to the site, that was done without any warning to the community.

What's the plan to make this right?

[marta_night]

Same here…. I’ve just purchased an annual premium a couple of weeks before this change. I actually did it to be able to set up tables with friends in NTL mode!

[aghagh]

I haven't read all pages on this thread, so sorry if this has been mentioned before.

For a possible middle-ground solution, would it be possible to have an option that is limited but with a very high time limit? For example, "one move per month". I'm not sure if that would satisfy enough all players wanting no time limit, but maybe an important part of them to play with friends. And it would still leave a way out in case of problems, even if would require some patience.

[Meeplelowda]

I'm not sure if that would satisfy enough all players wanting no time limit.

You can see from the thread that there are some people who would literally not be satisfied with one move per decade. Then there are people who object to the change just on principle even if it doesn't actually affect them. For example, people who *always* finished their NTL games in one day/night session anyway, and thus they could still play turn-based rated games set to 1 move every 2 days and not have to worry about an expired time indication on their profile.

Regardless of what I personally think about some of the extreme positions, this is an instance in which the platitude that the customer is always right applies. I've seen less passion over someone's favorite team making the finals of that sport's playoffs than I've seen over this issue. So I feel like something should be done even though I couldn't care less about the change. Mainly because the mishandling of this situation makes me worry about what will happen when something I do care about gets broken.

[MrXuma]

So I feel like something should be done even though I couldn't care less about the change. Mainly because the mishandling of this situation makes me worry about what will happen when something I do care about gets broken.

This is an understated point that should worry everyone.
We're talking about a change that is "fixing" something that wasn't even broken.

I don't know this site for long (2020) but I discovered it because Covid made me look for ways to keep playing with friends. And it was such a joy to learn new games without any pressure. Some of my friends play everyday, some don't. Others completely go offline for 2 weeks while they are on vacations. And that's a beautiful thing.

It didn't took long for me too buy the year subscription, because I wanted to support the work this guy have done for the community, and I never stopped since then, but this change is really giving me a sour taste in my mouth, and I'll be more aware of other changes until my premium expires because maybe next time I don't feel so motivated to support this website.