Faster turn-based modes: which solution?

[sourisdudesert]

At now the fastest time profile available for turn-based is 2 moves / day.

What about introducing faster turn-based mode?

Following a question in the Turn-based FAQ, here is a a possible issue with faster time profile:

• Player A creates a table with 6 moves / day. Player A is from Europe and plays between 10:00 and 20:00 GMT.
• Player B joins the table. He's from Japan and plays between 22:00 and 8:00 GMT.
• Player C joins the table. He's from America and plays between 0:00 and 10:00 GMT.

In this situation, this is rather impossible to play more than 1 move / day.

Here is a possible solution:

• When creating a table with speed faster than 1 move / day, you can specify "Playing time: 10:00 to 20:00".
• Outside this time range, time to think is not decreasing, so you don't have to care about time penalty.
• When joining tables, players have to care about playing time.

Do you think this could be useful? Do you see other solutions?

[Trociu]

When you have 1 or 2 moves per day it's not a problem but for faster games it would be usefull. Another helpful thing would be possibility to check this - statistics on users pages - when they mostly log in (so you can expel player who almost never logs in the same time like you, but have joined your game)

[qwertasdfg]

Yes, I think it's a good idea to e.g. have one timeslot with 12 moves/day and another one without moves. The time slot should of course be configurable by the table admin (maybe not only by full hours but by quarters?)

If you do that it could maybe also be helpful to have two different adjustable timeframes: one for weekdays, one for weekends.


I think when those timeslots are viewable then that should be sufficient, I don't think the log-in dates of every player should be available to the public.

[Trociu]

I think when those timeslots are viewable then that should be sufficient, I don't think the log-in dates of every player should be available to the public.

I don't see problem with this. On other site (which, by the way, I joined because of turn-based mode) I had to ask people when they have time to play few turns in a row to know this (I hate playing one game for a month!). If I could check it I would just know when I can expect them being online for a few more minutes, or maybe even an hours (most of the people is checking site every few minutes when they are eager to play and have time for this).
Maybe make it a choice to make it visible to other?

[glitter and doom]

Here is a possible solution:

• When creating a table with speed faster than 1 move / day, you can specify "Playing time: 10:00 to 20:00".
• Outside this time range, time to think is not decreasing, so you don't have to care about time penalty.
• When joining tables, players have to care about playing time.

Do you think this could be useful? Do you see other solutions?

I think it is a very good solution. I hope you will implement it soon.

[Nanaki404]

I agree that this would be a great solution.

[zlatovrana]

I disagree with these rules for turn-based games.
It's because a lot of things can happen that can prevent a player from making a move (connectivity problems that last a couple of days, unpredicted real life situations in which playing games is at the bottom of the list but will be resolved in a few days or so).

Make it like this: to join another game (of any type) player has to make a move in every turn-based s/he already has open.

example: player Anna is playing games A and B in turn-based mode and hasn't been online for 24h.
Game A has speed of 2 moves per day, but game B has speed of 1 move per day.
She has to make a move in both games before starting game C. Although game A requires her to make 2 moves today, her opponent is not online currently and she can't make her second move.
Therefore, she has done all she could about her old games and can start any new games.

[Trociu]

I disagree with these rules for turn-based games.
It's because a lot of things can happen that can prevent a player from making a move (connectivity problems that last a couple of days, unpredicted real life situations in which playing games is at the bottom of the list but will be resolved in a few days or so).

I strongly disagree. Remember, we are talking about making games faster. This means that someone was ready to check the game really often and thanks to that the game shouldn't last more than 3 days i think. Things you are talking about work the same way when you play slower game (2 moves/day) or in real time (problems with connection only for 5 minutes, but just in time of you playing on BGA).

But your second idea is of course very good. I would add - you have to make move in the game where people wait for you longer than in others.

[zlatovrana]

I strongly disagree. Remember, we are talking about making games faster. This means that someone was ready to check the game really often and thanks to that the game shouldn't last more than 3 days i think. Things you are talking about work the same way when you play slower game (2 moves/day) or in real time (problems with connection only for 5 minutes, but just in time of you playing on BGA).

my experience is that games can be really fast if there are only 2 players. but with 3 it slows down drastically. with 4 players games are bound to last more than a week. i do not want to imagine what happens when there are 10 players like in saboteur.
my opinion is if you want to be sure to have a fast game play real-time. Otherwise it might become a drag. like you have some serious matter to attend to but your time to make a move is up and you ought to play or lose both game and reputation.
I would personally be annoyed if someone went beyond limited time and another person got bored of waiting and expelled him/her and now we have to play the unbalanced and unfair version of a game.
I am willing to wait for a few more days to finish a good game.

But your second idea is of course very good. I would add - you have to make move in the game where people wait for you longer than in others.

good idea

[Magigi]

There definitely needs to be a maximum amount of time you can accumulate, especially for slower games. If you happen to play 8 moves in a 2 moves/day game you accumulate way too much time.
Maybe 2 days maximum?