Auto-start + spectators chat + many little things (May 8th update)

[iliz sera]

Spectator chat

We decided to forbid spectators to chat during the games.

We know that in specific situations, it may be useful. But there are more situations where this is causing problems than the opposite. And in real life, you would not want to let anyone come and start discussing around your game table while you are focused on your game.

They may be adjustments/exception in the future, but the new basic/default rule is: spectators are not allowed to chat anymore.

Personally, I don't like this idea. I remember that whenever I come to a table as a spectator to chat, there is always an "x" displayed next to my name. And I thought if a player in the table doesn't want to listen to the spectator's chat, he can press "x" there and kick the spectator out. Is it a good idea?

Or just to be simple, adding an option on the table "does not allow spectator to chat". This way is more convenient. Imagine I'm watching my friends' table, I come to cheer them, and they make a greeting with me, and I cannot reply back.

I hope to see a quick improvement here.

[Tammo]

Yes, I agree with iliz sera: I've had good experience with spectators joining at the table chat. Sometimes they are friends who play the game regularly as well. Right now we are playing a team tournament, and often team mates drop in to cheer people on. All this is good fun... and while I agree that the option to shut them out is a useful idea, just ruling spectator chat messages out takes a way some of the fun.

[KlausNY]

Spectator chat

We decided to forbid spectators to chat during the games.

We know that in specific situations, it may be useful. But there are more situations where this is causing problems than the opposite. And in real life, you would not want to let anyone come and start discussing around your game table while you are focused on your game.

They may be adjustments/exception in the future, but the new basic/default rule is: spectators are not allowed to chat anymore.

I watch many live games for learning and enjoyment. I watch good players and beginners, and only chat to help someone with a rules question. People are appreciative and I think it builds community. The "X" button feature works very well for removing chatting spectators.

If you continue to ban chat for spectators, then I would like to be able to spectate anonymously. I have had a players object to having their games watched and would prefer not being scolded via chat (and red thumbed) for spectating on a public gaming platform.

[postmans]

I and friends often use the spectator mode to watch each others Hanabi games, we sit and say hi, maybe have a bit of a chat.
It helps a lot in setting up the next round, by asking if I can join the next game players then indicate if anybody plans on doing a rematch/leaving.

If it would be possible to make this a setting where players could choose not to see the spectator chat or kick spectators that would be awesome.

I've personally never had issues with spectators. And if I would then a (personal) red thumb would be the solution.

To me this does not feel like an improvement, rather the opposite. I appreciate all the effort you guys put in, so this is nothing against those that work hard to make this site. Just wanted to express my opinion on the matter.

[donkeykong66]

I would like to say that I'm not a huge fan of both of these two changes either. Personally neither of these two has really been an issue for me.

For auto-start, I'm not quite sure which problem this solves. If the table host isn't there to start the table, will he be there to accept the table start? Also, as others have pointed out, you can't quite control the players on your table as much anymore, especially if tables fill up really quickly. And something else that I have already noticed is that it now way harder to change the table settings. Sometimes I open a table and already invite my friends, but the settings were still the default settings, or the settings from a previous game, and I would like to change them. Or maybe we want to switch to training mode, etcetera. Maybe, just like the "start the game" button the table admin has, there can be an "auto-start the game" button as well. This way, people who don't necessarily care about checking who the last player is, and who have fixed the table settings, can make sure the table starts when the last player joins, but it gives more time to people who still need to do something.

For spectator chat: I agree that it is nice to be able to drop in on friends, or to check in on some hanabi games to take the spot of someone that might be leaving. I like the suggestions of having settings so players can decide if they want to see spectator chat, although this might become tricky if players on the table start interacting with spectators, because you'll suddenly see half of a conversation (unless there will be a "table chat" and a "spectator chat" separately). Maybe the alternative could be that you are only allowed to chat in certain situations: for example there can be requirements like "someone on the table must have added you as a friend". Alternatively, there are certain tables that are restricted to "members of a group". Since those people somehow trusted each other to get in that group together, maybe you can allow spectators from the same group to come chat?

[Romain672]

I like the auto-start, one time, at three different time, my table got 4players/4 but gave me less than 5 seconds to start the game. I suppose it was because of automatic lobby with players who click on more than one start button.
And on general, it's not too rare it happen one time.

For spectators, I agree with the others persons on that subject.

[beri]

Thanks for continuously improving the website.
For spectator chat, how about this:
- spectators that one or more seated players have red-thumbed are muted by default
- you can manually mute a specific spectator with the cross next to their nickname (it seems the cross used to mean "give that spectator a red thumb").

Among UI changes, I noticed new tables you create still remember your level preferences and other, but now reset group preferences every time . Is this a bug? It’s pretty annoying.

Future upgrades that would be cool:
- separate in-game log entries and any other events, such as "xxx went offline / xxx went online". Currently it’s all mixed up.
- facilitate chatting with a player in PM (currently, you need to open their profile in another tab and open PM chat from there)

[Tyeor]

- facilitate chatting with a player in PM (currently, you need to open their profile in another tab and open PM chat from there)

+1

And also +1 on making the allow/forbid spectator chat a facultative option when creating a table. And/or just allow players to mute specific spectators. It's really really rare to have a spectator trolling. It's a bit less rare to have a spectator talking a lot with one of his friend's playing (and most of the time it's just not disturbing at all). Edit : and to adress Sourisdudésert's exemple with irl games, I want to say I absolutely don't mind a spectator in an irl game. It's part of the conviviality of boardgames.

And +1 on most arguments against the auto-start. The problem here is mostly that newcomers don't know they have to click on start. Maybe when a host opens a table, add a headband to say "when players have joined and you want to launch the table, click on the start button" (like the ones you have when there's errors or you're trying to make an impossible move).

Anyway, thx for improving this site continuously

[Shaid]

I returned to follow people's feedback and the chat issue seems unanimous.

Assessing the responses, I think that both cases can be "improved" with these seemingly simple changes.

The button "allow automatic start of the match" and "silence / remove spectator" (the one on the table itself).

Decision would be up to each group in a simple and democratic way.

[Silene]

And in real life, you would not want to let anyone come and start discussing around your game table while you are focused on your game.

In general: yes i do want them to come and say something. For me this is still most importantly a social situation . If for some reason I want nobody disturb the game it's good to have an option to switch it off (like already suggested by some).