[suggestion] Timezones

[Rusty Cohle]

Hello all,

I'm very new to BGA but after some days I'm addicted.

A (simple I think ) and nice addition to the service would be to be able to restrict the game you create to players from certain timezones.
That would not be obligatory but if you want to play lets says pacific time only players, he would be able to do so..
Don't make it complicated, 4 or 5 timezones would be very good..

Something like

- West US
- East US
- Europe
- Asia
- Pacific..

Something like that.
What do you guys think ?

[RicardoRix]

when you create a turn-based game, if you choose 8 moves a day or more then you can select a time window.

[nairobiny]

when you create a turn-based game, if you choose 8 moves a day or more then you can select a time window.

While this is true, I've had many games where players have joined - perhaps automatically - a game that is completely inappropriate for their timezone and then failed to make their moves on a timely basis. You then have to either make do or abandon the game.

[Jest Phulin]

when you create a turn-based game, if you choose 8 moves a day or more then you can select a time window.

While this is true, I've had many games where players have joined - perhaps automatically - a game that is completely inappropriate for their timezone and then failed to make their moves on a timely basis. You then have to either make do or abandon the game.

if an appropriate restriction is already in place, adding another restriction to do the same thing does no good. If people are joining who do not care about the playing time restriction (and therefore do not play in a timely manner) they will have a reputation penalty. So restrict by playing hours and reputation to prevent them from joining, rather than restrict by time zone. Restricting by time zone will prevent people who have a non-standard schedule from playing.

[Paddles]

It really isn't necessary - and all it would do is make it harder to find opponents and start games.

If you're playing a real-time game, why should it matter whether the other player/s is in a similar timezone to you or on the opposite side of the world? The players are all awake, online, ready to play, and presumably have time for a game (unexpected interruptions notwithstanding - but those can happen at any time of day or night). The game isn't going to run any faster if we are near each other.

If I'm playing a turn-based game, it matters even less because there's no reason to expect instant responses (though it does still happen... I've seen opponents make a move within seconds of me on a turn-based game - and those opponents are generally 8-10 timezones away from me).

[Rusty Cohle]

Very interesting answers, thanks guys !

What I'd like is exactly what is pointed out above, being able to restrict people from another far away time zone so they don't get in by mistake and dont get bad rep by this sole mistake..

I think the community is still growing here (i'm inviting all my friends, surprisingly most of them didn't know about BGA) and there is little chance this new feature would make things more difficult..

[Heraldson]

I have already suggested this a year ago, no change since then: https://boardgamearena.com/bug?id=13607

[Paddles]

Again, you're both assuming that someone's timezone is the primary factor in determining whether they'll be able to complete a game in a timely manner. But that assumption isn't correct. (It might be correct for some people, but not for all.)

there is little chance this new feature would make things more difficult..

That might be true if you're in a popular timezone. There are relatively few BGA members from my/similar timezones. But I haven't had any issue playing games with people in completely different timezones to me. I don't experience problems with people from, say, Belgium failing to complete games I started just because they're 8-10 hours away from me. Restricting players by timezone is the wrong solution for a problem - it's like using a bandage for any sort of first aid treatment, whether the problem is a bleeding cut or heatstroke.