RFTG. Timing stories...

[Woodruff]

Hi!

I would like to have your feeling about timing at Race For the Galaxy. I've played dozens of time and nearly each time I got a clock penalty (I think it was normal speed each time). I am not considering myself very slow to play so I'm astonished. Sometimes I just notice that I am short in time so I must hurry whereas I think some phase of the game needs to have little time more to think. For example: in consume phase you have to plot carefully and optimize which ressources go to where... For developments it is good to know if you can spare one card of your hand or if you have to spend them all, etc.

What is your feeling about this? Am I the only one who think like this (that would not be unusual ) or do you have the same feeling?
According to you, are time settings OK for this game or should there be extra time to think?

For indication, anounced time by the editor is 30-60 minutes http://www.ystari.com/?page_id=591. Typical time for normal speed is only 6 minutes in BGA.

Bye

[Woodruff]

I'll add that I love this game. But I would not like destroy my reputation collecting one clock each time I play it

[LudoH]

For most people I think the timing is fine (it is a game that can be played very fast!). Why don't you try to initiate games at slow speed???

[Woodruff]

Tx for your experience

That what I'm doing, setting slow speed, systematically now .
Yes it can be played very fast, and the interface is well designed for this purpose. Rules are not complex too. But I don't think playing fast is the original spirit of the game IRL for the reasons I said: you can play fast, of course, but as a newbie, do you have enough time to play well?

I repeat, what I say is my personal view only, and it is probably not shared So if all replies are just like yours, I'll accept that very dilligently and end of story.

[squarerootofthree]

I know what you mean about the timing challenges and I felt that way for a while but I guess I've just played enough to practically play it in my sleep (and still not nearly as much as some people on this site!!!)

Regarding the stated game length on the official release: to be fair, that's not quite a realistic comparison because that is speaking of IRL play where the players must do all of card dealing, discarding, shuffling, counting, etc. themselves. Playing online really does greatly increase the speed you can play at because it automates all of that. But yeah, 6 minutes for a game is still fast either way.

[Woodruff]

Agreed with you squarerootofthree.
Don't worry, of course I did not meant that the game length must be equal on both IRL and online . I just feel that the timing factor is high comparing to other game, despite the fact that game management IRL is quite heavy indeed.

I'll keep playing this game anyway, hoping that one day I'll be able to pratically play it in my sleep !

Tx for your answer

[Roitelet]

Yes I agree. The timing is much too fast.

Besides, I don't understand how the clock works. Where can I find information about it? It does not seem to run in any conventional way (Fischer, Bronstein...).

Can you point me in the right direction?

[Roitelet]

Just found the clock help page. It seems to me it is a regular Fischer system.

So why is my clock going up and down stupidly. I get 5 minutes extra per turn, then it goes back down to near 0 in a one minute or so. I strongly suspect a bug.

[lilibiz]

Hum, I often have more time offered than I need, ans I play with fast setting , but this is a question of how much do you play I think. At the end, you know every card by heart. Except when I have to count points, then I often use the "I need some time to think please"
Also, when you arrive here and see everyone playing so fast, you force yourself to do so, and take the habit.
But that"s right, I may not play so well when I play fast, and I play differently in real.
You can use the "slow" setting or the "no limit" setting.

[Roitelet]

Thanks for responding.

Can you explain how the clock works. Is it buggy or not?

Is it Fischer, Bronstein? Something else?

It just goes up and down on my machine.

Also, another really weird thing. The slow setup (which I use and is not slow at all!) give 2:34 per turn. WTF? Why 2:34 and not 3:00? This must be a bug, no?

And moreover 2:34 is quicker than the speed for average speed which is 3:00 or 5:00 I think.