real time vs turn based

[yodamus]

hello..still fairly new to site..when i click on games in progress...why do i see some in real time and some in turn based...and why are so many games look like they started and quit playing quickly...shows 5 days for timer...much confused...do that many players quit after starting ???

[Jest Phulin]

Real-time and turn-based are the two modes of playing on this site. This is determined at table configuration via the "Game Speed" option.

Real-time games are intended to be played with everyone sitting around the table. It simulates most live games, with each person seeing moves as they are made, and taking their turn quickly. 'Quickly' is defined and enforced as minutes/seconds per turn.

Turn-based games are intended to allow people from different time zones to play games with each other. A player loads the game, looks at the current game state, makes their move, then leaves. Moves need to be made in terms of days, not minutes.

Technically, the timer works the same way. A certain amount of time is given for a player to think for the whole game. When a player needs to perform an action, this timer counts down. When the player performs an action, a certain amount of time is added back to the timer, up to the initial amount. The difference is that in real-time games, the initial amount is generally around 5 minutes with 90 seconds or so added each move (depending on the particular game and the game speed), while in turn-based games the initial amount is generally several days with 6, 8, 12, 24, or 48 hours added each move.

There may be some differences with replaying last moves by clicking the log in turn-based vs real-time, but I'm not sure of those details. There is also a slight difference in how the "agree to play" contract works: In real-time, the contract is presented when all players have joined the table and the administrator launches the game. In turn-based, it is when each player joins, so the game can be launched automatically when the last person joins.

So, the games you are seeing where the player is not playing, but has 5 days for a timer are turn-based games in progress. The other player has gotten up from the table (left the site), but they are intending on coming back to make a move and continue the game.