Board Game Arena

I have a few ideas to speed up the "Real-Time" mode.
I didn't play much in this mode before, but I realize now that it's the most popular one.
The main drawback is that players sometimes have to wait a long time for other players.

What do you think of these ideas?

In Real-Time mode, the GO button is removed, and the puzzle starts automatically after a 5-second countdown.
In Real-Time mode, as soon as one player finds the solution to a puzzle, the others have 30 seconds to finish. If they don’t, they automatically forfeit and get 0 points.
I understand that these changes might feel frustrating or even be disliked, but I believe they would improve the overall gaming experience.

What do you think?

Could u add them as table option?

Good idea to put it in the options.

But if I decide to make it, I first try to make it to every games and if there are complaints I can put an option to disable it.

But I think it's all benefit to have a more dynamic game.

Players who wants to play slowly can also play not in real time mode, it's a kind of option to manage this.

Yoann

YoannLevet wrote: ↑15 March 2025, 13:41 In Real-Time mode, the GO button is removed, and the puzzle starts automatically after a 5-second countdown.

The problem with this is that BGA does not always bring you to the game page within 5 seconds. Sometimes after everyone clicks "Start", instead of going to the game page you are brought to the table page instead and have to click "Go to game". Sometimes game assets don't load and you have to refresh after realizing the game is stuck.

Also, if everyone starts the game at the same time, then players will likely *finish* around the same time, which means we're going to get even more errors for moves made concurrently which locks us out of being able to submit (which is why games like Reflection automatically measures your time and submits your time without a submit button when you have solved the puzzle and that works much better than in this game)

The way I plan to do it :

When a player enter the game, the five second countdown start. And then the game starts.

It means that the players can start at different moment, its ok.

But when one player finishes: his score is propagated to other player and other players have one minute to finish their puzzles.

Yoann

Would be okay if it's added as an option.

YoannLevet wrote: ↑15 March 2025, 18:20 In Real-Time mode, the GO button is removed, and the puzzle starts automatically after a 5-second countdown.

I don't like much that. I often do something else at the same time for when I finish a puzzle fast, and having the start at the same time add some pressure to me.

YoannLevet wrote: ↑15 March 2025, 13:41In Real-Time mode, as soon as one player finds the solution to a puzzle, the others have 30 seconds to finish. If they don’t, they automatically forfeit and get 0 points.

I think it should be 49+% of players, there is some hard puzzles where one player can be lucky and find it fast, and others take 1.5 more minute.

YoannLevet wrote: ↑15 March 2025, 18:20When a player enter the game, the five second countdown start. And then the game starts.

The first turn can be problematic, rarely players can arrive one minute late to the game. You could said that it's their fault, and they shouldn't and that's fair.

At the same time, putting a first button to start the game, and a second one to start the first turn look worst.

Okay, I see that this feature isn't very popular.
However, I'm sure it must be really fun to play in a very dynamic way.
I even think that having a time limit to solve a puzzle could be a positive thing for those who want it.

So indeed, if I add it, it will be optional.
But if it's optional, I suggest fully embracing the idea:
No more GO button, but instead, the puzzle starts automatically after 5 seconds.
Each player then has 60 seconds to complete their puzzle; otherwise, they forfeit automatically.

It will be intense, but since it's an optional game mode, I think it's worth trying.
Yoann

This is implemented even for turn-by-turn game?
What is described here happened in my round (during a tournament) whereas I didn't know this rule...
But this "Blitz mode" is not explained in tournament's rules...

I disable it for now.

But normally, it was only in real time mode.

Yoann