PlanetsCentral

Hi,

so, about six weeks ago, Siba started a discussion to move the host back in time, to allow players who can play only on weekends easier play.

The discussion didn't have many active participants, but those who took part for this game were in favour.

Now I have preponed the host, and missed turns seem to rise. What now? Is it holiday season? Did you actually oppose the change but forgot to say? Say something! I'd really like to provide a reliable, enjoyable service, but that's hard if I don't know what you want...

--Stefan

Hi,

so, about six weeks ago, Siba started a discussion to move the host back in time, to allow players who can play only on weekends easier play.

The discussion didn't have many active participants, but those who took part for this game were in favour.

Now I have preponed the host, and missed turns seem to rise. What now? Is it holiday season? Did you actually oppose the change but forgot to say? Say something! I'd really like to provide a reliable, enjoyable service, but that's hard if I don't know what you want...

--Stefan

Well I guess it's an easy choice here for now.

Easiest way to get around this (for the future) is to NEVER EVER prepone a hostrun again - postpone it instead. Granted the Forums were visited quite regulary (which they are not), this is kind of a foolprove way asking for trouble. If you want to adjust host time, always always delay the turns - even if that means technically skipping a whole turn.

The only other choice I see is to send messages to every player in the game. But you have to make sure that you use the very same channel the player is using to get his savegames. That's the only reliable way and even that may fail (for example a player getting his turn per email and using a SPAM filter; a player using the interface here, but having not enough time so he does his turn but skips reading messages for the time... ). So additional you have to make sure that you send such a message at least 2 full turns ahead. You could make this foolprove by demanding a positive reaction from every player. Though that's somehow a veto for everybody by just not answering.

Personally I'ld strongly advice for the first option. Changing the host scedule always means postponing. You had reasons when you made sure the autohostrun does exactly that when switching from early to lategame scedule or when giving the next date after an early hostrun.

€dit:

I am not a player here, but I guess some feedback is important. And somehow this still concerns other games.

It did come as a surprise to me, but did not matter, as I do my turns as soon as possible. I noticed the discussion in the forum, but I thought it was just a generalization. Because I did not pay much attention, I did not think it would be applied soon.

I would like to have seen an alert on the web download page, as well as email to everyone.

I think we can file this under "fog of war"...

so, about six weeks ago, Siba started a discussion to move the host back in time, to allow players who can play only on weekends easier play. --Stefan

I offered to change default host schedule, not for particular games. And I've got your answer as "new games will have new schedule".

Easiest way to get around this (for the future) is to NEVER EVER prepone a hostrun again - postpone it instead. Granted the Forums were visited quite regulary (which they are not), this is kind of a foolprove way asking for trouble. If you want to adjust host time, always always delay the turns - even if that means technically skipping a whole turn.

I guess that'll be the lesson I'll learn from this incident, hosts will never be preponed in the future.

--Stefan