Advanced games blitz improvements

  

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Thibault de Vassal    (2009-11-04)
Advanced games (blitz) : improvements

Hi all,

You probably noticed that there was many forfeits in advanced games as :

1) Many new players try it but do not read the instructions.
2) The system is not efficient enough to warn the players when a game starts.

The facts :

a) When you enter a waiting list for an advanced (blitz, lightning, bullet) game, you HAVE to withdraw before leaving, or the game may start without you - the way to do it may not be clear enough.
b) When you challenge a player, you may leave the computer, the system will not start the game without you (or in rare cases).

The idea of FICGS is to provide a web interface without any software to download, consequently everything is not possible... Now it only opens a pop up (if possible) & sends an email when a game starts, and it updates the page if you are in My Games.

Possible improvements :

1) To add a sound or voice message when a game starts.
2) To close advanced games waiting lists :/
3) ...

Well, it looks like I need some ideas. Anybody help ? :)


William Taylor    (2009-11-05 18:36:33)
Is it worth improving?

FICGS is mainly a correspondence games server, and I wonder whether it's worth spending lots of time trying to improve its live games. Personally, when I want to play a live game, I go to one of the many servers which are dedicated to that. Perhaps the main disadvantage for me of playing a live game on FICGS is that the page keeps refreshing - it's annoying and you don't see the opponent's move instantly.


Lazaro Munoz    (2009-11-07 01:56:13)
Advanced games (blitz) : improvements

For blitz can you not define the start of the as move two (when to start the clocks too) so that you are assured that both players are present. If not continued after move 0.5 you can throw it after a period of time and go back to move 0 where both players need to start again. Or take the forfeit if the player does not return before the beginning of the next round.

--laz


Thibault de Vassal    (2009-11-07 16:16:28)
"blitz cc"

Well, FICGS cannot & will not become a fast games server to play eg. "2 0" or even "5 0" (by the way even on the fastest servers, there are lag - and other - problems) but I hope there will be more and more players interested in classical time controls (called blitz here) & 'freestyle chess'... William, I can't remember the last time when you played a fast game here, the page now only refreshes when a move is played, and faster now... With an AJAX interface, it will be almost completely transparent.

Lazaro, actually the fast games with less than 2 moves will be replaced when a new challenge is accepted, to delete the forfeited games.


William Taylor    (2009-11-07 17:14:04)
I'll try

You're right - I haven't played a fast game here for a while. I'll try it again soon.