c4countdown

I am feeling really frustrated that the Apterous server currently bugs out a lot in my experience (if nobody else's) when one or both sides of a game experience disconnection, be it server closing on their connection, or player's side hanging. I understand fully that this itself is not only impossible to fully remedy, but is an inevitable feature of such a server - players take that risk when starting games regardless of how strong their connection may seem at the beginning.

However, I feel that something better could be implemented than that any adjourned game which dies in aptospace be forgotten and not counted or at least recorded or compensated for; after all, games are rated, so this would be a logical step in the same direction. I don't know whether this latter point is a function of the server not storing the game data, or simply because the game is uncomplete, so if it isn't possible, so be it. But is there in either case a way to compensate players when they are ahead and a game is near completion, only for the other side to disconnect?

I'm thinking that a formulaic increase in winning side's rating would be highly inflationary, not good, but at the same time I'm loath to suggest any removal of points from a player whose own technology disconnects them; since I am certain that nobody on our server ever disconnects a game intentionally, or at least if they do, I haven't met or heard of them, and this is not in any way directed at anyone whose games with me have ever disconnected. I appreciate that for most people the server is not something where games are taken highly seriously, but I hope it can also be seen that for some people, the competitive nature of the game and the tangible progress that people make is highly satisfying, to record and be recognized for, even if just for three or four digits besides your name.

I suppose what I'm really getting at, is that in most competitive games (scrabble included, notably) a disconnection leads to some sort of forfeit, where adjournment isn't the default, regardless of unlucky disconnections. But I don't know what the server and code limitations are or what else can be done given the very understandable time and manpower constraints on it all. Does anyone else get frustrated about this, or is it just me? And what are your thoughts Charlie?

Sorry mate, I can't get through any long post of yours without being freaked out by your face gurning at me like that.

Alright, I've tried again. On balance it seems like it should balance out over time. I wouldn't lose sleep over it.

I've had some where I've been both ahead and behind. I'm not sure it would make any meaningful difference to my rating if it were any different.

So, I agree with Jon.

Daniel O'Dowd wrote: I'm thinking that a formulaic increase in winning side's rating would be highly inflationary, not good, but at the same time I'm loath to suggest any removal of points from a player whose own technology disconnects them; since I am certain that nobody on our server ever disconnects a game intentionally, or at least if they do, I haven't met or heard of them, and this is not in any way directed at anyone whose games with me have ever disconnected.

So you're the guy who writes the smallprint on credit card deals.

This is probably in response to me quitting our game earlier, in which you were leathering me. Apterous froze at the final numbers, and I tried logging back in several times but then gave up. I would never quit a game that I knew I was going to lose because I don't mind letting my rating take a battering. If we play again I'll let you get 40 points in front and we'll take it from there.