Alamaze - New

Folks,

I want to get opinions on the length of turn cycle and processing expectations. We are working on adding one or two game masters, which will relieve effort on Cipher if successful, and also open up the possibility of not making all games due at the same time, would vary by GM. Right now the GM commitment is a lot more than we expected. We are hoping that with a web based order entry, and potentially automated billing, customer accounting, and some other stuff, we can get it to be more manageable.

We have lost at least 2 players because they explicitly said our turn cycle was too fast. We've also heard from players at the higher service levels that all games due on the same day is not their preference.

Players of most games of this type were used to typically two week turn cycles and maybe $7.50 a turn. We are running currently 3.5 day turn cycles at about $1.90 a turn (effectively, lower as the service level increases). So about 4x the turns and effort over what players were accustomed to.

I'd just like to try another poll and hope all our players will respond so we can do what's best for players enjoyment and GM enjoyment. Please vote and comment honestly with your opinions.

Maybe have a longer turn around game for some players.
No need to lose players if that's the case.

I'm all for creating a variety of distinct game queues. Players can sign up for the games that they most want to play. I prefer the current method for the two games I am playing, but I could see adding a game or two if I had the option of signing up for longer games.

The primary reason I advocated the twice a week turns was that the turns seemed to get further and further apart. When we skipped that one weekend, Game 100 went six days without a turn. Also, when a turn was due on, say, a Monday evening but wasn't run until Tuesday the four days started on Tuesday when I felt they should have started on Monday evening.

Whatever we go with, assuming we can't have a mish mash, I would like the turns to be predicatble. I want to be able to look at July's calendar and say "these are the days my turns will be due". I greatly dislike chaos.

too bad, the AlaMaze does not have the 'ready' button, as in Fall of Rome. As the ready button solves the game duration nicely, set a long duration such as weekly, and allow players to hit the ready button if they want to speed it up.

There's an option missing from the poll.

--3.5 days turnaround with different games due on different days., e.g. Game 112 could have a Tuesday/Friday schedule and Game 117 could have a Wednesday/Sat schedule...

Naturally this would require extra GMs, but you mentioned in your post that you were looking at that development as one reason for having a new poll.

I'm fine with both the current set-up as well as what we had before - 4 day turnaround with games due on different days.

While I write this, we have an even split among all options. Not much of a mandate. Further, we have the players that have posted that are in 1 or 2 games each saying 3.5 days is fine for them, but we haven't heard much from the more active players.

I'd like to hear from all the Warriors, Commanders, Victors, and Imperators!

We need something that makes sense for players and GM, at the current pricing.

(06-01-2013, 12:41 AM)Lord1 Wrote: [ -> ]too bad, the AlaMaze does not have the 'ready' button, as in Fall of Rome. As the ready button solves the game duration nicely, set a long duration such as weekly, and allow players to hit the ready button if they want to speed it up.

There is always one who waits until the last minute.

(06-01-2013, 01:33 AM)Lord Diamond Wrote: [ -> ]

(06-01-2013, 12:41 AM)Lord1 Wrote: [ -> ]too bad, the AlaMaze does not have the 'ready' button, as in Fall of Rome. As the ready button solves the game duration nicely, set a long duration such as weekly, and allow players to hit the ready button if they want to speed it up.

There is always one who waits until the last minute.

I am fine with whatever, really. Though the 3.5 days cycle might make it hard on someone who, say, goes on vacation with no internet access.

Is there a way we can allow a proxy to do a turn for us in such an eventuality?

I would be happy with once a week.