M-W-F schedule

[Thudargh]

I think the accelerated schedule ends up being pretty ideal for high service level players. These are folks that are already struggling to get enough Alamaze in their lives! I think it can be less ideal for lower service level players and for new players that are just testing the waters. Having just jumped from Commander to Imperator with two accelerated games(183 and 37), I can tell my Alamaze bandwidth is stretched. I'm enjoying the stretch, but others might not. I think I'd like accelerated games to stay in the mix, so long as they didn't come to dominate non-accelerated games in the sign-up queues. I like the option of getting more Alamaze by signing up for more games in addition to getting more Alamaze via acceleration.

[Lord Thanatos]

I think the accelerated schedule ends up being pretty ideal for high service level players.  These are folks that are already struggling to get enough Alamaze in their lives!  I think it can be less ideal for lower service level players and for new players that are just testing the waters.  Having just jumped from Commander to Imperator with two accelerated games(183 and 37), I can tell my Alamaze bandwidth is stretched.  I'm enjoying the stretch, but others might not.  I think I'd like accelerated games to stay in the mix, so long as they didn't come to dominate non-accelerated games in the sign-up queues.  I like the option of getting more Alamaze by signing up for more games in addition to getting more Alamaze via acceleration.

I think this is a fair and well-considered comment by Thudargh.

I originally suggested a twice weekly processing schedule:  Mon + Thurs and Tue + Fri, with Warlords and Titans processed on Wed + Sat.  I think this suggested processing schedule is right in the sweet spot . . .

But to be absolutely clear: I MUCH PREFER the accelerated contests to the normal speed contests.

Also, anyone learning the game will make, notice, correct, and learn from mistakes much more quickly on the accelerated schedule.  This is conducive to becoming a more skilled player in a shorter timeframe!

[Ry Vor]

I think the accelerated schedule ends up being pretty ideal for high service level players.  These are folks that are already struggling to get enough Alamaze in their lives!  I think it can be less ideal for lower service level players and for new players that are just testing the waters.  Having just jumped from Commander to Imperator with two accelerated games(183 and 37), I can tell my Alamaze bandwidth is stretched.  I'm enjoying the stretch, but others might not.  I think I'd like accelerated games to stay in the mix, so long as they didn't come to dominate non-accelerated games in the sign-up queues.  I like the option of getting more Alamaze by signing up for more games in addition to getting more Alamaze via acceleration.

I pretty much agree with Thudargh.  While our Imperators and most active posters have all been enthusiastic about the M-W-F, from where I sit I know we lose more players from the pace required, as is, in Alamaze.  When real life issues enter in, it can just be a bit overwhelming.  Also the way it is with 4-4-6, a player can pretty much take a week long family vacation or have a business trip without missing a turn if they do their next turn right after getting the last one.  I think the silent majority is happy with the current schedule.  I want to avoid burning out the players with a frantic pace.

So we can have the occasional fast game but the 4-4-6 will remain the standard at least for the time being.  I'd consider LT's idea of 2x weekly.  The problem is as we try to accommodate various tastes, games take longer to fill, especially if we have some players that only want to play a given format, like Fast Anonymous Rex Steel.  Just as we want to play different kingdoms, we should be open to playing whatever format is queuing up, and we try to maintain a kind of rotation in the formats for signup. 

[Lord Diamond]

I am looking forward to the day that teh games run when the last turn is entered, or at least the next Noon. I suppose a 72 or 96 hour clock could start from that point. That should take much the debate out of the equation.

[Drogo]

I much prefer the accelerated schedule. Playing fewer games with more frequent turns should not negatively affect the business' economics and it allows players to get their fill of Alamaze without having to be in so many games that its hard to keep track of the continuity of each. You basically need multi-turn plans to succeed and it is difficult keeping all the different situations in your head with too many games. Is also a benefit that games won't take as many months to complete. I don't think I'll ever sign up for a 1X turn/week Warlords game again because that's like 8 months of commitment, twice a week is a lot more reasonable for that format.

[Diamond Cutter]

I like the MWF game. Some of the other games drag on and frankly I have gotten really bored with a couple.

[Frost Lord]

This should become a non-issue when Uncle Mike gets a chance to work on the "I am Ready" button.  

In this wonderful future, the games could be set up with a 48/72/96 hour turn around time (or any other desired variation) and each turn would begin with a countdown clock for that amount of time.  The turn runs automatically when the timer runs out, unless all players click the "I am Ready" button before that time, then the turn will run early and the countdown clock would reset for the next turn.  

When this happens, schedules become obsolete & unnecessary...

Frost Lord

[Hawk_]

This should become a non-issue when Uncle Mike gets a chance to work on the "I am Ready" button.  

In this wonderful future, the games could be set up with a 48/72/96 hour turn around time (or any other desired variation) and each turn would begin with a countdown clock for that amount of time.  The turn runs automatically when the timer runs out, unless all players click the "I am Ready" button before that time, then the turn will run early and the countdown clock would reset for the next turn.  

When this happens, schedules become obsolete & unnecessary...

Frost Lord

On first glance this seems like a great advantage but I am afraid it will throw a wrench into the business trip and vacation strategy that Ry-Vor described above.  Fixed due dates work better for that group.

[IMPERIAL_TARK]

So what if you kept the deadlines the same but still had the "I am ready button"? This way, if all players click the button, the turns are run early (so they have them and can plan/communicate/prepare rather than waiting with nothing to do for X more days) but the turn deadlines are still kept the same. The game progresses at the same speed BUT the players have more time with game turns in their hand, rather than waiting 3 more days even though everyone is ready? That too would help with vacations and the like since players have more time/opportunities to actually work on their turns.

For example, a game processes on a Tuesday and players get their turns at noon like normal. The next deadline is Monday of next week (4-4-6). That deadline remains fixed BUT, if all the players click the "I am Ready" button by Friday, the game processes then, and they have their turns in hand over the weekend. And if not all players are ready then they get the extra time and everything is the same anyway. Net effect, schedule remains the same, but players have more time with turns in hand and time to plan.

[Frost Lord]

This should become a non-issue when Uncle Mike gets a chance to work on the "I am Ready" button.  

In this wonderful future, the games could be set up with a 48/72/96 hour turn around time (or any other desired variation) and each turn would begin with a countdown clock for that amount of time.  The turn runs automatically when the timer runs out, unless all players click the "I am Ready" button before that time, then the turn will run early and the countdown clock would reset for the next turn.  

When this happens, schedules become obsolete & unnecessary...

Frost Lord

On first glance this seems like a great advantage but I am afraid it will throw a wrench into the business trip and vacation strategy that Ry-Vor described above.  Fixed due dates work better for that group.

That "Group" consists of exactly ZERO people.  Who is looking at their calendar thinking...

"Well, Christmas is on a Friday this year, so let me count the number of weeks from now until then to see if it will fall on my scheduled week OFF from Alamaze, otherwise, tell everyone that we can celebrate the week before or the week after..."
 
"Susan, please ask your niece to move her wedding to the following week.  I will be on my regularly schedule hiatus from Alamaze then..."

"Honey, I know that flights are cheaper on February 12th, but I cannot leave until the following Tuesday...because Alamaze..."

That is ridiculous...