NEW PROCESSING SCHEDULE

[Loric]

I'm also wishing for a slightly shorter turn around between
the Tu-->Mon processing window.

That being said, I can understand the reason the processing schedule is as it stands.

LT, expressed it better than I can.

[bluefile2]

We will be processing all ALAMAZE Classic turns on an updated schedule.

1. There will be 2 processing rates: 4 day turn cycles and 7 day turn cycles
2. No turns will be scheduled to process on Saturdays/Sundays (due dates that fall on Sat/Sun will be pushed to the following Monday)
3. ALL orders will be due by 12pm/NOON (Eastern US) on any/every due date

So, with a 7 day turn cycle, games will process on the same day of the week for each turn processed.

With a 4 day turn cycle (w/no Sat/Sun processing), there will be a regular pattern of due dates: M->F->Tu->M->F->Tu
In fact, no matter what day of the week a given turn may run on, eventually that game's processing will fall into this pattern.

I have contemplated for over a week whether to post my thoughts. For better or worse....

I HATE the new processing schedule. To say some games have 4-day turn cycles is simply NOT TRUE. Games now only have 4-day turn cycles on alternate weeks.

I believe I could easily debate the given reasons for the processing changes, but at the end of the day the owner of the company gets to make the final call. I understand that and support that right fully.

In this age of instantaneous world-wide communications it is a competitive disadvantage, imho, to delay player gratification (processing turns) to once a week.

Potential solution:
Some games process Mon and Thurs every week.
Some games process Tues and Fri every week.
Once a week games process on Wednesday.

[4-days between turns followed by 3-days between turns fairly provides a 4-day turnaround option for the players. 4-days between turns followed by 6-days between turns does NOT fairly provide a 4-day turnaround option for the players.] If 4-day turn cycles are going to be made available to players, it is fair for players to expect a true 4-day (or less) turnaround.

The above potential solution still avoids weekend processing, still spreads out game results across multiple days, still provides a reasonable pace, still provides a full 72 hours between turns to address concerns, and (most importantly) still "accurately" provides twice a week processing.

I dislike the different days setup as well. I like knowing that my game 114b has turns due every week on days X and Y. I'd rather see set days for for set games. Not a HUGE deal either way, but if I had my choice, this is how I'd prefer it.

[HeadHoncho]

I'm going to try to put a positive spin on this, but in corresponding with a fellow player in a game recently, this person expressed great anticipation in receiving his turn results. I replied, imagine what it was like when we were waiting for these puppies to come in the MAIL!

I definitely would love faster turnaround games (back to 2x/week) simply because the excitement of receiving a turn is one of the things that makes this game so awesome. And I'd love to be able to have that happen more often than less. I understand if that can't happen right now, and I'm not complaining, just explaining the reasoning behind my thinking.

On the rest, I said it earlier, as a practical reality, the new structure is 1.5x/week (or if you want to be really precise, 3x/2 weeks, but 1.5x/week is close enough). There is no circumstance that will have the turns process either faster or slower, it's 1.5x per week. Not four days, which can seem misleading, even if that's not the intent.

So my suggestion is to call it what it is.

[Ry Vor]

Glad everyone is eager to get their turns as quickly as possible and enjoying Alamaze. But this is the schedule for now, and we reserve the right to change it again whenever. When we get to 100+ we'll have two game masters and maybe the second one will process on weekends. Meanwhile, we stand behind what we confidently feel is the best service and best value in the business.

[HeadHoncho]

The previous post was edited, so mine is now a bit obsolete, which is totally fine.

Regardless, I haven't really seen anyone question the value proposition, or your or Cipher's commitment. Everyone just seems happy to be playing, and at most, wants more and more Alamaze, which I'd say is a good thing.

The only clarifying comment I've seen crop up (more than once, and from people other than me) is that right now, at this moment, the fastest game rate is 1.5x per week. Mathematically, every two weeks without fail, the turns process exactly three times, no more and no less. Three divided by two is 1.5. That is a fact, and I'm not sure I understand why, from my limited perception, this appears to be a sensitive point for you.

[Cipher]

The previous post was edited, so mine is now a bit obsolete, which is totally fine.

Regardless, I haven't really seen anyone question the value proposition, or your or Cipher's commitment. Everyone just seems happy to be playing, and at most, wants more and more Alamaze, which I'd say is a good thing.

The only clarifying comment I've seen crop up (more than once, and from people other than me) is that right now, at this moment, the fastest game rate is 1.5x per week. Mathematically, every two weeks without fail, the turns process exactly three times, no more and no less. Three divided by two is 1.5. That is a fact, and I'm not sure I understand why, from my limited perception, this appears to be a sensitive point for you.

2 things I'll point out:
1. This matches pretty much the 7/month rate described in the original discussions on service levels. I worked through a 30 day cycle to look at ways to split game delivery and satisfies different games/days, the service level descriptions, and creates more game capacity per GM.
2. The game scheduling routine has the games set to 4 day due dates, which creates the scheudling described, and why I call it 4 days. Technically, I guess it's 4 business days, I certainly don't mean to mislead anyone

[HeadHoncho]

Totally agreed on point 1.

On point 2, it's actually neither four business nor four regular days... it's 4, 4, and 6 days, which averages out to 4.67 days/turn. Which would round to 5, and not 4, if a person was inclined to do that.

I really hate to get into the picky semantics and details, and in no way am I suggesting that either you or Rick is trying to mislead anyone. It really is just about accuracy, for me. (Can't speak for anyone else.)

Again, my thanks for everything you do!

[Ry Vor]

Totally agreed on point 1.

On point 2, it's actually neither four business nor four regular days... it's 4, 4, and 6 days, which averages out to 4.67 days/turn. Which would round to 5, and not 4, if a person was inclined to do that.

I really hate to get into the picky semantics and details, and in no way am I suggesting that either you or Rick is trying to mislead anyone. It really is just about accuracy, for me. (Can't speak for anyone else.)

Again, my thanks for everything you do!

Head Hancho, where are you trying to go with this?

[HeadHoncho]

Head Hancho, where are you trying to go with this?

Go? Nowhere, really, I just thought I was jawboning on a forum about a game I enjoy.

Since you've asked me plainly, however, I do find it a bit odd that (it seems) you're still saying it's a four-day turnaround, when it's really not, and I suspect that most of the critique you've received about this specific issue would dissipate if you clarified this.

But that's ultimately your call.

[Ry Vor]

Head Hancho, where are you trying to go with this?

Go? Nowhere, really, I just thought I was jawboning on a forum about a game I enjoy.

Since you've asked me plainly, however, I do find it a bit odd that (it seems) you're still saying it's a four-day turnaround, when it's really not, and I suspect that most of the critique you've received about this specific issue would dissipate if you clarified this.

But that's ultimately your call.

Yes. I thought you made your point the first time.