happygrue
Joined: Oct 15, 2010
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 Posted:
Nov 16, 2011 - 18:12 |
 
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Presumably, the draws are spaced out a bit so that there is a larger coach pool for each one (so better results for random matchups). Perhaps there are other good reasons that I don't know about regarding why the draw is every 15 minutes, but I think that 4 draws an hour might be decreasing the number box games played. It's probably not a problem for European timezones, but I can say that on many weeknights in US timezones it can be hard to find a game.
I started playing some ranked games only because they can start much faster and sometimes I don't have time to wait for another draw that might not start a game either. For example, if there were 2 or 3 coaches in a draw then you are faced with the choice: wait around 15 minutes or 30 minutes or more to see if you can get another coach or two but then it might be too late to start a game by that point. Or go play ranked (thus reducing the number of coaches in the next draw).
I'm not saying that reducing the time between draws would totally fix this, but I would be much more inclined to stick around for another 5 or even 10 minutes to see what happens. What do people think? |
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blader4411
Joined: Oct 18, 2009
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Nov 16, 2011 - 18:17 |
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It started at 30 mins, then went down to 15. I think this is perfect, we often get draws with not enough coaches to start already (in the off-hours), making it 5 or 10 minutes would reduce diversity to an untenable state.
-Blader |
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harvestmouse
Joined: May 13, 2007
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Nov 16, 2011 - 18:28 |
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Well it would make management difficult, and slow down some parts. I'd say it's a bad idea and pretty pointless. |
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polardragon
Joined: May 07, 2011
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Nov 16, 2011 - 18:35 |
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I often play later in the evening in the Central Time zone, where each activation seems to be 2-4 coaches and no matches.
Part of the solution is for each coach to activate a few teams at different TV to maximize the potential matches. A little discouraging when you *really* want to develop a specific team, but that's life in the box. |
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happygrue
Joined: Oct 15, 2010
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Nov 16, 2011 - 23:40 |
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Yep, I do the same and feel the same polardragon.
| harvestmouse wrote: | | Well it would make management difficult, and slow down some parts. I'd say it's a bad idea and pretty pointless. |
Great, thanks for that well reasoned feedback! |
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Smeesh
Joined: Oct 29, 2005
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Nov 17, 2011 - 09:31 |
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The 15 Minutes seem fine. Longer is anoying, shorter also. The most sucking thing is if there are 4 or more coaches and no matches are scheduled. I hate schedules like 7 coaches and 3 not scheduled or 5 coaches and no matches ... In my opinion there should never be an unscheduled coach at 4+ coaches, exept one on odd numbers. Only exeption are the Teams with fife or less games that should not be sheduled against very high TV´s.
Currently it happens that you are not scheduled multiple times in a row and even wir enough coaches present each round. That really sucks. |
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Wreckage
Joined: Aug 15, 2004
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Nov 17, 2011 - 14:14 |
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I think a 15 minutes activation period would probably make things smoother... |
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Smeesh
Joined: Oct 29, 2005
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Nov 17, 2011 - 14:22 |
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Yes and no. It´s a bit more dangerous. People will more often accidentialy activate / forget deactivation. I can imagine that someon activates, then thinks oh nealy 15 Minutes lets do something else (shower, switch window to read something exiting, chat in some Teamspeak ....) and then oh i forgot about BB, procession round was 17 minutes ago ....
It is well thought how it is set now and fine. Also deleting all activations with the fife minutes waring is ver good. I see no need to change activation process. Just not beeing sheduled multiple times when enough coaches are present (even twice is too much) is very anoying.
Greetings
Smeesh |
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garyt1
Joined: Mar 12, 2011
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Nov 17, 2011 - 14:37 |
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The only good time to ever reduce the waiting time between draws would be if we had a massive increase in people activating and playing Blackbox. With current numbers it seems about perfect. |
_________________
“A wise man can learn more from a foolish question than a fool can learn from a wise answer.” |
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happygrue
Joined: Oct 15, 2010
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Nov 17, 2011 - 15:16 |
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It certainly seems that most people are happy with the box as it is!
| garyt1 wrote: | | The only good time to ever reduce the waiting time between draws would be if we had a massive increase in people activating and playing Blackbox. With current numbers it seems about perfect. |
Well, perfect... for European timezones. That is my whole point. I mentioned in the OP that it's probably not a problem for anyone near Europe. It might be worth noting that everyone so far who has posted something to the effect of "It works great!" is in Europe or near that timezone.
My objective here is to try to improve the box in the other timezones that have fewer coaches during the peak times. There are good arguments for keeping the draw at 15 minutes so maybe that's the best way to keep it!
I do wish that there were an easier way to match up with other box coaches. Maybe I'm the only one, but I hate the number of times I've missed a draw by 1-2 minutes because I was off doing something else for 15 minutes and lost track of time. Then I *can't* activate for 10 minutes and so I go off and do something else ... rinse and repeat. Maybe the box is just too complicated for space cowboys like me. 
It's doubly heartbreaking to have arrived just after a draw of 3 coaches, and then after activating the next draw has 2 coaches (IE two didn't stick around for the next draw). This happens frequently! It seems a shame that there were 4 coaches wanting to play and nothing was able to happen because of mere logistical issues. |
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koadah
Joined: Mar 30, 2005
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Nov 17, 2011 - 15:35 |
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I'd say for quiet times
1. People aim for main activations e.g. on the hour & half hour. Hopefully then you'll have enough coaches/teams to get matches. Just use the 15/45min activations as back ups.
Effectively less not more.
2. Activate more teams.
3. Go out and sell the game/site to people in your time zone.
4. Add an option to increase/waive the matching TV limits. (heh heh had to try ) |
_________________
O[L]C 2016 Swiss! - April ---- All Star Bowl - Teams of Stars - 2 more teams needed |
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Beerox
Joined: Feb 14, 2008
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| Posted:
Nov 17, 2011 - 16:35 |
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If there's nobody there there's nobody there. I get a game maybe 1 out of 4 nights that I try, often with multiple activations and always with 4 teams. Just say oh well.
Cyanide has more late nighters for USA time... |
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Tophat
Joined: Jun 01, 2006
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Nov 17, 2011 - 17:03 |
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Dont know the feasability of it but an option for primary activation and back up activation would be good . Where i can say I would like to play with team a , but if no match available team b or c is fine |
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Glory Daze-Dying for Glory since 30th July 2006- Back Now |
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pythrr
Joined: Mar 07, 2006
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Nov 17, 2011 - 17:29 |
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15 is fine. stop whining. |
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Corvidius
Joined: Feb 15, 2011
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Nov 17, 2011 - 18:10 |
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I'd think that maybe chatting in the irc Blackbox channel beforehand would allow the coaches themselves to see what kinda tv folks are wanting to play, particularly the coaches who don't get scheduled. Ranked coaches already socialise and chat through necessity (and fun), i think box coaches could benefit from it. The main Fumbbl channel always has chat in it but the box channel always seems to just be folks monitoring the channel to see what's drawn. I could be wrong of course. |
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