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2014-09-18 02:30:02
28 votes, rating 4.9
28 votes, rating 4.9
Scheduling Etiquette
Had a really bad experience recently with scheduling a tournament game and wanted to share a little about what I think proper etiquette should be.
My experience: I sent a PM and a time via scheduler to my opponent for Tuesday in the evening server time (my afternoon) - he agreed to the time and date. I went away for the weekend and got back on Monday...no message from him - so game was still set.
Tuesday morning, I receive a PM that he has a bunch of other games to play, and since our game is a final, he wants to put it off until later. So, he is around during our scheduled time, but playing other games instead of ours because they are more "important."
When we get an extension to the game, he refuses to play at a time that is better suited to me - only available during evening hours server time. I offer him a time on the following Tuesday at 19 hours server time...he declines and wants after 22 hours (which conflicts for me). Then come Tuesday I find that he sent a message at 19:05 asking "Wanna play now?" Grrrr...
To me, the following is important when scheduling a game:
1. Contact your opponent via PM & Scheduler ASAP. Give times that would work for you, and go ahead and suggest one via the scheduler right away as well.
2. Confirm the time/date with scheduler - so both people know when the game is to be played.
3. If you are the higher TV team - ready your team once the time/date are confirmed...do not wait until right before you play - this only delays the start of the game.
4. Show up a few minutes early. Respect that your opponent is taking time out of what may be a very busy schedule to play, so make sure you are on time, ready to play, team readied and good to go.
5. If something happens (and things do come up) - show your opponent respect by PMing them ASAP if you need to change the time/date of the game. Apologizing for any inconvenience can go a LONG way towards making sure that rescheduling the game goes smoothly.
Really, this comes down to showing your opponent some respect. To just blow them off when they have taken the time and effort to schedule and show up for a game is rude.
My experience: I sent a PM and a time via scheduler to my opponent for Tuesday in the evening server time (my afternoon) - he agreed to the time and date. I went away for the weekend and got back on Monday...no message from him - so game was still set.
Tuesday morning, I receive a PM that he has a bunch of other games to play, and since our game is a final, he wants to put it off until later. So, he is around during our scheduled time, but playing other games instead of ours because they are more "important."
When we get an extension to the game, he refuses to play at a time that is better suited to me - only available during evening hours server time. I offer him a time on the following Tuesday at 19 hours server time...he declines and wants after 22 hours (which conflicts for me). Then come Tuesday I find that he sent a message at 19:05 asking "Wanna play now?" Grrrr...
To me, the following is important when scheduling a game:
1. Contact your opponent via PM & Scheduler ASAP. Give times that would work for you, and go ahead and suggest one via the scheduler right away as well.
2. Confirm the time/date with scheduler - so both people know when the game is to be played.
3. If you are the higher TV team - ready your team once the time/date are confirmed...do not wait until right before you play - this only delays the start of the game.
4. Show up a few minutes early. Respect that your opponent is taking time out of what may be a very busy schedule to play, so make sure you are on time, ready to play, team readied and good to go.
5. If something happens (and things do come up) - show your opponent respect by PMing them ASAP if you need to change the time/date of the game. Apologizing for any inconvenience can go a LONG way towards making sure that rescheduling the game goes smoothly.
Really, this comes down to showing your opponent some respect. To just blow them off when they have taken the time and effort to schedule and show up for a game is rude.
Comments
Posted by Chainsaw on 2014-09-18 02:39:14
Should I be concerned that I had to check our PMs to make sure you weren't referring to me? Hah!
Posted by pythrr on 2014-09-18 02:43:33
yes, communication and respecting agreed times (with the caveat that real life happens) is important.
this applies to League games too.
this applies to League games too.
Posted by Jeffro on 2014-09-18 03:15:20
Amen. Amen amen amen.
Posted by keggiemckill on 2014-09-18 03:45:12
yes you should be concerned Chainsaw. I agree with Azure on every point.
Posted by Arktoris on 2014-09-18 03:47:17
bottomline, a tournament is only as good as the moderator. A moderator that knows how to sniff out a rat (someone who gives the run around) and dole out swift justice is a tournament worth investing your time in.
Posted by WhatBall on 2014-09-18 04:02:14
Bottom line is, rule one should be, if you are in a tournament, all other matches are secondary. Leagues and such are easier to get extensions and it is usually versus coaches in similar time zones.
Posted by Roland on 2014-09-18 05:58:38
The time difference is why i don't play tournaments...
Posted by Malmir on 2014-09-18 07:16:10
Spot on blog.
Posted by koadah on 2014-09-18 08:14:53
Scheduling can make tournaments too much of a pain in the ass to bother with.
It would be cool to have something official that was not scheduled.
Other than CR that is. ;)
It would be cool to have something official that was not scheduled.
Other than CR that is. ;)
Posted by vaclav on 2014-09-18 08:30:18
First, its not so black-white situation. If u arrenge a match a week earlyer, something can happen in meantime, right? Its not a holly bible? Second, if you can only play few hours a day, just few days a week, Why u apply for tourneys at all? Not to mention that those few hours are in the middle of the night for most euro coaches. So, if i refuse your ONE given time that is some "normal looking time" for me, you will istantly propose me some 5h am time for me or similar. This was final of smack, no other people waiting, i didnt pressure u by any means, just wanted to set time that is convinient for both of us. After it i agreed for both times u asked in messeges, and u refused it. The 19h was not good for me and i said it, but unexpectedly i had time to play, that was from no importance, cause for tommorow we agreed the time. Which u later rejected.
Posted by vaclav on 2014-09-18 08:33:44
And yes, u were offline for 4 days so i couldnt really asked for rescheduling earlyer.
Posted by Garion on 2014-09-18 09:05:46
Gosh people take this game too seriously. It's really life that's more important, shit happens, reschedule, move on. Talk about your first world problems. :)
Posted by Jeffro on 2014-09-18 09:10:01
I had to buy something I didn't even need... just so I could qualify for free shipping on Amazon!!
#firstworldproblems
#firstworldproblems
Posted by the_Sage on 2014-09-18 09:11:55
To be fair, I think the argument 'ours is a final so there are no others waiting for us to finish' has some merit as a consideration of priority.
However, I fully agree that coaches should manage their calendar; if they have urgent games they want to schedule instead, they can ASK to change the plans; not decide onesided that they will shuffle you.
Vaclav, if you know there's a timezone issue, isn't that a good reason NOT to cancel the game last minute?
However, I fully agree that coaches should manage their calendar; if they have urgent games they want to schedule instead, they can ASK to change the plans; not decide onesided that they will shuffle you.
Vaclav, if you know there's a timezone issue, isn't that a good reason NOT to cancel the game last minute?
Posted by TFRiley on 2014-09-18 09:52:53
When push comes to shove, it is equally bad form to blurt out your grievances on a public blog.
Posted by vaclav on 2014-09-18 09:58:10
Mr. Azure and me, we have a tradition of writing blogs about are relations.:)
Posted by vaclav on 2014-09-18 10:05:07
Check out this epizodes
https://fumbbl.com/p/blog&c=Azure&id=14934
https://fumbbl.com/p/blog&c=vaclav&id=14962
https://fumbbl.com/p/blog&c=Azure&id=14934
https://fumbbl.com/p/blog&c=vaclav&id=14962
Posted by awambawamb on 2014-09-18 10:33:39
...a few hours a day?
lucky you.
lucky you.
Posted by Cavetroll on 2014-09-18 16:29:23
I agree with nearly all of this except for #3 and I'll explain. There have been many times that I have readied my team prior to the scheduled day only to have the other coach no-show and I ended up getting a forfeit advancement. This left my roster locked and I was unable to make adjustments for the next opponent.
Otherwise, good points. When there is a significant time zone difference (3+ hours), both parties have to be willing to negotiate. This is why I personally limit the number of official FUMBBL activities I participate in. I wish everyone felt the same way.
Otherwise, good points. When there is a significant time zone difference (3+ hours), both parties have to be willing to negotiate. This is why I personally limit the number of official FUMBBL activities I participate in. I wish everyone felt the same way.
Posted by Verminardo on 2014-09-18 18:04:49
The most annoying thing is if they PM you "wanna play now" and when, 5 minutes later, you reply to them "sure, I'll open up at game name ..." they are already gone, so you wait for 15 minutes and miss a Blackbox draw before you close it down again. :P
Posted by icesmooth on 2014-09-19 05:13:59
Azure,
Without naming, I can relate to an eerily similar experience. I think at times coaches in Euro time zones forget how difficult it is for the North American coaches to schedule games at "normal" times for the Euro coaches. During the week these times are often smack dab in the middle of the NA coach's work day.
Truthfully, those coaches that recognize the difficulty and make sure to be as available as possible end up being my favorite and the most enjoyable games.
Any Euro coach that wants to play a major with me at 20:00 CST, by all means- I can do that everyday of the week :)
Az...you are by far one of the more enjoyable coaches on here, I look forward to our match up in the FUMMBL Cup final when I bring my new human team ;)
Without naming, I can relate to an eerily similar experience. I think at times coaches in Euro time zones forget how difficult it is for the North American coaches to schedule games at "normal" times for the Euro coaches. During the week these times are often smack dab in the middle of the NA coach's work day.
Truthfully, those coaches that recognize the difficulty and make sure to be as available as possible end up being my favorite and the most enjoyable games.
Any Euro coach that wants to play a major with me at 20:00 CST, by all means- I can do that everyday of the week :)
Az...you are by far one of the more enjoyable coaches on here, I look forward to our match up in the FUMMBL Cup final when I bring my new human team ;)
Posted by vaclav on 2014-09-19 10:42:24
I concider any time which is not in the middle of the night "normal". i would never asked someone to wake up at 04:00am and play match with me. And if my time is limited to that, i wouldnt apply at all.
Posted by the_Sage on 2014-09-19 13:22:56
Between work and family, most coaches have only a few hours of a day in which they can play. And guess what; those times (often something like 8PM-11PM) for the coach will ALWAYS be 3AM-6AM for some other coach.
I wouldn't want anyone limited to slots of a few hours to leave the site: my guess is we'd lose over half our active coaches.
I wouldn't want anyone limited to slots of a few hours to leave the site: my guess is we'd lose over half our active coaches.
Posted by koadah on 2014-09-19 14:58:19
People do not have to leave the site.
They can play [L]eague where tournaments can target specific time zones and deadlines can be longer.
Shameless plug. ;)
https://fumbbl.com/FUMBBL.php?page=group&op=view&group=8559
They can play [L]eague where tournaments can target specific time zones and deadlines can be longer.
Shameless plug. ;)
https://fumbbl.com/FUMBBL.php?page=group&op=view&group=8559
Posted by Axtklinge on 2015-01-17 12:45:37
Won't comment on the case mentioned, but as "rule of thumb" etiquette principles, those are very valid points.
If we all assume our opponent is (at least) as busy as we are, perhaps we can try to be responsible with our commitments, and flexible whenever possible to any change that might occur.
It is of course only a game, but when we take a couple of hours from our busy life/family/friends/work/... to play it, those hours should be respected as much as possible.
If we all assume our opponent is (at least) as busy as we are, perhaps we can try to be responsible with our commitments, and flexible whenever possible to any change that might occur.
It is of course only a game, but when we take a couple of hours from our busy life/family/friends/work/... to play it, those hours should be respected as much as possible.