Rule clarification : turn timer

Hmm, I half-agree with you, but I think the solution you propose is a bit too rigid and extreme. (Also, I hope we won't still be playing in 2011 or beyond. )

Part of the point of going to pitboss instead of PBEM isn't just the speed factor - it also helps a huge amount in getting rid of disputes over wars, because no-one has any possibility of being accused of reloading (i.e. cheating). I've been around democracy games for a number of years now, and one thing I've noticed is that regardless of whether or not anyone actually cheats, there are frequently accusations of cheating, which can cause a great deal of unnecessary bitterness (and can sometimes kill games). So it's no small thing that pitboss removes the possibility for accusations of cheating in wartime. (Well, except for double moves, but at least those are easily detectable - unlike reloads in PBEMs.)

Anyway, I'm still in agreement that we need to reduce the number of unnecessary pauses, but I don't think it's quite necessary to institute a rigid policy such as you suggest.

The game is moving at a good pace for my standards, there have been pauses but nothing too problematic IMO.

Even in solo games people pause the game out of sportsmaship when other players have isseus and want to hold up the game for a while..I don't see why we cannot do the same? It is not like there is someone that wants the game delayed on purpose.

So I don't think that any strict rule enforcement is needed.

As Team MS's newest member in my first Demo game and first pitboss game ever... I'm finding this to be quite the learning experience, though not exactly what I expected.

I will take it upon myself to apologize on behalf of the team for the delays. Personally, I have not been able to log into the game (not sure how to do it either) and anyhow do not have a mandate to play our turns. Hopefully we can fix some of that when HUSch gets back.

Excellent and highly lucid post, Sulla. Thanks for that.

I'm a long time advocate of not making the game go TOO fast - since the slower pace and increased diplomacy are the key reasons for doing an MTDG, in my opinion.

That said, misuse of the turn timer is already becoming a drag on the game and has the potential to get much much worse.
We need a fix.

Sulla's proposal sounds a bit too rigid for my taste - but if we can't come up with something else that works, I'd personally be fine with it. Maybe it'd be even better if each team got 5 "no explanation needed" pauses per year - plus the option to get pauses "refunded" if a team has a really good reason (The cossacks are pouring over our borders!) and they're willing to post about in the forum.

Maybe that's not needed - but it would add a little flexibility to Sulla's proposal.

Naturally I also support the Memphus/SANCTA proposal - if people think that will work.

In the pitboss games that I host, when a player has to be absent and does not have a replacement we usually pause or shut the game down. Fortunately most people who join my games find that policy acceptable. Personally I would prefer that over dooming the player to a forced loss if something horrible happens on the turn roll. We're still early enough in the game that a (few) turn(s) of lost research or production could effectively eliminate a team from contention.

DaveShack, that's all well and good in a game where each side is a single player. This is a team game, and there are supposed to be backups so the game does not need to be paused for absences.

Sry
Niklas
the last pause in te game was, because a team player was not on the game or what? In this matter I 've not read any protestations about it. Why?

If we're to begin enforcing a pause rule then we need a neutral third party to rule on whether extension requests are valid. It doesn't make sense to let the teams decide since some teams are allied and some teams are at war. It's also quite possible a team may not want to publicly air the exact reasons for wanting an extension though they would happily do so in private to a neutral party. Finally, with the new patch out, some have patched, some haven't and not everyone can run a dual install. This may be limiting the number of turn players each team has right now.

Oh no, Don't give away the alliances! ...

Anyway, I am in favor of any rule that makes the game more enjoyable and reduces time pressure. What's the hurry anyway?

Seriously, what is the objection to letting teams pause as much as they want (as long as they give a reason)?

Because if things take forever people will lose interest and we'll have even more trouble then we're already having.