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        Arimaa >> Site Discussion >> How to reach new player who forgot to start a game
        
(Message started by: leo on May 28^th, 2010, 12:32pm)

Title: How to reach new player who forgot to start a game
Post by leo on May 28^th, 2010, 12:32pm

I setup a postal game a few days ago, and a new player sat at the table recently but didn't know what to do, so the game didn't start. Because I didn't get an email notification I don't know his email address to reach him and explain he must put the pieces first, playing gold. Help?

Title: Re: How to reach new player who forgot to start a
Post by Eltripas on May 28^th, 2010, 4:38pm

Leave a comment in a game played by him, he will receive a mail.

Title: Re: How to reach new player who forgot to start a
Post by leo on May 28^th, 2010, 5:36pm

Problem is, this is his first game...
I sent explanations into the game chat but I'm not sure he'll look back. He probably thinks the game is aborted or something. Meanwhile his clock ticks down...
His player name is Dobereiner, from Peru. If anybody knows him could you ping him? Thanks.

PS: If I invite him for a second game and I write a comment, will he receive an email containing the comment?

Title: Re: How to reach new player who forgot to start a
Post by Eltripas on May 28^th, 2010, 9:58pm

If you invite him for another postal I think he will receive a mail but I'm not sure.

Title: Re: How to reach new player who forgot to start a
Post by Arimabuff on May 29^th, 2010, 3:38am

If it's his first game, it may be premature to play it against you. You should let him climb up the ladder a little beforehand, don't you think?

Title: Re: How to reach new player who forgot to start a
Post by leo on May 29^th, 2010, 7:41am

@Eltripas: I'll try that, thanks!

@Arimabuff: You're right, but I'd like to explain him why there was nobody when he sat at the table. Just telling him that it was a postal. I'll see if I can cancel the game.

Title: Re: How to reach new player who forgot to start a
Post by Eltripas on May 29^th, 2010, 8:05am

If a player times out before the third move, the doesn't counts, so don't worry if you can reach him.

Title: Re: How to reach new player who forgot to start a
Post by leo on May 29^th, 2010, 10:44am

OK, I'll let the game cancel automatically then.
I'm worried that the player would never come back though, thinking there is no responsiveness.

Title: Re: How to reach new player who forgot to start a
Post by Arimabuff on May 29^th, 2010, 9:58pm

on 05/29/10 at 10:44:28, leo wrote:

OK, I'll let the game cancel automatically then.
I'm worried that the player would never come back though, thinking there is no responsiveness.

Well he could see for himself that there are many games played every day. If that's not enough to at least give him, an incentive to try a couple on his own then nothing will. Most people register in any given site and never do anything else.

Title: Re: How to reach new player who forgot to start a
Post by leo on May 30^th, 2010, 2:12pm

You're probably right on this, AB. Time will tell.

Title: Re: How to reach new player who forgot to start a
Post by omar on Jun 12^th, 2010, 9:51am

Comments posted in the chat section of a postal game when the opponent is not present get sent as an email. But there is the problem that sometimes the emails might not make it to the inbox and get filtered as spam and never seen.

If the player does not make a move in a game that has not yet started, it will be removed after about a week (if it doesn't timeout sooner).

Title: Re: How to reach new player who forgot to start a
Post by Arimabuff on Jun 12^th, 2010, 9:56am

on 06/12/10 at 09:51:06, omar wrote:

...If the player does not make a move in a game that has not yet started, it will be removed after about a week (if it doesn't timeout sooner).

I think that's wise or else you'd be stuck with a heap of these non-starters.

Title: Re: How to reach new player who forgot to start a
Post by Fritzlein on Jun 12^th, 2010, 9:28pm

on 06/12/10 at 09:51:06, omar wrote:

If the player does not make a move in a game that has not yet started, it will be removed after about a week (if it doesn't timeout sooner).

Omar, I don't think this is true. Have you looked at the list of postal games recently? There are about 150 games there that haven't started yet, and I don't think all of them were created in the last week.

http://arimaa.com/arimaa/gameroom/postalgames.cgi

Whatever method of garbage collection you have set up does not appear to be working.

Title: Re: How to reach new player who forgot to start a
Post by leo on Jun 14^th, 2010, 1:44pm

The game has disappeared from the "my games" list (not sure how long ago exactly).
When it was still there I noticed that the messages I had sent through the game chat were not visible anymore when I opened the board.
I'm going to sign up for the auto postal, it's safer :)

Title: Re: How to reach new player who forgot to start a
Post by omar on Jun 16^th, 2010, 11:52am

on 06/12/10 at 21:28:26, Fritzlein wrote:

Yes, there are a lot of games at the bottom of the list which have not started yet, but those games were all created in the last week. If you keep an eye on that page you should see the games being removed. I also changed the page to show when the game was created by hovering over the gold side of the board.

But it is kind of surprising that so many new games are being created considering that if a player does not make a move in an autopostal game then their autopostal flag gets turned off so they are not setup with more autopostal games until they turn on the flag again.

Title: Re: How to reach new player who forgot to start a
Post by Fritzlein on Jun 16^th, 2010, 12:09pm

Oh, wow. I didn't realize that all new players are getting a postal game unless they specifically opt out.

Title: Re: How to reach new player who forgot to start a
Post by omar on Jun 19^th, 2010, 6:44am

During registration a new player can opt out, so they don't automatically get autopostal games.