Start an Advanced Game

[Dukasaur]

So where are we with this?

I think this suggestion is long overdue. Is it just waiting for some arbitrary number of people to post before it goes to submitted? Or does it need to be refined a bit first?

[Armandolas]

I support this. Good for begginers and players that want to keep it simple.

This is only for creation..how about joining?

[koontz1973]

I support this. Good for begginers and players that want to keep it simple.

This is only for creation..how about joining?

That will stay as it is. New members cannot join games now that are complicated so that will stay as it is now.

[Armandolas]

I support this. Good for begginers and players that want to keep it simple.

This is only for creation..how about joining?

That will stay as it is. New members cannot join games now that are complicated so that will stay as it is now.

well if they cant join, can they create?

[koontz1973]

I support this. Good for begginers and players that want to keep it simple.

This is only for creation..how about joining?

That will stay as it is. New members cannot join games now that are complicated so that will stay as it is now.

well if they cant join, can they create?

No. All newcomers to the site get blocked now for settings and maps. Same as joining games I believe. All this will do is give everyone the same screen they do for the most played settings and maps. The advanced game screen has everything else. As soon as a player is ranked (5 complete games), the advanced screen becomes available. They can see it but not use it.

[chapcrap]

So where are we with this?

I think this suggestion is long overdue. Is it just waiting for some arbitrary number of people to post before it goes to submitted? Or does it need to be refined a bit first?

Well, I definitely think that the screen needs cleaned up, but it what way? Should this be the way?

I'd be open to submitting this if we're all ok with saying that what we're really looking for is a clean up to Game Finder and if the programmers decide that should be done a little bit different want than this, that's ok.

[koontz1973]

So where are we with this?

I think this suggestion is long overdue. Is it just waiting for some arbitrary number of people to post before it goes to submitted? Or does it need to be refined a bit first?

Well, I definitely think that the screen needs cleaned up, but it what way? Should this be the way?

I'd be open to submitting this if we're all ok with saying that what we're really looking for is a clean up to Game Finder and if the programmers decide that should be done a little bit different want than this, that's ok.

Been a couple of weeks and no new comments on anything different. I believe that everyone is in agreement on that it needs to be done. As the how it is to be done, that will be up to bW himself. He may like this idea and follow it with only minor adjustments or he may take it and run with it to something more suiting his tastes. Whichever way it is, something needs to be done sooner rather than later.

[chapcrap]

So where are we with this?

I think this suggestion is long overdue. Is it just waiting for some arbitrary number of people to post before it goes to submitted? Or does it need to be refined a bit first?

Well, I definitely think that the screen needs cleaned up, but it what way? Should this be the way?

I'd be open to submitting this if we're all ok with saying that what we're really looking for is a clean up to Game Finder and if the programmers decide that should be done a little bit different want than this, that's ok.

Been a couple of weeks and no new comments on anything different. I believe that everyone is in agreement on that it needs to be done. As the how it is to be done, that will be up to bW himself. He may like this idea and follow it with only minor adjustments or he may take it and run with it to something more suiting his tastes. Whichever way it is, something needs to be done sooner rather than later.

I'm still not convinced that this is the best way to update game finder. I think something a little more like a Best Buy type search would be better. Either way, if we want something to be submitted for bW to decide himself what the change would be, the OP needs to be updated to say something more general.

[agentcom]

Or don't update this OP with all the thoughts that are there ...

I mean, the Best Buy thing is kind of a separate suggestion that hasn't been discussed enough. It also seems a lot more complicated from a coding perspective. You're talking about having a dynamic page that auto-updates in real time based on inputs, right? Koontz' suggestion was good in that it was utilizing something a lot simpler.

<record scratch>

Wait a minute ... this suggestion is about the Start A Game page, not the Game finder. All that stuff was just side convo. So I don't think that really has any bearing on this.

[koontz1973]

What is the best buy type of search chapcrap? How would that solve the start a game screen issue of over crowding?

[chapcrap]

What is the best buy type of search chapcrap? How would that solve the start a game screen issue of over crowding?

Sorry, I got confused with Game Finder and Start A Game. So, I'm a goober...

I'll go ahead and STICKY this to see if anyone has any tweeks or glaring problems. Moving on up...

[iAmCaffeine]

I kind of agree, but I would take a different approach. My suggestion explains how.

[Donelladan]

Specifics/Details:

Allow the start a game screen to be split into two sets of options. With new game play options coming out (every month now ) it might be time to think about how we overwhelm new players and also existing ones. New recruits would be limited to the basic games only for five games as they are now. Ranked players will have an option to switch between basic and advanced options via a button and or in the players default menu. New players will have settings revealed to them after become ranked. These will either be invisible (like now) or greyed out.

Nice idea. I think also the maps should be divided.
For the basic set of options, it would be good if only classic-type map were present. I say that for new player, but also for me. There is so many maps now, it take a very long time to chose one sometimes. If all map with non-special feature could be gathered together, it would be nice.
By classic-type maps, I mean map without bombardement, killeur neutral, auto deploy, conditonnal border, one way assault, objectives and any other special feature I may have forgotten.

[koontz1973]

Specifics/Details:

Allow the start a game screen to be split into two sets of options. With new game play options coming out (every month now ) it might be time to think about how we overwhelm new players and also existing ones. New recruits would be limited to the basic games only for five games as they are now. Ranked players will have an option to switch between basic and advanced options via a button and or in the players default menu. New players will have settings revealed to them after become ranked. These will either be invisible (like now) or greyed out.

Nice idea. I think also the maps should be divided.
For the basic set of options, it would be good if only classic-type map were present. I say that for new player, but also for me. There is so many maps now, it take a very long time to chose one sometimes. If all map with non-special feature could be gathered together, it would be nice.
By classic-type maps, I mean map without bombardement, killeur neutral, auto deploy, conditonnal border, one way assault, objectives and any other special feature I may have forgotten.

New players are already restricted on maps. But that is another suggestion already being looked into.

[Lord_Bremen]

It already defaults to the "basic" settings. So if you just click go you're fine.

Is it really confusing? If you can't even navigate a basic menu, how are you supposed to actually play games?

[Metsfanmax]

It's hard to navigate a menu if you have no idea what half of the options in the menu are.

[Swifte]

If something like this went in.. I'd want to have a setting on the control panel to default to the Advanced Game menu. Could be defaulted to Standard Menu, but it's be nice to have the option to set it to always display the Advanced.

[judge_reinhold]

You don't need a "2nd screen". You just need a little hide/show thing. "Show advanced options/hide advanced options."

[General Quigley]

Grayed out still makes for a cluttered and confusing screen, and so doesn't even begin to address the issue. In fact, it makes the situation even worse because a newbie wouldn't know what he/she is doing wrong to have options grayed out.

Simplified screen for newbies, the young, and recreational users looking for a risk game is the best option for keeping customers, and I don't think the proposed screen is anywhere near simple enough. If a player wants more options, they should have a way to access them, but they shouldn't been in the player's face whether he/she wants them or not. Too many people just won't even get their feet wet when there are terms like polymorphic (among many others) being forced on them to understand before they can feel comfortable making a choice. I don't even know or care what that means, and I have been playing here for seven years!

General Quigley

[Foxglove]

An image seems to be missing from the original post - it's difficult for me to tell what this suggestion is supposed to look like.

I think what we need to do here is come up with one or more clearly articulated ideas (Expandable regions for complex settings? Split page? Separate pages?) and then submit this. We all agree that the Start A Game page is getting very complex, and is probably quite confusing to new players. If we can come up with a few ideas that make the page more user-friendly while preserving functionality, then bigWham can consider our ideas and choose what to implement and how to do it when it fits his development schedule.

[Dukasaur]

An image seems to be missing from the original post - it's difficult for me to tell what this suggestion is supposed to look like.

I think what we need to do here is come up with one or more clearly articulated ideas (Expandable regions for complex settings? Split page? Separate pages?) and then submit this. We all agree that the Start A Game page is getting very complex, and is probably quite confusing to new players. If we can come up with a few ideas that make the page more user-friendly while preserving functionality, then bigWham can consider our ideas and choose what to implement and how to do it when it fits his development schedule.

Whether it can best be done through expandable lines on a single page or through two seperate pages is best left to the programmers. All we need to do is agree that advanced settings should be hidden in one way or another.

All of the following should be hidden:

• Freestyle
• Fog and Trench
• Team Games
• Assassin
• No Forts
• Nuclear and Zombie Spoils
• All maps with one-way portals
• All conquest-type maps
• All maps that are generally considered "advanced" by the community at large.

Nota Bene: I am NOT in any way suggesting that anyone should be prohibited from playing those settings. I only want them hidden behind an "Advanced Settings" button. You click Advanced Settings, you know that you're wandering into the danger zone, and you do it of your own volition.

Also, navigation between the simple and advanced settings should be one-click level of ease, just like switching from human games to bot games.

The only thing that remains, perhaps, is if some common packages should be made available as pre-fabs (Escalating-Sunny-Unlimited-Notrench, or Foggy-Trench-Adjacent), although I would suggest that should probably be a completely seperate Suggestion.

[clangfield]

If something like this went in.. I'd want to have a setting on the control panel to default to the Advanced Game menu. Could be defaulted to Standard Menu, but it's be nice to have the option to set it to always display the Advanced.

I agree. Most players aren't new; after a while it will get tedious for the vast majority to have to click on the link every time.
I also think the advanced options should not be available to brand new players - must complete at least one game (or maybe even have to win one), but the Advanced button should have some text to indicate why it's not visible.
Would all the basic options be available to the Advanced window though? Otherwise how would one specify a basic map with something like Fog Assassin, or an advanced map with simple options?