Suggestion Idea:
The Team Lobby is an alternative solution to the problem described in Team Randomization [pending]. I would suggest it is better than the two solutions proposed there ...
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Specifics:
Create a new link to 'Enter Team Lobby' below the existing 'Start a Game'
Players wishing to play a Team Game use this link to enter the Lobby where they can join an existing team, create a new team or - as a member of a complete team - start a game.
So, inside the Lobby there will be a two tabs "awaiting players" and "ready to play". Each will contain a list of teams - laid out in a similar way to the current list of games in 'Join a Game' - showing the players in those teams and the game types they are looking to play. (see note 1)
join
To join an existing team you'll need to be on the "awaiting players" tab. Simply click a 'join team' link (and enter a password if necessary) and you're in.
create
Available on both tabs will be the 'Create a team' link.
A creating player will complete the following elements in turn:
(i) Create doubles, triples or quads team ?
(ii) Name your team ?
Mostly for a practical reason we'll come to in a moment, but hey - it'll be fun too!
(iii) Password ?
Just like private game password, but to protect your team from uninvited players joining it.
(iv) Number of games ?
The number of games the team is willing to start.
(v) Game types ?
The player creating the team is presented with a screen much like the existing game finder screen and selects any/all permutations of game which the team is willing to enter. Hence players creating teams can be as specific or general as they like. [Note number of players 4 6 or 8 will only be present for doubles since triples are automatically 6 and quads are automatically 8.]
OK so you can join a team and create one. And of course as soon as a team is full it moves from the "awaiting players" tab to "ready to play".
So now you're going to want to know how to ...
start a game
As a member of (at least one) complete team when browsing the "ready to play" tab you'll see a dropdown selection box with the name(s) of your team(s) in it. This allows you to choose which of your teams you are looking for opponents for. (see note 2)
The list of teams will have a "start matched game" link on all those teams that have at least some overlap between the game types they chose when they were created and the game types you chose when you created your team.
Click one of these links and you will be presented with a screen much like the existing start a game screen but it will only include options which overlap between the two teams chosen game types. The player then creates a game from this set of selections and, because the teams are already set, the game starts!
Created teams remain on the "ready to play" tab until the number of games to start (specified at iv above) is used up.
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I would also suggest that the existing 'Start a Game' link be renamed to 'Start a Singles Game'. This would work exactly as now, but with the doubles/triples/quads elements removed. [This part is secondary to the main suggestion - I accept that it may be that the community would prefer to leave those options in so that people can still start team games in the 'traditional' way. Having said that, I do think that removing the 'traditional' method does have the benefit of removing the potential for abuse in the current method.]
Why it is needed:
To address the various problems of imbalance caused by the current system and described in Team Randomization [pending]. Both the solutions in that thread put all players in the same - universally acknowledged as bad - position of being in teams with players who are, to them, unknown random quantities.
This solution puts all players in the same position of being in a team where they chose (or at least had the option to choose - since a password is not mandatory) their team mates. And that, I think, is what we all want.
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note 1
Not quite thought out how the game types will be displayed ...
note 2
For example I might create three teams:
Doubles team
me and Player X
World 2.1, Classic | sequential
Team name "me and X"
Triples team
me and Player X and Player Y
World 2.1 | sequential | FOW | escalating
Team name "me, X and Y"
Doubles team
me and Player X
any map | freestyle
Team name "Freestyle Overlords me and X"
(My imagination is shot, forgive me my examples, but hopefully you get the idea.)
