A method for the creator to start a game before it is full

[undeadpixels]

Concise description:

• A method that would allow a game to start before it was full to prevent the need to form a new game with smaller player count.

Specifics/Details:

• I think either of these options might work: 1. A button that is only available to the game creator to start the game any time there is 2 or more players in it. This could possibly only be available on private games. 2. A "ready" button. With this, the game would start normally when it was full, or it would start when every person currently in the game checked the ready button.

How this will benefit the site and/or other comments:

• As a person whole frequently plays with groups of friends and co-workers, sometimes getting a game going can be very difficult. Example: 8 people say they are going to play so I make an 8 player game. I give people a while to sign up, but frequently 1 or 2 people get busy or distracted and never sign up or decide they no longer want to play. Then I have to make a new 6 or 7 player game, and convince everyone to join that new game, where i run the risk of more people dropping out. It is ultimately a mini-nightmare. Maybe I just need less flaky friends but It would be awesome if there was a button I could press to start the game even if it isn't full. If there is concern over this feature starting game son people who might not have wanted a smaller game, maybe it could only work on private games? Maybe there is a "ready" option and if everyone checks it the game starts early?

[porkenbeans]

This is a good idea if you gave all of the signed up players, their own key to turn. This way everyone must agree to start the game before it is full.

[TheForgivenOne]

I like the "check when ready" in case some one is away when it starts, but then again, some games with NR's or other players that leave the site before a game starts. What should happen then?

[Blinkadyblink]

This option would be especially useful in tournaments. Whenever people don't join their games I have to remake a bunch of smaller games which is a bit of a headache.

Also, I don't see why all the other players should have to check a "ready" box. If you're signed up for a game, it's already implied that you're ready for it to start at any time because you never know when the last couple people will join. If I'm going away, I always drop my "waiting for players" games. There might be some problems with people wanting to play a six-player game, but ending up playing a four-player game instead, but I think that people who are that picky about the number of players in their games are very rare. Maybe the game creator could be prohibited from starting the game until 3/4 of the spots were full.

[Army of GOD]

1. Make Quads game
2. Fill up team, wait til only one slot is filled on the other.
3. Start game
4. ???????
5. Profit!!

[Blinkadyblink]

1. Make Quads game
2. Fill up team, wait til only one slot is filled on the other.
3. Start game
4. ???????
5. Profit!!

I assume you wouldn't be able to use this option in team games if one or more teams were partially full.

[MichelSableheart]

A good suggestion, provided the game creator can't do so without the other players giving their ok in some way (the suggested ready button would do this).

The reason for this is that players DO care about the number of players in the game. A 1v1 standard game plays very different from a 3 player standard game, which in turn is very different from a standard game with 5 players. As a freemium member who plays settings that can go very long, I would hate losing a slot to a game type I don't enjoy and that I didn't intend to sign up for.