[EoA] [PC] Online Status 2.0

[denominator]

You can already check this on the bottom of the forum, and as far as I know, the reason it hasn't been implemented is to keep players who just want real time games from harassing those opponents who don't want to play the game in real time.

It being at the bottom of the forum is useless in the context of the games though. It's simpler just to click on your teammate's name from the game screen to see if they're online, and still doesn't solve the issue of having a bunch of extra clicks away from the game screen to see if a player is online or not.

With the new stat bar it could just be another column added at the end.

[notyou2]

I like the idea and I think it would improve team game play

[packrat31306]

You can already check this on the bottom of the forum, and as far as I know, the reason it hasn't been implemented is to keep players who just want real time games from harassing those opponents who don't want to play the game in real time.

It being at the bottom of the forum is useless in the context of the games though. It's simpler just to click on your teammate's name from the game screen to see if they're online, and still doesn't solve the issue of having a bunch of extra clicks away from the game screen to see if a player is online or not.

With the new stat bar it could just be another column added at the end.

Denom's right. it still doesn't solve the issue and it would be easy to add it on. I think it should be reconsidered.

[Night Strike]

You can already check this on the bottom of the forum, and as far as I know, the reason it hasn't been implemented is to keep players who just want real time games from harassing those opponents who don't want to play the game in real time.

It being at the bottom of the forum is useless in the context of the games though. It's simpler just to click on your teammate's name from the game screen to see if they're online, and still doesn't solve the issue of having a bunch of extra clicks away from the game screen to see if a player is online or not.

With the new stat bar it could just be another column added at the end.

You currently can click on the player's name to go to their profile. If they're online and not hiding their status, there is a light blue ribbon in the corner that reads "Online".

[LoeNY]

You can already check this on the bottom of the forum, and as far as I know, the reason it hasn't been implemented is to keep players who just want real time games from harassing those opponents who don't want to play the game in real time.

It being at the bottom of the forum is useless in the context of the games though. It's simpler just to click on your teammate's name from the game screen to see if they're online, and still doesn't solve the issue of having a bunch of extra clicks away from the game screen to see if a player is online or not.

With the new stat bar it could just be another column added at the end.

You currently can click on the player's name to go to their profile. If they're online and not hiding their status, there is a light blue ribbon in the corner that reads "Online".

People can count cards too, so why do we have a card counter? Because it's more convenient. Same for this - to be able to see if your teammates are online on the same screen is more convenient.

[Master Fenrir]

You can already do this. Add your teammates to your friends list. Whenever you want to know if they're on, just go to your inbox. Their names will be bold and at the top of your friends list if they're online.

[packrat31306]

You can already do this. Add your teammates to your friends list. Whenever you want to know if they're on, just go to your inbox. Their names will be bold and at the top of your friends list if they're online.

If I add every teammate I ever have to my friends list then A) it will be ungodly long or B) I have to go through and clean them out after each game. That would work for people I always play with, but in tourny's or random games I don't see that happening, unless you're a freemium and can only play 4 games at a time, but if you pay, that's a lot of work.

[denominator]

You can already check this on the bottom of the forum, and as far as I know, the reason it hasn't been implemented is to keep players who just want real time games from harassing those opponents who don't want to play the game in real time.

It being at the bottom of the forum is useless in the context of the games though. It's simpler just to click on your teammate's name from the game screen to see if they're online, and still doesn't solve the issue of having a bunch of extra clicks away from the game screen to see if a player is online or not.

With the new stat bar it could just be another column added at the end.

You currently can click on the player's name to go to their profile. If they're online and not hiding their status, there is a light blue ribbon in the corner that reads "Online".

That's what I was saying - but it still requires 3 navigations away from the actual game page. Going to the forum only requires 1 navigation away, but requires sifting through the horrendous list of online people for 3 names.

It would be far simpler just to add a column to the stat bar that tells you instantly whether a person is online or offline.

[yeti_c]

1 navigation - just click on that players name... their profile shows online status (the lack of online status = not online - or of course - hidden)

C.

[Caymanmew]

Concise description:

• An in-game add-on that shows whether or not other players are online or offline.

Specifics:

• Creating an in-game spec that lets everyone in the game show whether or not team-mates and opponents are on line.

This will improve the following aspects of the site:

• It would help in team games especially for strategizing amoungst team-mates. You wouldn't have to click on everyone's wall to see if they are online to co-ordinate moves.

that could cofuse people tho. i'm a hidden user so you cant tell if i'm on. so with this you think i'm not on but i might be

[LoeNY]

1 navigation - just click on that players name... their profile shows online status (the lack of online status = not online - or of course - hidden)

C.

Is that one click per player x the number of games you're playing?
So if I have 10 games, 4 players for each game, with all different players:
1click x 4players x 10games = 40 clicks Wow!!!!!

[packrat31306]

Concise description:

• An in-game add-on that shows whether or not other players are online or offline.

Specifics:

• Creating an in-game spec that lets everyone in the game show whether or not team-mates and opponents are on line.

This will improve the following aspects of the site:

• It would help in team games especially for strategizing amoungst team-mates. You wouldn't have to click on everyone's wall to see if they are online to co-ordinate moves.

that could cofuse people tho. i'm a hidden user so you cant tell if i'm on. so with this you think i'm not on but i might be

That part could, but it already does if they click on your wall and don't see if you are or not.

[denominator]

The hidden user option is going to be an issue whether this gets approved or rejected - you run into the same problem both ways.

With the current system, you have to click on each teammate's name to check if they're online or not. Like eric said, if you are playing multiple games with different teammates, this is a lot of extra clicks and page loads and lot of time spent.

The issue becomes even more complicated when you take into account Freestyle games. Especially in escalating, where cashing of sets and eliminating of players becomes critical, it is important to know who has played already and who hasn't, and furthermore, who is online and who is not. You now have 7 players to check on, and now you need to check on them mid-turn to be sure they don't come online and steal the game from you. I play Freestyle turns very differently if I know my opponent(s) are online as opposed to offline.

[Calidrmr]

i think this is a great idea!! and i think the pros outweigh the cons that i have seen here so far...

[Caymanmew]

Concise description:

• An in-game add-on that shows whether or not other players are online or offline.

Specifics:

• Creating an in-game spec that lets everyone in the game show whether or not team-mates and opponents are on line.

This will improve the following aspects of the site:

• It would help in team games especially for strategizing amoungst team-mates. You wouldn't have to click on everyone's wall to see if they are online to co-ordinate moves.

that could cofuse people tho. i'm a hidden user so you cant tell if i'm on. so with this you think i'm not on but i might be

That part could, but it already does if they click on your wall and don't see if you are or not.

but they can see i'm hidden this would have to tell you... or you could just not be lazy and go to there wall

[notyou2]

You can got from Boston to New York City quickly down the I 95 or you can go from Boston through Los Angeles, then to New York City.

This is an exaggeration but it illustrates the point. If you have a lot of games, or are in a hurry, I would prefer the short route which is an icon on the game page beside the teammates name if they are online and not hidden.

[MegasWoman]

I don't have a problem with the option as long as users that DO NOT want their online status broadcast still have the ability to stay hidden. I know plenty of people, including myself, hide their online status for a reason-and it's not always because the freemiums want to play real time...

[TeeGee]

I keep my status hidden because i don't like being rushed to make a move, sometimes I will look at a game for a couple of hours before moving. i wouldn't like this feature because i would hate to be harrassed, pressured etc by some impatient person wanting to rush a game.
Although I can see the advantages as far as team games are concerned, would be good to discuss strategies etc in real time, however I would hate for my hidden status to be comprimised.

[Calidrmr]

Concise description:

• An in-game add-on that shows whether or not other players are online or offline.

Specifics:

• Creating an in-game spec that lets everyone in the game show whether or not team-mates and opponents are on line.

This will improve the following aspects of the site:

• It would help in team games especially for strategizing amoungst team-mates. You wouldn't have to click on everyone's wall to see if they are online to co-ordinate moves.

that could cofuse people tho. i'm a hidden user so you cant tell if i'm on. so with this you think i'm not on but i might be

That part could, but it already does if they click on your wall and don't see if you are or not.

but they can see i'm hidden this would have to tell you... or you could just not be lazy and go to there wall

no one can see you if you are hidden...

You can got from Boston to New York City quickly down the I 95 or you can go from Boston through Los Angeles, then to New York City.

This is an exaggeration but it illustrates the point. If you have a lot of games, or are in a hurry, I would prefer the short route which is an icon on the game page beside the teammates name if they are online and not hidden.

Correct me if I'm wrong, Packrat, but I don't think the suggestion was meant to take away anyone's ability to hide their online status. If you have clicked the radio button next to YES for the "Hide My Online Status" in your user control panel, it would apply to this feature as well, people still would not know you were online. It would be the same as if i was looking at your wall and you were online, but had clicked that button, I would never know you were online.

[max is gr8]

You can just open their profile. It's a single click to see if they are online or not. I don't think lack should waste his time with this.

[yeti_c]

no one can see you if you are hidden...

Yes you can - if you don't have a "last visited time" then you are a hidden user...

For example

aafitz

C.

[packrat31306]

I keep my status hidden because i don't like being rushed to make a move, sometimes I will look at a game for a couple of hours before moving. i wouldn't like this feature because i would hate to be harrassed, pressured etc by some impatient person wanting to rush a game.
Although I can see the advantages as far as team games are concerned, would be good to discuss strategies etc in real time, however I would hate for my hidden status to be comprimised.

That wouldn't be touched for this add-on. The idea isn't to do away with a great feature like hiding your status, but if you are allowing yourself to be seen as online let's just make it available in the game.

Correct me if I'm wrong, Packrat, but I don't think the suggestion was meant to take away anyone's ability to hide their online status. If you have clicked the radio button next to YES for the "Hide My Online Status" in your user control panel, it would apply to this feature as well, people still would not know you were online. It would be the same as if i was looking at your wall and you were online, but had clicked that button, I would never know you were online.

Well said Cali! That's exactly right. Hiding your online status is a different option completely and would not be affected by this extra feature.

[denominator]

You can just open their profile. It's a single click to see if they are online or not. I don't think lack should waste his time with this.

Did you read the rest of the thread?

It's not about the single click - for example: I am currently playing 23 quads games. In these 23 games, I have 16 unique teammates. That means that it's 16 clicks to find out who is online of all my teammates. 16 times that I have to load a new page, and then reload the previous one. With BOB on this takes even longer.

The people upset about being hidden or not - this would not affect you at all. You will still remain hidden, but just in one more place on the website. For those of us that aren't hidden, we can see who is online and who is not at a glance, not by checking each player's page.

[max is gr8]

It's not about me being hidden (I don't know if I am or not I can't remember). If you want something to help with this ask someone to develop a script for it. Most other things that people wanted was made with things like that. OR you could develop it yourself. It may be time consuming but at least you can. It's like before bob people counted cards, it was time consuming but you could.

If there is enough of a market then someone will either do it themselves or develop a script.

[Captain_Scarlet]

You can just open their profile. It's a single click to see if they are online or not. I don't think lack should waste his time with this.

Did you read the rest of the thread?

It's not about the single click - for example: I am currently playing 23 quads games. In these 23 games, I have 16 unique teammates. That means that it's 16 clicks to find out who is online of all my teammates. 16 times that I have to load a new page, and then reload the previous one. With BOB on this takes even longer.

The people upset about being hidden or not - this would not affect you at all. You will still remain hidden, but just in one more place on the website. For those of us that aren't hidden, we can see who is online and who is not at a glance, not by checking each player's page.

why dont you use msn ? you can have a group discussion easily

personally, I dont see a need for this feature - if you want to see who is on line mark them all as friends and then you can see at a glance who is online