POLL - Preferred opponents

[Jimmy V.]

The poll is situated above.

Please feel free to tell us more below!
Are humans more friendly?
Are humans too slow?

[E- L.]

Hi Jimmy,

I chose "I prefer to play bots." That's because I currently have a part-time job where I work as counsellor via Skype. I often have to wait a while until my partner writes back and sometimes I play here in the meanwhile. When the conversation starts, I have to focus on that. That's why playing with bots is better for me, because I have more time there or I can even quit a game without feeling guilty.

Greetings,
Sofia

[Jimmy V.]

Thanks Sofia!

Bots give more flexibility indeed (10 minutes per move).

They also play fast which some people like.

[Mike M.]

I like both for different reasons. 

I like Bots because they make faster moves.  If I just want a fast game, I know I am not going to wait 2 min per move.  Conversely, I like the 10 min move time if I need to step away from my PC for a min.  Essentially bots give you a known and very structured game pace.

I like playing humans for the interaction and the variability in game play (bots are very predictable).  However, you do have the potential to sit down with a slower player at which point you are stuck in a slow game (and worse if they aren't particularly chatty) 

I also suppose I don't like the issue of playing a game (that somewhat centers around luck) against someone with a much lower ranking.  You loose too much and it doesn't necessarily depend on how you play.  However, the ranking isn't so important that I would opt to not play a human if available.

In summary:  I like BOTH!  No complaints here!   

[Jimmy V.]

Thank you Mike, but you did not actually vote in the poll situated at the top of the page. I am not sure it is very visible actually. I'll have to do something about it.

The 2 minutes per move should be complimented with a "x minutes per match" timer. But it is easier said than done and most importantly there are many more important things on the to-do list. Unless everyone complains about it of course. And that's what I want to find out!

[Jimmy V.]

Posted by Virginie H. in the chat:

"Perso, j'apprécie de jouer avec les bots, on peut jouer à n'importe quelle heure, mais c'est quand même chouette de pouvoir jouer avec de vrais gens... et le chat est sympa aussi."

Which basically means:

"I like to play bots. They are available at any time of the day. But it is also great to be able to play real(!) humans. And the chat is nice too."

[Stephanie E.]

I prefer to play with a person unless I am playing a game for a mental break at work, then I prefer to play a bot because the game is typically faster, and if I get a phone call, I have 10 minutes before I need make a move.

[Liallan G.]

The 2 minutes per move should be complimented with a "x minutes per match" timer. But it is easier said than done and most importantly there are many more important things on the to-do list. Unless everyone complains about it of course. And that's what I want to find out!

Actually, I would complain if you did add a "x minutes per match" because that's one reason I don't like playing live online.  The two minutes is fairly liberal, so it's nice to have it for when I need it, but my turns are generally much, much faster than that.  I just don't like the pressure of knowing a limit is there.

Which is one reason I prefer bots. I like having more time, and the freedom to get disrupted.  Having the bots is one reason I'll come here. I'm not much fond of playing live blindly online, unless it's a friend. (I've got one who might join.) But there aren't many people here and I don't know anyone... and only once has the system hooked me with a real person. So this is sort of my "I don't have to care about my opponent" place.

(I already play two other places with real people only, but it's turn-based.)

[Mary M.]

I prefer bots, so I can rage-quit if my opponent is too cut-throat. (Some of those bots are *ssholes.  I'd hate to go up against a human one.)

[Iris S.]

I often play at work, when I catch a shift that is mainly waiting for the phone to ring. In that case I prefer bots. When I play at home and have time to concentrate on the game, I sometimes prefer less predictable humans.

[Jamie A.]

The 2 minutes per move should be complimented with a "x minutes per match" timer. But it is easier said than done and most importantly there are many more important things on the to-do list. Unless everyone complains about it of course. And that's what I want to find out!

Actually, I would complain if you did add a "x minutes per match" because that's one reason I don't like playing live online.  The two minutes is fairly liberal, so it's nice to have it for when I need it, but my turns are generally much, much faster than that.  I just don't like the pressure of knowing a limit is there.

Which is one reason I prefer bots. I like having more time, and the freedom to get disrupted.  Having the bots is one reason I'll come here. I'm not much fond of playing live blindly online, unless it's a friend.

I know this is old but having the same general opinion... I just had an extremely disappointing verging on humiliating experience playing here with a friend who found the 2 minute limit absolutely intolerable and has made it clear she will not be back to this website. We couldn't even hit the Let's Go button to begin without already having lost the first minute of the first turn and starting the game in the red, it was ridiculous.

Because I'd been playing with bots I'd wrongly assumed it was always 10 minutes and even I found the 2 minutes a deal-breaker for playing with someone I knew. I didn't have a chance to make a passing comment about strategy or look at what we were each doing on the same turn or do anything whatsoever besides stare and click, stare and click. This 2 minute limit is the first thing I've found on the site that is... objectionable, for lack of a better term distressing, that's a better term.

I understand there are some good reasons for it in general play with strangers, but when it comes to persons playing with a link who are inviting an aquaintance, it would seem far more friendly and inviting to allow us to choose a longer period or perhaps no limit at all except the 30 minutes without activity. UPDT: Another possibility is a pause button. I can think of multiple implementation options, some which could minimize abuse more than others.     

She feels awful that she hated an activity that I'd selected, I feel awful that I subjected her to something so irrationally pressured. Just a poor experience all around, and now she's permanently crossed this site and the concept of such play off her list of things she'll try because it left her feeling anxious, pressured, and stupid.

These are supposed to be fun, casual, filler games shared for enjoyment. The short, rigid limit and intense red-colored countdown provides the opposite experience for many people (ala read the Big Fish forums and note the high percentage of people who won't play games where they can't shut off the timer). 

You know how much I've been enjoying your site and how much I particularly appreciate the design. Please know I don't make this complaint thoughtlessly.

[Devlyn D.]

Necro'ing this thread but yes, the two minute per turn thing is pretty disappointing.  I was trying to teach Hanamikoji and our game ended during the teach.  Once we got going in another game things went along smoothly enough but that hard game end at two minutes is just really weird.

Is there a way to increase the available time with upgrades?

[Alex B.]

Bots are horrible conversationalists.   

[Geraldine M.]

I've taught several games on here (including Cartographers, where you do need a bit more time to think) to someone who is very far from a hardcore gamer. Never once were we timed out; nor was the experience unpleasantly stressful for him.

You will see elsewhere in the forum that many people find the two minute wait with a human opponent to be unbearably slow.

Maybe the answer is to have a faster regular game against human opponents, but give the option of a 'training' game, as some other sites do, where the timer is turned off and the results do not affect rankings. (Of course there would be nothing to stop anyone using 'training' mode forever if they preferred relaxed play.)

As for the original question, I nearly always prefer humans for the unpredictability of play, and friendly chat among Carto players, but sometimes just want to be unsociable!

[Devlyn D.]

All fair points. 

My main gripe is that the game ended immediately when the timer ran out.  Maybe some sort of penalty system for slow players or perhaps three total strikes in one game then the game ends would feel less annoying.  But like I said and you mentioned when becoming familiar with the game(s) and actually playing, the timer became much less of an issue.  And to be clear, the games themselves seem to be amazingly well implemented.