Hi, so there are two extremely frustrating moments on the ladder:
1. My opponent gets lucky
2. My battle search gets blocked or canceled for any reason
I can't do anything about the first because that's simply the game we play. But by god, the fact I can't do anything about the second really makes me never want to touch the ladder unless I have to. Suspects are happening for Gen 8 ladders, and I think it's about time we improve the experience of the many users who will be hitting the ladder more than before the new generation started.
I understand that this was initially implemented to prevent timerstalling, which protects the opponent of a searcher from timerstalling. I also understand we compromised with a 5 turn leeway as well, but I think the current implementation is still quite painful. Keep in mind that if I start 5 battles using the 5 turn leeway, not all 5 will end at the same time. If I finish 4 battles within the first 15 turns but the 5th battle takes 50 turns, that will still generate a terrible user experience because I want to start another 4 not wait to play another 35 turns before I can start more battles.
The best option would be if we just don't restrict battle searching! But, since I get the feeling that isn't an option, here are my suggestions ordered from most desired to least that I would love to see implemented for battles that have already passed the 5 turn zero restriction leeway.
The best is if battle search cannot be canceled for any reason. If my opponent plays slow enough that I'm able to go find another battle in the first place, then just let my search run to completion. At that point, I will need to juggle two battles in order to find a third game, which is entirely doable when you want to search for a new battle to play quickly and not aiming to timerstall. With every additional battle, it will be harder to fit this criteria, but at least I will never have to be frustrated that I have to constantly click search over and over. I want to play as many games as possible as quickly as possible early on in a new ladder run. I, quite honestly and with no rude intent, do not need to focus on battles versus 1040 ELO players. If anything, the faster I get out of low ELO, the better for them.
If we have to be able to cancel battle search, then battle search should not be canceled if I click a move in less time than the amount of time my timer gets back per turn. If I'm literally clicking fast enough that my timer never actually goes down, why do I need to be punished with a cancelled battle search? I believe this is 15 seconds in singles? So if I can click within 15 seconds, I should be allowed to keep searching. As global staff, I would die laughing if someone reported their opponent for timerstalling because they take a whole 15 seconds to click. I don't think you could find a single member of global staff that would punish someone for taking less than 15 seconds to click per turn.
Similarly, battle search should not be canceled if my turn timer is at or above 120 seconds. For the same reason really. If I click fast enough that my timer has hardly gone down any substantial amount, then my opponent's experience has not been negatively affected and I should be allowed to find another game. Again, if someone reported their opponent for timerstalling and the shortest timer message I see is "Eien has 120 seconds left", that's genuinely hilarious and I'd close the ticket without question. I don't believe any global staff would ever punish someone who hasn't gone below even 90 seconds left let alone down to 30 seconds, which is totally allowed within timer rules.
If we have to cancel battle search whenever your turn is active, then battle search should not be canceled if the timer is not started (possibly implemented, I don't remember). If my opponent doesn't even care to start the timer or doesn't perceive me to be playing slowly enough to start it, I should be able to just go ahead and find another battle to play at the same time because it clearly doesn't bother them. I don't care about playing individual turns fast, I care about playing a large number of games fast. If you don't have the timer on and you report someone for timerstalling, I would tell them to turn on the timer and close the ticket because that's literally not timerstalling when the timer is off.
1. My opponent gets lucky
2. My battle search gets blocked or canceled for any reason
I can't do anything about the first because that's simply the game we play. But by god, the fact I can't do anything about the second really makes me never want to touch the ladder unless I have to. Suspects are happening for Gen 8 ladders, and I think it's about time we improve the experience of the many users who will be hitting the ladder more than before the new generation started.
I understand that this was initially implemented to prevent timerstalling, which protects the opponent of a searcher from timerstalling. I also understand we compromised with a 5 turn leeway as well, but I think the current implementation is still quite painful. Keep in mind that if I start 5 battles using the 5 turn leeway, not all 5 will end at the same time. If I finish 4 battles within the first 15 turns but the 5th battle takes 50 turns, that will still generate a terrible user experience because I want to start another 4 not wait to play another 35 turns before I can start more battles.
The best option would be if we just don't restrict battle searching! But, since I get the feeling that isn't an option, here are my suggestions ordered from most desired to least that I would love to see implemented for battles that have already passed the 5 turn zero restriction leeway.
The best is if battle search cannot be canceled for any reason. If my opponent plays slow enough that I'm able to go find another battle in the first place, then just let my search run to completion. At that point, I will need to juggle two battles in order to find a third game, which is entirely doable when you want to search for a new battle to play quickly and not aiming to timerstall. With every additional battle, it will be harder to fit this criteria, but at least I will never have to be frustrated that I have to constantly click search over and over. I want to play as many games as possible as quickly as possible early on in a new ladder run. I, quite honestly and with no rude intent, do not need to focus on battles versus 1040 ELO players. If anything, the faster I get out of low ELO, the better for them.
If we have to be able to cancel battle search, then battle search should not be canceled if I click a move in less time than the amount of time my timer gets back per turn. If I'm literally clicking fast enough that my timer never actually goes down, why do I need to be punished with a cancelled battle search? I believe this is 15 seconds in singles? So if I can click within 15 seconds, I should be allowed to keep searching. As global staff, I would die laughing if someone reported their opponent for timerstalling because they take a whole 15 seconds to click. I don't think you could find a single member of global staff that would punish someone for taking less than 15 seconds to click per turn.
Similarly, battle search should not be canceled if my turn timer is at or above 120 seconds. For the same reason really. If I click fast enough that my timer has hardly gone down any substantial amount, then my opponent's experience has not been negatively affected and I should be allowed to find another game. Again, if someone reported their opponent for timerstalling and the shortest timer message I see is "Eien has 120 seconds left", that's genuinely hilarious and I'd close the ticket without question. I don't believe any global staff would ever punish someone who hasn't gone below even 90 seconds left let alone down to 30 seconds, which is totally allowed within timer rules.
If we have to cancel battle search whenever your turn is active, then battle search should not be canceled if the timer is not started (possibly implemented, I don't remember). If my opponent doesn't even care to start the timer or doesn't perceive me to be playing slowly enough to start it, I should be able to just go ahead and find another battle to play at the same time because it clearly doesn't bother them. I don't care about playing individual turns fast, I care about playing a large number of games fast. If you don't have the timer on and you report someone for timerstalling, I would tell them to turn on the timer and close the ticket because that's literally not timerstalling when the timer is off.
