PS timer updates

[Zarel]

First, an overview of how timer currently works:

IN LADDER:
- You start with 210 seconds total time (aka "Your Time", "banked time")
- Time is capped at 150 seconds per turn

IN CHALLENGES (including custom tournaments):
- You start with 280 seconds total time
- Time is capped at 300 seconds per turn

- Total time ticks down every 5 seconds from the start of your turn (so you always get at least 5 seconds per turn)
- Note that time does tick down while animations are playing
- By default, every turn, you get +15 seconds (rounded down) to total time, and the ticks restart
- In Doubles, you instead get +30 seconds (still rounded down, all of these will be rounded down)
- After 100 turns, you instead get +10 seconds (+25 in Doubles)
- After 200 turns, you instead get +10 seconds (+25 in Doubles) every other turn (+5 on the other turns)
- After 400 turns, you instead get +10 seconds (+25 in Doubles) every four turns (+5 on the other turns)
- Remember, time regained is rounded down, so time spent is rounded up, so you always use up at least 5 seconds of total time per turn (so the first 5 seconds are always unbankable no matter how fast you take your turn)

This has been the timer for I think around a year now. Before that, we had a bug that made the timer more lenient than intended, but otherwise this has been the timer for quite some time.

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I'm posting this thread because I've gotten a lot of feedback that this timer is still too forgiving in the ladder. Here are my current plans for updates:

- Instead of allowing total time to increase unlimitedly, it will be capped at starting total time
- There will be a "free" 60 seconds on the first turn (presumably Team Preview) before total time starts ticking down
- There will be no further restriction past 400 turns (there's no longer a need to be quite so harsh)
- Starting time in challenges in increased to 300 seconds (since, with the new cap, it'll never hit 300 seconds/turn otherwise)
- Starting time in the ladder is decreased to 150 seconds

In theory, the amount of total time available in a game is the same as before (except in 400+ turn games, which are given more time), but makes it harder to accumulate a huge bank of time to timerstall with at the end of the game.

Discuss or offer suggestions.

 

[Zarel]

Also, unrelated fun fact: We allow 150 seconds per turn in ladder so you have enough time to pee if you need to, if a game gets super-long.

 

[HoeenHero]

IN CHALLENGES (including custom tournaments):
- You start with 280 seconds total time

- Starting time in challenges in increased to 300 seconds (since, with the cap, it'll never hit 300 seconds/turn otherwise)

Challenge Timer should be starting at 300 seconds, and was when I tested it back when I was implementing timer changes for smog tours. ( https://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/the-smogtours-timer.3637042/#post-7873983 ) So if its not (and I just screwed up), it should be changed regardless of what happens with anything else here.

I'm fine with the suggested changes.

Edit: Yeah its 280 now, my bad
Edit 2: Or actually it starts at 280 and gains 20 seconds at the start of turn 1, so nvm its correct.

 

[Zarel]

New timer is now live on Main!