Scrap the Vacation System

Originally posted by Ponderable
As far as I recollect the sealed move proposal was also supported a lot and I still support it!

Yes, I was glad at the time that some supported the idea. Some of those who were against "Sealed Moves" were quite agressive though.

But still, the proposal demanded some programming, so I'm not sorry if it is not implemented right away, or ever.

This site is great as it is, even if there are some weak points: The vacation system, and sandbagging, and perhaps how to prevent cheating.

Originally posted by Ragnorak
Yup, banning players from moving'll hurry along the tournaments alright.

By what right do you think you have to tell me what I can and can't do on my holidays?

Instead of ridiculously ill-thought out suggestions borne out of anger, ie: stopping players from moving while to hurry up tournaments, I suggested a proper, universally acceptable alternative, maybe we'd have seen some better suggestions for an improved vacation system by now.

D

Your usual abusive tripe. Perhaps if you learned how to read, you might have noticed this sentence in my first post:

And the vacation flag should not protect you at all in tournament games IMO; it is too much of an inconvenience for the vast majority of other players.

That would "hurry along the tournaments", wouldn't it?


Pretending that the rules at RHP will have some dramatic effect on how you use your holiday is typical, hysterical melodrama.

Originally posted by no1marauder
And the vacation flag should not protect you at all in tournament games IMO; it is too much of an inconvenience for the vast majority of other players.

Ah, another silent majority.

I can't wait for you to start signing your posts "Love yourself and others".

You present a problem, I suggest a solution against which nobody could whinge, but you chose to completely ignore it, preferring to tell people that they can't take time off from RHP, for any reason whatsoever, and only your way is the right way.

Why did you invite thoughts at the end of your first post?

D

Originally posted by Ragnorak
Ah, another silent majority.

I can't wait for you to start signing your posts "Love yourself and others".

You present a problem, I suggest a solution against which nobody could whinge, but you chose to completely ignore it, preferring to tell people that they can't take time off from RHP, for any reason whatsoever, and only your way is the right way.

Why did you invite thoughts at the end of your first post?

D

People pushed for mandatory timeouts in tourneys and got them to speed up the tourneys; what sense does it make for the entire purpose of mandatory T/O's in tourneys to be circumvented because a few people want to use a vacation flag to protect themselves from being time-outed when they aren't even on vacation?

I don't care about your "solution" since it ain't gonna happen. Having a two-tiered system is too difficult for the Site Admins to grasp.

IMO means "in my opinion" in case you weren't aware. The fact is that tournaments and clan league/matches have been slowed down terribly because of the new vacation system. IMO (see above for the meaning of this abbreviation) the "simplest" solution for tourneys is to not allow the vacation flags; I know of no correspondence tourneys that allow vacation flags.

The current vacation system is better than what preceeded it despite its flaws and the obvious abuse.

It is better than having jerks time you out when you are genuinely on vacation as happened with the previous system.

The easiest solution is to stop the cloacks and not allow you to move when on vacation and not to allow the reinstatment of a vacation within 3 days of a vacation ending. Whilst that will mean only people genuinely on vacation will put the flag up it also means that those of us who are able to get on the internet whilst away won't be able to move.

Originally posted by no1marauder
People pushed for mandatory timeouts in tourneys and got them to speed up the tourneys; what sense does it make for the entire purpose of mandatory T/O's in tourneys to be circumvented because a few people want to use a vacation flag to protect themselves from being time-outed when they aren't even on vacation?

I don't care about your "solu ...[text shortened]... w the vacation flags; I know of no correspondence tourneys that allow vacation flags.

You might want to see what the majority that you purport to speak for actually want...
http://www.timeforchess.com/vote/result.php?voteid=13

You're solution is very simple, indeed, but unfortunately a simple solution which goes against the wishes of the majority isn't a very good solution, is it?

D

Originally posted by FabianFnas
Yes, I was glad at the time that some supported the idea. Some of those who were against "Sealed Moves" were quite agressive though.

But still, the proposal demanded some programming, so I'm not sorry if it is not implemented right away, or ever.

This site is great as it is, even if there are some weak points: The vacation system, and sandbagging, and perhaps how to prevent cheating.

I like the sealed move idea but it should also be implemented with stop the clock and maybe a maximum of 30 days per annum.

Some people don't seem to realise that there is a life off this site at times and it is far better that a player completes his games even if it delays a few tournaments rather than has mass time outs because he is on vacation / sick / away on business / doing exams, etc.

Originally posted by Ragnorak
You might want to see what the majority that you purport to speak for actually want...
http://www.timeforchess.com/vote/result.php?voteid=13

You're solution is very simple, indeed, but unfortunately a simple solution which goes against the wishes of the majority isn't a very good solution, is it?

D

Don't argue with him. You know you can't win!

Originally posted by Dragon Fire
The current vacation system is better than what preceeded it despite its flaws and the obvious abuse.

It is better than having jerks time you out when you are genuinely on vacation as happened with the previous system.

The easiest solution is to stop the cloacks and not allow you to move when on vacation and not to allow the reinstatment of a vacat ...[text shortened]... o means that those of us who are able to get on the internet whilst away won't be able to move.

Another "solution" which prevents people visiting the site whenever they may please. Doesn't make much business sense to me.

There are numerous people on here who stated in their previous profile that they take TOs whether vacation flag is flying or not. It's unfortunate that systems had to be put in place to prevent these guys from jumping on the TO button because they are rec whores who only want to start threads boasting about their new highest ever ratings.

D

Originally posted by Ragnorak
Another "solution" which prevents people visiting the site whenever they may please. Doesn't make much business sense to me.

I know. Thats the problem which I did allude to in my original post.

Originally posted by Ragnorak
You might want to see what the majority that you purport to speak for actually want...
http://www.timeforchess.com/vote/result.php?voteid=13

You're solution is very simple, indeed, but unfortunately a simple solution which goes against the wishes of the majority isn't a very good solution, is it?

D

The question was:

Would you be happy if players were immune from timeout while on vacation for a limited period (e.g. 4 weeks per year)?


The system now doesn't actually require you to be on vacation at all (obviously moving in 239 of your 240 games isn't what people had in mind when someone says "vacation"😉. The vote was also silent about whether the people immune from timeout should still be able to move AND still be able to time out others. Your extravagant position is not supported by the plain language of the question (heck I probably would have voted for it).

From Merriam-Webster:

Vacation: 1) a respite or a time of respite from something : intermission
2 a: a scheduled period during which activity (as of a court or school) is suspended

Originally posted by no1marauder
It has made tournaments and clan matches into a seemingly never ending ordeal if one player chooses to delay. For example, this 3/7 tournament started on September 28, 2007 http://www.timeforchess.com/tournament/view.php?tid=2705

There is only one game remaining: http://www.timeforchess.com/gameanalysis/boardhistory.php?gameid=4731753

...[text shortened]... oo much of an inconvenience for the vast majority of other players.

Thoughts?

My syggestion would be...

Do keep the vacation flag available..

However..

Once the flag is up, all his/her games should be frozen:
- time does not count down anymore (so you don't resume the game without any timebank)
- the player on vacation should not be able to move in any game

And..

Once a vacation flag is active, the flag can not be put down (to prevent that people take away the flag, make a few moves and put the flag up again)

Otherwise..

Yes, then remove the vacation flag system..

The vacation system seems good to me as it is. You are only allowed 27 days, right?

Originally posted by MrHand
The vacation system seems good to me as it is. You are only allowed 27 days, right?

I think it is 36 days per year.

Originally posted by Amsterdamn
My syggestion would be...

Do keep the vacation flag available..

However..

Once the flag is up, all his/her games should be frozen:
- time does not count down anymore (so you don't resume the game without any timebank)
- the player on vacation should not be able to move in any game

And..

Once a vacation flag is active, the flag can not be ...[text shortened]... moves and put the flag up again)

Otherwise..

Yes, then remove the vacation flag system..

Seems you have the same idea as me in the concept of Sealed Moves .

However, I would abuse your idea when I have too many games going at once risquing to be skulled out in many of them, I would take one week off, thus stopping the clock from ticking, looking at each game, evaluate each of the games in depth, noting them one by one, and when the 'vacation' is over and times starting to tick again, then I would deploy all the moves one by one, but in no time.

Someone said to me - "There are no abuse-free vacation system" - I would agree. But we have to minimize the abusing possibilities, and minimize the advantages when abusing.