I need some people to help me with testing of the new set-based ratings.
I have implemented set-based ratings in the code and it seems to be working well enough, but this is a HUGE change for pente.org and I want the transition to this new ratings system to go smoothly. So I want people to try it out first for awhile to make sure it works.
I've put up a copy of the site at http://test.pente.org where set-based ratings are used. The entire site is a copy of pente.org, so feel free to do whatever you want, whatever happens there will not be moved over to the real pente.org. I encourage everyone to grab a friend and meet over at the http://test.pente.org site to try this out.
The way sets will work for live games is pretty much how it was described awhile back in the general forum by up2ng and myself.
Any rated game will be played in a set, so when 2 players sit down and click play, if the rated checkbox is checked then 2 games must be played, one after the other.
After game 1 is complete the player's seats are swapped and neither player should be able to leave or change the game/timer/rated, or be able to stand. Nothing happens until someone clicks play.
Once a player clicks play to begin game 2 of the set, a timer is started, if the other player doesn't also click play before the timer expires then the player who clicked play can end the set (just like now when a player is disconnected and doesn't return). They can cancel the set, resign the set or force the resignation of the set.
After game 2 is complete, the result is either a draw if each player won 1 game, or one player won the set. A draw will result in no ratings change.
Resigning. If you click resign during either game 1 or game 2, you are resigning just the game, not the set. See #7 though for a slight contradiction of that.
Cancel. The cancel request is now a cancel set request since it doesn't make any sense to cancel a single game in a set. Note however that if game 1 was already completed it will still be in the database.
Player disconnections during game 1. If a player is disconnected during game one and doesn't return within 7 minutes, the remaining player may force the resignation of the set, or resign the set.
Player disconnections during game 2. If a player is disconnected during game two and doesn't return within 7 minutes, the remaining player may force the resignation of the game, or resign the game.
There are a few other things that can happen in the period of time between game 1 and game 2 involving disconnections. If a player is disconnected between game 1 and game 2, the same timer mentioned in #3 is started if it wasn't already started. Also, if for example player 1 clicks play, then gets disconnected the timer will reset to the full 7 minutes to give player 1 the full time to return. And if a player disconnects, waits for 6 minutes to return and then gets disconnected again, the timer will not reset, so its a total of 7 minutes that a player can "stall" the set from continuing.
Note that on the test server, the set timer is set for 1 minute, on the real server I will set it to 7 minutes.
Scenarios Here are the tests that I think need to be run to make sure everything is working properly. 1. p1 wins both games, p1 wins set 2. p2 wins both games, p2 wins set 3. p1 wins one, p2 wins one = drawn set 4. p1 wins g1, g2 = draw, p1 wins set 5. p2 wins g1, g2 = draw, p2 wins set 6. g1 and g2 draw = drawn set 7. p1 wins g1, p2 leaves during g2 7a. p1 forces resignation, p1 wins set 7b. p1 cancels set - g1 is still in database 7c. p1 resigns - drawn set 7d. p2 returns - wins game - drawn set 8. p2 leaves during g1 8a. p1 forces resignation of SET, p1 wins set 8b. p1 resigns SET, p2 wins set 8c. p1 cancels SET, nothing in db 8d. p2 returns and completes set, normal result 9. p1 wins g1, p2 leaves before g2 9a. p1 forces resignation of g2, p1 wins set 9b. p1 cancels set, drawn set, g1 in db 9c. p2 resigns g2, drawn set 10. p1 wins g1, clicks play, p2 doesn't click play and timer expires 10a,b,c same as 9a,b,c 11. p1 wins g1, clicks play, p2 disconnected same as 10, except timer starts from click play 12. p1 wins g1, p1 clicks play, gets disconnected, returns, then neither player clicks play timer resets itself after ending 13. p1 wins g1, p1 clicks play, p2 gets disconnected, returns p1 gets disconnected restart timer so p1 has full 7 min to return 14. continuation of 13 14a. p1 returns and disconnects again, no timer restart 14b. p1 returns, p2 disconnects again, no timer restart 15. p1 wins g1, p1 clicks play, p2 disconnect, returns, p1 disconnect p2 can decide set 16. p1 and p2 disconnect during g1 - cancel set 17. p1 and p2 disconnect between g1 and g2 - cancel set 18. p1 and p2 disconnnect during g2 - cancel set
In all scenarios, have a 3rd player entering table at various points to make sure table state is correct
Things to look for while testing
Make sure the messages that display over the board make sense for whatever is happening at the time, I modified them a bit to work with sets.
Make sure the new Game 1 of 2 text displays the correct thing for every point during the set.
Also note that I have not made any changes to the database results screens, or completed games to show anything about the set that a game is in, I still have to do that.
Ok im willing to test it,.. now, who will be my partner? any volunteers? will need two people other than my self since testing requires third party on table to observe board's state while players disconnect on purpose.
Scire hostis animum - Intelligere ludum - Nosce te ipsum - Prima moventur conciliat - Nolite errare
Posts:
542
Registered:
May 9, 2002
From:
Northeast USA
Re: Testers needed - set-based ratings
Posted:
Oct 9, 2008, 1:02 AM
Wow! Honestly, I never thought this change would ever be made. Thanks Dweebo, I'll certainly try and do some testing when I get the chance. I think this will be great once everyone gets used to it. Hopefully there aren't too many anti-set people out there that will be too annoyed. Great work!
I logged into the test site and no one was there. I did start a game with the AI and noticed that it is not required to play sets...this may be by design but I thought I would mention it...
Not sure the AI should play sets, but it does teach newbies how to play the game, so...just throwing that out there!
Have a good weekend everyone! Thanks for all your hard work, Peter!
Posts:
542
Registered:
May 9, 2002
From:
Northeast USA
Re: Testers needed - set-based ratings
Posted:
Oct 14, 2008, 12:14 AM
Played a set today and everything looked ok. The text all made sense. We pretty much covered CASE 3 (P1 won both times). There was no third party observer however.
My only feedback right now is that I didn't find it completely obvious that we were getting ready to play a set, that we were in the middle of a set, and that finishing the set was mandatory -- although I did try to stand between games and got a good text response to that. I did see the Game 1 of 2 text and eventually noticed the timeout timer in the same place, but you sort of had to look for it. In fact, my opponent clicked play right away for Game 2 and I did not and it took me quite a while to see the timer ticking down on me.
I wonder if it would make sense to actually give a popup dialog (like the one for resign/force resign/cancel) that says something like "This match is not over yet! Press Play to begin Game 2 of 2" and a big "Play" button underneath -- either as soon as your opponent has already pressed play (in which case the timer could be included in this dialog) or maybe displayed to both players right after finishing game 1. And maybe the Play button should actually say "Play Game 1 of 2" starting off (if rated is checked). Also the big watermark text on the game board that says the game type maybe could also say "Game 1 of 2".
Of course, probably none of this is necessary, and repeat visitors will pick things up quickly, but I wonder about first time players mostly not realizing that they are about to play a set or are in the middle of a set.
Anyway, CASE 3 seems to function well. Good stuff Dweebo!
Re: Testers needed - set-based ratings
Posted:
Oct 14, 2008, 10:33 AM
Hopefully I'll have the opportunity to try a test or two before things go live. I thought it was amusing that I have a test rating which seems to have appeared by magic- lots of you lost messages over there...
Message was edited by: watsu at Oct 14, 2008 4:33 AM
Retired from TB Pente, but still playing live games & exploring variants like D, poof and boat
I agree it needs to be clear what is going on with the set so people aren't confused!
I am also trying to not make it overbearing since once people learn, it shouldn't be too hard to understand. For example I did consider popping up a dialog box between games (like the dialog that appears now when a player is disconnected). But after you play one or two sets you should already understand that and a dialog just seems intrusive to me.
One thing I am considering is to show a dialog to players that have not yet played a rated set. I was thinking maybe at the beginning of the set. But perhaps there is a way to show the dialog in between sets with a checkbox option to "Hide this dialog until time expires".
Regarding watsu's comments, I think he is referring to turn-based games that were in progress when I made a copy of the database. Since no one was making turn-based moves at the test.pente.org site those games all timed-out.
Re: Testers needed - set-based ratings
Posted:
Oct 15, 2008, 4:38 AM
That sounds like a good explanation for the lost game messages. I agree also that having a set based explanation for each set would be overkill; an introduction for new players should suffice.
Retired from TB Pente, but still playing live games & exploring variants like D, poof and boat
