Backgammon Online

14-Jun-2009
18:23 PDT

players here seem to think that resigning will effect their ratings WORSE than just losing because of the cautionary prompt...

...sure you want to resign? this will negatively effect your rating.

It seems to a reasonable person that they would be expected to KNOW that LOSING
will negatively effect their rating, so they think the warning must mean that the act of resigning will have an even greater effect?

Players are playing out games that are mathematically impossible for them to win.

15-Jun-2009
10:35 PDT

Since resigning from a game is a 'destructive' event and could be clicked inadvertently, we prefer to remind our players of the consequences of resigning. Players may also have various reasons for not resigning, including hope, denial, etc...

19-Jun-2009
02:29 PDT

I see Cruel-ist's point", I think it would be enough just a note:
"Are you sure you want to resign?, yes, no".
The text we have now is too alarming, scaring and many players don't understand English so well. Thx.

19-Jun-2009
22:28 PDT

to me its just a nice attention to prevent that one resigns by accident. its a pretty final decision. you see that also on other sites like Gameknot. etc.

Lex

21-Jun-2009
10:58 PDT

The backgammon here is WIN/LOSE. So "Are you sure?" should be sufficient. In tournament play, the one resigned to can decline a straight resignation and demand a resign-gammon or back-gammon, or instead, the resumption of play. This seldom occurs, of course. The doubling cube tends to end lopsided games and adds considerable spice to nail-biters! I'll address the doubles-cube in a separate post.

21-Jun-2009
11:27 PDT

Although I'm thoroughly enjoying this site; I note that the absence of the doubling cube changes the game remarkably. First, there's no penalty beyond time to doggedly pursue a lost game. Second, the element of bluff or bravado is absent.

I perceive the difficulty. Backgammon played for penny-a-point is more exiting for the the risk of fool-heartedly accepting a double, or a double after a double even, is balanced by the chance of tremendous rewards. The management of this separates the good players from the truly terrifying ones! Since after it's first use the double must come in turns, a player may decide not to offer a certain-to-be-declined double, and instead pursue a gammon instead. The programming for the doubles cube isn't hard. but since our only currency is ratings. these ratings must not only reflect doubles, but gammons and back-gammons as well. That could pose a challenge!! It is one I urge our programmers to undertake.

23-Jun-2009
11:20 PDT

We are definitely working on incorporating gammons and backgammons into ratings, as well as the use of the doubling cube. This should help encourage players to use the Resign link when appropriate.

Thanks for your interest in our site and for taking the time to discuss how to make it better!

Regards

22-Jul-2009
11:17 PDT

Incorporating gammons and backgammons into ratings went live this week!

22-Jul-2009
14:41 PDT

Hurray & thanks! I think I'm about to drop a gammon to barebacky!

10-Oct-2009
23:03 PDT

This post was deleted by mohammed on 11-Oct-2009, 02:00 PDT