Private Games on GEMP

[stubbly]

Is there any chance we could add private games back to GEMP? This seemed to be a very popular feature across the board and it'd be great to have them for the upcoming OCS top 4/Worlds. Thanks!

[quickdraw3457]

It will be turned back on about 3 weeks prior to worlds, so yes! We know it was popular but don't want all games on gemp to be closed off. Watching others play games is a great asset and we don't want to make games private 24/7/365.

[Echo Base Trooper]

It will be turned back on about 3 weeks prior to worlds, so yes! We know it was popular but don't want all games on gemp to be closed off. Watching others play games is a great asset and we don't want to make games private 24/7/365.

When private games were enabled previously people didn't stop playing viewable games. I think having them on all the time would be good.

[quickdraw3457]

It will be turned back on about 3 weeks prior to worlds, so yes! We know it was popular but don't want all games on gemp to be closed off. Watching others play games is a great asset and we don't want to make games private 24/7/365.

When private games were enabled previously people didn't stop playing viewable games. I think having them on all the time would be good.

I personally have concerns over what it would evolve into, even if it starts off good. We're open to change, and the period leading up to worlds will tell us a lot about how we view it and what it has in store.

[Therion]

I'm often in a position where I can't actually play at a given moment, and spectating games is probably my biggest interaction with SWCCG. I'd be pretty miserable if private games were to become the norm.

[alphabeta]

I'm often in a position where I can't actually play at a given moment, and spectating games is probably my biggest interaction with SWCCG. I'd be pretty miserable if private games were to become the norm.

x2

[Echo Base Trooper]

We have actual data that says people don't stop playing public games so you have nothing to worry about.

[Echo Base Trooper]

Also, private games seem even more important for the current OCS playoffs than for worlds. When you know the single person you're going to play against there is a huge benefit to watching the games they play to prepare.

[TacoBill]

Yeah I'd say 3 weeks before anything that gives away money is fair. I'd just turn them on now, tbh, especially with Drew's event and some other things coming down the pipeline for November to keep people interested and playing publicly.

[rsersen]

Also, private games seem even more important for the current OCS playoffs than for worlds. When you know the single person you're going to play against there is a huge benefit to watching the games they play to prepare.

x2. These next 3 OCS matches are worth anywhere between $200-$600, that's a decent chunk of change for SWCCG. It'd be nice to have a more reliable way to prepare for those games besides hoping someone doesn't figure out your alt (and hoping your game doesn't freeze...)

Also agree the concern is probably overblown. For the week or so we did beta testing, it seemed like people only used them if they had a reason to. Like our team doing OCS prep, or TMW finalists brewing up TRM Guts...but it's not like a bunch of people suddenly went private just because the option was there.

[allstarz97]

yah just turn them on and see what happens, it's kinda dead now as is... I think private rooms lead more to this too:

1. playtest a new idea in a private room
2. try it out in public to see if it actually works in an open league...

[Karrdeshark]

Lots of the deadness is likely due to waiting for Set 13 to drop, I imagine.

[rhendon]

yah just turn them on and see what happens, it's kinda dead now as is... I think private rooms lead more to this too:

1. playtest a new idea in a private room
2. try it out in public to see if it actually works in an open league...

Agreed.

We had private games on Holotable.

[stubbly]

It'd be nice to have a more reliable way to prepare for those games besides hoping someone doesn't figure out your alt (and hoping your game doesn't freeze...)

Neither I nor Snokeydoke have any idea what you're talking about

[aermet69]

yah just turn them on and see what happens, it's kinda dead now as is... I think private rooms lead more to this too:

1. playtest a new idea in a private room
2. try it out in public to see if it actually works in an open league...

Agreed. If you try something out in public now, then those you play with might think it looks cool and play it (or their version of it) so even if you aren't watched playing it, your tech can ripple out fast.

[Corran]

yah just turn them on and see what happens, it's kinda dead now as is... I think private rooms lead more to this too:

1. playtest a new idea in a private room
2. try it out in public to see if it actually works in an open league...

Agreed. If you try something out in public now, then those you play with might think it looks cool and play it (or their version of it) so even if you aren't watched playing it, your tech can ripple out fast.

This seems like a feature not a bug...

[Blarg]

Why don’t we let anyone playing in an elimination tournament be part of a no-observer league with say three of their friends? So stubbly could choose three people any play private games with them.

yah just turn them on and see what happens, it's kinda dead now as is... I think private rooms lead more to this too:

1. playtest a new idea in a private room
2. try it out in public to see if it actually works in an open league...

Agreed. If you try something out in public now, then those you play with might think it looks cool and play it (or their version of it) so even if you aren't watched playing it, your tech can ripple out fast.

This seems like a feature not a bug...

It’s a bug. Think of it like patents. We should reward whoever comes up with something with some amount of time of “exclusive use” — I.e., being able to use it at the next big event. That gives people an incentive to come up with new ideas. One the other hand, once the person who created the idea has gotten some use out of it, we should make it as easy as possible for other people to adopt it (I.e., decklists from big events etc.)

[quickdraw3457]

Why don’t we let anyone playing in an elimination tournament be part of a no-observer league with say three of their friends? So stubbly could choose three people any play private games with them.

This amounts to the exact same thing that private tables do, but comes with the standard built in league limitations (primarily, that you can only play each other person in the league once per side).

[aermet69]

It’s a bug. Think of it like patents. We should reward whoever comes up with something with some amount of time of “exclusive use” — I.e., being able to use it at the next big event. That gives people an incentive to come up with new ideas. One the other hand, once the person who created the idea has gotten some use out of it, we should make it as easy as possible for other people to adopt it (I.e., decklists from big events etc.)

Agreed. It's not like I'd not ever play open again, since I'd only do private games with a handful few that I usually test or discuss with, or if someone wants me to be their test buddy. The rest would be open.

[seitaer]

Lots of the deadness is likely due to waiting for Set 13 to drop, I imagine.

It's not even really that dead. The number of games played are about the same.