IDEA: A "Time Out" for Quitters

[Inibaz]

This idea for Ganz was inspired by the additions of Checkers to the TA and Recess to the Academy. (It cracks me up that Rufferus is a Senior and still gets to play on the playground, how relaxing would that be in real life?)

The Set Up: You're playing a friendly game of Kinz Pinz Bowling, sharing witty banter with Player 2. Kind things like "Woo hoo, a strike" and gentle ribbing with "Oh no, a split!". It's Frame 8 and you are bowling the best game of your life and having fun when suddenly, the dreaded pause and the words "Player 2 has quit". Sure, you received a portion of KC and you know you did well, but you didn't receive all the KC you earned and you don't get the satisfaction of winning a game.

The Solution: Those who quit a game would be frozen on WW for a short period of time.

Imagine, after Player 2 clicked that little X in the upper right hand corner they received this message: "You left a game before it was over, you are in Time Out for 20 seconds. When your time is over, you may continue playing in WW." Hopefully the player will use this time to think about what they actually gained by quitting a game. They don't get any KC for the time they've invested, and they have to wait to play anything else.

A Time Out would give Player 2 a chance to learn something about fair play. This solution won't entirely keep people from quitting, but it certainly will make people think twice if it's a choice between just finishing the game even though they are going to lose or having to wait before playing another game.


A Horrible Admission: Have you ever found yourself holding back from doing your best just so the other player won't quit? Occasionally, I have not whacked the Zingoz quite as far as I could of, just so I could keep playing against another person.

The small print: I understand I choose to play these games and run the risk of the other player quitting. Also that it doesn't matter if you win or lose, it's how you play the game. I also understand it's sometimes unavoidable to have to quit a game. Bed time, dinner time, rares at Arte's, things come up. If you have to log of WW anyway, the Time Out won't affect you. To catch a 2-minute rare at Arte's, you'll still have time after 20 seconds and maybe this will help players manage their time better. (may i be spared the wrath of the Dark Side)

I hope this came across as clear as it is in my head. Ironically, I've already typed this once and the power went out. If I were in the middle of a game, it would have looked like I quit!

So now, Constant Reader, this thread welcomes your thoughts, suggestions, and links to a thread that already brought this up. Let's flesh this idea out and have Ganz implement a Time Out so we have a better chance to finally finish a game of Checkers!

UPDATE 06.05.09: Thanks for the feedback on this idea. Could someone please share how to go about letting Ganz know about this great idea? Also, you can click the spoiler for a sampling of other ideas along these same lines.

Spoiler: show

From dandogkinie:

Quote:

...
Maybe, if this hasn't been said already, you could still log out when you are in a 'time out', that way if they really did have to go they could. Many times, I play a game until the end and just as I am about to win, they leave. Then they want to play again. It's really frustrating! Also, this would make sure that if the other opponent wanted to find another game, they wouldn't have to be matched with that same person.

Several people have suggested losing KC when you quit, but Ritzcracker has a different take:

Quote:

...Or how about as a penalty losing a pile of happiness? That punishment would seem to fit the crime!

This next idea from morebubbles is inspired as well. WW keeps track of your personal high scores, how many games you've played so this would work as well:

Quote:

My idea to add on to yours is that after a player quits X number of times (maybe 10 times) within say a 24 hr period, they get locked out of that game for 12hr. They would also recieve a kinzpost letter explaining what happened and the importance of sportsmanship

This way if you have to go have dinner, or you phone rings you are not punished, because you just did it once, but if you do it regularly you do have to 'pay' for it.

Another alternative would be to reward good sportsmanship. There could be a badge saying, 'I finished 500 PVP games" this way you could see who is a good player.

manatee addresses the main concern of people being punished for 'having to leave' a game. She says it clearly and very well:

Quote:

... but if you had to leave webkinz world you can just log out!! This way if you MUST go, you leave all of webkinz world, not just the game, and poor sports have no way out and must wait until the game is over!! I'm sure there aren't any bad sports who would want to do the whole log back in and have everything load again to make 1 other player lose 20 more kinzcash!! ...

[Princess18]

I think this is a great idea! I, like you, have found myself holding back on games because I am worried that my opponent might quit if I get too far ahead! This is especially the case in Atomicolicious. I know people have differing opinions on strategy on that game, but I don't think quitting a game is the answer.

Like you said, if it is due to being kicked off or just a need to leave, the brief "time out" won't be a problem.

Thanks for sharing your idea with us!

[Inibaz]

Princess18, thank you for sharing, I don't feel so alone now about 'holding back'. You are so right about Atomicolicious, I love that game but sometimes don't zap away their potions for that very same reason!

I'm glad you like the idea.

[crystal00000]

Originally Posted by Inibaz

This idea for Ganz was inspired by the additions of Checkers to the TA and Recess to the Academy. (It cracks me up that Rufferus is a Senior and still gets to play on the playground, how relaxing would that be in real life?)

The Set Up: You're playing a friendly game of Kinz Pinz Bowling, sharing witty banter with Player 2. Kind things like "Woo hoo, a strike" and gentle ribbing with "Oh no, a split!". It's Frame 8 and you are bowling the best game of your life and having fun when suddenly, the dreaded pause and the words "Player 2 has quit". Sure, you received a portion of KC and you know you did well, but you didn't receive all the KC you earned and you don't get the satisfaction of winning a game.

The Solution: Those who quit a game would be frozen on WW for a short period of time.

Imagine, after Player 2 clicked that little X in the upper right hand corner they received this message: "You left a game before it was over, you are in Time Out for 20 seconds. When your time is over, you may continue playing in WW." Hopefully the player will use this time to think about what they actually gained by quitting a game. They don't get any KC for the time they've invested, and they have to wait to play anything else.

A Time Out would give Player 2 a chance to learn something about fair play. This solution won't entirely keep people from quitting, but it certainly will make people think twice if it's a choice between just finishing the game even though they are going to lose or having to wait before playing another game.


A Horrible Admission: Have you ever found yourself holding back from doing your best just so the other player won't quit? Occasionally, I have not whacked the Zingoz quite as far as I could of, just so I could keep playing against another person.

The small print: I understand I choose to play these games and run the risk of the other player quitting. Also that it doesn't matter if you win or lose, it's how you play the game. I also understand it's sometimes unavoidable to have to quit a game. Bed time, dinner time, rares at Arte's, things come up. If you have to log of WW anyway, the Time Out won't affect you. To catch a 2-minute rare at Arte's, you'll still have time after 20 seconds and maybe this will help players manage their time better. (may i be spared the wrath of the Dark Side)

I hope this came across as clear as it is in my head. Ironically, I've already typed this once and the power went out. If I were in the middle of a game, it would have looked like I quit!

So now, Constant Reader, this thread welcomes your thoughts, suggestions, and links to a thread that already brought this up. Let's flesh this idea out and have Ganz implement a Time Out so we have a better chance to finally finish a game of Checkers!

Maybe the time out could be like 2 minutes!

[Inibaz]

A 2-minute time out! That would certainly give a quitter some time to think!

Thanks for the feedback!

[Catlovr20]

I really like this idea! I have actually had people, in Atomicolicious, wait until the hint comes up then play what the hint said! I couldn't take it so I had to quit, it was almost like they were cheating. Maybe in Atomicolicious, they could make it so that you could only have 5 hints or so.

[michael08]

Originally Posted by Inibaz

This idea for Ganz was inspired by the additions of Checkers to the TA and Recess to the Academy. (It cracks me up that Rufferus is a Senior and still gets to play on the playground, how relaxing would that be in real life?)

The Set Up: You're playing a friendly game of Kinz Pinz Bowling, sharing witty banter with Player 2. Kind things like "Woo hoo, a strike" and gentle ribbing with "Oh no, a split!". It's Frame 8 and you are bowling the best game of your life and having fun when suddenly, the dreaded pause and the words "Player 2 has quit". Sure, you received a portion of KC and you know you did well, but you didn't receive all the KC you earned and you don't get the satisfaction of winning a game.

The Solution: Those who quit a game would be frozen on WW for a short period of time.

Imagine, after Player 2 clicked that little X in the upper right hand corner they received this message: "You left a game before it was over, you are in Time Out for 20 seconds. When your time is over, you may continue playing in WW." Hopefully the player will use this time to think about what they actually gained by quitting a game. They don't get any KC for the time they've invested, and they have to wait to play anything else.

A Time Out would give Player 2 a chance to learn something about fair play. This solution won't entirely keep people from quitting, but it certainly will make people think twice if it's a choice between just finishing the game even though they are going to lose or having to wait before playing another game.


A Horrible Admission: Have you ever found yourself holding back from doing your best just so the other player won't quit? Occasionally, I have not whacked the Zingoz quite as far as I could of, just so I could keep playing against another person.

The small print: I understand I choose to play these games and run the risk of the other player quitting. Also that it doesn't matter if you win or lose, it's how you play the game. I also understand it's sometimes unavoidable to have to quit a game. Bed time, dinner time, rares at Arte's, things come up. If you have to log of WW anyway, the Time Out won't affect you. To catch a 2-minute rare at Arte's, you'll still have time after 20 seconds and maybe this will help players manage their time better. (may i be spared the wrath of the Dark Side)

I hope this came across as clear as it is in my head. Ironically, I've already typed this once and the power went out. If I were in the middle of a game, it would have looked like I quit!

So now, Constant Reader, this thread welcomes your thoughts, suggestions, and links to a thread that already brought this up. Let's flesh this idea out and have Ganz implement a Time Out so we have a better chance to finally finish a game of Checkers!

I agree whole heartedly and really get annoyed when the other quits. hey should maybe loose points for quitting and be on a time out. It is soooooo annoying not to complete the game.

[xanadu324]

I agree as well. I've also "not played my best" in the hopes they would stay

[marloh818]

In theory, this is an idea to consider. However, I used to get angry when people quit on me until I went through a period of time when either the game would freeze up or I'd get knocked off WW, thus appearing to quit the game. I would wait 5 minutes, waiting for the game to hopefully continue after things froze because I didn't want to quit and lose my KC. Eventually, I had to close out of the game and got the annoying message that I would receive no KC as I left the game without completing it (Okay, but not by choice). After this happened to me numerous times, I became much more tolerant to the fact that others might be experiencing problems with WW and they aren't just poor sports (although there are those too).

[Inibaz]

Originally Posted by Catlovr20

I really like this idea! I have actually had people, in Atomicolicious, wait until the hint comes up then play what the hint said! I couldn't take it so I had to quit, it was almost like they were cheating. Maybe in Atomicolicious, they could make it so that you could only have 5 hints or so.

Ouch, I've never experienced that, sounds tiresome! I like the limited hint rule for that game.

Originally Posted by michael08

I agree whole heartedly and really get annoyed when the other quits. hey should maybe loose points for quitting and be on a time out. It is soooooo annoying not to complete the game.

I like that they could lose points. A pop up saying, "You left the game before it was finished, you are in Time Out for 20 seconds and own 20 KC to the Quitter's Jar"

That should curb it.

Originally Posted by xanadu324

I agree as well. I've also "not played my best" in the hopes they would stay

That's sad for us! I've tried to take a deep breath do my best through the whole game, that if they quit at least I know I've been true to myself and did my best. Yah, doesn't work!

Originally Posted by marloh818

In theory, this is an idea to consider. However, I used to get angry when people quit on me until I went through a period of time when either the game would freeze up or I'd get knocked off WW, thus appearing to quit the game. I would wait 5 minutes, waiting for the game to hopefully continue after things froze because I didn't want to quit and lose my KC. Eventually, I had to close out of the game and got the annoying message that I would receive no KC as I left the game without completing it (Okay, but not by choice). After this happened to me numerous times, I became much more tolerant to the fact that others might be experiencing problems with WW and they aren't just poor sports (although there are those too).

This theory can become reality! I understand about computer problems, the freezing and the resetting. The Time Out can't affect you if that happens because odds are it will take you longer than 20 seconds to log back in anyway.

I have great patience and compassion for those whose computers 'act up', but sometimes there is an obvious action:

Player 1 completes a triple jump in Checkers and is Kinged.
Player 2 quits.

Player 1 whacks the Zingoz 200 ft.
Player 2 whacks the Zingoz 150 ft.
Player 1 whacks the Zingoz 500 ft.
Player 2 quits.

The Time Out will hopefully curb those tendencies to quit when not winning. I feel it's important for children (tweens, teens, adults, everyone) to learn to stick it out, accept the loss, and learn from their mistakes.