Friends-only tables?

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Highwayman27

Quote from: Ingix on 13 April 2020, 10:02:42 AM
Thanks for your commentary and the insight into what you do and why.

But if you just want to play with random strangers at a given point in time, why don't you use the automatch function that has been provided just for that purpose?
Good question, initially the answer was because I didn't know what the automatch function was. I've now done a bit with the autoplay function but I seem to have better games from finding a table, not sure why that is. I also find sometimes when I go through tables people have sets of cards that they've put together that play well together rather than the crapshoot that is random kingdoms. The other issue with autoplay is it only allows for 2 or 3 player games and I like to be able to play with a higher player count.

myourshaw

Yet another vote for a "friends-only" table option. This should be a high priority. Lack of this feature is by far the most annoying weakness of the site. As others have pointed out, social isolation due to COVID-19 has moved many groups of friendly game players to online platforms. We should have an easy and obvious choice of playing only with our own group or inviting others.

kieranmillar

Here's an alternate approach. I think maybe on the New Table tab it could have a new third option:
New Public Table
New Private Table
Load Old Game

So making a table split into two. Making a public table the same as now. Making a private table asks you to set a password that anyone entering the table needs to supply to join. Then you tell your friends the password. The table is listed on the tables screen with a padlock icon.

This is how the Worms game series did it in Worms Armageddon and Worms World Party and it was very effective, although it also had a public IRC chat channel in the lobby ingame so people could talk to each other and organise games. This was back in the days of before automatch features when organising was the only option.

DRogall

Yes! Friends only signage please.

Kit75

Same issue here - I play with friends on Whatsapp video call, and I keep having strangers join who I need to kick out of the table.

Harry.Potter

I too am astonished by the lack of a private table option and came here looking for a solution. It is annoying to have to constantly kick random people from the table, and I'm sure it is even more annoying for the people getting kicked.

AdamH

Years ago I complained about this and was told that the workaround was to set spectators to friends only, fill your table with bots until your friends arrive at the table, then kick the bots and have your friends sit down at the table.

This workaround doesn't actually work for many reasons, but the devs don't care. It's impossible for me to playtest designed kingdoms with human opponents without risking someone else seeing the kingdom who I don't want to see it.

There is no way to restrict who sits down at your table other than to put a bot in all the seats and block everyone.

dane

On a somewhat related note I'd like to see an option like 'prefer friends' (and possibly even a 'wait for friends' option) available in Automatch so that if a friend also happened to be attempting an automatch at the same time, we'd get matched.

When I first started using Dominion Online, I accepted numerous Friend requests from strangers that I'd enjoyed playing against.  Eventually I realised this was a completely pointless exercise, given that I use automatch to find opponents.

Alas I have no real friends using Dominion Online even though I have quite a few that I have played against ftf.  I can only assume that for them a game of Dominion isn't complete unless they get to waste time shuffling the deck every turn or two (or even multiple times in a turn with some engines). ☹