Constant Advertisement Never Delivering

With my moderation hat on, I'd like to get some feedback from the wider forum on the hosting section of the website. Several people have PMd me and complained that certain people are posting games up all the time, but at the last minute cancel or postpone them to another day and the cycle repeats.

Would people prefer stricter moderation if this is becoming an issue?

With my moderation hat on, I'd like to get some feedback from the wider forum on the hosting section of the website. Several people have PMd me and complained that certain people are posting games up all the time, but at the last minute cancel or postpone them to another day and the cycle repeats.

Would people prefer stricter moderation if this is becoming an issue?

> Users can only put a new game up for 1 week in advance. I mean can anyone really and honestly tie their free time down sooner than that? Option for moderators/admins to extend that time frame on request at their discretion.

> Users can only usually have 1 "planned" game advertised at a time - advertising 2nd and subsequent games prior to start date and time subject to admin/moderator approval at their discretion.

> Changed start times are recorded and displayed in the game details - perhaps originals somehow struck out or greyed out italics, with new times below?

> Once a game is advertised, its start day is locked in; but in order to preserve options for late issues etc option to postpone for a small number of hours retained.

> Once a games advertised start time comes, users get say 30 minutes to change status to started/paused or game automagically shows up as cancelled until its advertised end time. (Insert nominal time to show game as "cancelled" where no end time specified).

> Record each game a user hosts, including cancelled games, as a viewable option to members in that users' profile.

> Option to display the recent "form" of a host - perhaps the last 3 to 5 games that user has hosted as a collapsible display. Allows players to judge whether the user has been hosting and cancelling a lot, or generally hosting what they say they will when they will.

> Perhaps slightly more advanced/wish listy - allow the website to connect to a game and then automatically take running status (started/paused/etc), sim time and (perhaps?) number of connections and put that into the games module live. Would also allow users to test their port-forwarding automatically (they could check in their own game status to see if website has connected successfully). Expand multiplayer control window for hosts to enable them to publish per-sim statuses such as "full", "closing" and so on.

On the separate issue of chains being the "in" thing - I re-post my advice I always give when people ask about hosting/chaining for the first time:

As host you are potentially, and often likely, going to get very new players who have never played before. You are going to have to sort out issues that players encounter and be the point of contact for when someone doesn't know or understand what to do. While inexperienced hosts are of course welcome - as we all have to start somewhere - I would recommend that users don't host a sim at all until they are comfortable operating it on their own, are familiar with sim-specific features documented in the manual, ground frames and so-on.

Hosts should never plan on running a workstation - they have enough work to do as host, but that shouldn't preclude them from doing so if there aren't sufficient players. Nothing is more off-putting for joining than a user hosting sim X and proclaiming in the description that they will be working the busiest panel, Z. - My question to them is usually if they're working panel Z who is hosting?

With chains those criteria multiply. You need to be able to keep a close eye on all sims you are hosting; and be familiar with all sims you are hosting and chaining to (in the event of multiple hosts). Even as a very experienced player and host I would never really be comfortable hosting more than 3 sims myself (outside of meets) - and only then if I could dedicate myself solely to hosting duties.

Finally when hosting you are making a commitment to the people you've advertised your game to. Don't advertise a game going on all night and then quit/pause after 30 minutes because your favourite sit-com is on, or you haven't had dinner yet. Host a game that you can give your undivided attention to. Emergencies happen, router problems etc, that's fine as long as you communicate with your players.

These aren't rules - just an etiquette. But following it makes the game more enjoyable for your players, and at the end of the day that is what hosting is about - you are the host, not a player.

Also an additional - I can imagine that a new member would be put-off hosting if they can see multiple hosts pre-planned by the same person, & having the nearest available date pushed weeks ahead....

This is why SOMETIMES my hosts are a week+ in advance due to no available date.

Ar88 in post 105264 said:

Also an additional - I can imagine that a new member would be put-off hosting if they can see multiple hosts pre-planned by the same person, & having the nearest available date pushed weeks ahead....

This is why SOMETIMES my hosts are a week+ in advance due to no available date.

Why? I don't see anything wrong with more than one game being hosted on a night. Its only a few people that seem to have an issue with more than one game being hosted of an evening

Ar88 in post 105264 said:

Also an additional - I can imagine that a new member would be put-off hosting if they can see multiple hosts pre-planned by the same person, & having the nearest available date pushed weeks ahead....

This is why SOMETIMES my hosts are a week+ in advance due to no available date.

Why? I don't see anything wrong with more than one game being hosted on a night. Its only a few people that seem to have an issue with more than one game being hosted of an evening

Changed start times are recorded and displayed in the game details - perhaps originals somehow struck out or greyed out italics, with new times below?

JamesN in post 105249 said:

Option to display the recent "form" of a host - perhaps the last 3 to 5 games that user has hosted as a collapsible display. Allows players to judge whether the user has been hosting and cancelling a lot, or generally hosting what they say they will when they will.

Might be a bit OTT, might have DPA implications.

Peter Bennet in post 105260 said:

JamesN in post 105249 said:

Option to display the recent "form" of a host - perhaps the last 3 to 5 games that user has hosted as a collapsible display. Allows players to judge whether the user has been hosting and cancelling a lot, or generally hosting what they say they will when they will.

Might be a bit OTT, might have DPA implications.

I'd be interested to know how this may have data protection issues? All that would be needed potentially would be their user name and a number, relating to how many times they have canceled a host, postponed, or, even on that rare occasion, hosted.

The website could try to connect to games though that sounds a bit Big Brotherish.

GeoffM in post 105359 said:

The website could try to connect to games though that sounds a bit Big Brotherish.

It was more from a convenience standpoint - thus negating the requirement for the user to input started/paused/ended/whatever; or to allow potential players a glimpse at how busy a sim is before joining - than any nefarious means... However I can see the Orwellian concerns.

I don’t think there is a problem; but suggestions for solutions were requested.

I’m also not sure about the application of DPA in these scenarios - given users “personal data” is stored and displayed prior to a game commencing; I don’t see how, in the eyes of the act, that’s any different to displaying a record of recent games a user has hosted? Afterall users can search the forum for any and all posts by a given user can they not?

Would a session for new players be considered as ,as someone who has never taken part is a hosted session,the thought of spoiling it for regulars is something I would like to avoid at all costs.

Bad experiences in on line Flight Sim sessions are commonplace and put newcomers off for ever!A training/Newcomers only session with a suitable host could help ease new people into these sessions.

Though as SimSig is based in the US it's probably not subject to the Act.