A few months ago, I started collecting statistics on the table options that people are using at
World of Card Games. I thought it might be interesting to some people, so I'll share the results here.
In all of the games, the most popular table options are the default ones: robots allowed, do not require registered players, no private table setting. That may mean people don't realize that they can change them, or perhaps they don't want to be bothered. Here's the breakdown by game:
- Hearts: 60% of tables have the default options.
- Spades: 53% "
- Euchre: 56% "
- Go Fish: 94% "
The second most popular option is to use a private table with no table name (table name is set to "none") - this setting is used by players who want to play with robots only. Here's the breakdown for that:
- Hearts: 29% of tables are private, for playing with robots only.
- Spades: 19% "
- Euchre: 22% "
The third most popular option is to forbid robots. Some people really dislike the robot players (I admit, they need improvement!). Here are the statistics for that category:
- Hearts: 7% of tables forbid robots.
- Spades: 11% "
- Euchre: 17% "
Well there you go! Very few people have the "Registered Only" option set. That's interesting. If you set this option, only registered users will be allowed into your table. This may be useful if you want to recognize who you're playing with. Guest numbers change, so if you played with Guest #10 yesterday, they may be labelled as Guest #251 today.
4 comments:
Something has piqued my interest of late: Not infrequently, a losing player will leave the game as late as during the last hand, the last trick of the last hand, or even before the screen registers their loss. Surprisingly enough, these are often registered players--I assume, trying to pad their win percentage.
What is most interesting, however, is that this usually prompts a reaction in the chat regarding being a poor sport. But the registered opponents remain--I assume, so that they'll get the win. I have to wonder if they consider that waiting for the next player to happen along is just as unfair as the original player's having left the game in the first place: the remaining players are just as selfishly sticking the new person with an undeserved loss.
Not that it matters so much. Just a thought.
Hi davidly, your comment is interesting and deserves a separate blog post. I'll do that soon! - Marya
I just go with the most accommodative options ("any players" and "bots=either"). I presume that because we still have a small pool of players, that this enables the tables to be filled more quickly.
Later i would probably use the "Registered Players" option because those people probably tend to stay until the end of the game.
cBe - it is true that in general the most lenient options (the defaults) will get you playing more quickly. I haven't studied the statistics, but I think that it's true that registered players tend to be more reliable - more likely to stay for the entire game, less likely to do weird things. OTOH it's no guarantee; I've played with numerous guests who are good players, behave politely, and just don't want to be bothered with registering. I've also had some bad experiences with a number of registered players.
Like you, I prefer to finish up a game with bots. But I always ask before inviting them - some players are adamantly against playing with them. And it's not always an option, if I wind up sitting at a table where bots were forbidden.
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