Triple Triad Time Limit Too Short

[PeachKid]

Please, make the time limit on Triple Triad turns longer.

Triple Triad is a strategic game. 30 seconds just isn't long enough to plan several plays ahead, working in the best options for regional rules and etc.

I understand the need to have a limit in place (or else people will just sit for 20mins while you wait, cursing your inability to cancel a game), but why only 30sec?

Here's my suggestion:
-For NPCs, make the default time limit 2 minutes (at least - 3 minutes would be preferable). It could also be something like harder NPCs give you less time, but that does make things more complicated.
-Against PCs (if not simply assigning the default time), allow the challenger to select time options, between 30 seconds and 5 minutes per turn.

Please do consider this. I love Triple Triad, but my favorite aspect is the strategy involved and it's just impossible to flesh it out as much with so little time.

[Niwashi]

I was just about to post the same thing. Triple Triad should be an involved strategic game. It has all the elements for it. But I barely have time to make out what all the numbers are so I can throw down the first card I find that might flip one. There's no chance to even consider what alternatives there might be, where combos might happen, how the other player/NPC might respond, how any special rules might influence it, etc. I want to be able to plan a couple moves ahead in a game like this, but the 30 second time limit makes that impossible. (I don't even have time to check the opponent's cards when they're visible, making All Open and Three Open useless.)

As for needing a time limit, I can only see that as necessary when playing against another player. Against NPCs, there's not much reason for having any limit, but if there is one, it should be several minutes. Between players, letting them choose a time limit when challenging each other would be a nice addition. Or if it's easier to just have a single set time limit on everything, make it like three or four minutes or something, certainly not 30 seconds.

[h0tNstilettos]

I agree that the time limit is too short.

This is my solution:

-against NPCs: 1-2 minutes (time limit might be a security net related to how many players can be in a TT game at the same time with same NPC due to this being an online game, so this way no one can just sit there with a TT window running)
-against PCs: challenger choose a time limit, up to a certain limit like 5 minutes
-against PCs in tournament: time limit depending on tournament time limit rules, most TCGs and CCGs do not have a time limit for turns, BUT if opponent or a judge thinks player is taking exceptionally long they can be put on a time limit for said turn and penalized if they fail to finish in time, but since TT tournaments don't have judges, there would need to be a time

[bigjohnny]

As someone who absolutely loved the cards games in Final fantasy 8 and 9, I have to say I find the current time limit somewhat disappointing. When I played the old card games I would fully analyze every card my opponent had and then plan my next move accordingly and from there work out my counter options to his options, and then his counter options to mine. It was all about planning out all possible scenarios and coming up with strategies to overcome the possibilities I may have overlooked. But with the current time limit, this just really isn't possible at all. Every move is rushed and in doing so, much of the strategy and planning is lost.

I would really like to see the time limit greatly increased. Ideally with an option to change the time limit to what suits you best. I feel three minitues would be the minimum needed per turn for me personally. But if others like to play quicker games, they could just set the timer to 30 seconds or 1 minute. Not everyone likes long strategic games, and not everyone likes quick paced games with less time for decisions. But with the current time limit everyone is just forced into the same boat.
We really should have the option to choose how lengthy our games can be.

[scarebearz]

I think the time limit is good, making it any longer just makes it too easy.

People good at planning ahread will be able to do it in the time allowed.

[Rynia]

I agree, but more because I'm mathematically challenged so if there's a more complicated ruleset I struggle to keep up with what I need to do. Which is a shame because it just makes the game unnecessarily difficult =(

[Niwashi]

-against NPCs: 1-2 minutes (time limit might be a security net related to how many players can be in a TT game at the same time with same NPC due to this being an online game, so this way no one can just sit there with a TT window running)

That's a bit like saying there should be a limit on opening your character window or Journal. The TT window only exists on your own PC or console. The server needs to know when you make a move, and needs to make a decision when it's time for the NPC to make a move, but any time in between those events would be irrelevant to the server.

And in any case, the length of time a game lasts doesn't affect the number of players who are playing. Most players (particularly around the more popular NPCs where this would be the biggest issue) are just starting another game as soon as their previous one finishes, so they've continuously got the TT window open as long as they're there, regardless of how fast or slowly those games progress. The only thing that being able to take the game slower would mean is that they'd finish fewer games within that time (which would actually mean less for the server to do).

So no, I don't see any valid reason why there should be any time limit when playing against NPCs, not unless it's simply that SE can't separate different time limits on different games and want one when players are playing each other. SE is better than that, and should be perfectly able to offer more suitable time limits or better yet, a choice of time limits.

Against NPCs, players should be able to take as long as they want to make their moves, as they're the only one affected by how long they take.

When playing another player, they should be able to choose their time limit, to be agree on between the two (with a range of probably 30 seconds to 5 minutes, with the initial default being 3 or 4 minutes). After all, for a strategic game, we don't want the time limit ever being a factor on legitimate moves, only a safety feature to protect against AFK players). That means it should be set longer than anyone would ever need on the most challenging move, so drastically longer than you'd usually take for most moves.

[Niwashi]

People good at planning ahread will be able to do it in the time allowed.

Not at thirty seconds, they won't. People who are good at planning ahead are the ones who take a few minutes to do so. The 30 second rule makes it a flash speed game. That's a completely different skill set. There are people who are good at it, but they're not the strategists that a game like Triple Triad would be best suited to.

[Niwashi]

Actually, a "Speed Game" rule would make a good special regional ruleset to apply to certain games at certain times. When that rule is set, the game could have the 30 second time limit on each move. But then have either no limit or a reasonable one of several minutes on all other games. The problem with the current implementation is that SE has effectively set a special Speed Game rule on all games, not allowing any of them to be strategic instead.

[h0tNstilettos]

That's a bit like saying there should be a limit on opening your character window or Journal. The TT window only exists on your own PC or console. The server needs to know when you make a move, and needs to make a decision when it's time for the NPC to make a move, but any time in between those events would be irrelevant to the server.

No, it isn't the same. TT is a game running within a game. Your journal and all that other stuff isn't.