Quote Originally Posted by h0tNstilettos View Post
-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.