Network:Synchronous Game

File:Network-Invitation.png

Invitation dialog

Basically, any number of players can be online at the game server. Games are run in groups, that has to get established first. Go to the tab game server and select your mates (left click at the name). Per right click a context menu pops up where you can chose 'Invite'. If the player agrees he or she will join your group. Since game and server are aimed for international audience the invitation is accomplished with the information about the loaded dictionary, the menu language, and the country stated at the login. Repeat that for up to four players (additional will be treated as kibitzes). You can only invite people that are open for games.

Grouped players are shown respectively in the game server tab. After the game has been started the header of your group contains the time when the game was started and the number of moves so far. You don't need to reconnect to leave the group. Just select yourself (left click) in the game server tab, and choose 'Leave group' from the context menu (opened by right click). If you get invited by another player you will leave the current group automatically.

When one of the grouped player starts a new game his or her settings like rules and board etc. are transmitted to the group and is shown in the dialog that opens automatically. The game starts not until all mates agree with these settings. You can examine the configuration during the game, the preset will be called 'Network settings by...'. Of course, changes do not influence the running game.

After calling the next player the compliance with rules is checked first. Then a silent check follows whether or not the newly placed and connected words are known in all dictionaries. Depending on the word check mode you have the opportunity to correct mistakes or you the open poll starts immediately. That means mates are asked if the word should be treated as valid. If only one player refuses the move is treated as invalid. In challenge mode this procedure is started when one of the mates objects the word(s).

Every move is stored on the game server. Thereby it is possible to play asynchronous which means you can make your move independently from your mates or re-join a running game after disconnection, for instance. Just join the group like a kibitz - you will be acknowledged as real player automatically. To do so select your game resp. group (not a player) at the game server tab and chose Kibitz from the context menu. This option is only available for public games. If your game is running in private mode you have to get an invitation of one of the grouped players to re-join. If all mates are reunified the game runs normal and synchronous again.

File:Network-Poll.png

Poll

All aspects that concern the game play are decided democratically. For example, if you want to pause a running game a poll is initiated first. Only when all mates confirm it will be executed. The result of polls is shown a special dialog for the initiator, and per icon in the status bar for all others.

During the game both the right section of the word search dialog is deactivated, and additionally the left part as well in case of the challenge mode to avoid cheating. As long as the game has not been ended you cannot search for words, you cannot save the game, and the calculation of the best move by the computer is not possible. All options are available after the game end, including the game analysis. Regarding the latter function: evaluation results are transmitted to all mates (and stored at the server), so only one player needs to run the post-hoc analysis.

If a player cannot make a move anymore, for example when the time limit has been reached, he or she should still stay in the group. Otherwise the automatic click on 'next player' is not done since the player is offline and the game would be stalled.

On game end the final scoring is done including the individual rating. Depending on the server settings the game is stored for a while. You can reload and review it, or show it to your friends (see as well asynchronous games) .