[1eyedjack]

Possibly requested before, but I can't recall. Probably a while ago if so.

I would like in MBC and equivalent environments to have a table option as host to auto-reserve seats for players who leave the table.

A player may leave for one of two reasons:
(1) involuntary (ie bad connection, or booted by host), or
(2) voluntary.

Generally
Case A: If a player leaves by reason of boot by host, you would not want to auto-reserve it.
Case B: If a player voluntarily leaves, you would not want to auto-reserve it.
Case C: If a player leaves involuntarily (otherwise than by case A), then you may or may not want to auto-reserve it.

The server may have difficulty distinguishing between cases B and C. Or, depending on the manner of leaving the seat, it may or may not be able to distinguish. I do not see this as important. Provided that there is a POSSIBILITY that the player left under case C, then if the table host has ticked the "auto-reserve" button in table settings, the seat would be auto-reserved.

This proposal would be combined also with a suggestion that a simple single-click by the table host on a reserved seat would un-reserve the seat (perhaps via a pop-up are-you-sure message for confirmation).

Auto-reserve would be disabled under case A, which presumably the server would be able to detect without ambiguity. If you want to be a bit more sophisticated you MIGHT build in an OPTION to auto-reserve when booting a player (to cater for occasions of bad conn where you want the player back, but boot in order to "re-set" the table and issue invitation to join). I don't feel strongly about that. Perhaps would be nice, though. That option would operate independently of the table setting.

The main reason for this proposal is that the process of reserving a seat for a disconnected player is currently a bit cumbersome. Sure, you can stop players from jumping in by having "permission required to sit" ticked in the table settings, but I think that the above suggestion is superior, particularly if coupled with the suggested one-click un-reserve facility. And anyway, maybe you do NOT want generally to have to give permission - you just want disconnected seats reserved.

The disconnected player may be able to rejoin very rapidly following the disconnection, faster than the host could type in the reservation manually. This proposal has the added advantage in such cases that the automatic issue of invitation to re-join would also minimise delay in the player re-seating.

Final point: I dislike the way that the current implementation of the Flash interface simply labels the seats as "reserved" when such is the case, without actually naming the player for whom the seat is reserved. Both the mobile interface and the windows downloaded client are superior in this regard.

[1eyedjack]

1eyedjack, on 2013-September-28, 07:26, said:

Final point: I dislike the way that the current implementation of the Flash interface simply labels the seats as "reserved" when such is the case, without actually naming the player for whom the seat is reserved. Both the mobile interface and the windows downloaded client are superior in this regard.

I have just realised that the above statement is not correct. What really happens is that the name of the player changes to "Reserved: 1eyedjack" (or whoever). But only the word "Reserved" typically appears because the remainder is scrolled off the edge of the display box.

Anyway, there follows another suggestion. It need not be implemented to the exclusion of other solutions:

Currently you put a "Clear" button at the side of the reserved seat. Clicking on this button clears the seat reservation (as you would expect).
It would be nice to have a button also there where there is currently no reservation, which does the opposite, ie a "Reserve" button.
OK, you can reserve the seat by going into the table options. All that I am suggesting is an easier, faster, pain-free method of achieving the same end.
If the user clicks on "Reserve", then a popup box would prompt you to input the name of the player.
And here is the neat bit: It would be pre-completed with the name of the player last seated there, so if you want to reserve for him or her, you only have to click on OK (Otherwise override the prompted name).
I am undercided whether that button should be separate from the current "Robot" button or should be combined. I suggest combined (especially on the mobile interface), Then the popup box would have an "insert Robot" option in addition to the named reservation box.

[awm]

I know I'm bringing back this suggestion from a long time ago, but I wanted to report that this is still a problem.

What happens is this:

1. I want to play a set game with friends in the BBO main bridge club.
2. I set up a table with reserved seats. Everyone joins. So far, so good.
3. One of my friends has a connection issue, and disconnects.
4. Now his vacated seat is no longer reserved, and some random person comes and sits. Alternately, if I set "permission to play" I get spammed by people requesting to sit.
5. Obviously I can eject the random person (or keep clicking away to decline the seat requests) but this is annoying to deal with and may also be perceived as rude.