Game Calendar Tweaks

[Mask_of_winter]

Personally, I think a format like this one might be more useful: https://extraordinarygamers.com/Calendar
Then you can color code to indicate the GM has a Full or Ultimate, mouse over to get more information (time, system, setting, etc.).

[JohnD]

Personally, I think a format like this one might be more useful: https://extraordinarygamers.com/Calendar
Then you can color code to indicate the GM has a Full or Ultimate, mouse over to get more information (time, system, setting, etc.).

I like that calendar set up. Ideally you want to let people know there are a lot of games going on / scheduled. This is important even if those games are full and not accepting new players. Show the overall activity.

I would make the heading on the calendar clickable which would lead to the game page we currently have (more or less). If the GM has marked not accepting players, there should be a friendly note indicating the game is currently at maximum player count.

We all hear about how hard it is to find a game... the way the list is now, I can believe that. Show people a dynamic calendar that lists 9 games a day, and you will change the perception at least, that nothing is going on. Can't do anything about full games - but you can let people know there is a lot of activity going on.

[ianmward]

Personally, I think a format like this one might be more useful: https://extraordinarygamers.com/Calendar Then you can color code to indicate the GM has a Full or Ultimate, mouse over to get more information (time, system, setting, etc.).

That is nice but I still miss the scheduled time in my timezone... That is fundamental for me.

[Blackfoot]

Time Zone is a big deal for everyone here on FG... well ok.. maybe not everyone.. but the issue comes up ALL the time.

[JohnD]

Yeah time zone conversion is a big one to include.

[Mask_of_winter]

That is nice but I still miss the scheduled time in my timezone... That is fundamental for me.

SXG's calendar provides that granted you've set your time zone in your profile.

[ballan4]

I'm all set up at SXG and have no problem finding games in my time zone.

[ianmward]

Yeah, but you have to click into the event to see it, right?
For me THE most important information to decide whether
I can join an event is when it is scheduled to run. I would, therefore, like that information available on the list/calendar view.
If I have not looked for a while or am new to the calendar, I open it up and look at what is available. If I see a long list of events scheduled but don't see the day and time, I have to click into each one to see if they are relevant to me. i then devide if the system or description is interesting.
With the calendar view it is much better in that it shows the day but this may be misleading without the time in my timezone as it might (probably will) be the next day for me or in the middle of the night...
Cheers,

Ian

[Blackfoot]

You make a pretty good point.. the time is definitely important.
There are some issues here that relate to how the calendar works now vs how it 'could' or 'should' work.
It comes down to 'what is the goal of having the calendar' as far as Smiteworks is concerned. Being able to provide matchmaker services for gamers is a big thing.

I know that when I first started with FG and had some time on my hands to look for games, before I got involved with the PFS and had no confidence to run an online game of my own, it was exceedingly hard to find a game. Nobody knew me and all I had was the few tools available on the site that I could use to 'find a game'.
Better matchmaking tools provide a service to the users and help to grow the community, and depending on how they are built they can either cycle that community deeper into involvement or it can send them off to other sites like Obsidian Portal or Epic Words or wherever there are good campaign tools.

The advantage for Smiteworks of having this service is that it promotes a stay at home attitude toward the site. I know that in my current campaigns we do not use the calendar at all. We use it for one-shots and maybe for first runs... but after that we move on to other sites with tools that are more suited to running and monitoring a campaign.

I'm not exactly sure what this means for Smiteworks.. there was a discussion about working out some links to OP which could be an interesting thing. Certainly the big thing to worry about as far as the calendar goes is 'how is it going to be used'. I'm not sure how other folks use it or want to use it. I know that the current calendar, while not perfect, is very useful in arranging our PFS games and that these games do help the community as a whole to grow.

[VenomousFiligree]

The advantage for Smiteworks of having this service is that it promotes a stay at home attitude toward the site. I know that in my current campaigns we do not use the calendar at all. We use it for one-shots and maybe for first runs... but after that we move on to other sites with tools that are more suited to running and monitoring a campaign.

imo the calendar should be a thriving hub of games being played, sadly it is not.