[nullve]

Why is "best hand" optional when challenging a friend, but not when challenging a stranger? (I'd NEVER choose "best hand" if it were, because it feels like playing the same few hands over and over again.)

[barmar]

steve2005, on 2018-May-11, 06:57, said:

i think bbo remembers what you last did.
In any case just check or uncheck the box to what you like.
no big deal.

The box isn't there in the "Challenge a Stranger" dialog.

Stranger challenges are kept very simple -- you can't choose the number of boards, best hand vs. normal, advanced vs. basic robots. The only option you have is the type of scoring, (IMP/MP/TP).

[nullve]

barmar, on 2018-May-11, 09:11, said:

The box isn't there in the "Challenge a Stranger" dialog.

Stranger challenges are kept very simple -- you can't choose the number of boards, best hand vs. normal, advanced vs. basic robots. The only option you have is the type of scoring, (IMP/MP/TP).

Yes, but why?

[nullve]

Why did you want Challenge a Stranger to be that much simpler than Challenge a Friend?

[P_Marlowe]

nullve, on 2018-May-12, 09:11, said:

Why did you want Challenge a Stranger to be that much simpler than Challenge a Friend?

2 Stranger need to create Challenges with the same parameter set, if you introduce to much
variance, the probability that there are no two Challenge Request with the same parameter set
goes up, i.e. lots of challenge requests wont find a counter part.

[nullve]

P_Marlowe, on 2018-May-18, 07:28, said:

2 Stranger need to create Challenges with the same parameter set, if you introduce to much
variance, the probability that there are no two Challenge Request with the same parameter set
goes up, i.e. lots of challenge requests wont find a counter part.

Good point. But why can I choose total points but not non-best hand?

[barmar]

P_Marlowe, on 2018-May-18, 07:28, said:

2 Stranger need to create Challenges with the same parameter set, if you introduce to much
variance, the probability that there are no two Challenge Request with the same parameter set
goes up, i.e. lots of challenge requests wont find a counter part.

That's not the way stranger challenges work. When you challenge a stranger, it shows up in everyone's list of available challenges, and any of them can view it and decide whether to accept the challenge.

But there's some validity to your point. With more options available, there's more chance that people will decide not to accept, because they're looking for one that fits their preference. But if that's the case, they should just issue a challenge of their own, and eventually all types will be covered.

I'm not sure why we went this way, maybe just because it was new and we weren't sure.

[smerriman]

barmar, on 2018-May-18, 08:07, said:

That's not the way stranger challenges work. When you challenge a stranger, it shows up in everyone's list of available challenges, and any of them can view it and decide whether to accept the challenge.

Huh? As far as I can see there's no way to see 'available stranger challenges' or choose to accept one. All I can do is start my own challenge, which I therefore presumed was automatched as P_Marlowe said.

[barmar]

You're right. I just assumed it was like friend challenges, you would see them in the list and choose to accept one.

That explains why I never see them, I thought they were just not popular. But in fact there are currently about 600 stranger challenges in progress.

[smerriman]

barmar, on 2018-May-19, 16:03, said:

But in fact there are currently about 600 stranger challenges in progress.

Wow. But yeah, the vast majority of the time I 'create' one, it's completed very quickly on the other end. I agree having non-best-hand would be nice for variation though - I think it'd be a popular enough option.