BBO Web-client Comments Thread 5

[fred]

I'm a novice Bridge player and a Mac user. Previously I have been using the Windows client (on other computers than my own) to practice with robots, so I'm really happy to finally be able to play on my own Mac!

 

But the biggest disappointment coming from the Windows version is hand legibility. I find that I really have to concentrate to tell cards apart in the Flash client.

 

I realize that the point probably is to make the symbols as big as possible, but for me everything just floats together in a lot of vertical lines.

 

So I have a few suggestions for what I hope will at least be an option for users who don't mind a bit smaller symbols:

• 
   
  
• A bit shorter letters, that is, not as tall as they are now.
   
  
• A bit smaller cards, but spread as wide as the current ones, so there's more room between them.
   
  
• A bit more room between each suit, so suits are grouped together.
   
  
• The Windows client does one more thing to help read your hand better/faster: The cards are far enough apart that you can see just a few pixels of the symbols or pictures in the center of them, which also helps tremendously.
   
  

These are minor adjustments (a few pixels each), but I think they would help a lot when it comes to reading and judging your hands quickly.

These issues are more complex than you might realize because people have a wide variety of monitor sizes set at a wide variety of screen resolutions and because many bridge players have less than perfect eyesight.

 

From your post I am guessing that either you have a relatively large monitor or you have a small monitor, high screen resolution, and good eyesight :P

 

At this point in time almost half of the people who log in to BBO have 1024x768 screen resolution. In the past many of these people complained that cards were too hard to see because the symbols in the top-left and bottom-right of each card were "too small". We therefore made these symbols bigger and received a lot of positive feedback as a result of this change.

 

I am therefore not willing to go back to the way things were before in this area even though I recognize that the bigger symbols may not be ideal for those with large monitors (or those with smaller monitors, high screen resolution, and good eyesight). Sorry about that - I hope you understand.

 

For similar reasons I am unwilling to make the cards any smaller - the many people out there with small monitors, low screen resolution, and/or poor eyesight would not be happy with such a change.

 

During the past week or so I have done some experimenting with spacing out the cards more. I found that adding more than a couple of pixels of space was not a good idea for a couple of reasons, but in the next version the cards will be spaced out a little more.

 

Of course it would be best if there were additional options that gave each user more flexibility in this area. I suspect that we will eventually introduce options like this (as well as other new unrelated options), but it is hard to predict when that might happen.

 

Thanks for your feedback. I hope you continue to enjoy BBO despite the flaws that exist in this area.

 

Fred Gitelman

Brdige Base Inc.

www.bridgebase.com

[paulg]

I am currently watching a (JEC) team match. JEC's table has just started board 5 and the other table is currently playing board 8.

 

The result of the other table is not visible on the main table screen. If this were vugraph then I would expect to see it just above the score and I thought it would be the same for a team match.

 

Of course I can see the results using the My Results tab.

 

This may be a feature rather than a bug.

 

Cheers

 

Paul

[fred]

I am currently watching a (JEC) team match. JEC's table has just started board 5 and the other table is currently playing board 8.

 

The result of the other table is not visible on the main table screen. If this were vugraph then I would expect to see it just above the score and I thought it would be the same for a team match.

 

Of course I can see the results using the My Results tab.

 

This may be a feature rather than a bug.

 

Cheers

 

Paul

Thanks - it's on our list of things to do...

 

Fred Gitelman

Bridge Base Inc.

www.bridgebase.com

[1eyedjack]

I see that there is an option to transfer BB$ to another BBO member. I tried to do this and nothing happened. Then I read (duh!) at the bottom of the transfer screen "use of this system is restricted to staff and authorised members of Bridge Base Online".

 

Why should this feature be restricted?

 

Given that it is restricted, should not the interface be capable of detecting whether the particular user is authorised BEFORE a transfer attempt is made, and if not authorised, conceal the option in the first place, rather than tease you with the option only to deny it at the point that you hit the Transfer button?

[zielona]

Hi

I had a long break in reading the BBO forum so please excuse me if I repeat what was already reported.

 

(1) I recently played several tournaments on the Web Client when could not get through to the windows BBO. I noticed that some tournament chat was missing, especially at the start of the tournament. Usually improved from second round.

(2) On one occasions after the tournament was completed and I clicked for Results, I was given results of a tourney with the same name - nearly - but played roughly a year ago.

 

(3) Today I tried to run my own tournament. No problems with creating one but when tried to look at it on a TD Popup there was an error telling me that "this TD does not have any pending tournaments".

(4) I hit Join to see how many players registered. A message was sitting on the screen for few minutes and finally I got disconnected. Lucky I was able to bet back to the windows client just in time for round 1.

 

Is it OK to run tournaments on the Web Client?

[zielona]

Take 2.

 

No errors this time but some observations, listed here in the order of importance.

 

(1) I was unable to find a way to see the substitute list. How can I see the substitutes?

 

(2) Tournament Status has to be cleared ('OK') or otherwise I can't go to a table or do anything. Would it be possible to Pin it? In the windows client I usually keep several status popups to see how the tables are moving. It's helpful when you run an unclocked tournament.

 

(3) I was unable to identify the table number of players who wrote to the tournament chat. What's the easiest way to find them?

 

(4) TD calls are cleared when accepted. Is there an option to write them to the chat like it happens on the windows client provided you do not play in your own tournament?

 

(5) Is there an option to write substitutions to the chat?

 

(6) Unable to remove unlogged players before the start of the tournament.

 

I think thst's all. Still not sure why I experienced errors in the first place, perhaps because it was within 15 minutes after my previous tournament? The only difference I can think of.

[andych]

when would Chinese characters be supported in BBO Web?

 

:lol: ;)

[fred]

when would Chinese characters be supported in BBO Web?

 

:lol: :ph34r:

In theory it should work already.

 

If you try it and it doesn't work, please let us know the details (and please try to be specific).

 

Thanks,

 

Fred Gitelman

Bridge Base Inc.

www.bridgebase.com

[paulg]

In a team match there is no 'chat to tournament' option (as far as I could see).

 

I was not the match host. If I were the host, or secondary TD, would the option be there?

 

Cheers

 

Paul

[uday]

Zielona said

 

"

On one occasions after the tournament was completed and I clicked for Results, I was given results of a tourney with the same name - nearly - but played roughly a year ago.

"

 

Hi Z. do you mean the board results (your 12 boards) or the leaderboard ( all pairs and scores ) ?

Do you remember how you got to these results ?

 

Uday

[zielona]

do you mean the board results (your 12 boards) or the leaderboard ( all pairs and scores ) ?

Do you remember how you got to these results ?

 

 

Hi Uday,

The leaderboard. I went to Completed Tournaments and clicked on Results. Did it several times and only after a long while the correct leaderboard was displayed. Long enough for me to re-calculate masterpoints % average several times in my head and finally in excel. I didn't notice if the Title was of the old tournament or the one that just finished. Both were hosted by the same person - Gaja - and only the number in the Title could be different.

 

I thought I took a screenshot but can't find it, sorry.

 

Cheers,

 

Renata

[fred]

I see that there is an option to transfer BB$ to another BBO member.  I tried to do this and nothing happened.  Then I read (duh!) at the bottom of the transfer screen "use of this system is restricted to staff and authorised members of Bridge Base Online".

 

Why should this feature be restricted?

 

Given that it is restricted, should not the interface be capable of detecting whether the particular user is authorised BEFORE a transfer attempt is made, and if not authorised, conceal the option in the first place, rather than tease you with the option only to deny it at the point that you hit the Transfer button?

Our policies about who can transfer how much and how often have changed from time to time for various reasons. I would rather not go into the details as to why.

 

I am pretty sure that, at this point in time, you are an authorized member. In theory you should have received some kind of message after you attempted the transfer (either a confirmation or a failure message) at the top of the web page where you entered the details. As I mentioned in another thread, our ISP has been having some trouble during the past week which may have resulted in a slow response in this area.

 

If you are concerned that your transfer somehow got lost in the woods or if you try again and cannot complete the transfer, you should send an e-mail to accounting@bridgebase.com. The person who responds to that address will be happy to help you out.

 

Fred Gitelman

Bridge Base Inc.

www.bridgebase.com

[fred]

(1) I was unable to find a way to see the substitute list. How can I see the substitutes?

 

Currently there is no way to do this. There will be in the next version.

 

(2) Tournament Status has to be cleared ('OK') or otherwise I can't go to a table or do anything. Would it be possible to Pin it? In the windows client I usually keep several status popups to see how the tables are moving. It's helpful when you run an unclocked tournament.

 

I am not sure what you mean by this "has to be cleared" or "I can't go to a table or do anything". In theory the status message is just a message that should have no impact on what you can or cannot do. Can you please clarify what you mean?

 

(3) I was unable to identify the table number of players who wrote to the tournament chat. What's the easiest way to find them?

 

Perhaps the easiest way is to right-click on their name at the left of the chat message in question and then click "Show profile" in the menu that appears. You will then see a popup window that contains details of who and where the user is. There will be a "Join table" button at the bottom of this popup that you can click if that is what you want to do.

 

(4) TD calls are cleared when accepted. Is there an option to write them to the chat like it happens on the windows client provided you do not play in your own tournament?

 

There is no such option, but I can see how this might be useful. I will discuss with my partners and possibily implement in the future.

 

(5) Is there an option to write substitutions to the chat?

 

Almost certainly no, but I am not sure what you mean. Can you please give me an example of the type of message you would like to see appear in chat?

 

(6) Unable to remove unlogged players before the start of the tournament.

 

Agree there should be some way to do this. I will see what I can do about implementing this at some point.

 

I think thst's all. Still not sure why I experienced errors in the first place, perhaps because it was within 15 minutes after my previous tournament? The only difference I can think of.

 

(Much) more likely you were a victim of unlucky timing with respect to some of the problems our ISP has been experiencing.

 

Thanks for your feedback.

 

Fred Gitelman

Bridge Base Inc.

www.bridgebase.com

[fred]

In a team match there is no 'chat to tournament' option (as far as I could see).

 

I was not the match host. If I were the host, or secondary TD, would the option be there?

 

Cheers

 

Paul

A team match TD can chat to the tournament either if he is at one of the tables (via the normal chat mechanism) or through the "TD Control Panel".

 

Fred Gitelman

Bridge Base Inc.

www.bridgebase.com

[waubrey]

I have poor vision and have a lot of trouble reading the cards in the web version. If you could just make it so that the Page Zoom function in Opera or Chrome would work with your display that would solve the problem.

[inquiry]

I have poor vision and have a lot of trouble reading the cards in the web version. If you could just make it so that the Page Zoom function in Opera or Chrome would work with your display that would solve the problem.

I am sure Fred will be able to explain your options better than I. But here are my thoughts. First, the "web client" is actually in Flash player. I doubt Fred can add a zoom to that, but I seem to remember some flash programs having a zoom function built in, so maybe I a am wrong about what Fred can do.

 

Your options seem to be.

1. Enlarge the card/bidding section by clicking on the bottom of the playing window and reducting the size of the chat area, and clicking on the right hand side of the playing window and reducing the size of the friends, kibitzer, host box area.
   
2. You might try right clicking on any of the hands and choosing display deal as hand diagram. Many poor eyesight people find that easier to read.
   
3. Wndows comes with a magnifier, that admittedly, is a pain to use. But you can open that and have the magnifier track the mouse. That should make any part of teh game area you are having trouble seeing larger.
   
4. If you bought a large digitial TV, well, hook it up to the computer, they will be way big enough.
   
5. Maybe talk with uday to see if he can help reduce the size of the Ads on the left hand side of the screen, which would increase the screen real estate to display the cards in making them marginally bigger.
   

I hope one or more of those suggestions will help. Seems t

[sireenb]

I have poor vision and have a lot of trouble reading the cards in the web version. If you could just make it so that the Page Zoom function in Opera or Chrome would work with your display that would solve the problem.

If you deselect 'Pictures of Cards' the cards are much more readable in diagram form. Do try that if you have not already....

[babalu1997]

YES the added features have caused me to use the web client more frequently.

 

I do miss the mouse over tho. it is too clcik intensive to try to find out it a friend is available for play, or try to make sense of opps bidding and having to click in their profile.

 

there are many many plyers who say " i play my partner's profile" and the re you go you have to keep clicking.

[fred]

YES the added features have caused me to use the web client more frequently.

 

I do miss the mouse over tho.  it is too clcik intensive to try to find out it a friend is available for play, or try to  make sense of opps bidding and having to click in their profile.

 

there are many many plyers who say " i play my partner's profile" and the re you go you have to keep clicking.

Click the "Options" button at the top of the web-client window then "More options..." on the menu that appears. You will see a window. Click the "Advanced options" tab in that window and then select "Show profile upon mouse over". Then click the "Close" button at the bottom of the window.

 

Fred Gitelman

Bridge Base Inc.

www.bridgebase.com

[andych]

during hand play, the right hand panel (my results) showing the prev score and hand diagram is too small to be useful. If slide it to bigger size, the main hand play window becomes too small, and vice versa.

 

is there any plan to improve this, e.g.

a button somewhere clicking which toggle the screen between hand play, and (prev result + hand).

 

not sure if raised before though ...

:lol: :D B) ;)

[fred]

during hand play, the right hand panel (my results) showing the prev score and hand diagram is too small to be useful. If slide it to bigger size, the main hand play window becomes too small, and vice versa.

 

is there any plan to improve this, e.g.

a button somewhere clicking which toggle the screen between hand play, and (prev result + hand).

 

not sure if raised before though ...

:lol: :D B) ;)

"Too small to be useful" is a function of your monitor size and the quality of your eyesight. Even if you have a small monitor and poor eyesight, I suspect you can find a setting for the main horizontal slider that will make both areas "big enough to be useful".

 

If not then here are some suggestions:

 

1) Move the slider's position whenever you need to give one area more space

 

2) Get a bigger monitor

 

3) Get eye glasses that do some magnifying

 

4) Spend the occasional BB$ thereby removing the ad from your screen and creating more horizontal space

 

I think it is highly unlikely that we will create button that does the same thing as 1) above.

 

Fred Gitelman

Bridge Base Inc.

www.bridgebase.com

[inquiry]

during hand play, the right hand panel (my results) showing the prev score and hand diagram is too small to be useful. If slide it to bigger size, the main hand play window becomes too small, and vice versa.

 

is there any plan to improve this, e.g.

a button somewhere clicking which toggle the screen between hand play, and (prev result + hand).

 

not sure if raised before though ...

:lol: :D B) ;)

Each of the three windows (table, chat area, my results) are independently resizable. Thus you can make the my results window "wider" or "narrower" by clicking about half way between the top and bottom of the window and drag to the left. You can make the diagram at the bottom larger by clicking in the middle of its gray bar and drag upwards.

 

There is actually a little group of what looks like lines on the area of the separating bars that you click on to drag.

 

Hope that helps.

[andych]

during hand play, the right hand panel (my results) showing the prev score and hand diagram is too small to be useful.  If slide it to bigger size, the main hand play  window becomes too small, and vice versa.

 

is there any plan to improve this, e.g.

a button somewhere clicking which toggle the screen between hand play, and (prev result + hand).

 

not sure if raised before though ...

:lol:  :D  B)  :ph34r:

"Too small to be useful" is a function of your monitor size and the quality of your eyesight. Even if you have a small monitor and poor eyesight, I suspect you can find a setting for the main horizontal slider that will make both areas "big enough to be useful".

 

If not then here are some suggestions:

 

1) Move the slider's position whenever you need to give one area more space

 

2) Get a bigger monitor

 

3) Get eye glasses that do some magnifying

 

4) Spend the occasional BB$ thereby removing the ad from your screen and creating more horizontal space

 

I think it is highly unlikely that we will create button that does the same thing as 1) above.

 

Fred Gitelman

Bridge Base Inc.

www.bridgebase.com

" "Too small to be useful" is a function of your monitor size and the quality of your eyesight."

 

Agree. Translation "Too small to be useful" is a function of your $$ and age.

 

BTW, there is a hand diagram (of prev hand) at bottom right hand corner, and the current hand at the main / middle area.

 

Logically, with 2 hands at the same screen, "best"/"appropriate" size of hand diagram is not quite possible then (unless half the screen is the best size)? assuming that one needs to look at both hands on the same screen ....

 

looking at current / prev hand at different times suggests some way of toggling ....

 

Joking .... dont take it too seriously .... :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

thanks inquiry for info. the problem is not only on feasibility, but convenience also.

[zielona]

(2) Tournament Status has to be cleared ('OK') or otherwise I can't go to a table or do anything. Would it be possible to Pin it? In the windows client I usually keep several status popups to see how the tables are moving. It's helpful when you run an unclocked tournament.

 

I am not sure what you mean by this "has to be cleared" or "I can't go to a table or do anything". In theory the status message is just a message that should have no impact on what you can or cannot do. Can you please clarify what you mean?

When I select 'Tournament status' from the Director Action list, table/round information is displayed in a popup window, eg.

Tournament Status

Total: 27 Tables

Section:1 Round:4 Done:0 Playing:12 ( 1 5 6 11 12 )

Section:1 Round:3 Done:1 Playing:7 ( 4 7 8 9 18 )

Section:1 Round:2 Done:3 Playing:4 ( 2 3 17 25 )

OK

 

Windows client has a very similar function, except that the popup does not prevent me from directing the tournament or playing (I usually play in my own tournaments, not on the webclient though).

 

I like keeping several of those popups on the screen to help me work out which tables are playing which round, and in particular which tables are waiting for the next round.

The status popup does not show waiting table numbers and only has 5 or 6 playing table numbers.

 

Under the WebClient, the remainder of the window becomes fuzzy and unuseable while the tournament status popup is on the sreen. The only way to keep the information is by writing it down before clicking the OK. I have now discovered that I am able to copy the contents of the popup into a notepad but this is not much different to writing it down.

 

(3) I was unable to identify the table number of players who wrote to the tournament chat. What's the easiest way to find them?

 

Perhaps the easiest way is to right-click on their name at the left of the chat message in question and then click "Show profile" in the menu that appears. You will then see a popup window that contains details of who and where the user is. There will be a "Join table" button at the bottom of this popup that you can click if that is what you want to do.

Player Profile does not appear to be showing the table number. All it says is 'Playing tourney #280 zielona'.

 

Seeing the table number helps me decide if I really need to join that table. Eg. I could have just replaced a player at that table or I may be already aware of the problem but have more pressing things to do.

 

(4) TD calls are cleared when accepted. Is there an option to write them to the chat like it happens on the windows client provided you do not play in your own tournament?

 

There is no such option, but I can see how this might be useful. I will discuss with my partners and possibily implement in the future.

Alternative could also be to leave the TD Call on the screen but change Action to 'Completed'.

 

(5) Is there an option to write substitutions to the chat?

 

Almost certainly no, but I am not sure what you mean. Can you please give me an example of the type of message you would like to see appear in chat?

Under the windows client substitutions are written to the chat eg.

->zielona: Substitution complete. Neptune25 has been replaced with leganes

 

Substitute players are very precious but they are also very likely runners. If a recent sub goes red I do not wait the prescribed one minute before replacing.

 

 

I have now realized that the one single inconvenience when running tourneys under the Webclient is inability to see the table list while being at a table. Can we expect that feature in the future?

 

Cheers,

 

zielona

[fred]

I have now realized that the one single inconvenience when running tourneys under the Webclient is inability to see the table list while being at a table. Can we expect that feature in the future?

Thanks for clarifying some of the earlier points you made. At least some of your requests will be implemented in the next version.

 

You do this already via the "BBO Now" button at the top of the screen.

 

Fred Gitelman

Bridge Base Inc.

www.bridgebase.com