I've just been playing a few killer games and at at the end of one my laptop started to perform really slowly, so I thought I'd exit funkypool for a second because I wouldn't be able to play properly in the next game, but as it was running slowly the game window would not close.

The fourth player joined the room and everyone besides me had clicked start.

I heard the countdown clock beeping to say that I had so long to click start or exit, I could do neither as my laptop wouldn't allow me to.

So the game started, and eventually I was logged out, resulting in me losing points for something I had no control over.

I'm suggesting that if a player is timed out, they should be put into 'watch' mode, rather than starting the game.

While I understand your frustration, this would defeat the main purpose of auto start: Getting games started despite inattentive players.

Obviously it would be a good idea if players with technical problems did not suffer from this, but not sure if there's any way you could code the game to distinguish the two.

I see your point, Jan.

I just wonder whether or not it came up if I was 'not responding'

If it was the case that the game didn't class me as 'not responding' then there is nothing wrong with what happened. As the game would have no idea I was having trouble.

But if I was 'not responding' then I'd say it is flawed.

EDIT: Although the fact that I could hear the beeps for the countdown probably suggests that I was responding as far as the game was concerned.

Edited at 17:56 Thu 23/04/09 (BST)

I don't believe the game starts if you are registered as not responding, no... In your case, there apparently was still data being sent to/from the server, meaning the game had no clue you were struggling.

Then again there is probably a time window there, between your connection or computer going bad and until the server registering that fact. If the game reaches its auto start countdown within that window you probably get started too.

Thanks for clearing that up for me Jan.

I've had a bad run at killer today so I was a little worked up

A sure cure for this, especially if it's a common problem, is to become a spectator first before closing the window.

I didn't have that opportunity in this case though Cloone, I planned on playing the next game until I encountered problems. Then I couldn't do anything to change my 'player' status.

This does seem the same problem as described as 2 users here:
http://www.funkypool.com/viewTopic.do?topicid=14936&page=15

Has this only happened at the start game point?

Well I started encountering problems on my computer at the end of the first game so I wasn't able to click start or watch when the new players joined the game.

It was probably nothing wrong with the game because as far as the game knew I was just an idle player who hadn't clicked start yet because 'I was still 'responding'.


Edited for spelling.

Edited at 16:30 Tue 28/04/09 (BST)

The same scenario shouldn't be possible any more (as of today).

Thanks - good job, Nick.

And the freezing problem should be fixed now, too.