Improving VDP Playing Time

[AP]

I would like to start a discussion on how we can 'speed up' the VDP game. The average FTF game takes around an hour, while VDP has been averaging 2.5-3 hours.
I know most are still learning the game and such, and I definitely don't want to push anyone, but I would like to see more missions happen in a 'session'.
Ideas, thoughts?

[kevan]

I think the ultimate answer is supplementary voice communication. If all the table talk was by voice and the game windows used simply for recording data, I think things would improve immediately. Some newer players may not be aware that Rex was nice enough to set us up with a conference call for the first couple of VDP games, and it was really helpful.

I think that the slow play is self-promoting. I've been guilt of tuning out when things slow down, and subsequently missing a cue that I should be doing something, and there are times when I'm 99% sure that's why another player seems to be lagging. Cues can also be missed when juggling windows, especially when tailing cards add to the complexity. These may only be delays of a half minute at a time, but they quickly add up, and can prevent other players from preparing their future actions. Both of these situations would be solved by voice communications.

And both Skype and TeamSpeak are free. A basic mic and speakers or headset is your only expense, but are usually fairly inexpensive.

I'm not sure if anyone is playing without a copy of the rule book. If so, you really should try to track down a copy of the game. You can pick up a copy on Ebay at a pretty reasonable price, and there's usually at least one listed. I empathise with people testing out the game, but communicating rules or not having copies of the charts can really bog things down.

[Stephen]

Most of the delays I've experienced were technical.

[kirkh]

I think apart from the setup time for games which can sometimes take 45 minutes, Kevan is right. We all have to type in things we'd normally only take a second or two to say and it eats up time. I agree the next step would be for everyone to get a mic/headphones. In addition to that though, I think part of the problem is that players like me simply don't have that many DP games under our belts yet. What comes naturally for you vets is something us rookies need to look up in a rule book. AP says the average FTF DP game takes only an hour, but I assume that's with a group of guys that have been playing together for years. If you threw in a few rookies I'm sure the game time would increase substantially. I think as we all learn both VASSAL and DP, game times should drop - altough a mic and headphones would help a lot too.

[Rex]

Voice Comms have been something I have been infavor of since the begining. I think it was Dan who set us up with access to his Teamspeak server, but I stopped logging in because no one else was logging in.

This would be a good first step.


-Rex