[TonyOct57]

I notice a new Table Option "Allow Voice" has appeared when you create a tourney.

Is this a new feature?

[pilowsky]

Apparently so
https://news.bridgeb...=web&v3v=5.6.14

[gentgiant]

 pilowsky, on 2020-November-24, 02:58, said:

Apparently so
https://news.bridgeb...=web&v3v=5.6.14

Can video be far behind? Be good to get both in casual play.

Anyone looked at RealBridge that offers both? I have and so far have not been impressed.

[pilowsky]

 gentgiant, on 2020-November-24, 03:58, said:

Can video be far behind? Be good to get both in casual play.

Anyone looked at RealBridge that offers both? I have and so far have not been impressed.

I guess if four friends wanted to they could set up zoom/skype etc, but really, what's the point!
For decades Bridge players have been pfaffing about working out how to play behind screens.
Now it becomes a reality and they want to see each other again.
Makes no sense at all.

[paulg]

 pilowsky, on 2020-November-24, 04:02, said:

I guess if four friends wanted to they could set up zoom/skype etc, but really, what's the point!
For decades Bridge players have been pfaffing about working out how to play behind screens.
Now it becomes a reality and they want to see each other again.
Makes no sense at all.

I think many club players look for a more social rather than competitive environment, so hearing and seeing their friends would be valuable. The advantage of providing it within BBO is that they don't need to faff around with other technologies, which is important for the more technically challenged.

In the UK there is very little opportunity even for tournament players to play behind screens and I would guess 95% of the tournament regulars have never done so. The English Premier League, which normally has around 25 teams, is the only open event with a guaranteed opportunity to use them.

[Bri_and]

I started a tournament earlier with voice chat enabled but couldn't seem to get any voice. Is this a set-up issue? anybody else managed to make it work yet ?

[BudH]

A partner and I tried using this on a partnership bidding table, and we did get it to work. Look for a Voice button near the Chat button at right side of Chat line.

Players will need microphones - that work - on their computers, obviously. It appears I could decide who to send voice messages to but all of this will eventually be told to us - according to the Monday Zoom BBO/ACBL virtual club director meeting last night which was a topic presented. Presumably by end of week we (ACBL virtual game directors) might get some instructions from BBO.

[TonyOct57]

 gentgiant, on 2020-November-24, 03:58, said:

Can video be far behind? Be good to get both in casual play.

Anyone looked at RealBridge that offers both? I have and so far have not been impressed.

I have been using RealBridge for a couple of weeks and if it is reliable enough it will definitely appeal to many people over BBO. It is also cheaper. They also provide training and support (a phone number to call!)

[pescetom]

 Bri_and, on 2020-November-24, 16:28, said:

I started a tournament earlier with voice chat enabled but couldn't seem to get any voice. Is this a set-up issue? anybody else managed to make it work yet ?

I directed a tournament with voice enabled yesterday and it worked sometimes but had teething problems. Only a few people managed to talk (out of many who have microphones set up to work in zoom or whatever with same browser). It was also necessary to select specific people to talk to and unselect them when at a different table which is impractical for director at least.

[Tonyfrench]

I selected this option with a UK virtual club so it's certainly there. However I had no joy making it work, is there any guidance available yet, or due even does anyone know?

There's no doubt in my mind that this will be welcome among many club players to add something of the social aspect back to the game.

[gentgiant]

 Tonyfrench, on 2020-November-26, 06:59, said:

I selected this option with a UK virtual club so it's certainly there. However I had no joy making it work, is there any guidance available yet, or due even does anyone know?

There's no doubt in my mind that this will be welcome among many club players to add something of the social aspect back to the game.

The option worked yesterday. I had it set for next week's tourney. Then I checked again today and the tourney had disappeared completely.

A vEBU log in. There are also teething probles in selecting Swiss Teams.

[vnibu131]

I tried Voice in a Virtual tournament tonight 26/11/20 and the result is that this appears far from a finished product - hence the lack of instructions?
A number tried the function and most were logged off each time they tried. Some got a valid result once or twice.
Will now wait until BBO get this working. Jim

[Tonyfrench]

 gentgiant, on 2020-November-26, 10:25, said:

The option worked yesterday. I had it set for next week's tourney. Then I checked again today and the tourney had disappeared completely.

A vEBU log in. There are also teething probles in selecting Swiss Teams.

Cheers, as Jim says, think it’s worth waiting till it’s a little more robust.

[sekica]

 paulg, on 2020-November-24, 04:30, said:

I think many club players look for a more social rather than competitive environment, so hearing and seeing their friends would be valuable. The advantage of providing it within BBO is that they don't need to faff around with other technologies, which is important for the more technically challenged.

In the UK there is very little opportunity even for tournament players to play behind screens and I would guess 95% of the tournament regulars have never done so. The English Premier League, which normally has around 25 teams, is the only open event with a guaranteed opportunity to use them.

In our club we like both competitive and social aspect of playing bridge. We were taught it is unethical to look at the partners face while bidding or playing to avoid inadvertently passing unauthorised information. We communicate through cards while playing, but have a nice chat, time permitting, at the end of the hand. On BBO it would be nice to see and hear each other, but I think this would work only at the end of the hand. Perhaps there should be a virtual screen which lifts at the end of the hand. The voice/video then appears automatically, but only if enabled in the user account. The TD would not have to be involved.

[Qwasimodo]

 TonyOct57, on 2020-November-25, 04:35, said:

I have been using RealBridge for a couple of weeks and if it is reliable enough it will definitely appeal to many people over BBO. It is also cheaper. They also provide training and support (a phone number to call!)

One thing that BBO is abysmal at, is communications. No instructions, options, or explanation - of anything. Suck it and see.

[BudH]

So the voice chat is available only on team games (of 8 players at 2 tables) and the BBO virtual club games - and NOT available anywhere else (such as a casual table of four players)?

[barmar]

 BudH, on 2020-December-09, 18:31, said:

So the voice chat is available only on team games (of 8 players at 2 tables) and the BBO virtual club games - and NOT available anywhere else (such as a casual table of four players)?

That's right. It was requested by NBOs to enhance their tournaments, we haven't extended it to all types of tables.

[Bri_and]

 barmar, on 2020-December-09, 19:20, said:

That's right. It was requested by NBOs to enhance their tournaments, we haven't extended it to all types of tables.

I can set up a tourney with it but only get voice 1 way. Are there any instructions yet ? - or any planned ?? Can't work out if I have a local issue unless I know how it's supposed to work.

[BudH]

 barmar, on 2020-December-09, 19:20, said:

That's right. It was requested by NBOs to enhance their tournaments, we haven't extended it to all types of tables.

Interesting that I can use voice now on the Partnership Bidding tables!

[barmar]

 BudH, on 2020-December-12, 20:37, said:

Interesting that I can use voice now on the Partnership Bidding tables!

Teaching and bidding tables have had the voice option for years. What was added last month was tourneys.