Times for Major RPTs and timezones

[Iiyola]

I understand that not everyone can play when big RPT's are planned.

But in the case of the big RPT planned by staff next week (you know, the one in Luir's)... its taking place at 9 pm ST, which is exactly the time that only serves North American timezones.

Had it been planned either at 6 PM or 12 am, it wouldn't have inconvenienced a lot of North American players, AND players of other timezones would've been able to attend as well.

@staff can you please keep non American players in mind for such big events?

[Halaster]

We do try to include as many people as we can, but sometimes that might be the only time the staffer running the event has available.

[Iiyola]

It can't be done another day then? A bulk of players have to suffer because of unavailability of staff's other play times?

I get it when its a minor RPT, but this one in question involves about all of the Known, almost...

[Haldol]

This is largely because of logistics.  6 pm EST is 4 pm for me, so I'd still be at work. 12 am was too late for some of the east coast staffers. I wanted a weekend so if it ran late players could sleep late the next day. The chosen weekend was needed to meet staff/player schedules. It's hard to find a time/date that works well for everyone. I know that doesn't really help, but might explain the situation.

[Iiyola]

It's the usual explanation for this kind of thing: sorry, you're not American and don't fit in my schedule. Too bad.

But given the fact that this is a Zalanthas wide rpt, or rather, can attract all kinds of denizens, couldn't staff consider to push it maybe back a week, ensuring more staff availability? It's a BIG deal for a lot of people.

[Oleupata]

Believe it or not, this is primarily player-run, and the timing was chosen as that which the player(s) in charge could make as well as staff.

[Hestia]

It doesn't matter which day you schedule it. I can't play at 6am or midnight. If I'm needed to facilitate an event, or assist, or animate, then it needs to occur within the 12-hour period of time I'm available. That's pretty flexible. Most people aren't available 12 hours a day, every day, to schedule an event. I'm happy to work my off-line schedule to accommodate yours. As long as it's between 10am and 10pm. My time. And - technically - all but 2 of those 12 hours are off-peak. They might not be the off-peak you want, but they are absolutely off-peak.

[wizturbo]

It's the usual explanation for this kind of thing: sorry, you're not American and don't fit in my schedule. Too bad.

You're being kinda harsh here.  I understand that you're bummed at the schedule, and I think your post is totally a valid one to raise, but the wording here is a bit more pointed than it needs to be imo.   No offense intended!

[BadSkeelz]

It's the usual explanation for this kind of thing: sorry, you're not American and don't fit in my schedule. Too bad.

But given the fact that this is a Zalanthas wide rpt, or rather, can attract all kinds of denizens, couldn't staff consider to push it maybe back a week, ensuring more staff availability? It's a BIG deal for a lot of people.

Pushing it back a week drops it on Thanksgiving weekend for Americans, which is probably even more onerous for scheduling.

HRPTs are a mixed bag anyway, don't sweat if you miss them. There'll be plenty of fallout to deal with afterward.

[Bebop]

It's the usual explanation for this kind of thing: sorry, you're not American and don't fit in my schedule. Too bad.

But given the fact that this is a Zalanthas wide rpt, or rather, can attract all kinds of denizens, couldn't staff consider to push it maybe back a week, ensuring more staff availability? It's a BIG deal for a lot of people.

What time frame would allow for off peak and on peak to overlap?

[Inks]

Most of the time staff works out the time with Leader PCs, giving onpeak and offpeak times available. Want to change RPT time? Be the leader PC.

I'm Australian, so have missed a lot, but I've also made the time to be at a lot and seen plenty of offpeak ones. There will always be another RPT.

[Iiyola]

You're being kinda harsh here.  I understand that you're bummed at the schedule, and I think your post is totally a valid one to raise, but the wording here is a bit more pointed than it needs to be imo.   No offense intended!

If it came off as offensive, that was not intended. Now that I reread it, I can see how the "tone" of the words can come across as such. But there is obvious frustration.

As for pushing it back a week, with American Thanksgiving, the point stands. American's can't make it, which is understandable, so people take that in consideration. In the same vein I personally would like to see the same consideration for off-peakers.

RPT's always happen and you can never satisfy everyone, again I completely understand. But this one in question is quite large and it involves off-peak people that could play a big role in it (that doesn't include myself, even though I am off-peak).

As for the question when an RPT would be convenient for the majority of time zones? Do it in a weekend, either 6 PM ST or 12 AM ST. But 9 PM is smack dab in the middle of the night in Europe.

Or do an alternative one in addition to the initial one? I've seen it arranged before and it was certainly doable.

[Night Queen]

That's a good idea, worked well with the ocotillo festivals I think - both events that are early and late, because they suit different countries better - sure, if organisers+staff can only make one time, that's understandable, but having an "unofficial" earlier time added on that people who can't make the late night time can rally around, hurts no one and means you get 2 RPTs for the effort of 1!

I try avoid using terms like server time, peak, and offpeak, because they kinda tend to encourage people to think of that as the standard, to the point that sometimes people (adult people!!!) don't know how to convert timezones (and so understand where people are coming from a little better), because they've never had a reason to learn Putting the times in as EST (USA) as well as CEST (W Europe) etc I think is a quick and easy way to make it feel less unwelcoming to global players, as well as new or prospective browsing players who don't know what a "ST" is (or a "rpt" which is another thing taken for granted but is just weird random jargon, when not explained anywhere to new players)

Maybe a little post template could be something like this (picking mostly English speaking areas, but with a good range since people are mostly familiar with the rough differences of timezones closer to them):

This is sort of similar to how commercial games tend to try accommodate people from different timezones with their servers etc (and by popularity, they must be doing something right, it's obviously been agreed somewhere "this makes games more successful"):

[HEAVILY recommended playing time (plot event - Luir's Outpost)]
2022-11-19 02:00:00Z (UTC)

US West PST (UTC-8)/PDT(UTC-7)	6pm Friday
US East EST (UTC-5)/EDT (UTC-4)	9pm Friday
UK GMT (UTC±0)/BST (UTC+1)	2am Saturday (Friday night)
Europe West CET (UTC+1)/CEST (UTC+2)	3am Saturday (Friday night)
Australia East AEST (UTC+10)/AEDT (UTC+11)	12pm Saturday

Unofficial secondary time:
2022-11-18 18:00:00Z (UTC)

US West PST (UTC-8)/PDT(UTC-7)	10am Friday
US East EST (UTC-5)/EDT (UTC-4)	1pm Friday
UK GMT (UTC±0)/BST (UTC+1)	6pm Friday
Europe West CET (UTC+1)/CEST (UTC+2)	7pm Friday
Australia East AEST (UTC+10)/AEDT (UTC+11)	5am Saturday

[Brokkr]

A bulk of players have to suffer because of unavailability of staff's other play times?

A bulk of players appear to be American, based on the most populous time of day.  So having it in a timezone when Americans are available is making sure that a bulk of players do not suffer.

Outside of the Americas time zones, I couldn't say if we have more players in Europe or Asia.  You apparently want to orient to Europe.  Inks is apparently Australian.  It is impossible to not inconvenience at least one time zone with an American, European and Australian. As someone with calls with either Europe or Asia nearly every workday, I am well aware of this.

So, what you appear to be asking, perhaps without realizing, is for us to prioritize Europe over Asia.  While we don't actually prioritize that way, as whatever time we pick will typically be ok for at least 2/3.  So instead we prioritize by when those directly involved, needed PCs (not necessarily even leaders) and Staff are available.

[Iiyola]

A bulk of players have to suffer because of unavailability of staff's other play times?

A bulk of players appear to be American, based on the most populous time of day.  So having it in a timezone when Americans are available is making sure that a bulk of players do not suffer.

I'm not talking about the majority, but a bunch/bulk/load/certain amount of players outside of the Americas. I'm also talking about an adjustment of only 3 hours, which isn't groundbreaking, especially not when it takes place in the weekend.

Outside of the Americas time zones, I couldn't say if we have more players in Europe or Asia.  You apparently want to orient to Europe.

Mostly, because I am European. However. Lets say 6 pm ST (which is EST, is 12 am CET and 10 am Sydney time. Of course, not ideal, but it COULD potentially be a timeframe where multiple time zones can (partially) participate.

So, what you appear to be asking, perhaps without realizing, is for us to prioritize Europe over Asia.  While we don't actually prioritize that way, as whatever time we pick will typically be ok for at least 2/3.  So instead we prioritize by when those directly involved, needed PCs (not necessarily even leaders) and Staff are available.

I've already made a couple of suggestions that would apply to multiple time zones.

[Night Queen]

do my idea that I totally did not steal

[Tuannon]

If it's an Atrium lecture, just find out what the best time for the Atrium people who matter (the commoners).

Work on desired audience time.

[whengravityfails]

This doesn't affect me personally - although at one time it did when I lived overseas. It's frustrating to miss out on all the neat things simply because of time zones. I would think there'd be some way to accommodate those who can't make the more standard times. I understand wanting to get the most people in (or in the obvious case of the necessary people being there), but perhaps
there could also be a secondary event that doesn't require all of the same people or staff in order to make it more Euro friendly if the event in question can't be put in a time slot that would accommodate all of the necessary actors, so to speak.

[Nao]

It REALLY helps to put these on a weekend, like the current HRPT. If I don't have to work the next day, I can stay up late, while the 9PM monday RPTs that have been popular recently are impossible to attend at all.  This applies does not only apply to middle-of-the-night time zones,  but also to those where 9PM is during the day, where those players are literally working at 9PM server on weekdays.

I'm not sure if 9PM on a Monday works for anyone outside of the  Americas, really.

[LindseyBalboa]

I used to miss tons of plots because I worked weekend nights. It's not unfair to hospitality workers it's just when the majority of people and staff can manage to get together.

Besides, the main factor in a staff member running a plot they're involved in is going to have to always be, in the end, when that staff member can run the plot.

Hopefully there'll be stuff you can jump into more easily as a byproduct of your suggestion. I feel like it'd be potentially useful to know staff timezones or have generic public info like "this clan is currently more euro times and so is their staff" to help promote more off peak activity.

[Halaster]

I hope on the next staffing call we get some more non-US timezone folks apply!  We have a couple on staff, but not many.  That would certainly help.

[zealus]

If you want more off peak rpts. Organise them. Might sound harsh. But organising an rpt is like herding cats. You can not please everyone.

[Iiyola]

If you want more off peak rpts. Organise them. Might sound harsh. But organising an rpt is like herding cats. You can not please everyone.

The RPT in question isn't really one that can be organized at random by a volunteer.

Additionally, as much as I love to organize RPT's (and I have done so in the past), my current situation doesn't allow for much time to play, let alone take a leadership role and/or organizing RPT's. If I had the time, I'd even apply for staff, but being a responsible adult with a FT job and fam to take care of... it just won't happen

[Riev]

Moving to a new spot in the world isn't really someone else's responsibility to make sure you're included. It sucks, but not every RPT is designed for American East Coast Peak time. I've seen quite a few events run during my work day, and its had some staffers able to come and assist for those.

Its not about being harsh, its that there is some sort of implication here that one group is being given favortism for living in the timezone that is most common amongst players needed for the event.

Why would I set up an RPT to benefit people in Greenwich Mean Time if all the people I need to be there are on West Coast US?

[Iiyola]

We're going in circles here...

I already explained that we're talking about a change of 3 hours, which isn't terribly impactful on the North American side, especially not when its in the weekend.