frequently asked questions (faq)
Running games, connections etc.
- What could be the reasons for the games failing to start?
- What could be the reasons for the games failing to connect to the games server?
- What port numbers are used for connections to the games server?
- Why does game time sometimes change unexpectedly after the opponent's move?
Other
- What should I do if I'm harassed by someone?
- When are users stopped being considered as new?
- How does the ranking system work?
- When are players' names on the table displayed in gray?
What could be the reasons for the games failing to start?
If you have used these games before and have not made any changes to your system nor the web browser's settings recently, then try to clean the temporary files (cache) of your browser (you can do it in the settings/preferences menu), close it, run and try running games again.
If you are new to the games or have made some changes recently and after selecting a room to play, the game does not start (the window remains gray or white, often with a broken image in its top left corner), then it's likely your browser doesn't support Java applets.
In order for the browser to support Java applets, you need to install Java software, the latest version of which can be downloaded from the following address:
www.java.com
If after selecting a room to play the game window doesn't even open, then either your browser has JavaScript support turned off (you need to enable it in the browser's settings/preferences) or you have some sort of ad-blocking software that mistakenly prevents the new window from opening.
What could be the reasons for the games failing to connect to the games server?
The most common reason is (corporate) firewalls. If you have a firewall on your computer, then configure it to allow connections to x.playok.com server on port 17001. If you don't have any, then contact your network administrator and ask him or her to unblock those connections.
What port numbers are used for connections to the games server?
All games use common port 17001. If it fails, one of the alternative ports is tried (443, 23; all usually unblocked on firewalls).
Why does game time sometimes change unexpectedly after the opponent's move?
The reason behind that strange behaviour are connection lags. Unfortunately, nothing can be easily done to prevent it.
What should I do if I'm harassed by someone?
You can ignore selected users so that their messages will not be visible to you. To ignore a user, double-click his id on the list and select "ignore" in the window that will pop up.
Unfortunately, there is no way to report abusive users. They are only blocked semi-automatically.
When are users stopped being considered as new?
Users stop being considered as new to the site no sooner than a month from the sign up date and no sooner than after spending certain amount of time online in games (it's not public how much exactly though).
How does the ranking system work?
Backgammon uses a FIBS rating system while all other games use a popular ELO chess rating system. Many web pages describe these systems in detail (find them with a search engine).
When are players' names on the table displayed in gray?
It happens whenever a player switches his or her game window to another program. If you notice someone doing this before making each move, it's likely that he or she is cheating by playing with some sort of program.