This is a clever idea.

To murk up the thread, I also suggest someone make a version of the US Civil War that is build anywhere, as opposed to the current limited build map. I assume that would be any easy code change, but since I don't know anything about coding maybe I should keep my assumptions to myself. Regardless, I wouldn't mind seeing the change.

We have this already in the WWIV variant.
Any more ideas how to handle these early NMRs?

-extra reliability points?

I mean it is safe to say that someone who joins a game, the misses the first turn is kinda unreliable

But maybe he missed the first turn because ther game started early and he didn't check the website in time.

I think the game is already ruined if a player misses only one phase, espessially in the beginning so the best would be a draw or cancel.

Maybe default the missing player and reset the game clock without revealing moves?

Yeah, because I mean just drawing and especially cancelling essentially rewards a player for unreliability. They can say "Oh look, *insert least favourite country here* again? Well, I guess I don't have to play this one! I'll just get my points back anyway!"

On another note, one possibility (and I have no idea how hard this would be to implement) would be to set the site such that points lost in a game where the player CDed are simply lost points. If the player's still at base 100, they just lose the points, and their basic amount for when they legitimately lose games then becomes say 90 credits instead.

I like that idea of roll-back if someone who doesn't come to the table, provided it doesn't disadvantage the ''surprise'' of the first season.

(also a permanent loss of points could be effective.)

but carrot with the stick - a way to regain loss of face.

What if a game went to automatic pause before the moves are processed with a CD, and making an opportunity for someone to take over. (I think that is what Gopher said)

Also, what if the buy in was lowered in take-over situations.

My current idea:
The phase automatically extends 1 phase length, the country CDs and the player missing the phase gets 2 missed phases on his account. If no one takes the country the phase extends again (and the player get 2 more missed phases on his account).
This could be the default behaviour for the first 5 turns.

Oli, That would be great!

I would love to hear input on lowering the buy in for take-over situations. In previous judges I have played, only the initial player had to pay. It made taking over a country beneficial even in hopeless situations. Games never processed with an apandoned country, and replacements were easy to find.

What I was suggesting (in response to GOD) was that the first turn just would not process with an NMR. The clock would reset and the player would be CDed and no moves would be revealed for turn 1. Find a new player and try again.

But I'd be fine with the missing player just being booted from the game and everybody searches for a replacement player for turn 2. That was what I initially suggested.

I like both Oli's and Devo's ideas.
CD after first turn with 5 times extension, then the game goes on.
Subsequent CDs with 2 times extension, then the game goes on.
Also, take over buy in is, say, 50% of country's worth. This would make really easier finding replacements.

Do what you've done for WWIV. I think that works acceptably well:
set a default opening for all player, (or it might be a random opening to make thing more interesting). So, if a player misses first turn, then he goes to c.d. as gopher said, but those who want to replace the country, won't have such a big dissadventage.

Setting a default "move" for the first turn is not that easy. Default builds are no problem, but default Moves are really hard to set up.

Changed the adjucator:
During the first 2 turns (usually Spring and Autumn) the game waits for everybody to enter it's moves.
If someone miss to enter a turn the country is set to CD and the phase-time is reseted.
If someone else joins the game and enter a move the game proceeds immediately.
If no one takes over the country it resets the phasetime again instead of processing (till someone takes over the country).
Every phase-reset effects the reliability-rating.

Lets see how this works and post your impressions here.