A player can make a move, close the app and come back three days later. For correspondence play, that is an ordinary use of the game. The match needs to survive the absence, and returning should make sense to someone who has been thinking about other things.
Leaving is normal
When people sit down to play together, they expect prompt updates and tend to notice a disconnect immediately. In correspondence play, an opponent may not open the game until tomorrow.
Players should be able to leave without keeping the app open for the match's sake. That expectation affects the experience of sending a move, returning to the board and finding out whose turn comes next.
Know whether the move counted
Battle for Velune's correspondence play needs a reliable answer when a connection drops after a move. Did the server accept it, or is the board still where it was?
The game supplies the rules for deciding whether a move is legal. The platform handles the surrounding work of keeping the match available. When someone returns, they need an accurate view of what they are allowed to see, including any changes since their last visit.
Showing the current position is only part of the job. The game also has to help the player understand it well enough to make their next decision.
Give players a reason to return
A turn notification can tell someone there is a reason to open the game. By the time they do, the match may have changed again. The game still needs to show the current position.
Notifications can be missed. Finding and continuing a match should not depend on receiving one.
Returning on another device also needs an account the player can sign into there. We should make that requirement clear rather than let someone discover it after they have started playing.
Give the game control of the pace
The difference between live and correspondence play is about what players expect. It does not require a separate platform for each.
A game might ask players to act quickly, give them days or leave a turn untimed. It also decides what happens when time runs out. Closing the app should not be mistaken for pausing the match.
After three days away, a player may find that a deadline passed and the match moved on. They need to understand what happened and what they can do now. That is the experience we are working toward.
