About yucata.de
Yucata.de is an online gaming portal focusing on German-style games. Yucata.de is the hobby of the webmaster, and therefore free of charge and without advertising.
How does yucata.de work?
The games on yucata.de are asynchronous. Generally, not all players of a game are online simultaneously. They may join, make their moves and leave afterwards. But it is possible to play a game “live” with somebody already online or to issue an invitation with the request for a “fast game”. Most players participate in several games at the same time.
A game against a computer is not possible and is not in the planning.
Which browsers are supported?
Yucata.de uses JavaScript and, particulary for the games, complex html. No special browser requirements are needed.
Yucata.de is fully tested with Firefox and Internet Explorer from version 7. It does also work with Safari, Chrome, Camino and Opera, but some problems may occur occasionally. Unfortunately, it would be too time consuming for a hobby to make it fully compatible with all browsers.
What is a Guest Account?
If somebody is not sure if yucata.de is right for her/him, she/he may create a guest account and give it a try. Such accounts are always labeled as GuestXYZ and are valid for 24 hours. A Guest account can easily be transferred into a permanent account. The player selects My profile in the menu and renames it by choosing a username. Attention: once the renaming is done, it cannot be changed again later.
Why do I have to create an account?
Every move of every game is saved in a data base. In order to identify the players it is necessary that everybody has a username. The username will also be used to send messages, to accept and create personal invitations.
The information in the user profile is visible to all registered users, so everyone has to decide, what data to provide. The information is not made available to third parties by yucata.de, but yucata.de cannot guarantee that it is not copied.
The email address provided isn't validated by yucata.de and will only be used for forwarding messages if the user has chosen this option in My profile. It is only visible to other registered users if it is specifically allowed by selecting 'Public address' in My profile.
Who is working for yucata.de?
Yucata.de is a project of Kay Wilke (for more information see Editorial), username Sparhawk.
In between more users added a lot of work to this project. More infos one can find in Team.
Some players also have administrative rights, they are marked in the "Player now online" list with 
symbol.
Yucata.de exists since March 2001. It was first intended as a single game platform.
But since 2005 the development has accelerated dramatically, such that now more than 40 games are offered.
How can I support yucata.de?
The biggest gratification for the webmaster are many happy players. Go wild playing on yucata.de and spread the news among your friends.
You are encouraged to make suggestion for improving yucata.de or to discuss general ideas by writing to the webmaster or by posting on the Discussion board. With your help yucata.de will become even better.
Yucata.de has one of the nicest player communities. Contribute to it as well. Aggressive behavior and foul language are not tolerated. Yucata.de is serious about it. No terms of abuse, no dumb jokes, and no discussion about politics. It is a gaming portal providing pure fun.
Yucata.de does cost money. In the Overview section there is an element "Support yucata". By following the link “Further Information” the various options are explained. As a thank you each donor is marked in the list of online players by a donor symbol.
Finally, it is possible to join yucata.de as programmer. If you would enjoy learning the technology and implementing a game, please contact the webmaster.
How is yucata.de implemented technically?
On the server side yucata.de uses Microsoft .NET 2.0. As of now a rather large frame work has been established, into which the games added. The portal is an own creation, since none of the existing frame works (DNN or similar ones) did offer what the webmaster envisioned.
On the client side a lot of JavaScript is used for the games allowing complex moves without constant feedback to the server.
AJAX is primarily used for check-backs to the server. The Overview page in particular was developed with this technology. The list of online players, the Chat, the current news/invitations/games are all refreshed in different intervals.
Starting a game
Before you may play against other players you have to find somebody willing to
play with you. To do this players send invitations or they accept invitations
they received 
.
The next two topics will explain exaxtly this.
Can I see who is currently online?
Yes, you can. On the left side of the Overview page (visible to all registered users) there is a list of all players currently online ("Player now online") with the time that has passed since the last move. For instance, “8:00” means that the player has been inactive for the last 8 minutes. If the player didn't log out correctly, he will be removed from the list within 2 minutes; if he leaves the Overview open but is idle, he will be removed after 20 minutes
Accepting invitations
In the right-hand column on the Overview page there is a list of invitations ("Received Invitations") that were issued.
If it is a public invitation
to all players,
you may accept it 
. If it is a personal invitation
to you,
you may accept 
or
delete it 
. A deleted invitation is removed from your Overview page as well as from the Overview page of the player who issued the invitation.
All used symbols are explained in the left-hand column "Legend" near the bottom of the
page.
Most games are played by two players, and do therefore begin as soon as a player accepts the invitation. Some games are played with three or more players. Those games begin as soon as enough players have accepted the invitation.
You can find out the number of players in a game by looking at the
-symbols.
To the right of the invitation you can see who has issued and who has already accepted the invitation.
In some games the issuer of the invitation is the start player, in others the start player is selected randomly. Games with more than 2 players are generally slow, that is 1 or 2 moves a day or even slower. If a fast multiple player game is desired, it should be mentioned in the invitation.
Considerate behaviour includes the following items:
-
If a player created several invitations, do not accept more than one or, at
most, two of them if they have not been directed to you personally. Most
players enjoy playing with different opponents and do not appreciate it if they
create ten invitations and have to play all of them against the same opponent.
Naturally you may ask the creator of the invitations if you may accept more
than one or two.
-
Being a beginner, do not start too many games. Depending on your opponent a
game may well take several weeks to finish. Many new players start 30 or more
games because at the beginning not much is happening only to realise after two
days that they cannot service all those games or that a particular games is
perhaps not their favorite. Try first, then you may start as many games as you
like as long as you find the time to make your moves.
Creating invitations
To issue an invitation move the mouse onto the desired game and click on 'Create invitation' in the navigation popup window, or simply click on the game name. Other items you can access through the navigation popup window are the game rules, and, in some games, the game strategy.
For each game you may specify if it shall be a ranking or non-ranking (practice) game. Yucata, when played as a ranking game, is the only game with a first leg and a
return game 
because it makes a difference who is moving first. All other games
do not have return games.
When creating an invitation you have to decide if it is a general invitation directed to all players or a personal invitation directed to a specific player. You may add requests to your invitations such as a desired rank (e.g. "Macom Priest or higher, please!") or the pace of the game (e.g. "fast game, several daily moves," etc). Please be considerate and pay attention to those requests.
In some games you can choose the number of players and/or select different game options. The selections are self-explaining, but are also explained in more detail in the game rules.
How do I open an existing game?
You can check the updated status of any game independent on whose turn it is. Your open games are listed under "Current Games". If a game is grayed out, it is not your turn. You open a game by clicking on it.
If you have open turns in several games, the one you have to move first
is the one your opponent is waiting for the longest time. This rule was introduced because some players only finished the games they were winning.
There are some functionalities so that this rule shouldn't bother you.
You can click on the "Start Game: ID"-Button on the Overview page at the bottom
of the "Current Games" list to open the game in which you have to move first. Also there is the possiblity
to sort the "Current Games" so that you see where you have to move by clicking at the column before the 'ID'. And in each game window
you can click on “Go to next game” or as an alternative,
you can let the software do the job for you.
Every few seconds it checks if it’s your turn in another, older game.
It this is the case, it asks you if you want to switch to that game.
You can either accept or decline. You might want to decline if you are
currently planning your next move in the game you have open.
If you accept it switches automatically to the next game in sequence.
Why does a game last that long?
On yucata.de the games are played asynchronously, which means that not all players are online simultaneously. If you are playing only one game, and your opponent happens to be online as well, play can progress quickly. Even though it is still slower than similar gaming portals based on this mode. Even if your opponent is online, play may slow down or stall, because he may be involved in several other games.
It is my turn, but I cannot make a move?
Most likely a message in the upper left corner warns you that it’s your turn, but that you have to move in older games first. Either click on “Go to next game” or wait until you are switched automatically (see above).
If this is not the case (or “Go to next game” gets you to back to the current game), you may either use a browser that doesn’t show everything correctly, or you try to make an invalid move. First try to reset your move, overthink and try to move again and if this doesn't work, ask in the chat and you will get an answer quickly!
Can I delete a game?
Generally not. Once you have accepted a game you have to play it. A game will be deleted automatically, when your opponent hasn’t logged in for 60 days. There will be no scoring for that game.
Can I give up a game?
You can give up every two player game except Yucata with the “Give up” button at the bottom. In multi-player games it isn't possible to give up.
In the game “Yucata” you have to declare yourself as unworthy in order to be allowed to give up. If you do so, you will get all blue and your opponent all brown stones, and, if still available, also the red stone. Since Yucata is played in 2 rounds, it may happen that somebody who has declared himself as unworthy (in one round), still wins the game based on the total score of the 2 rounds.
How do I make a move in a game?
This depends very much on the game. The games were implemented by different developers at different times and therefore don’t have the same protocol. In simple games such as Yucata or Morris you simply click on the card you want to play or at the place where you want to place your stone.
In more complex games such as Kahuna, Hacienda or Masons you will find a menu with the next possible moves. At the moment there are no aids for the individual games. Use your intuition and try it out! If you are stuck ask in the "Chat" or use the "Reset move"-Button to try it once again.
What are Ranks?
Each player starts as worker. Before being allowed to serve the gods
and gain clerical ranks, the players have to prove their worth in worldly
matters.
To gain a new rank in the society of yucata.de, an
individual must prove his knowledge of the games. If he can't keep the level,
he may also lose a rank. He will be demoted.
As a rule a player has to earn 45 points to be promoted. If he has
-45 points he will be demoted. Workers may not have negative points. Nobody
expects anything of a worker. The highest clerical rank may not have positive
points. This individual is expected to win every game. Anything else will
disappoint the society.
The ranks are intended as a motivational tool. For once you play more concentrated in order to get promoted or to prevent demotion. But you are also pushed to try new games in order to fulfill the promotion requirements.
There are players whose primary focus is to get promoted and keep their ranks. They prefer to play against same- or higher-ranked opponents, and often do not play much against lower-ranked players because they would lose too many points in case of a defeat. Like it or not, it is part of their strategy.
List of Ranks
| secular ranks | Worker |
| Farmer |
| Messenger |
| Secretary |
| Builder |
| Judge |
| Councillor |
| Entry temple ranks | Temple servant |
| Novice |
| Lay monk |
| Middle temple ranks | Monk |
| Lay priest |
| Higher temple ranks | Macom priest |
| Chilan priest |
| High priest | Ahaucan |
When do I get promoted?
There are 3 criteria you have to meet in order to get promoted to the next rank
- You need 45 points.
- You need to win against a certain number of opponents, depending on your current rank.
- You need to win a certain number of different games, depending on your current rank.
In the
Overview page under "Status" you see your current situation regarding the above criteria. If all numbers are green, you are already promoted.
You can also get demoted – when you have -45 points.
Special rule: Workers cannot have negative points, Ahaucans cannot have positive points.
How many points do I win or lose in a game?
Three criteria are used to calculate the points: The game result, your rank, and the rank of your opponent(s).
In 2-player games it is pretty straightforward; in multiple-player games it gets a bit more complicated.
In 2-player games you calculate the rank difference between you and your opponent. For instance, if you are a worker (= rank 1), and your opponent is a farmer (= rank 2), the rank difference is -1 (i.e. rank difference = your rank - opponent's rank). If you win in such a scenario you win more points, but if you lose, you are treated lenient and you lose fewer points. In general wins reward you more than losses punish you. Thus it is possible that you will get promoted if you play only against same-ranked players and win half the games.
The points are calculated according to the following rules:
- Won: Points = Max(1; 10 - rank difference)
- Lost: Points = Min(-1; (-10 - rank difference) * 0.8)
- Tie: Points = -rank difference
Two things have to be considered in multi-player games. First, a rank difference cannot be calculated like in 2-player games because there are more than 2 opponents. Second, the place has to be considered, since there is not simply a winner and a loser. In addition, a place may be occupied by more than one player.
To calculate a rank difference, the rank of a player is compared to the average rank of his opponents (rounded).
Depending on the place, a player receives a weighting, as shown in the following table:
| Number of players |
1. position |
2. position |
3. position |
4. position |
5. position |
| 3 |
+1 |
0 |
-1 |
|
|
| 4 |
+1 |
+0,4 |
-0,4 |
-1 |
|
| 5 |
+1 |
+0,4 |
0 |
-0,4 |
-1 |
Simple example. Let’s say the rank difference between me and the average of my opponents is -1 (which means that I am ranked lower). I was second in a 4-player game, which gives me a weighting of 0.4 based on the above table. Since this is a positive number I can calculate my points with the win-formula with a rank difference of -1, which is 11. These points are now multiplied by my weighting to give me the actual points for my second place: 0.4 x 11 = 4 (4.4) points. If I had been third, my weighting would have been -0.4. Thus, my points according to the loss formula with a -1 rank difference would have been -7 (-7.2). These points are now multiplied by my positive weighting in order to prevent the reversal of the minus sign: 0.4 x -7.2 = -2.88. I would have lost 3 points. If the weighting is 0, the points are taken from the draw column in the previous table and are not multiplied any further.
Before being able to provide a more detailed example, we have to clarify what happens in case of a tie for a place, for instance 1,1,3,3,5 in a 5-player game. In such a scenario the first 2 receive the average of the sum of the first 2 weightings, or (1 + 0.4)/2 = 0.7. This works also, if more than 2 players finish on the same place.
And for those who are truly devoted, you now get the enjoyment of a detailed example in the table below.
| |
Player A |
Player B |
Player C |
Player D |
Player E |
| Rank |
Worker (1) |
Secretary (4) |
Builder (5) |
Farmer (2) |
Farmer (2) |
| Positions |
1. |
1. |
3. |
4. |
5. |
| Average opponent |
3,25 -> 3 |
2,5 -> 3 |
2,25 -> 2 |
3 |
3 |
| Rank difference |
-2 |
1 |
3 |
-1 |
-1 |
| Weight |
0,7 |
0,7 |
0 |
-0,4 |
-1 |
| Points acc. to formula |
12 |
9 |
-3 (Draw) |
-7.2 |
-7.2 |
| Weighted |
8.4 |
6.3 |
-3 (Draw) |
-2.88 |
-7.2 |
| And rounded |
8 |
6 |
-3 |
-3 |
-7 |
Why is everything different with the game Yucata?
Yucata was the first game that was implemented at 2001. Many improvements on the platform that occurred later, missed this game. As a player you notice that the archive works differently and by the fact that the multi-player games are scored differently.
For multi-player Yucata games (3 or 4 players) the ranks of the players don’t matter in the scoring. That’s why it is often preferred by highly ranked players, because they can win a relatively large number of points. Those are calculated as follows:
| Result |
3 players |
4 players |
| Winner |
6 |
8 |
| In-between |
0 |
0 |
| Loser |
-3 |
-4 |
Some time in the future the scoring will be adjusted to use the same scoring like the other multi-player games.
How does the ranking table work?
The Ranking table is sorted by rank, with the highest rank being at the top. Within a rank the players are sorted alphabetically. By clicking on Details behind a player’s name, a list with all the games he has played opens up. You can replay a game by clicking on its number.
Beneath the total ranking table are ranking tables for every game. These lists are sorted in percentages of won games. The exact formula for the calculation: percentage = (won games + 1/3* draw games)/number of games - 1/number of games
The last term is for compensating the values, causing players with only a few games to have a relatively big correction which even can cause the value to be negative. With an increasing number of games the influence of the term will decline to nearly zero.
How does the Main Chat work?
Pretty simple: you type your message and hit return or click on the symbol. But there is more to the chat than that. That’s why it has its own help section, symbolized by the question mark. The other button allows opening the chat in its own window.
How does the Game Chat work?
The same way as the Main Chat: type your message and hit return. The chat messages are returned to the server together with the move. Therefore you can add messages only on your turn.
Another hint: you can close the chat window by hitting “escape”.
How do I report a malfunction?
Since yucata.de is a private and free gaming portal, it is not always possible to test the games for every detail, often there is simply not enough time. You are encouraged to report malfunctions on the Discussion board! Please provide the following information:
- Game number
- Game type (e.g. Hazienda)
- As precise a description as possible of the malfunction
- Your browser and perhaps your operating system
It is not possible to correct malfunctions that are not reproducible. Please do your co-players and yourself a favor and report malfunctions as accurately as possible.
Inactive players
If a player has not visited yucata.de for 60 days or more the system will mark
him as inactive. This means that he is invisible to all other players even
though the account is not deleted. Thus, he may return whenever he chooses and
he also keeps his rank. But after this time his open games are closed, his invitations and all received
messages deleted.