6.5 KiB
Pick'n'play helps groups fairly and transparently choose what game to play next. Players can suggest options, score them independently, and move through structured phases that keep the process organized and anonymous. It solves the classic “what should we play?” chaos by turning group decision-making into a clear, balanced, and drama-free flow.
Accounts & Login
How do I create an account?
Register with:
- A unique username (max 24 characters)
- A password
- A display name (max 16 characters)
Your display name is required ‒ it appears next to all of your suggestions and scores.
Do I need admin privileges?
If you've been given an admin key, enter it during registration. If the key is invalid, the request is rejected. Admin access cannot be added later. To become an admin, you must re-register with the correct key.
Phases at a Glance
Personal phases
Each player progresses independently through the phases:
Suggest → Vote → Results
Click "Next" to move forward. Admins can move themselves backward if needed. In the Suggest phase, Next stays disabled until your account has at least one own game suggestion.
Suggesting Games
How many games can I suggest?
Up to 5 suggestions per player.
Required fields and limits
- Name ‒ required (max 100 characters)
- Genre ‒ optional (max 50 characters)
- Description ‒ optional (max 500 characters)
- Links ‒ optional (URLs up to 2048 characters)
Min/Max players
- Must be filled together (or both left empty)
- Values must be between 1 and 32
- Minimum must be ≤ maximum
Screenshot rules
If you include a screenshot URL, it must:
- Use http or https
- End with a valid image extension (
png,jpg,jpeg,gif,webp,avif) - Be directly accessible (no redirects)
- Load within ~3 seconds
- Be under 5 MB
- Not point to local or private hosts
Screenshots are optional.
Other links
Game links and YouTube links must use http or https. Other URL schemes are rejected.
Editing a suggestion
Click the edit (pencil) icon on a game card to update any field at any time.
Deleting a suggestion
Click the delete (cross) icon on a game card to remove it ‒ unless you're already in the Vote phase (see below).
Why was my suggestion blocked?
Common reasons:
- Missing display name
- Already reached the 5-suggestion limit
- Name exceeds character limit
- Screenshot URL is invalid, unreachable, or too large
- Min/max players missing or invalid
- Attempting to add a suggestion in the wrong phase
Check the bottom-right corner of the screen for error messages.
Jokers (Late Additions)
What is a joker?
A joker is a one-time extra suggestion slot available only during the Vote phase. An admin must grant it to you.
How it works
If you receive a joker:
- A button appears in the top bar allowing you to add one more game.
- Once used, the joker is consumed immediately.
- Your ballot becomes unfinalized.
- All players are unfinalized so the new game can be scored.
Admins may grant additional jokers if necessary.
Voting
Who can vote?
Authenticated players during the Vote phase, who submitted at least one suggestion.
How do I score games?
Use the slider to assign a whole number from 0 to 10.
Editing during Vote
- You can still edit most game details.
- The game name becomes locked during the Vote phase.
- You can no longer delete your own suggestions.
- Admins may delete suggestions if necessary.
Linked duplicates
If an admin links duplicate games:
- Changing the score for one updates all linked entries.
- Scores are stored per group, not per individual entry.
Finalizing your ballot
Toggling "Finalize" locks your scores. Toggle it off to edit again.
Finalize is only available during the Vote phase and will automatically reset if:
- A joker adds a new game
- An admin links or unlinks games
Voting after changes
If new games are added or links are modified:
- Affected votes are cleared
- You are automatically unfinalized
- The update popup appears only when your already-visible Vote list changes
Review your list and rescore before finalizing again.
Results
When are results visible?
Results are hidden until an admin opens them. When opened, all players are automatically moved to the Results phase. If needed, an admin can close the Results: players with at least one own suggestion return to the Vote phase, accounts without suggestions return to Suggest, and all ballots are unfinalized for adjustments.
Can I edit anything in Results?
No. Suggestions and votes are read-only. Contact an admin for assistance.
Admin Tools (For Hosts)
What can admin accounts do?
- Grant jokers during Vote
- Move a voter back to Suggest (stronger than a joker; use sparingly)
- Toggle results access with a single button (label switches by current state)
- Link or unlink duplicate suggestions
- Delete suggestions
- View vote readiness (who has finalized)
- Delete a player (removes their suggestions and votes)
- Confirm admin password for account deletion, reset, and factory reset
- Reset the database to factory defaults
- Move backward to previous phases
What can't admin accounts do?
- View individual player votes
Voting remains anonymous and fair.
Common Errors & Fixes
"Screenshot URL must be http(s) and end with an image file extension."
Make sure:
- The link is direct (not a page or html content)
- It ends with a valid image extension
- The file is under 5 MB
- There are no redirects
"You have reached the 5 suggestion limit."
Wait for the Vote phase and request a joker if needed.
"Add at least one suggestion before entering the Vote phase."
Add at least one game suggestion with your current account. Only then can you move from Suggest to Vote. This behavior hinders the submission of multiple votes per user. Until then, the Suggest navigation shows a hint instead of a Next button, and switches immediately after your first successful submission.
"Invalid admin key."
Register again using the correct key from the host ‒ or leave it blank to create a regular account.
Data & Privacy
- Suggestions, votes, and phase states are stored in a shared SQLite database.
- Passwords are stored with a SHA256 encryption.
- Logging out clears your authentication cookie and resets login/register form inputs.
- If an admin deletes your player account, your suggestions and votes are removed as well.