Players can intentionally delay multiplayer game start

[sineplusx]

Type

Game behaviour

Bug description

The player loader will delay gameplay if the user has an overlay open or is adjusting stuff in the loader settings. I find this very useful in the context of solo play (for example, opening settings and switching skins according to the mods I am playing).

In the context of multiplayer however, I think this is not really intended and can lead to abuse. If an overlay is open while a multiplayer match starts, the server will allow this for 30 seconds before forcing gameplay (see here). This goes very quick to ruin the fun if someone were to constantly keep an overlay open to troll, paired with the current inability to ban them permanently from a room.

In my opinion, by pressing the 'ready' button in the lobby you have signed yourself up for being thrown into gameplay at any time. If you have your settings not sorted out by that point, thats on you. Cant have the rest of the lobby wait for ages while you figure out your settings.

My proposal would either be to ...

• Reduce the timeout server-side to something more reasonable (10-15 seconds)
• Always assume the user is ready for gameplay in multiplayer, and disable the blocking

Screenshots or videos

export.mp4

Version

video made on 93c148f, also works on 2025.321.0

Logs

Will add if needed