Why is there a 4 hour pre game period?
I can see some chatting and some planning time, but four hours?

Perhaps it is because games may take time to fill?
But in the case where they don't, where they fill fast and start fast, or when everyone in the grid is online, they should start after a short time.

if the game just started immediately, then the last player to join wouldn't have any time at all to try to make alliances or negotiate with neighbors for outposts and would be at a massive disadvantage. the talking you do before the game officially starts is pretty crucial.

also it gives all of the players at least a small window of warning before the game officially starts and subs start committing to their launches.

I was thinking the 30 minutes could start after the last join..
But only if everyone is online.

The problem with 4 hours is nothing happens that takes 4 hours and it means you can't start the game and go to sleep because imo first moves are key - I think many would prefer to see who is doing what before committing to their own which means being around at the 4 hour point after game start..

that doesn't make sense. the game starting 4 hours later ensures more players catch the heads up on when the game starts and gives everyone a better chance of being online when the game starts.

remember that talking to other players before start requires that both players log on within that time frame. not everyone checks in every 30 minutes.

i assure you its better this way. i'd even vote for an 8 hour timer if i could. i've had games that filled up suddenly while i was at work or sleeping that i still didnt catch in time to see who was in them, talk to many of them or see anyone's starting moves.

My experience and perhaps it's just unrated games is
Game opens and fills quickly and everyone is online at t minus 4 hours
There is some chatting and then.... Nothing

Maybe a "ready" flag could be raised and if someone didn't raise theirs the game starts after 4 hours anyway.

I am not saying people should be caught out with fast starts I am saying that if everyone clicks a ready button, the game should start... (If merely having them all online is considered insufficient for a faster start).

As it stands I can't join a game unless I know I will be around in 4 hours...normally I know I am free now and probably for the next 30 minutes. That's about all the planning I can do.

I only join games in the morning and games that are almost full for that reason. Odds are, I'll be eating lunch when the game starts.