Bardo Update #3 Lets Players Disable the Turn Timer Entirely
The third update to Bardo, published July 13 2026, centers on giving players more control over match tempo — starting with the turn timer.
What changed
Turn Timer
- The timer can now be switched off by sliding it past either end of the range.
- Solo and private lobbies default to Off; public lobbies retain the 30-second default to prevent stalling.
- Timer increments are now fixed steps: 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 45, or 60 seconds.
AI Bid Speed
- A new AI Speed setting runs from x0.5 (relaxed) to x3 (rapid fire).
- Bots now take slightly longer to bid by default, addressing bid history moving too fast to follow.
- Individual AI rhythms are preserved — impulsive bots remain impulsive.
Match Settings Panel
- The pre-match panel was rebuilt as a scrollable list.
- Gamepad navigation now tracks the selected item as the list scrolls.
Fixes & Polish
- Joining with a wrong or expired room code now returns a clear "Room not found — check the code" message rather than a misleading network error.
- Fixed error spam triggered when a lost die attempted its dissolve effect while hidden.
- Improved internal error reporting to assist in tracking down crashes.
Taken together, the changes make Bardo more readable at every pace — whether a player is working through a solo session without a clock overhead or trying to keep up with bot bidding in a fast match.
