Spoiler-Free Chat Scenarios

Glossary

• Message List - The list of spoiler free messages
• Unsynchronized Message Queue - A sorted queue of messages that may contain spoilers. Will be checked periodically for eligible messages for synchronization (tMessage <= tClock)
• tClock - the current time of the synchronizing clock
• tMessage - the time of the synchronizing clock when message was sent

Spoiler Prevention Overview

Spoiler Prevention works by delaying messages from being displayed until the user has reached a tClock >= tMessage. Spoiler Prevention prioritizes hiding potential spoiler message over perfect message ordering - when loading history and/or receiving new messages the message list isn't guaranteed to be in order of tMessage.

• Loading Initial History - Messages in the initial history where tMessage <= tClock will be sorted and initialize the Message List. Messages in the initial history where tMessage > tClock will be sorted into the Unsynchronized Message Queue and eventually be appended to the Message List.
• Loading More History - Similar to Loading Initial History - messages in the history where tMessage <= tClock will be sorted and prepended to the Message List. Messages in the history where tMessage > tClock will be sorted into the Unsynchronized Message Queue and eventually be appended to the Message List.
• New Messages - New Messages will always be sorted into the Unsynchronized Message Queue. When a message is eligible for synchronization (tMessage <= tClock) it will be appended to the Message List.

Scenario 1 - Initial History Load

tClock = 15
Message List = []

1. User requests initial history with tMessages = [0, 25, 10, 15, 20, 5, 30]
   • Message list = [0, 5, 10, 15]
   • Unsynchronized Message Queue = [20, 25, 30]
2. User moves to tClock = 20
   • Message list = [0, 5, 10, 15, 20]
   • Unsynchronized Message Queue = [25, 30]

Scenario 2 - New Message with tMessage <= tClock

tClock = 20
Message List (tMessage) = [5, 10, 20]

1. User receives new message with tMessage = 15.
   • Message List = [5, 10, 20, 15]
   • Unsynchronized Message Queue = []

Scenario 3 - New Message with tMessage > tClock

tClock = 15
Message List (tMessage) = [5, 10, 15]

1. User receives new message with tMessage = 20
   • Message List = [5, 10, 15]
   • Unsynchronized Message Queue = [20]
2. User moves to tClock = 20
   • Message List = [5, 10, 15, 20]
   • Unsynchronized Message Queue = []

Scenario 4 - Load More History with tClock in Range of tMessage

tClock = 15
Message List (tMessage) = [5, 10 ,15]

1. User requests more history with tMessages = [0, 20, 25]
   • Message List = [0, 5, 10, 15]
   • Unsynchronized Message Queue = [20, 25]
2. User moves to tClock = 20
   • Message List = [0, 5, 10, 15, 20]
   • Unsynchronized Message Queue = [25]
3. User moves to tClock = 25
   • Message List = [0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25]
   • Unsynchronized Message Queue = []

Scenario 5 - Load More History with tClock >= Min tMessage

tClock = 30
Message List (tMessage) = [10, 20 ,30]

1. User requests more history with tMessages = [5, 15, 25]
   • Message List = [5, 15, 25, 10, 20 ,30]
   • Unsynchronized Message Queue = []

Scenario 6 - Load More History with tClock < Max tMessage

tClock = 15
Message List (tMessage) = [5, 10, 15]

1. User requests more history with tMessages = [25, 20, 30]
   • Message List = [5, 10, 15]
   • Unsynchronized Message Queue = [20, 25, 30]
2. User moves to tClock = 20
   • Message List = [5, 10, 15, 20]
   • Unsynchronized Message Queue = [25, 30]
3. User moves to tClock = 25
   • Message List = [5, 10, 15, 20, 25]
   • Unsynchronized Message Queue = [30]