Non consensual spectators

[Ze Monstah]

[Ze Monstah]

[mmmmmikke]

Hi,

wondering why anyone can be allowed as spectators? If you made the table can you boot them? Is there a no spectators option?

1. Watching a game in live play is part of learning the game.
2. BGA seems to encourage jumping in to watch a game. I have clicked "watch a game in progress" a few times from the learn page.
3. Your opponent could be my friend and I just want to "show my face" for a minute as a hello

How can your game play be private? What can anyone do to harm you by watching the play of a game? Why does this bother you? You aren't naked and exposed. No secret info is there.

You do realize anyone can go back and watch every move you have made in every game? This is not someone peeping into your windows as you have sex.

I have wondered a few times where there is a Spector in my games and I just put a message in the game chat and say "hi mmmmikke! What's up?" and have made a friend that way that I still enjoy playing with.

It is unlikely anyone has any nefarious reason to watch your game and no harm can come to you. Maybe change your thoughts about this. Truly unneeded stress to worry about something that can't harm you in any way.

Hi, it's nothing about someone "spying", it's the fact that someone can come in and be rude in the chat or make unwanted comments. In fact, the lack of an easy mute button is also a problem.

[JoysJoy]

Hi, it's nothing about someone "spying", it's the fact that someone can come in and be rude in the chat or make unwanted comments. In fact, the lack of an easy mute button is also a problem.
[/quote]


Huh. Never have I ever had any spectator make any rude comments. Not sure what you mean by unwanted? I have asked a question about the game a couple times, said hi to my friend. Is any comment at all 'unwanted' to you? This is an open community game, not a private garden.

How often is this really an issue for you? I have played >3,000 games on BGA and can count on my hands the number of times I have ever had a spectator. Why is something so rare such an issue for you?

As for a mute button, I have to open the chat myself to read all that is said. It is not outloud, where sound can be muted. Just don't look if you don't like the message and you will have your wish. You mute your eyes and don't click and end of the issue.

[Jellby]

Rude or game-breaking comments should be reported, whether they come from an player at the table or a spectator. In the case where any kind of comment is distracting, I'd explain and ask to not use the chat, I don't think it happens so often that it's annoying, at least from spectators[*]

[*] Now, from players, when you have explicitly asked not to chat, it happens too often

[mmmmmikke]

Yes, there needs to be a mute button.

[Buffalo Sldr]

Yes, there needs to be a mute button.

This would be nice. Once my opponent starts crying about dice, bad luck, cards etc. I'd like to mute them.

Maybe even having a private chat/message, so a player can post quick notes to himself or fellow team members.

[GeraldineMerida]

I have once had a couple of drunk people show up as spectators in a game and drown out the players' chat with their incoherent comments (of course, I red-thumbed them afterwards) and maybe one other time had a friend of another player monopolise his attention at the expense of focus on the game/speedy play.

So it does happen, but it's pretty rare.

I've also very occasionally had spectators ask why someone did X (to help them learn the game better, I think), which could be annoying.

I think a mute option would be great, but mostly isn't necessary. Letting you close friends-only games to spectators (so you can chat more freely) is a good compromise.