Is expelling from game on last turn reportable?

[Jellby]

It is already there, for all time settings: you get a certain amount of time per turn, and you have an extra time bank you can use whenever you like. The only difference is this not explicitly displayed, and you see only a single timer running. However, it doesn't solve the issue that some people think that anyone trying to enforce a time limit is being unfair and antisocial.

[Paumenn]

Rapid chess time controls (introduced >30 years ago) would solve it.

Example:
- each player starts with 15 min
- after each turn a players gets 10 sec back

That way players are forced to play quickly (if they sign up for a fast game), yet are flexible in how they distribute their time across their turns.

In addition, after your time is up, you automatically lose. This makes the rule simple and clear, and as result nobody complains and everyone accepts it (or signs up for games with longer time controls). And, instead of players expelling eachother, they have the option to once or multiple times give extra time (e.g. +60 sec) to their opponent if they want.

[Tisaac]

Rapid chess time controls (introduced >30 years ago) would solve it.

Example:
- each player starts with 15 min
- after each turn a players gets 10 sec back

That way players are forced to play quickly (if they sign up for a fast game), yet are flexible in how they distribute their time across their turns.

In addition, after your time is up, you automatically lose. This makes the rule simple and clear, and as result nobody complains and everyone accepts it (or signs up for games with longer time controls). And, instead of players expelling eachother, they have the option to once or multiple times give extra time (e.g. +60 sec) to their opponent if they want.

That's pretty much exactly how the clock is working on BGA...

[Jellby]

Except that the expulsion is not automatic. I agree it would be much better if the other players would have to explicitly allow some extension, instead of the opposite as it is now.

[Monkeyunit]

I dont think having 1 big starting bank with extra time per term is a solution.
I like the smaller bank, with more time per turn.

The idea in chess is you can always make a move in 10 seconds, but for games like Ark Nova it's almost impossible to do every action in 10 second turn.
So this means when time is running low you can still time out even when moving at max speed.

Also this would let people with 10 minutes left just run out that clock instead of conceding out of spite.
But with the currect 3 minute timer this can't really be done.

The "problem" Ark Nova has is that 3 minutes can still be tight if you chain multiple actions ( turns) with determination and/or hypnosis.
I feel the best "solution" to this would instead of only getting extra time at end of turn, also getting time ( say 1 minute) on getting bonus actions.

Regarding the OP post: Somebody used the means they were given by the site within the set limits of the game. It would be weird if that was reportable. As stated you could have prevented this by not trying to max out points in already won game.
Taking too much time on game you already won would feel like BM if I were opponent. ( Not saying I would auto boot you, but would ask you to respect the timer)

[demyurge]

I just played a game where the server was extremely laggy, took 5+ seconds response time per click, I did not reach 0:00 but I still felt bad taking ~2 min per turn when I could have taken less than half that if it weren't for the lag. Anyway, this is a thing too. Playing on mobile also slows down everything because the UI has such small buttons I fatfinger all the time and have to retake my turns. It's not always AP. Also, someone might have had an urgent call, or needed to pick up a package because the delivery guy was at their front door.

Ruthlessly kicking someone whenever the timer reaches 0:00 really reflects poorly on one's attitude towards an online board game.

[AnthonyL]

I had someone do this to me for the first time yesterday - on Ark Nova, where I agree the last turn just takes a few seconds longer. I can see there are some very diametric opinions on this, but short of a tournament for real money prizes, which this clearly is not, I sit in the camp that says kicking someone who is likely to beat you on the last turn [for the sake of a few seconds] is ill-mannered, poor sportsmanship and "violates the social contract" to quote another person in this thread. That player gets a thumbs down from me and I'm not playing with them again.

I will tell you now, if I won or improved my place just by kicking someone on the last turn I would consider it an empty victory. BGA refers to treating the on-line players as if they were in your own home playing with you at the table there and then. A few seconds on the last move is just plain rude.

[Jellby]

A few seconds on the last move is just plain rude.

When do "a few seconds" become OK? Is it OK to expel someone who's 1 minute in red? 3 minutes? 59 seconds? 58?

[demyurge]

If the player hasn't clicked anything since the start of their turn then it's okay to kick when they reach red as they're obviously gone. If you see they're actively clicking stuff but just trying to decide which animal to play at the end of that double determination mega-turn then it's rude to kick. But maybe it's just an issue with determination/hypnosis not refreshing the timer more than anything.

[AnthonyL]

A few seconds on the last move is just plain rude.

When do "a few seconds" become OK? Is it OK to expel someone who's 1 minute in red? 3 minutes? 59 seconds? 58?

I think the point is that playing socially (outside of tournaments) when the players are in real time and clearly acting, you should never use those kind of tactics to win or gain advantage. Whether it's a few seconds or 3 minutes is not really the point. You could get frustrated with someone who had been slow all game and choose not to play with them again, but I still would not boot them. If I got really aggravated with much time passing I might ping a message asking are they there and expect a response. In my particular case and I expect most of the cases others have encountered above, I was ahead of the timer most of the game and my opponent did something deliberate and unsportsmanlike in the closing seconds of the final "big move", which for me spoiled the whole tone of the game. It's an opinion but it is my opinion.
Is there a specific place where BGA states exactly how they operate their timers? Because I don't know what it is and probably most other players don't either. Yes I know there is a headline limit per turn and I see comments that there is a pool but in game the timer just seems to jump up and down in ways that are not obvious. If I understood that explicitly I could manage better to ensure I had maximum spare time at end of game. I still would not consider it acceptable to boot someone in the circumstances above, but I'd feel there was a solution.