Arena mode and standard/premium accounts

[indvd00m]

Hello guys!

Yesterday I am took a look at some arena games in last two month period for two premium games: Age of Civilization and Ark Nova. And all this games is includes at least one participant with premium account. In other words I did not found any game with only participants with standard account. It was 2-3 exceptions of this, but as I understand this it was because at game start moment one of players had premium account and right now premium subscription is expired.

And here is question - is it possible game at arena mode between only standard accounts?

For example we have 10 players at top of arena mode right now in Age of Civilization game: https://boardgamearena.com/gamepanel?ga ... vilization (see screenshot in attachment). 5 of this 10 players have standard accounts and other five have premium accounts. If this assumption will be confirmed it means that 5 standard accounts will never played with each others, and can independent grow to the top. This is look like cheat mode, and this is not real "competitive" mode, as described at BGA rules.

[thoun]

It doesn't matter if it's Arena or not.
Premium game : you need a premium player at the table
Free game : you don't need a premium player at the table
That's all

[indvd00m]

So we can make a conclusion - arena mode for premium game is not the same to all players and standard account have an advantage over premium accounts?

[OwnerOfTheIronThrone]

I have heard about not buying premium to avoid matching another non-premium opponent. Under an assumption that premium players have higher rating it might make sense to avoid buying premium if you want to compete for top arena spots. I don't know if that assumption is correct though.

[indvd00m]

The only reason I started looking into details of game modes in BGA (especially like this "feature" with premium) - I wanted to make sure that arena is a real "competitive" mode, as many times mentioned in rules of this mode. And this situation with segregation of premium accounts and possibility to avoid meeting another power player with standard account by just stopping own premium subscription makes me think about stop playing arena mode altogether.

And perhaps only tournaments mode can give real competitive game.

[ErikLevin]

The only reason I started looking into details of game modes in BGA (especially like this "feature" with premium) - I wanted to make sure that arena is a real "competitive" mode, as many times mentioned in rules of this mode. And this situation with segregation of premium accounts and possibility to avoid meeting another power player with standard account by just stopping own premium subscription makes me think about stop playing arena mode altogether.

And perhaps only tournaments mode can give real competitive game.

You are right, but just a note that there are several more ways that Arena players can be segregated. Some may play only real-time, some only turn-based. Or they play at different times of day. Feels like this is unavoidable in a ladder system where you still get to play whenever and however and how much or little you want. The alternative would be that BGA just paired you up and told you when to play, like "you have a match tonight at 04:00, better play or it'll count as a loss!" But... Doing that sounds like it's becoming similar to a tournament, so yes, if you want to be sure about fair pairings, probably look at tournaments.

[Ceaseless]

I have heard about not buying premium to avoid matching another non-premium opponent. Under an assumption that premium players have higher rating it might make sense to avoid buying premium if you want to compete for top arena spots. I don't know if that assumption is correct though.

Not under that assumption no. You wouldn't be dodging the premium users, you'd be dodging all the other standard accounts. Generally you boost your way to the top by beating up little leaguers that have no chance vs you by taking advantage of the lower consistency rating gaps have with increasing size and avoid getting paired vs players that can actually give you a fair game. The only reason you'd want to be paired vs higher rated players for the purpose of gaining rating was if you were actually strong enough to beat them, in which case it's faster to do it that way since it would take less games to get there. But that wouldn't be boosting, you could only climb to your natural rating that way. So if they are using standard accounts to boost, I'd imagine the rationale to be something else.

[Ceaseless]

Hello guys!

Yesterday I am took a look at some arena games in last two month period for two premium games: Age of Civilization and Ark Nova. And all this games is includes at least one participant with premium account. In other words I did not found any game with only participants with standard account. It was 2-3 exceptions of this, but as I understand this it was because at game start moment one of players had premium account and right now premium subscription is expired.

And here is question - is it possible game at arena mode between only standard accounts?

For example we have 10 players at top of arena mode right now in Age of Civilization game: https://boardgamearena.com/gamepanel?ga ... vilization (see screenshot in attachment). 5 of this 10 players have standard accounts and other five have premium accounts. If this assumption will be confirmed it means that 5 standard accounts will never played with each others, and can independent grow to the top. This is look like cheat mode, and this is not real "competitive" mode, as described at BGA rules.

I'd agree that the premium feature messes with competitive intent of ratings in general, but cheat mode is a stretch. It's just an unfortunate conflict of interest between the purpose of premium mode and the purpose of competition. It doesn't mean the standard accounts are intentionally trying to abuse the system.

[OwnerOfTheIronThrone]

I have heard about not buying premium to avoid matching another non-premium opponent. Under an assumption that premium players have higher rating it might make sense to avoid buying premium if you want to compete for top arena spots. I don't know if that assumption is correct though.

Not under that assumption no. You wouldn't be dodging the premium users, you'd be dodging all the other standard accounts. Generally you boost your way to the top by beating up little leaguers that have no chance vs you by taking advantage of the lower consistency rating gaps have with increasing size and avoid getting paired vs players that can actually give you a fair game. The only reason you'd want to be paired vs higher rated players for the purpose of gaining rating was if you were actually strong enough to beat them, in which case it's faster to do it that way since it would take less games to get there. But that wouldn't be boosting, you could only climb to your natural rating that way. So if they are using standard accounts to boost, I'd imagine the rationale to be something else.

[Ceaseless]

I have heard about not buying premium to avoid matching another non-premium opponent. Under an assumption that premium players have higher rating it might make sense to avoid buying premium if you want to compete for top arena spots. I don't know if that assumption is correct though.

Not under that assumption no. You wouldn't be dodging the premium users, you'd be dodging all the other standard accounts. Generally you boost your way to the top by beating up little leaguers that have no chance vs you by taking advantage of the lower consistency rating gaps have with increasing size and avoid getting paired vs players that can actually give you a fair game. The only reason you'd want to be paired vs higher rated players for the purpose of gaining rating was if you were actually strong enough to beat them, in which case it's faster to do it that way since it would take less games to get there. But that wouldn't be boosting, you could only climb to your natural rating that way. So if they are using standard accounts to boost, I'd imagine the rationale to be something else.

Don't think your text got on your post.