Bad Players are Frustrating

[BusterVA]

It is so frustrating playing with people who don't get how this game really works strategically.

I played a game recently that went like this:

I have 4 points. Player's B & C had 6 points.

Player C had 2 VP cards and had been sitting on them for ages. Assumed they were VPs (turned out they were). Player C also had two 4 length roads with a single road gap. Play one road for longest road of 9. So really, one could safely assume that if they play that road, the game is over and they win. Player C also had two cards, a brick and a wood (Obvious by looking at roll history). Essentially game is over.

Player B rolls a 7. They have been robbing me the whole game. I had not robbed anyone - I had zero 7's and zero knight cards.

I have zero cards. Player B Robs (blocks) me! I said "WTH". THey said that I am the bigger threat. On what planet.

Player C's next turn, guess what. They steal the road, reveal VP cards and win. FInal score 5/6/10.

Now one could argue that they want to try to slow me down so they can fight for second - but they are already in second. There was literally ONE way to stop player C from winning, and that was to rob them. Which they didn't do.

I find myself getting robbed and blocked SO often, not out of strategy, not because I am winning, but rather because people just don't know any better, and it is frustrating as heck.

I am not a great player, I am middle of the road, not great, not terrible. But I wish in Catan there was a way to play with better skill matching. I hate playing with the best, but I hate playing with the bad players more.

</rant>

[Stroom]

Catan is a gateway game. Lots of randomness. Don't play it as a competitive strategic game. There are other much better games. Explore them and find something that you like more.

[MHSA90]

I have zero cards. Player B Robs (blocks) me! I said "WTH". THey said that I am the bigger threat. On what planet.

I guarantee you it is more frustrating to play with people who whine about getting robbed.

[BusterVA]

I have zero cards. Player B Robs (blocks) me! I said "WTH". THey said that I am the bigger threat. On what planet.

I guarantee you it is more frustrating to play with people who whine about getting robbed.

Your out of context quote misses the point entirely.

[Mathew5000]

But I wish in Catan there was a way to play with better skill matching. I hate playing with the best, but I hate playing with the bad players more.

There is, especially if you are premium on BGA. From https://boardgamearena.com/lobby in the drop-down menus at top choose SIMPLE GAME and MANUAL, and then when you create a Catan table click on "Restrict access to this table". Then you can, for example, check "good players" and "strong players" only.

Edited to add: Here's a Catan table I created open only to "good" or "strong" players: https://boardgamearena.com/table?table= ... 47&nr=true So far nobody has joined other than me.

[CATGEON]

catan is a game of luck , realized that no real strategey involved , theoritcally 8659 are the numbers likely to fall, hence you try to grab those , but ceratin games ,have seen and 2 and 12 comes ever so frequently , i sometimes think whether it's like the HMV needle getting stuck on the vinyl( for those oldies here )!!, repeat the track over and over !!!

BTB re bad players , the KARMA sytem should be based on number of games completed rather than standard deduction for each uncompleted game , at times u are not completing due to factors like internet connectivity issues or in some part of the world due to power failure

Hence suggest look at the number of games completed and then deduct points rather than a bulk dedcution !!

like wise hope the porigramme can be tweaked in such a way that the same number doesnt fall more than twice in a row !!

[Jellby]

at times u are not completing due to factors like internet connectivity issues or in some part of the world due to power failure

And that rightfully affects karma too. If you have bad internet or unreliable power, it's your responsibility to not join games that you may not be able to finish.