Change to thew arena format.

[mikeyash]

Has definitely taken away the speed of playing arena mode for this game. Dislike the doubling cube personally

[andy ahi]

registering agreement with Waikirikiri. Playing a small number of matches because it's all you can fit in tests you against a small number of players. the old way tested you against a large number - could be tens or hundreds depending on time zones. by the time I gave up on this version, I'd played maybe three. Hope we can go back next time round. If I need to be a guru to say this, fine.

[PaulB-UK]

I've switched to turn-based, but just wanted to post that I'm enjoying the new arena format more. I can understand the time concerns though, as games can be over very quickly or drag on!

[Paikea]

Arena is meant to be a competitive mode. That requires skill differences between players to make a noticeable difference in the outcome.

Backgammon is already very heavily luck based. So 1-point matches simply aren't suitable for the arena format.

Ideally you'd want 5-point minimum to get a good show of skill out of arena rankings. But even 3 points makes skill significantly more of a factor over single games.

I hate it. Much longer game instead of a nice fun break

If you're just looking for a fun break, why does that need to be Arena?? Get your casual games at the regular tables as intended, and let arena players play a suitable arena format.

Completely agree. The luck fest that is a 1 point game, turns me off. Gave up playing it on bga without the cube. Suddenly it's worth playing again.
1 point games are just for fun. So why insist it should be in a competitive 'arena'?

Totally agree, for a competitive format like Arena it makes zero sense to play very luck-based 1-point games. Even 3 points is not a lot, so I think 3 or 5 points are perfect, but not more. Actually I would love 5 point matches even more, but I can understand that it might be too much for repeated games.
Anyways: 1 point games can be played here any time, there are even a lot of tournaments.
For those who love even more competition and skills being necessary, there are quite some 15-point tournaments (and I think one 9-point-tourney). So right now there is something available for everybody.

[Fruktstund]

Arena is meant to be a competitive mode. That requires skill differences between players to make a noticeable difference in the outcome.

Backgammon is already very heavily luck based. So 1-point matches simply aren't suitable for the arena format.

Ideally you'd want 5-point minimum to get a good show of skill out of arena rankings. But even 3 points makes skill significantly more of a factor over single games.



If you're just looking for a fun break, why does that need to be Arena?? Get your casual games at the regular tables as intended, and let arena players play a suitable arena format.

Completely agree. The luck fest that is a 1 point game, turns me off. Gave up playing it on bga without the cube. Suddenly it's worth playing again.
1 point games are just for fun. So why insist it should be in a competitive 'arena'?

Totally agree, for a competitive format like Arena it makes zero sense to play very luck-based 1-point games. Even 3 points is not a lot, so I think 3 or 5 points are perfect, but not more. Actually I would love 5 point matches even more, but I can understand that it might be too much for repeated games.
Anyways: 1 point games can be played here any time, there are even a lot of tournaments.
For those who love even more competition and skills being necessary, there are quite some 15-point tournaments (and I think one 9-point-tourney). So right now there is something available for everybody.

Agree! I am new here and at first it seemed so long with over an hour, but having played a few arena matches I just love it! It is so exciting on a whole new level that I get a dopamine rush even if I loose.

[geodorksupreme]

The 3-point match is too long for turn based arena mode. The first set of games took about a month to complete. I usually slow down the number of games that I play once I hit elite. It's been weeks since I I've hit elite. I doubt that all the games will finish by the time the season is over. That didn't happen with single games.

[Paikea]

I would say: "players" who favor a 1-point mode for competitive playing are absolutely casual Backgammon players who are not really into this game at all. If you really love this game and love the competition, it should be minimum 5 point games. What makes the games a lil longer here is the bad server connection sometimes and the bad usability. Don´t understand at all why games have to be played within minutes and everything just needs to be just fast fast fast... seems to be the age of whatsapp that makes some people always be in a hurry.

[movingtheriver]

New arena format is obviously superior to 1pt matches. Higher point matches would be even better. The arena should be a place to test skill, not a place to see who has greater luck with the dice.

This fact is borne out by the fact that international tournaments are played with the doubling cube with matches to seven, eleven, even 21 or more points. High-skill players play with the cube because that is the format which best mitigates luck.

[backgammon3]

ich habe jetzt entdeckt, daß auf BGA Arena Backgammon mit Doubling Cube gespielt wird. Super! Da bin ich natürlich dabei.

Ich spiele sonst vor allem Mischwald und stelle fest, daß die Reaktionszeit des Servers bei Mischwald extrem viel schneller ist als bei Backgammon. Ich vermute eine alte überholte Programmierung von Backgammon.

Wenn man den Gegner vollständig zugebaut hat, dann läßt das System den Spieler unnötig würfeln und es dauert unnnötig lang, bis man den nächsten Zug machen kann.

Vor allem bei Pasch ist die Reaktionszeit des Servers sehr lang, bis der eigene Zug an das System übermittelt wird.

Wenn man nur noch ein Stein übrig hat, verlangt das System, erst einen kleinen Zug zu machen und dann den großen. Die Hierarchie stellt also den Spielzug von zwingend zwei Würfelzügen vor das Gewinnen der Partie. Ändert nichts an der Gewinnsituation, dauert aber unnötig länger.

Ich wünsche mir, daß jemand sich der Programmierung annimmt und durch schnellere Züge mehr Online-Backgammon-Spieler zu BGA wechseln.

[king_lerxst]

IMO Arena matches are supposed to separate the REAL BG players from the casual players so the Doubling Cube SHOULD be used and the matches should be at least 3 points if not 5 points.
This is typical for a local in person backgammon tournament where we play 3 or 5 point matches in either single or double elimination with clocks set to 2 mins per point and the cube IS definitely used.

3 point matches can be pretty quick - about 10 to 15 mins in real time
5 point matches 20 to 30 mins usually in real time