What are "Normal mode" and "Friendly mode"?

[Graber78]

The Settings allow choices for Normal mode and Friendly mode.
But those modes are not explained anywhere, not even the FAQ.

[Gulchen]

from the good lobby (PLAY NOW):

Friendly mode: no rankings, no time limit per turn, no penalties.


from the bad lobby (GAMES):

Friendly game
No rankings, no time limit, no penalties.

[digitalison]

Does that mean that wins or losses don't count towards my ranking? If I'm trying to raise my ranking in a game, I must necessarily take someone else's down?

Also, it's 2025. I'm surprised this STILL isn't explained anywhere, and I had to do an internet search to find the answer here on the forums. FAQ anyone?

[mikkashar]

Does that mean that wins or losses don't count towards my ranking? If I'm trying to raise my ranking in a game, I must necessarily take someone else's down?

Yes.

ELO is a zero-sum ranking system: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elo_rating_system
So while BGA's implentation is ... quirky (ELO under 100 you can only gain points, and various other things), in most cases at the end of the game some points will be shuffled between players with little change in the total number of ELO points among the players.

Friendly games don't affect your ELO at all.

[nik592]

Does that mean that wins or losses don't count towards my ranking? If I'm trying to raise my ranking in a game, I must necessarily take someone else's down?

Also, it's 2025. I'm surprised this STILL isn't explained anywhere, and I had to do an internet search to find the answer here on the forums. FAQ anyone?

Elo is addressed in the FAQ: https://boardgamearena.com/faq?anchor=faq_account_elo

If you're referring to Friendly mode and normal mode, these are basically explained on the page where you setup the table (normal mode is not explained because it's the default mode - not Arena and not Friendly).

[digitalison]

Does that mean that wins or losses don't count towards my ranking? If I'm trying to raise my ranking in a game, I must necessarily take someone else's down?

Also, it's 2025. I'm surprised this STILL isn't explained anywhere, and I had to do an internet search to find the answer here on the forums. FAQ anyone?

Elo is addressed in the FAQ: https://boardgamearena.com/faq?anchor=faq_account_elo

If you're referring to Friendly mode and normal mode, these are basically explained on the page where you setup the table (normal mode is not explained because it's the default mode - not Arena and not Friendly).

"Basically explained" isn't the same as an FAQ answering this. I'm still trying to figure out a lot of how BGA works because it's really not intuitive. I accidentally started three tables while trying to set up one, because I didn't see where the previously created tables "went," and I was trying to change the number of players. I couldn't find my way back to the tables, wasn't sure which information was capable of being "set" or changed, missed seeing some fields. Without clicking on the down-arrow on game type, didn't see the explanation of what the game type was. I started with Normal, and didn't know there was another option (I think?)

This question really arose because I challenged a friend to a game, and it was Normal, and she said she preferred to only play Friendly games because she didn't want to risk lowering her (1st place!) ranking, and I'm thinking... so you just never play anyone anymore? How is anyone supposed to raise their ranking unless they play someone above them? I currently have zero Elo in that game. I'm just trying to get up to 100 Elo to play in the Arena, *.

Also, I did check the Wikipedia page on what Elo is, and found the math too opaque for me to understand that it's a "zero sum" thing, so thank you all for answering my questions!

*Moderator edit: please refrain from swearing on BGA, this is a family-friendly platform.

[nik592]

"Basically explained" isn't the same as an FAQ answering this.

When I say basically explained, I mean, that's really all the difference is between Friendly and Normal is what it says. No time limit, no rankings, no penalties. If you're brand new to the site, you might not understand the rankings and penalties part, but those are addressed elsewhere in the FAQ (and rightly so). What do you think an FAQ entry on the difference between Friendly and Normal play would say apart from that?

I'm still trying to figure out a lot of how BGA works because it's really not intuitive. I accidentally started three tables while trying to set up one, because I didn't see where the previously created tables "went," and I was trying to change the number of players. I couldn't find my way back to the tables, wasn't sure which information was capable of being "set" or changed, missed seeing some fields. Without clicking on the down-arrow on game type, didn't see the explanation of what the game type was. I started with Normal, and didn't know there was another option (I think?)

This is about the way the new lobby (game pages) work. Friendly mode is hidden within the game speed selection, which you're right, isn't overly intuitive. What you're talking about with creating tables and seeing where they "went" is perfectly understandable. The new lobby is supposed to help new members get into games more easily, but frankly, I find it harder to work unless I'm setting up certain types of games. And admittedly, I've been here a while now, so I do kind of understand the options available better than someone new would. But in any case, I can't see how an FAQ on the difference between Friendly and Normal mode would help. Some kind of FAQ on using the new lobby maybe? But I got the impression that wasn't supposed to be necessary because it was so much easier to use (a viewpoint I disagree with).

In any case, you can try the old lobby, though as you're not premium, for some games, you would be relying on automatic table joining or waiting for a table with the right settings to appear for you to join (and hope you can join in before someone else does). Automatic table joining in the old lobby isn't super intuitive either, but there are some entries in the FAQ about this that should help.

This question really arose because I challenged a friend to a game, and it was Normal, and she said she preferred to only play Friendly games because she didn't want to risk lowering her (1st place!) ranking, and I'm thinking... so you just never play anyone anymore? How is anyone supposed to raise their ranking unless they play someone above them? I currently have zero Elo in that game. I'm just trying to get up to 100 Elo to play in the Arena, ffs.

I don't disagree with you on this either - I'm not currently playing Arena, but I used to be looking for games to improve my score. I don't think my friends ever told me they didn't want to play Normal vs. Friendly, but sometimes they wouldn't want to play what I did, so I played against people I didn't know who wanted to play the game. Sometimes you have to do that rather than just playing with friends. Not everyone considers maintaining ranking that important. I'm also not sure whether playing Friendly games counts in terms of regular play, as you do have play regularly to maintain your ranking. If you don't play any games for some period, you disappear from the ranking tables anyway. But most of the strangers out there are reasonably friendly (at least in terms of playing a game with you), and if they're queueing for the same games as you, chances are they want to play. But that issue sounds more like a difference of opinion on how to play between you and your friend than anything about an FAQ.

[Ceaseless]

Does that mean that wins or losses don't count towards my ranking? If I'm trying to raise my ranking in a game, I must necessarily take someone else's down?

Yes. That's generally how it works, you have to take the rating from other players. If players played so that they only gained rating, then rating is just a participation trophy and would be more a statement of how much one player rather than how well. You'll find it's a give and take not just on BGA but most other places using ratings.

This question really arose because I challenged a friend to a game, and it was Normal, and she said she preferred to only play Friendly games because she didn't want to risk lowering her (1st place!) ranking, and I'm thinking... so you just never play anyone anymore? How is anyone supposed to raise their ranking unless they play someone above them? I currently have zero Elo in that game. I'm just trying to get up to 100 Elo to play in the Arena, ffs.

Also, I did check the Wikipedia page on what Elo is, and found the math too opaque for me to understand that it's a "zero sum" thing, so thank you all for answering my questions!

If you're just looking for a casual game, I can see why the first-place player might not really want to put their rating on the line if they just want to relax and not be worried about the outcome. If you're looking for a rated match, well, shooting for a direct shot at #1 seems a bit much unless you're reasonably rated. You being a 0 rated player facing the #1 in a rated match just looks like they're beating you up for free wins and rating. In theory, you actually getting wins in is laughable. Granted, you could be an underrated player trying to get to a proper rating or hoping for the variance to give you some leeway, but the #1 rating isn't really the person to be asking for such shots from.

A player can raise their ranking even without facing someone above them if they deliver strong enough results vs the players below them. If you're expected to beat someone 60% of the time but instead clean them out at 95%, that will lead to your rating rising. Facing stronger players just means you don't have to win as much because your victories earn more and defeats cost less with the exchange being that your winning chances go down.

[zoomboom]

Is it safe to assume that people playing each other from the same IP address using Friendly mode are not in any danger of being moderated or banned?

[mikkashar]

Is it safe to assume that people playing each other from the same IP address using Friendly mode are not in any danger of being moderated or banned?

I would not assume that. If there are multiple people with multiple accounts playing from behind the same IP address (which could be a VPN, not the same local network), one could reasonably file a report about another regarding the content of a chat or the like.