Bad sportsmanship...kicking players out on winning turns

[amullek]

I have had enough of the poor sportsmanship on this site! In the last month I've been kicked out of probably a dozen games that I was clearly leading often on a final move that would win the game. I understand that this is partly my fault. There have been some poor connections and I've had to refresh which has cost me time in the course of the game, but on a final Catan move there is a lot happening, which can take time...not to mention if you make a mistake and have to start over. I'm a 300+ Catan player, and a 400-500+ wingspan player who has played way too many games on this site, and who has had 100% karma on this site almost my entire time, but now my karma is 50. While I accept some responsibility here, it is incredibly poor sportsmanship to boot a player that is about to win a game on a final turn just to avoid the loss. This has happened so many times with high level players (300+) that it's become personally disgusting to me.

I'll be deactivating my account. To be fair, this is partly because I waste too much time here, but it is also partly because I simply don't want to go through the hoops of restoring karma that was lost on games that I would have and SHOULD HAVE won.

Something needs to be done to fix this problem. I've recommended to BGA a one minute grace option to allow a player the time needed to make a complex move and to help avoid a scenario where a play in an active turn gets booted by a poor sport trying to avoid a loss.

I'm writing this because I think I'm probably not the only one who feels this way. I understand the need for time constraints. They are necessary. I just think something must be done to correct this abuse, and a "once off" one minute grace period would remedy this. I did suggest this in my final email to customer support, but no meaningful response was given.

Happy gaming to you all!

[euklid314]

I have had enough of the poor sportsmanship on this site! In the last month I've been kicked out of probably a dozen games that I was clearly leading often on a final move that would win the game. I understand that this is partly my fault. There have been some poor connections and I've had to refresh which has cost me time in the course of the game, but on a final Catan move there is a lot happening, which can take time...not to mention if you make a mistake and have to start over. I'm a 300+ Catan player, and a 400-500+ wingspan player who has played way too many games on this site, and who has had 100% karma on this site almost my entire time, but now my karma is 50. While I accept some responsibility here, it is incredibly poor sportsmanship to boot a player that is about to win a game on a final turn just to avoid the loss. This has happened so many times with high level players (300+) that it's become personally disgusting to me.

I'll be deactivating my account. To be fair, this is partly because I waste too much time here, but it is also partly because I simply don't want to go through the hoops of restoring karma that was lost on games that I would have and SHOULD HAVE won.

Something needs to be done to fix this problem. I've recommended to BGA a one minute grace option to allow a player the time needed to make a complex move and to help avoid a scenario where a play in an active turn gets booted by a poor sport trying to avoid a loss.

I'm writing this because I think I'm probably not the only one who feels this way. I understand the need for time constraints. They are necessary. I just think something must be done to correct this abuse, and a "once off" one minute grace period would remedy this. I did suggest this in my final email to customer support, but no meaningful response was given.

Happy gaming to you all!

The last game that you have been kicked out (which sent you to 50 Karma and probably provoked the post) has been played at the fastest possible time setting.

When you play these settings you have to play *really* fast. Sometimes you even must take suboptimal moves (refrain from building settlements and cities) if you would otherwise use too much time.

As soon as you have used up all your time and are in red you have immediately lost the game! If all players agree by not kicking you you might still play on. But that is a gift of the other players which you have no right to expect.

Please note that the grace period you suggest already exists. It is 3 minutes (even more than you wish) in the fastest time settings and even longer in normal and slow games (time bank).

If you use some of your time bank you can easily fill it up again by playing some faster moves. Thus you again have 3 minutes for a move that might take a little longer.

Thus: Choose a time setting that you can easily stick to (normal or slow speed, probably) and never fully use up you grace time.

[Fromper]

There's already a 20 second grace period after you run out of time, before you can be kicked out. If you have connection problems or need a lot of thinking time, then just stick to slower time controls. Don't sign up for fast games if you're not going to play fast.

[amullek]

There's already a 20 second grace period after you run out of time, before you can be kicked out. If you have connection problems or need a lot of thinking time, then just stick to slower time controls. Don't sign up for fast games if you're not going to play fast.

I understand this. Do you think it's right for a player to kick out another player as soon as they can on the final winning turn of the game while they can see he/she is making a move, just to avoid a loss?

Also, my proposed one minute grace period is a "once off" ability for a player to extend time on a complex turn without having to increase the time of the game by moving to slow or normal just to compensate for those rare moments.

[Exotic Dreams]

I don't play Catan much on here. I think this can apply to most any game on BGA. I do agree with some of the points you made.
That said, if you know ahead of time you want to think more on moves, not sure why you'd pick fast mode. Fast mode is for playing fast.
Your call if you want to deactivate your account. Maybe take a break from BGA before deciding?.
If you change your mind, I would suggest : 1. choose slow/ normal mode over fast mode 2. play turn based games 3. Consider blocking players that kick other players on a last turn. Happy gaming to you too whatever you decide.

[amullek]

I have had enough of the poor sportsmanship on this site! In the last month I've been kicked out of probably a dozen games that I was clearly leading often on a final move that would win the game. I understand that this is partly my fault. There have been some poor connections and I've had to refresh which has cost me time in the course of the game, but on a final Catan move there is a lot happening, which can take time...not to mention if you make a mistake and have to start over. I'm a 300+ Catan player, and a 400-500+ wingspan player who has played way too many games on this site, and who has had 100% karma on this site almost my entire time, but now my karma is 50. While I accept some responsibility here, it is incredibly poor sportsmanship to boot a player that is about to win a game on a final turn just to avoid the loss. This has happened so many times with high level players (300+) that it's become personally disgusting to me.

I'll be deactivating my account. To be fair, this is partly because I waste too much time here, but it is also partly because I simply don't want to go through the hoops of restoring karma that was lost on games that I would have and SHOULD HAVE won.

Something needs to be done to fix this problem. I've recommended to BGA a one minute grace option to allow a player the time needed to make a complex move and to help avoid a scenario where a play in an active turn gets booted by a poor sport trying to avoid a loss.

I'm writing this because I think I'm probably not the only one who feels this way. I understand the need for time constraints. They are necessary. I just think something must be done to correct this abuse, and a "once off" one minute grace period would remedy this. I did suggest this in my final email to customer support, but no meaningful response was given.

Happy gaming to you all!

The last game that you have been kicked out (which sent you to 50 Karma and probably provoked the post) has been played at the fastest possible time setting.

When you play these settings you have to play *really* fast. Sometimes you even must take suboptimal moves (refrain from building settlements and cities) if you would otherwise use too much time.

As soon as you have used up all your time and are in red you have immediately lost the game! If all players agree by not kicking you you might still play on. But that is a gift of the other players which you have no right to expect.

Please note that the grace period you suggest already exists. It is 3 minutes (even more than you wish) in the fastest time settings and even longer in normal and slow games (time bank).

If you use some of your time bank you can easily fill it up again by playing some faster moves. Thus you again have 3 minutes for a move that might take a little longer.

Thus: Choose a time setting that you can easily stick to (normal or slow speed, probably) and never fully use up you grace time.

I don't expect other players to have grace if time expires, especially when a player is chronically playing slow throughout the game, but I do expect players to allow a final move to unfold at the end of the game when it is clear that a lot is going on, and they can see that the player is doing their best to complete their turn. Do you think it's right for a player to kick out another player as soon as they can on the final winning turn of the game while they can see he/she is making a move, just to avoid a loss? I've had this happen multiple times in a row on Ark Nova as well by high level players, when I am playing my last turn and I have the game won, but the turn is complex. It's a cheap/sad way to play, and I am truly shocked that there are so many players willing to take the unwarranted win at another player's expense. Sure I can go to five minute turns but that doesn't seem like a good answer either, as I am generally a fast player, but as these games advance there can be a lot of moving parts.

[Exotic Dreams]

You don't have to play slowly if you play on slow mode. It could give you more time when you need it. So you can play quickly and then have the time for the more complicated moves when you need it.

[Meeplelowda]

Sure I can go to five minute turns but that doesn't seem like a good answer either, as I am generally a fast player, but as these games advance there can be a lot of moving parts.

In what universe does this statement make any sense? You are running out time, but having more time isn't the solution?

[bergerOUS]

You ar
e not the first and for sure not the last person dissapoimted by the "bad sportmanship".

For me it looks that you're looking for competition not fot having fun with boardgames.

In a competition the rules for all players are the same. Timesetting is only a additional rule.

I have never seen a chess player talking about bad sportmanship when he was running out of time. When the clock is down you loose. That's all.

[euklid314]

Sure I can go to five minute turns but that doesn't seem like a good answer either, as I am generally a fast player, but as these games advance there can be a lot of moving parts.

Sorry to disagree but you dont seem to be a generally fast player. I looked at your recent 10 games (all played on the fastest speed setting) and only in one (!) game you stayed in time.

In fast time settings you have 44 seconds per move and you are expected to finish *every* move in those 44 seconds. If you dont, you have a grace period of 3 minutes that you can refill if you then play faster than 44 seconds per move.

In almost all your games you over-use your time during the whole game and your time bank decreases further and further untill in the end - when longer moves occur - you lose on time. Sometimes your opponents seem to be upset by having had to wait the whole game for you and kick you immediately, sometimes they let you play the game out. Both is fine.

You describe it like you had the full time bank during the whole game (i.e. playing the speed that you are expected to) and only in the end you exceed your 44 seconds. None of the 9/10 games you went into red confirms that.

Please note that normal speed has 1:11 per turn (time bank 4min) and slow speed has 1:54 per turn (time bank 6min). Choose a setting where you never go into red (except a power outage once a year) and you will not be kicked. Problem solved.