Board Game Arena

All I can say is that I love the fact that I can play games with people from all over the globe on this site. If anyone doesn't feel the same way they should find another hobby.

There are many players who play fair and don't look at nationality.

But I have also been in games where all opponents came from one country and left me no chance. This CAN be a matter of nationality. But not necessarily so. The chances are high that those players were friends who met online and had some fun with an outsider.

So yes, I am wary of that too. Despite of all declarations of french-german friendship while building the EU, sometimes I think that the rivalité franco-allemande - or deutsch-französische Erbfeindschaft - is still ingrained in some heads.

Peace - and keep healthy
Robo

I wouldn't call it racism, but it's very noticeable: if everyone waiting at a table is from the same country, there's almost zero point in joining if you're not from the same country. I can't count the number of times I've been kicked off those tables, just for being from a different country. It's frustrating, especially now that it's become so difficult to get a game started at all.

Otithes wrote: ↑02 April 2020, 04:43 I wouldn't call it racism, but it's very noticeable: if everyone waiting at a table is from the same country, there's almost zero point in joining if you're not from the same country. I can't count the number of times I've been kicked off those tables, just for being from a different country. It's frustrating, especially now that it's become so difficult to get a game started at all.

Out of curiosity, can you set it so that ANY table you create requires people to speak a certain language? I could see why a group would want that, so everyone at the game can chat, but is everyone able to set it up correctly? It's also going to be especially true for beginner players, where you might need to check if they know what they're doing.

I'd guess there will be problems moderating at the moment, the number of users is booming (I saw the number of accounts go from 2 to 2.18m in a few days), but has there been an effort to grow the moderating team? Or is all the work being done on increasing capacity and stability first?

Otithes wrote: ↑02 April 2020, 04:43 I wouldn't call it racism, but it's very noticeable: if everyone waiting at a table is from the same country, there's almost zero point in joining if you're not from the same country. I can't count the number of times I've been kicked off those tables, just for being from a different country. It's frustrating, especially now that it's become so difficult to get a game started at all.

Then I recommend you head on over to play Quantum. Quantum players are great, and they're so cutthroat they'd hamstring their own grandmother to win no matter who is playing.

Ain't no nation-states in space!!!

ViolentSilence wrote: ↑02 April 2020, 15:24Out of curiosity, can you set it so that ANY table you create requires people to speak a certain language?

I don't know, because I'm not interested in limiting my gaming partners by language, so I haven't looked into this. However, in my experience it's not about what language(s) I speak, it's about my flag not matching the group. I know this because I have 4 different languages listed on my account, and I still get kicked from tables where everyone speaks a language which I also speak.

Otithes wrote: ↑10 May 2020, 22:29

ViolentSilence wrote: ↑02 April 2020, 15:24Out of curiosity, can you set it so that ANY table you create requires people to speak a certain language?

I don't know, because I'm not interested in limiting my gaming partners by language, so I haven't looked into this. However, in my experience it's not about what language(s) I speak, it's about my flag not matching the group. I know this because I have 4 different languages listed on my account, and I still get kicked from tables where everyone speaks a language which I also speak.

You might not be, but I was wondering if that is what the players at that table were seeking to do, and didn't spot the languages spoken? Or if they were only interested in playing with friends and hadn't locked down the table properly? or maybe they were seeking to find friends to play in their countries for when the lockdown(s) finish? I'm just tying to get people to back down from calling it racist behaviour, as it may not be that. Unpleasant for other players (and I'd be curious if the average percentage of idle players has grown in this period because you're getting more cliquey groups like this), but I'd be careful before throwing the more serious allegations about like the OP has done. It might have a more nuanced motive

I've literally already said that I wouldn't call it racism.

I do think it's based around only wanting to play with people from one's own country, and I think that it's hostile, because this is a website for people from around the world and they're excluding people they don't know anything about, solely based on a flag. I played with a lovely group of Italians yesterday where I was the only non-Italian speaker, but I used Google Translate and we had a great time. This almost never happens: typically it's either a complete mix of countries, or all one country with everyone else getting kicked. I think it's rude to kick someone off your table just because they don't have the same flag on their profile.

ViolentSilence wrote: ↑11 May 2020, 16:34 You might not be, but I was wondering if that is what the players at that table were seeking to do, and didn't spot the languages spoken?

As I said, I have been kicked from tables that share a language which is also listed on my profile. So if they're limiting players because they're wanting to speak their language, why would they exclude someone who does speak that language? Makes no sense.

ViolentSilence wrote: ↑11 May 2020, 16:34 or maybe they were seeking to find friends to play in their countries for when the lockdown(s) finish?

I doubt it, because this was going on before COVID-19.

Otithes wrote: ↑12 May 2020, 04:48

ViolentSilence wrote: ↑11 May 2020, 16:34 You might not be, but I was wondering if that is what the players at that table were seeking to do, and didn't spot the languages spoken?

As I said, I have been kicked from tables that share a language which is also listed on my profile. So if they're limiting players because they're wanting to speak their language, why would they exclude someone who does speak that language? Makes no sense.

As I suggested in the part I've emphasised, because they didn't see the language markers, or don't understand them. That happens, people are fallible like that, like not finishing reading a sentence and replying without understanding what was being said.

Otithes wrote: ↑12 May 2020, 04:48

ViolentSilence wrote: ↑11 May 2020, 16:34 or maybe they were seeking to find friends to play in their countries for when the lockdown(s) finish?

I doubt it, because this was going on before COVID-19.

So they were possibly looking for people that they could play in the real world before the lockdown too... It's generally better not to assume motivations when you can only see the actions

Oops sorry, I misread. I thought you said "speak" instead of "spot" the languages spoken. Ok it all makes sense now.

Otithes wrote: ↑12 May 2020, 04:48 It's generally better not to assume motivations when you can only see the actions

Haha yeah, this is true. But for this particular issue, I've gotten kicked off too many SOLO tables to give people the benefit of the doubt anymore. Most of the time now, when I see that everyone is from the same place, I don't even try to join anymore.