Board Game Arena

Matthew, I just read the thread of 2019 and it is absolutely obvious that the whole discussion is about rematches, i.e. matches that were started via the rematch option. sourisdudesert even mentions that you must not use the "rematch"-feature if you want a random playing order!

The whole thread discusses if it is a good idea to always alternate ABCD to DABC to CDAB to BCDA ... if you use the rematch feature.

If you do not use the rematch feature the playing order is random. Or do you really think that every time a game is started BGA performs a database search to find the last game of exactly those players in order to enforce the same playing order (with a different starting player)?

euklid314 wrote: ↑05 March 2025, 06:58 Or do you really think that every time a game is started BGA performs a database search to find the last game of exactly those players in order to enforce the same playing order (with a different starting player)?

Yes, that's how I've always understood it to work, since I've been playing on BGA (with the exception of Arena games, tournament games, and games whose developer has specifically coded a different algorithm).

It's easy to test, I think; you can pick a two-player game like Connect Four or whatever. Play a game with a friend, and then don't click rematch but start a new game, with the same person, from the lobby. If my understanding is correct, then the game log will include the text, "rematch with the same players detected, order has been swapped" (or words to that effect).

I am referring to creating brand new games, usually on different days, with the same players, and not using the rematch feature. I don't fully understand this "rematch changes start player but order is the same" stuff but I'm pretty sure I do not want this. I always want random player order.