OMG the King as been temporarily dethroned!!!

[Solarman9]

Wish I could tell you what they were afraid of.

They were afraid of losing their Arena rank. Why are you phrasing it like it's some kind of mystery?

That is a mystery to me. Why play to win and then quit near the top? Why not try to be on top? That is a mystery to competitors. I guess second is good enough?

[Meeplelowda]

I don't understand any motivation other then to have fun and win.

So you don't understand it. That's fine. Just because you don't understand it doesn't make it any less legitimate. Maybe one of these people will come in thread and explain why they play that way, but I doubt it.

This reminds me of a similar mentality as that in the numerous Azul and Ticket to Ride and Carcassonne threads where people question how anyone can play those games and have fun by "blocking" other players. Someone even went as far as to presume that people playing strategically weren't actually having fun and were just playing that way for....well they didn't really explain it well. Any argument that begins with premise that if what someone else is doing wouldn't be fun for you or you don't understand why they think it's fun then therefore they shouldn't do it is incredibly egocentric.

None of us get to define what's fun for other people. There are games on here that I don't understand why people play because they don't seem the least bit fun to me. So what? My opinion about whether it's fun is irrelevant.

[Meeplelowda]

That is a mystery to me.

See above.

[bao movement]

Hey everyone, checking in from Thailand. Just got back from an amazing trip at a resort in Krabi, thanks for asking!

I wanted to quickly chime in on the recent discussion. Everyone’s entitled to their own take on how to play the game. I may not agree with all of them, but I respect the right to have a different approach, we can agree to disagree. What doesn’t sit right with me, though, is when people push their views on others and make assumptions about players who choose to play differently.

That brings me to Solarman’s take about just playing Arena for fun and ignoring rank. Personally, I don’t agree with that. Arena is built around a ranking system, so it doesn’t make much sense to disregard it entirely.

As for why I stopped playing after hitting #1 last last season, there’s no mystery there. A lot of us step back once we reach a top spot because the point losses at higher ranks are steep. SB definitely takes skill, but there’s also a fair bit of luck involved. Since rank mattered to me, I didn’t want to risk it with the randomness that comes with every game. If you’re in it just for competitive play and not rank, that’s totally cool, play the game how it suits you. For me, I played the way that suited me.

Also, my journey to getting to the #1 spot last last season wasn’t necessarily easy as you make it seem (maybe it was for you). There are a lot of great players on here. It was competitive and difficult. I told myself if I can get to that #1 spot for just one season, that I’d be satisfied with that. Now that I have, I’m good. There’s no need to marginalize the achievements of others’ though because they don’t play the way you want them to play.

At the end of the day, SB is a great game, something I enjoy during breaks or to unwind after work. However you choose to play, I hope you keep enjoying it. I know I have.

Wishing everyone here the best (even you, Solarman)!

[Meeplelowda]

Maybe one of these people will come in thread and explain why they play that way, but I doubt it.

I withdraw this remark. Thanks bao.

[Solarman9]

As for why I stopped playing after hitting #1 last last season, there’s no mystery there. A lot of us step back once we reach a top spot because the point losses at higher ranks are steep. SB definitely takes skill, but there’s also a fair bit of luck involved. Since rank mattered to me, I didn’t want to risk it with the randomness that comes with every game. If you’re in it just for competitive play and not rank, that’s totally cool, play the game how it suits you. For me, I played the way that suited me.

Also, my journey to getting to the #1 spot last last season wasn’t necessarily easy as you make it seem (maybe it was for you). There are a lot of great players on here. It was competitive and difficult. I told myself if I can get to that #1 spot for just one season, that I’d be satisfied with that. Now that I have, I’m good. There’s no need to marginalize the achievements of others’ though because they don’t play the way you want them to play.

You and everyone else quit playing rank to play elo games instead because....losing hurts? That's what you are saying. Rank matters to you and for some reason lots of other people. So to deprive people of getting more then say 7 points a game, you choose not to play them. If you are above 1700 and win a game , the most points you usually get are 7 because the people ahead of you quit to play elo and get a rank that isn't number 1. There were 2 people within 20 points of being number 1 on the last day and wouldn't even try. I get it, you were scared to drop out of the top 10 so other people can just pound sand and risk 25 points for losing to get 7 for winning, that is what you and all the others contend. Remember the season before when I passed you, got to 1804 and then kept playing and you won the season? Because I do. I could have quit, but why not let other people play against higher level competition and get more points for winning. I guess being scared is the best way to play, for some.

[spaceinvader96]

lol y'all are crazy - this was just a fun post

[russtnale]

At the end of the day, SB is a great game, something I enjoy during breaks or to unwind after work. However you choose to play, I hope you keep enjoying it. I know I have.

Wishing everyone here the best (even you, Solarman)!

Classy reply, you keep doing you, and I look foward to seeing you up the top again