Bring back Turn Based "No Time Limit + Friends Only"

[LoudLibrarian]

I too think we need to keep reminding BGA we are unhappy about this and we want them to bring back turn based with rankings!

[T72on1]

Yup definitely!

[Chiffa of Kettari]

I don't understand. Just a couple of days ago I set up and played a turn-based game with no time limit with my firend. This functionality exists and works. What this thread is about?

[T72on1]

I don't understand. Just a couple of days ago I set up and played a turn-based game with no time limit with my firend. This functionality exists and works. What this thread is about?

That you can only do so in friendly game mode. So you can't do no time limit but with ELO enabled.

[buu441]

The slowest mode (1 move per 2 days) is basically that. It's just another made up problem people like to complain about when an effective solution already exists.

[nik592]

The slowest mode (1 move per 2 days) is basically that. It's just another made up problem people like to complain about when an effective solution already exists.

No 1 move per 2 days isn't the same, and no it's not a made-up problem. 29 pages of people saying so would also disagree with you.

In summary: no time limit used was possible with ELO if you restricted it to your friends alone. It was mostly how I played with my RL friends, because most of us have young kids and very busy lives. Some of us (eg. me) get on BGA multiple times daily. Others go days in between turns. I personally don't care about how long my friends take. But either those of us who like to see our ELO can't accrue any in the games we play together, or my less BGA-obsessed friends get time penalties when we play at the slowest speed. And while some will argue that "time penalties don't mean anything" since you don't get a karma drop, others have indicated they do look at time penalties on a user's profile when making decisions about them (eg. whether to play with them, whether to boot them when they go over time, etc.)

The other big issue with this was the fact that BGA admin stated that the issue was people getting "stuck" in games - this turned out to be because you could establish a "real-time" unlimited time game, which admittedly, doesn't seem to make a lot of sense. But rather than just removing the real-time mode, they also removed the turn-based version.

There is also some discussion of ELO manipulation through no time limit games. I believe the theory was that if a person was losing, they'd just let the game time out instead of completing it, so as not to take an ELO hit. Though that would only occur if a person ONLY played with friends, and every time they were losing, their friends said, sure, we'll let your game time out because you don't want the ELO hit, and keep playing with them. Which, if they're doing that, then they're probably also cool with doing it in a 1 turn per 2 days scenario anyway. Another thing that gets suggested here is that your friends who are letting you do this aren't real friends at all, but multiple accounts you're running - in which case I would argue, why not just win against those "friends" repeatedly?

[cigma]

No 1 move per 2 days isn't the same, and no it's not a made-up problem. 29 pages of people saying so would also disagree with you.

In summary: no time limit used was possible with ELO if you restricted it to your friends alone. It was mostly how I played with my RL friends, because most of us have young kids and very busy lives. Some of us (eg. me) get on BGA multiple times daily. Others go days in between turns. I personally don't care about how long my friends take. But either those of us who like to see our ELO can't accrue any in the games we play together, or my less BGA-obsessed friends get time penalties when we play at the slowest speed. And while some will argue that "time penalties don't mean anything" since you don't get a karma drop, others have indicated they do look at time penalties on a user's profile when making decisions about them (eg. whether to play with them, whether to boot them when they go over time, etc.)

The other big issue with this was the fact that BGA admin stated that the issue was people getting "stuck" in games - this turned out to be because you could establish a "real-time" unlimited time game, which admittedly, doesn't seem to make a lot of sense. But rather than just removing the real-time mode, they also removed the turn-based version.

There is also some discussion of ELO manipulation through no time limit games. I believe the theory was that if a person was losing, they'd just let the game time out instead of completing it, so as not to take an ELO hit. Though that would only occur if a person ONLY played with friends, and every time they were losing, their friends said, sure, we'll let your game time out because you don't want the ELO hit, and keep playing with them. Which, if they're doing that, then they're probably also cool with doing it in a 1 turn per 2 days scenario anyway. Another thing that gets suggested here is that your friends who are letting you do this aren't real friends at all, but multiple accounts you're running - in which case I would argue, why not just win against those "friends" repeatedly?

Thank you for your great summary which keeps this thread in people's minds!

[Meeplelowda]

No 1 move per 2 days isn't the same, and no it's not a made-up problem.

While is is true, the problem is that there are examples in this thread of people complaining about this issue when for them switching to a slow turn-based game would be the same because they make it clear that their intent is to finish the games in a one-day / one-night real time game night session. This confuses the issue and detracts from the concerns expressed by people who want to have a long-term session for which 1 move per 2 days doesn't suit their needs.

[Shivaware]

It looks like "No Time Limit" games with Elo are still happening.
Here is an example of such a game: https://boardgamearena.com/6/northwestp ... =416366413
I'm guessing the only way it is possible is to propose a rematch from a previous game configured like that.

[nik592]

Correct, if you run a rematch it works. I'm also working my way through a campaign of My City that's been going just over 1 year, and it was started as a no time limit and is still going that way.