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Re: Change to thew arena format.
Posted: 24 September 2025, 17:31
by Neep
Since I'm not a guru and don't know how many games it takes to get there, I'm popping in to say I think the doubling cube, while fun, is making games too long. If you want a long game, there are places to do it, but arena just doesn't seem like the right one. Admittedly, I play almost exclusively turn-based, but that shouldn't be an excluding factor. I liked it the way it was before the cube, and hope it goes back there.
Re: Change to thew arena format.
Posted: 27 December 2025, 08:42
by Neep
Bringing this back up to the top again. A turn-based game can take days to a week or more. Even if you're winning at a high rate (60%), you're still looking at quite a few games to clear even one rank, let alone work your way up to elite. (My average for the last 5 seasons is 41.8 games. I didn't check the individual win percentage, but overall I'm 57.4%). I'll be entering elite this week, which used to be where the fun started, but it was such a slog and so late in the season I'll probably stop playing. Also, given the slowness that the doubling cube creates in turn-based, I may just call it quits at 20 elite season and 4200 games.
Re: Change to thew arena format.
Posted: 29 December 2025, 04:07
by ashsdox
Neep wrote: ↑27 December 2025, 08:42
Bringing this back up to the top again. A turn-based game can take days to a week or more. Even if you're winning at a high rate (60%), you're still looking at quite a few games to clear even one rank, let alone work your way up to elite. (My average for the last 5 seasons is 41.8 games. I didn't check the individual win percentage, but overall I'm 57.4%). I'll be entering elite this week, which used to be where the fun started, but it was such a slog and so late in the season I'll probably stop playing. Also, given the slowness that the doubling cube creates in turn-based, I may just call it quits at 20 elite season and 4200 games.
Started playing on bga around 2-3 dec. 3 simultaneous four-moves-a-day games first, now around 5 to speed it up. Currently one or two wins short of elite, so it can be done
3-point matches are very gammonish. That means 2-point wins and doubled cubes are very valuable.
So my advise is double, and take a lot! It's usually better, even with a small advantage. And go for blitzes and gammons, you want to win big games.
As a bonus your matches will go way faster too.
Re: Change to thew arena format.
Posted: 08 January 2026, 15:41
by Tuut Tuut tis Luut
Neep wrote: ↑24 September 2025, 17:31 If you want a long game, there are places to do it, but arena just doesn't seem like the right one.
Besides backgammon I play spades, tichu and tock in Arena mode. All are 4 player team games that can take around 40 minutes on average. And all of which have an active arena player base.
Arena mode is not meant to be a fast and quick play mode, even though many players use it as such. It's intended to be a more serious competitive mode. Which for backgammon, needs multiple point matches to properly work.
If you want a short game, there's normal mode to do it, but arena isn't the right one.
Re: Change to thew arena format.
Posted: 12 March 2026, 15:45
by Neep
Most responses seem to be from the point of view of real-time play. I don't use real-time play; I play turn-based. The extra time involved can be days and weeks (for a slow opponent). It just isn't practical. Single game matches were considered competitive for years, and they were serious matches.
I figure I'll leave backgammon on my favorite list for one more season before I drop it. It's not fun or worth the time in its current state.