Reporting players who block - just why?

[DrakeStorm]

Also remember a top player has to win 20-30 games in a row just to make up for 1 loss. There is no way of doing that unless they block in some games.

That depends who they play against. If they play 2p against another top player, 1 win = 1 loss.

True, but I was thinking about Arena mode where you don't get to pick your opponent. Even once you reach Elite you are still playing very low level players. I think every 20 games I match up with someone with a decent ELO.

[seeb2104]

I’m guessing a lot that you’re hearing of are reports of people who block for the sake of it. This happened to me the other day. His route was on the other side of the map, but once he figured out where I needed to go, he blocked me.
Fair enough, I usually give them the benefit of the doubt, like you suggest. So I placed a train to go around and he blocked again. Different routes that couldn’t possible be related to a strategy. This happened one more time before I quit the game (I’d rather take the karma penalty than play out a game where this is happening) and reported them.
“It’s a game, they did what it took to win, isn’t that the point?” No. Being a ***** is not the point. Kingmaking is explicitly against the rules, so should this be.
Blocking where it turns out the person had a route they were trying to get to, I get. I don’t report. That’s stupid. But players who are deliberately screw with people and try to ruin the game? IMO reporting them should be done early and often.

Re. "Kingmaking is explicitly against the rules": no it isn't. I haven't seen the behaviour, but the rules are silent on this except: "A player may claim any open route on the board. He is never required to connect to any of his previously played routes." This is the opposite to what you claim are the rules.

Please don't make up rules and expect other players to obey what you think are rules, but are not.

[CarlT]

I’m guessing a lot that you’re hearing of are reports of people who block for the sake of it. This happened to me the other day. His route was on the other side of the map, but once he figured out where I needed to go, he blocked me.
Fair enough, I usually give them the benefit of the doubt, like you suggest. So I placed a train to go around and he blocked again. Different routes that couldn’t possible be related to a strategy. This happened one more time before I quit the game (I’d rather take the karma penalty than play out a game where this is happening) and reported them.
“It’s a game, they did what it took to win, isn’t that the point?” No. Being a ***** is not the point. Kingmaking is explicitly against the rules, so should this be.
Blocking where it turns out the person had a route they were trying to get to, I get. I don’t report. That’s stupid. But players who are deliberately screw with people and try to ruin the game? IMO reporting them should be done early and often.

Re. "Kingmaking is explicitly against the rules": no it isn't. I haven't seen the behaviour, but the rules are silent on this except: "A player may claim any open route on the board. He is never required to connect to any of his previously played routes." This is the opposite to what you claim are the rules.

Please don't make up rules and expect other players to obey what you think are rules, but are not.

I'm assuming they were talking about the BGA code of conduct that states:

What is the code of conduct?
On Board Game Arena, you should not:

• Run out of time on the game clock.
• Leave a game in progress on purpose.
• Take an unnecessary and unreasonable amount of time at the end of game in an obvious losing position.
• Engage in Kingmaking: enabling another player to win on purpose while there is a better move to make for yourself.
• Give some piece of information about the current game situation that disturbs the normal game flow.
• Communicate with another player about the game privately (for example with an instant messenging app).
• Engage in provocation / triumphalism / defeatism... anything which is not fair play.
• Use an avatar that may be shocking or offensive to other players (no advertisement, no politics, ...)

Breaking these rules will affect your reputation.

[Stuff by Bez]

I feel like once TTR EU is on BGA, anyone so anti-blocking will play that instead.

[ManonIronteeth]

I understand there is a group of people who don't like blocking games, BUT don't join someone's game and then complain about it. OR don't complain about it in Arena mode which is set up for competitive play... especially once you reach elite level.

That’s my point though, I don’t play Arena mode for that very reason. If I did I would totally understand blocking, to win in any way you can. But in fun Simple games it’s just unsportsmanlike.

[Qorlas]

Blocking can be done also in Europe

Simple blocking just slow the opponent down...but there are also quite a few tricks

[pintuk]

My reputation decreased to 60. because I blocked couple of players and they reported me.

[euklid314]

You can look up why you loose Karma points. You lost -110 Karma points in the most recent time period because you quit (timed out?) 8 different games in short succession!

If you do not finish a game because you quit or do not play within your time limits and the other players have to throw you out of the game because of that you will get an automatic Karma penalty. No red thumbs needed for that.

If you block people and they report this you will not be punished by the moderators since you were playing correctly. But you will be punished automatically if you do not end your games because of your own fault.

Thus you should play slower time settings and turn-based games instead of real-time games. Make sure that you play all your moves within your allotted time.

[SeuGrillo]

I had an opponent get stuck in Seattle today. They drew new destinations and quit before making a choice. I found them playing another game a couple minutes later. If anything gets reported, it should be this behavior.

Why should they be reported for quitting and starting a new game if they didn’t like playing with you and your style of gameplay?
They already took the penalty by quitting the game and getting -10 karma. Why should they get doubly punished? Give them a red thumb for your personal opinion if you want but it s not report worthy.

Cause they waste some elses time.

Put yourself in their shoes, you are also making them to waste their time forcing them to continue playing with you when you block them... For them the game is already over.

[thg0724]

Put yourself in their shoes, you are also making them to waste their time forcing them to continue playing with you when you block them... For them the game is already over.

Finishing the game is something they agreed to as part of the BGA code of conduct. Reporting them when they violate the code of conduct seems reasonable to me.