Best players overall on BGA

[Zetes]

For some BGA is a place where to test a game, others play their favorites games just for fun, competitors likes to look at the competition page.

As there are lots of rumors about BGA changing the Elo system I would like to point out one thing.

Is it really worth going after the overall top ranking ? Should we really care about Elo changing?

This is not a criticism of the BGA site but rather on how the competitive players made a league for their own.

Here we go:

Did someone forget to tell me you get some kinda prize for being top 5 overall BGA ?

The competition for being nr.1 overall on BGA seems to have arrived at a point where the way to get to that rank became a game itself

Math wise if you play all the less played games you have much more chance to achieve the goal of being nr.1, and that is why all the guys in the top 5 are badly or not ranked in games like Seasons, RTFG, Stone Age, Puerto Rico, Through The Ages, Takenoko,...shortly....all the most popular and most played games on BGA.

I am nr.1 for Tobago and Targi, but really like those popular games and play almost only those...can't get higher than expert there..not a good investment for the overall top...

If I would go on with less popular games I would be in no time also a top 10 I guess...I remember a rush of Sobek where I became nr.5 in days for example...but then lost interest in the game and there goes my Elo...

So, to all top players out there, do you guys really enjoy that much all that less popular games rather than playing games considered by almost everyone (BGG rankings, played games on BGA) much more fun?

All of you have that pattern, nobody of you plays those games mentioned above, at least frequently enough to show interest in getting high ranked.
There are better players out there than me and you who don't give a damn about those less popular games

As I said, to be high ranked...it makes sense, I just cannot understand ,if there is no reward other than icons in the palmares, you really prefer to spend your time on those more boring games?

Or is it just a coincidence that u guys all like those less popular games where you all are big fan off?

Then it is your league anyway if Elo is not proportioned on the popularity of the game.

Those top 5 guys are for sure not the best 5 for me. They would be for sure in the mix to be in top 5 if they were competitive in the more popular games. The less popular games they play are not inferior math wise, sometimes they are even all math ( u guys know which games I am talking about), so I really respect your skills.

Targi is a game with very little luck, don't understand why u top guys don't play that game
Considered one of the best 2 player games out there...and it is!

Then I also wonder why u top guys are not a little braver and have more games between each other.
Can someone post me a replay link of a game between nr.1 and nr.2 on BGA, I guess there should be, don't have time to make the research myself I can post mine between nr.1 (me) and the other (nr.2) for the games I am nr.1 in.

Finally, as I said in another thread (viewtopic.php?f=9&t=10591&start=120) there also should be 2 separate rankings for turn based play and for real time play, this, with the Elo proportioned with the popularity of a game, should be major changes.

Note: the thread I linked above goes a bit off topic at one point becoming a contentious between turn based and real time ...of course you may react to that in this thread to

Note 2 : I know u guys don't want to cheat by playing turn based, that was not my point, different skills, that was my point. But u may have 'em both and just prefer to organize your life playing turn based, no problems with that.

[Jest Phulin]

The competition for being nr.1 overall on BGA seems to have arrived at a point where the way to get to that rank became a game itself

I think this is the essence of it. People tend to play games to have fun. Some do not consider "having fun" and "winning" separate concepts. So, to have fun in life, they must think they are winning. To accomplish this, they need to see they are ahead of others, and therefore find ways to do this.

[sprockitz]

As someone who was once in the top 5, I will say I play the games I enjoy.

I've played plenty of the games that are popular on here...but obviously the more popular a game the harder getting a top spot is, so players who play lots of games are less likely to be the very top of the most popular games. That said, I think I'm plenty good at several of the popular games, I just enjoy learning and becoming proficient at a game more than playing the same game over and over again...which is what is required to get to the top of the most popular games.

Of your list Seasons, RTFG, Stone Age, Puerto Rico, Through The Ages, Takenoko, I've played all of them either here or in person. I owned RFTG and Puerto Rico long before finding this site and frankly played those games out...I no longer get much joy from them so don't play them on here. TTA I only played once irl and never got around to really learning it, I could probably enjoy it on here. Takenoko and Stone Age I've played both a good bit on here, and am sure I'd be close to 50/50 with any top players, they are just so luck based and don't have enough interesting skill for me to play the hundreds of games you need to really get into it.

Keyflower, Troyes, Tournay, Tzolk'in, and Tokaido are all games I enjoy and have gotten rated decently in, even if they aren't at the very top in terms of popularity. I'm #1 in 2 games, Bombay I played a bunch when it came out, but really lacks depth so haven't played it much since...just nobody has passed my Elo. Uncle Chestnut's is a fun game though underrated on here...I loved Chinese Checkers growing up so this is a fun twist on it.

And ultimately, no it isn't really worth going for a top spot, nobody really cares...why people cheat to do it kinda baffles me...probably more a commentary on how sad their life is than anything else .

[Zetes]

And ultimately, no it isn't really worth going for a top spot, nobody really cares

I like you your comments except obviously you only can talk for yourself, so, if nobody cares, that's a thing me and you only can guess

You really played out RFTG? To me, that is one of the most replayable games, it will never get old for me, same for Seasons.

And as you look at the played games on BGA, I would say those two game have near to infinite replayability,

have a good day

[Zetes]

Very interesting....those top overall BGA guys were very fast to post feedback about elo-changing...because it obviously damage them....but to answer my straight questions?

[chrisa]

@Zetes: I am not sure to be in any way concerned by this call, given that I am not, by far, in the overall top ranking. But since I was one of the people who gave feedback about Elo-changing, I will answer shortly.

We do not agree on having different rankings for real-time vs. turn-based games. I think this is not needed and that rankings should be kept simple and readable. You think differently. OK. No problem for me. I do not intend to discuss that further.

Concerning the Elo system: the Elo score is an indicator of the skills of an opponent and determines the probability that he will beat you - your own Elo score after a game depends on that probability. If the Elo scores are arbitrarily manipulated (reset, decayed), the Elo computation becomes meaningless and everyone will be "punished": top-ranked players will have a lower Elo score (but they will increase it easily because of their under-rating); weaker players will lose more than currently when they will play with under-rated opponents - I think they will be the real losers. This was my only point.

As I said in the other thread, I am in favour of disconnecting the Elo score from rankings. I am interested in improving my Elo score but this does not prevent me from playing with players as good as or better than me. If rankings are no more based on Elo scores, I fail to see any more issues with people playing the system to get a better Elo. If you never play with them, why would you care? If you play with them, you will earn more or lose less depending on the outcome of the game.

Besides, I am not interested that much in the game/overall rankings.
And I am wondering why so many people who pretend not to be interested in the rankings pay that much attention to the top-ranked players...

I do not feel in any way entitled to judge people for whom rankings look so important. And I find quite insulting to comment on their alleged "sad life" as someone did it in this thread (I have also read similar claims in other threads)... Everyone has his own motivations to play on this website, who are we to decide which are good and which are not?
No need to say that I find your comments on the fact that we should rather play popular games instead of less popular ones absolutely ridiculous...

If the admins implement a new ranking system that is better/fairer than the current one (e.g. based on a seasonal score, as it was initially proposed), that will be fine for me.
I simply hope that people will remain free to play the games they enjoy, popular or not, recent or old, real-time or turn-based, fast or slow, allowing long thinking times or not, ranked or not, luck- or math-based, with the number of players they like, with players of any level, etc. without having to justify their choices and without being suspected of being there only to gain some "prestige".

[Zetes]

And I am wondering why so many people who pretend not to be interested in the rankings pay that much attention to the top-ranked players...

It seems you like to understand what you want when reading (that already happened in your other comment), many people take phrases and get the meaning they want out of it. You are one of those.

I care about those top rankings…if it would be fair, having the 2 rankings and Elo proportioned to the popularity of a game, but as you said we're not going to comment this any further.

No need to say that I find your comments on the fact that we should rather play popular games instead of less popular ones absolutely ridiculous...

You see, please if you want to answer me again read very good my words or just don't answer!

I never stated "They" SHOULD play those games, I asked WHY the overall top guys don't play those games….OMG, if you play the way you read….if you feel offended…be it..I am sick of reading comments on phrases I never said and that you MANIPULATE, go play instead of trolling on forums!

[Zetes]

@Chrisa…again

We do not agree…

WE?, So you feel an overall top player on BGA? Didn't see your name out there, I mean top 5-10

[xxerox]

So why you are angry about the top players?

Just swallow it up and leave it alone. There are always players that want to win. I honestly think that is the right decision. Winning is fun. Winning over everyone is most fun.

Nothing else matters.

So at the end no one should care and nothing should matter.

THE END.

[Zetes]

So why you are angry about the top players?

Angry? Another hero here who likes to read what he wants…

I am not angry, I called those guys out to ask 'em some questions and almost nobody replied…and since one top guy asked my opinion on the Elo matter because it hurts him (we would like to have your opinion as you seem a respected and strong player he wrote….), I am asking also questions, if you don't mind go play and don't troll!

Can't anyone of those top guys tell me why they don't like to play those popular games? A bunch of not top BGA guys who write nonsense is the only thing I get here….

And …ohhh you are god mr.kserocks? to state that it is THE END?

Bunch of trolls!