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Consequences For Troll Play?

Posted: 08 September 2021, 07:42
by lostwithmaps
For the past month, I've ran into the same player in Arena mode backgammon who stops playing the minute they look like they're about to lose. I'm clearly not alone as this player's profile is littered with comments suggesting to avoid this player (which you can't in arena).

Given their reputation is below 10 almost all the time, it seems none of the tools on site offer any real solution to this troll. I've tried giving a thumbs down, asking to avoid this player, offered to immediately abandon a game when I run into them, or as a last result, kick them out once they stop playing (which they then allow the clock to role to 2 secs and then play one move to avoid getting kicked out).

Any alternatives other than just not playing arena mode? Seems terrible that one player can ruin many players fun on site.

Re: Consequences For Troll Play?

Posted: 08 September 2021, 07:57
by Ze Monstah
When you give a thumb down (red thumb), you are basically in a separated universe from the one you give the red thumb to: this includes Arena games.

So if you red thumb that player, or if you restrict your Arena settings in Backgammom game by reputation - by clicking the gray spear in Arena Backgammon (I am saying this because you said his/her reputation is beyond 10), you shouldn't play or meet that player in games, jamais.

Your post makes little sense.

Re: Consequences For Troll Play?

Posted: 08 September 2021, 15:16
by lostwithmaps
That's exactly my point. I thought that giving a red thumb and asking to avoid a player means you shouldn't cross paths with them anymore but that's not the case. I've given the red thumb, asked to avoid and yet I still continue to run into this player in Arena mode.

Re: Consequences For Troll Play?

Posted: 08 September 2021, 17:58
by Ze Monstah
Weird...

If that player has karma under 10, try to set karma restriction setting to Backgammon, as >50% or >75% or something like that. That may do the trick.

But knowing I never cross path in Arena, with people who I have RT on (and vice versa), I find hard to believe what you are saying about the Red Thumbs...

It might be a mistake or BGA might have changed something...

Re: Consequences For Troll Play?

Posted: 08 September 2021, 19:05
by dschingis27
To get matched against players you red-thumbed is definitely not the intended behavior.
The only way to make things better is to file a bug report where you specify exactly the games where it happened.
https://boardgamearena.com/bugs

If enough other users also report such occasions, there is a chance that BGA staff looks into this.

Re: Consequences For Troll Play?

Posted: 08 September 2021, 23:50
by steve5332
To get matched with players whom you have given a red thumb is totally right, in arena. If you are the greatest player ever at a certain game I could just red thumb you to be able to pick and choose my opponents in arena otherwise. The only way to avoid players with bad karma is to set a minimum amount of karma you will accept for an opponent; a red thumb will not work (in arena).

Re: Consequences For Troll Play?

Posted: 09 September 2021, 08:02
by Cha888
But you always have time limit, right?

Re: Consequences For Troll Play?

Posted: 09 September 2021, 12:30
by Ze Monstah
steve5332 wrote: 08 September 2021, 23:50 To get matched with players whom you have given a red thumb is totally right, in arena. If you are the greatest player ever at a certain game I could just red thumb you to be able to pick and choose my opponents in arena otherwise. The only way to avoid players with bad karma is to set a minimum amount of karma you will accept for an opponent; a red thumb will not work (in arena).
What if you red thumb a person for insulting you, or any other thing, but not because the person is "greatest player ever"?

I don't think in most cases, RTs should be disrespected, not even in Arena.

If i got attacked with threats or rasist insults, I don't see why I should be matched with that player, just cause it's Arena, sorry.

Re: Consequences For Troll Play?

Posted: 09 September 2021, 12:45
by steve5332
Ze Monstah wrote: 09 September 2021, 12:30
steve5332 wrote: 08 September 2021, 23:50 To get matched with players whom you have given a red thumb is totally right, in arena. If you are the greatest player ever at a certain game I could just red thumb you to be able to pick and choose my opponents in arena otherwise. The only way to avoid players with bad karma is to set a minimum amount of karma you will accept for an opponent; a red thumb will not work (in arena).
What if you red thumb a person for insulting you, or any other thing, but not because the person is "greatest player ever"?

I don't think in most cases, RTs should be disrespected, not even in Arena.

If i got attacked with threats or rasist insults, I don't see why I should be matched with that player, just cause it's Arena, sorry.
Yes, I agree ... if you red thumb someone for the right reasons then you should be able to avoid them, but that isn't the way that arena works. The BGA system has no means of knowing whether you are trying to game the system (many people do) or whether it is a genuine grievance and desire to not face the opponent for non-gaming means. What I was mostly responding to (and should have quoted) is:
dschingis27 wrote: 08 September 2021, 19:05 To get matched against players you red-thumbed is definitely not the intended behavior.
The only way to make things better is to file a bug report where you specify exactly the games where it happened.
https://boardgamearena.com/bugs

If enough other users also report such occasions, there is a chance that BGA staff looks into this.
It isn't a bug, it is definitely the intended behaviour (whether that is right or wrong is another debate).

Re: Consequences For Troll Play?

Posted: 09 September 2021, 13:09
by Ze Monstah
The site is contradicting itself again...

So no.
Sorry, but if they changed this RT thing for Arena, or
disrespecting the RTs of people given to others, that is not ok.

I don't think a High Score Arena player, let's say... would feel psychologically or emotionally too well, in an Arena game, when he/she sees (s)he's just been matched against a player who insulted his/her country, in the past, or other kind of insults.

This is some unnecessary extra chaos, to an already rather chaotic, imperfect and pretty flawed system.