Rule Clarification: Chat

[Nafghar]

Hello everyone,

in my games I noticed a wide variety of difference opinions on what you are allowed to say in general game chat and what not. This sometimes leads to players accusing each other of not knowing the rules and critizing each others messages (this includes me too, although I try to stay friendly). So I suggest to state clear rules for chat behaviour and especially to make sure somehow that everybody is on the same page (e.g. displaying them in chat when the game starts).

I think the main questions are:

1. Is it allowed to state your role?
According to the rules it is, as well as lying and/or bluffing about it.

2. Are you allowed to tell other other players what to do and discuss strategies?
I actually do not know the answer to this.

3. Are you allowed to tell other players which cards you have in hand?
Same here.

The 2nd and 3rd thing made a lot of games unenjoyable to me. When the the roles are clear to everyone you will often find yourself in a situation where one party is the clear favorite to win. So the losing sides have to hope for mistakes or good luck. But it feels really bad when you are having a tough time and the winning party openly discusses their moves, like "Dont play Indians now, lets kill person x first, choose card x from general store, remember to use your barrell or some other effect, ..." which further decreases your chances of winning...

What are your thoughts about those points? I personally think that 2. and 3. should not be allowed.

[voriki]

My personal answers

I think the main questions are:

1. Is it allowed to state your role?
According to the rules it is, as well as lying and/or bluffing about it.

Yes

2. Are you allowed to tell other other players what to do and discuss strategies?
I actually do not know the answer to this.

This is frowned upon to "take over the game" and plan everything. You may discuss revealed information such as "Sheriff, why are you attacking me, I'm the Deputy and player X is the one who attacked you", but that's kinda where the line is drawn.

3. Are you allowed to tell other players which cards you have in hand?
Same here.

Nope, that's hidden information, altough the roles are too ofcourse. But it's heavily discouraged to negotiate with other players asking if you may play a Gatling or Indians, or if you can steal one of their cards in order to utilize to the advantage(such as requesting if you can Panic a Volcanic from the sheriff to use on Outlaws)

[AVTactics]

I believe the game brings different experience online and offline. What can be fun online (bluffing/chatting for example), not that cool offline already.

[twenty9oh7]

From Emiliano Sciarra (Designer of Bang!)

"In BANG! you may always say anything, even your role (but of course you can lie, so you are not telling any real information and it's up to other players believe in you or not). Actually, table talk is one of the most fun and important part of the game: you could even guess some player's role from how (and how much) he is talking during a game.

The only exception to this general rule is: you cannot say which cards are in your hand, nor you can ask directly another player whether he approves the playing of some card or not.

Of course, talking via a chat is way more awkard and slow than at a real table and you may want to limit your overall talkativeness to speed up the game, but that's a whole different story."

https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/282531 ... lk-and-bga

[GeraldineMerida]

I believe the game brings different experience online and offline. What can be fun online (bluffing/chatting for example), not that cool offline already.

I don't understand this. Bluffing has been a significant part of Bang! in every offline game I've played.

[AVTactics]

I believe the game brings different experience online and offline. What can be fun online (bluffing/chatting for example), not that cool offline already.

I don't understand this. Bluffing has been a significant part of Bang! in every offline game I've played.

But this is NOT offline. It is online now, right here. Offline and online are different, if shortly.

[GeraldineMerida]

I believe the game brings different experience online and offline. What can be fun online (bluffing/chatting for example), not that cool offline already.

I don't understand this. Bluffing has been a significant part of Bang! in every offline game I've played.

But this is NOT offline. It is online now, right here. Offline and online are different, if shortly.

I know the difference. Not sure you do. You wrote that bluffing can be fun online, but not cool offline. My experience is that it is even more common offline than online.

[AVTactics]

I don't understand this. Bluffing has been a significant part of Bang! in every offline game I've played.

But this is NOT offline. It is online now, right here. Offline and online are different, if shortly.

I know the difference. Not sure you do. You wrote that bluffing can be fun online, but not cool offline. My experience is that it is even more common offline than online.

I said the opposite way. It is fun offline but online set brings different experience.
Thats why some things that work offline dont really work here.

[GeraldineMerida]

But this is NOT offline. It is online now, right here. Offline and online are different, if shortly.

I know the difference. Not sure you do. You wrote that bluffing can be fun online, but not cool offline. My experience is that it is even more common offline than online.

I said the opposite way. It is fun offline but online set brings different experience.
Thats why some things that work offline dont really work here.

No, you my have MEANT that, but it is not what you said. Look at your own words which I quoted exactly.

And it STILL makes no sense to me, even assuming you meant the opposite of what you said, because BAND! is intended to be played with bluffing re roles, and it works better that way on- or offline. (For example, among experienced players, the renegade will almost never win unless they can convince the sheriff to attack the deputy, by claiming that role themselves.)

[AVTactics]

I know the difference. Not sure you do. You wrote that bluffing can be fun online, but not cool offline. My experience is that it is even more common offline than online.

I said the opposite way. It is fun offline but online set brings different experience.
Thats why some things that work offline dont really work here.

No, you my have MEANT that, but it is not what you said. Look at your own words which I quoted exactly.

And it STILL makes no sense to me, even assuming you meant the opposite of what you said, because BAND! is intended to be played with bluffing re roles, and it works better that way on- or offline. (For example, among experienced players, the renegade will almost never win unless they can convince the sheriff to attack the deputy, by claiming that role themselves.)

You can get things the way you want but doing some things in online you will face some players reactions that different from offline. You can like it or not, you can agree with it or not, but you will face it. For example in online gameplay most people dont like to tell their roles, even if you try to bluff or something - doesnt matter.
The chat is opened. You sure can go for role and other stuff but .... you will just face some disagree from other players (because its different experience, Im trying to tell you this for several messages already but seems you dont get it, nvm). In some games on BGA people create games even with typical comment "silence pls", "silence game", so on.

Can you come to a stranger on street and say something bad to him? Of course you can. There is a possibility the stranger will hit you in your face after your words but if you dont care about it - go on, enjoy your life.
Similar story here. Im telling you that online gaming is different, and some things dont work (people dont like it). If you dont care about others, if you feel fine when people will start to stop you in chat, or will push red thumb, or block you somehow (because dont want to play with you again), - if you feel fine with these outcomes - go on, enjoy the game.