Board Game Arena

The latest change to the BGA game interface now prevents you from playing with Unlimited Time without also playing on Training Mode. These are bad changes and should be revoked. Playing without a time limit is not the same as training. It doesn't mean people are going to go easy on you. It just means that you can play the game at a pace that better accomidates your life.

As stated in the new lobby thread, some features will be only accessible through the old lobby (which you can reach by clicking on the play now link at the top of the page), The game mode "No time limit - friends only" will still be accessible with this lobby.

In fact, to make the answer more accurate: it is highly probable that this possibility will disappear for good, even with the "old" lobby.

If you play a game without time limit, you cannot expel players. It also mean that you are "trapped" in the game if the others players cannot play. This is why "no time limit" should be only played in game with "no penalties" and "no ELO": this way, you can leave the game anytime without any damage to your reputation or rankings. And this is exactly what "training mode" provides: a safe way to play with "no time limit".

"Training mode" has no relationship with "go easy" on anything. This is exactly like a "Friendly match" in sport: it does not mean that the game will not be tough, it is just unofficial.

We let the possibility, in "old" lobby, to play without time limit and without the ELO, and it was probably a mistake for the reason explained above. The "new" lobby does not support this for the same very good reason. However, unrelated to the new lobby, we will probably remove soon this possibility from the "old" lobby too because it does not make any sense at all.

Ah bummer. I like to play with my friends with the no time setting, but also with ELO enabled. That gives the game a bit more edge to it. I wouldn't be surprised if many other people think the same way.

'If you play a game without time limit, you cannot expel players. It also mean that you are "trapped" in the game if the others players cannot play. This is why "no time limit" should be only played in game with "no penalties" and "no ELO": this way, you can leave the game anytime without any damage to your reputation or rankings. And this is exactly what "training mode" provides: a safe way to play with "no time limit".'

Isn't this why exactly this is actually possible when playing with friends? Because after all, you won't get 'trapped in a game' when playing with friends.

T72on1 wrote: ↑07 December 2022, 15:31 I like to play with my friends with the no time setting, but also with ELO enabled. That gives the game a bit more edge to it. I wouldn't be surprised if many other people think the same way.

Then the alternative is to play turn-based with a slow pace. You get the ELO, you have the flexibility to pause the game several days without any problems, and in case there is an issue with a friend, you still have the possibility to expel them.

T72on1 wrote: ↑07 December 2022, 15:31 Isn't this why exactly this is actually possible when playing with friends? Because after all, you won't get 'trapped in a game' when playing with friends.

Well, you can. And it is happening

sourisdudesert wrote: ↑07 December 2022, 14:34"Training mode" has no relationship with "go easy" on anything. This is exactly like a "Friendly match" in sport: it does not mean that the game will not be tough, it is just unofficial.

I'd suggest changing the name of "training mode" to avoid the impression that this is some kind of tutorial mode for newbies.

Was any research actually done on whether more people want to play in an unlimited time game that counts for ELO purposes than fear getting trapped in an unlimited time game?

I quite often use the unlimited mode, because I play against several regular opponents (all of us premium payers, for what that's worth) who are sometimes unavailable for days at a time. I only use that mode with people I trust, and have literally never been trapped.

Sometimes it feels as if BGA is going for the lowest common denominator: because a few people were apparently incapable of reading the game settings and thus ended up in endless games with people they didn't know, the rest of us who want to make an informed decision about this option will soon no longer be able to.

Another downside to training mode over normal mode with no time limit is the winner of the game doesn't receive gift points if that's the first time they've won the game (even if it is just 5 points per game). Having no time limit leads to less stress IMO, as friends can agree that a long running game, even with one friend not playing for a couple days, is ok. If a friend doesn't want to participate in a normal game with no time limit, they can always decline the invitation.

sourisdudesert wrote: ↑07 December 2022, 14:34 it is highly probable that this possibility will disappear for good, even with the "old" lobby.

This would be a very bad news :'(

sourisdudesert wrote: ↑07 December 2022, 15:54 Then the alternative is to play turn-based with a slow pace.

Then it would be better to add slower mode like "1 move a week" or maybe "1 move for 2 weeks" (I guess that "1 move for 1 month" is really too slow but maybe there are some people interested in).

I see many cases where 1 move per 2 days is too fast when playing with friends (mainly when we are away for a full week-end).

In fact, I don't really see what is the problem of being trapped in a game where a player never plays. Won't the game stop after 3 months if no one has played? If it is the case, the only problem is that the game will be in the list of played game (for 3 months).

Bourjn wrote: ↑10 December 2022, 11:47 In fact, I don't really see what is the problem of being trapped in a game where a player never plays. Won't the game stop after 3 months if no one has played? If it is the case, the only problem is that the game will be in the list of played game (for 3 months).

Certain players abuse this system, only open tables with 'no time limit' and purposefully didn't finish their games that they were losing, usually on their last turn of the game. Doesn't sound much like fun anymore. So that's why the 'friends only' restriction was applied. So if you're stuck in a game, it's not because someone duped you into playing. And no I don't know why they weren't banned for this behaviour.