Board Game Arena

In the past, when I was invited to a table (usually for a rematch) but chose not to join, I would use the "chat at this table" feature to say why I was not joining. For example, maybe it's a turn based game set too fast, because I'm going away for a few days soon, so I can't start a new one now. Whatever the reason, I thought it would be nice to let people who invited me for a rematch know that I appreciate it, and why I won't join this time.

Recently, however, the page I go to when I click on the table number from the invitation, is completely different, and I cannot find a "chat at this table" option anywhere. It's a big confusing page that's hard to get a handle on, so I might be missing something. The older page was much easier to view at a glance and see what's there.

Of course if I do accept the invitation, it'll change to a regular table with the game in progress, and then I can chat. But if I join and then quit, it'll hurt my reputation, so I'm not going to do that.

So, is there any way to do what I used to do, and send a message to the whole table saying why I'm not going to join?

P.S. I've seen some references to a "new lobby", and maybe that's what this page I go to when I click on the table is? I honestly don't know what the "lobby" is on BGA, even though I've been using BGA for almost three years. What I do know is that I am clicking on a link to a specific table and I expect to see that specific table, its players, and the chat option among other things. What I'm seeing is a huge mess and I don't know what it is.

Yes that's the new lobby. To find out more, please read here: https://boardgamearena.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=28095

And this might be the answer to your question:

sourisdudesert wrote: ↑14 December 2022, 15:09

How to enter the game chat before joining a game? I cannot find a DISCUSS button.

You do not have to click on Discuss anymore: the chat window opens automatically on bottom right. One click saved

That does not appear to be true.

I've just been invited to a game. Clicking through to the table takes me to this URL: https://boardgamearena.com/gamepanel?ga ... =337773396

On the bottom right I see the usual "General messages" rectangle thing, which if I click on it will expand to the site-wide chat.
But there is no chat for this table, not at bottom right and not anywhere I can find it. Once I accept and the game starts, then there will be a chat for just this table.

I would attach a screenshot but I keep getting "file too large" errors when I try, even when I shrank the browser window to about as small as will show everything.

Have you create a bug report then? https://boardgamearena.com/bugs

I did not create a bug report, because I don't know if it's a bug or just something I don't know how to do or how to find.

What am I supposed to see, and where?

I am sorry, I don't know either. When you follow sourisdudeserts description and it doesn't work for you (and I read that others had the same problem), I'd consider it a bug.

I just reported the bug: ​ https://boardgamearena.com/bug?id=79791

For the first time today, I actually saw the chat box on a new lobby for a game I haven't joined yet. It appears because there was a message in there already. I was able to click on it to expand it, and send my own message.

Unfortunately, this was short lived: When I reloaded the lobby page, the chat box was gone, and there was no way for me to get it back. So now it's much clearer that this is a bug, because I know that the normal chat box is supposed to be there at the lower right corner. But apparently it only shows up for me when there's a message for me to read that I haven't read yet. Once I'm caught up, there's no way for me to look at it again, or send another message.

I still haven't found an answer for this.

It also affects tables I have started, that some people have joined, but the table is still waiting for another person and the game hasn't started. There does not seem to be any way to open a chat for that table.

I sadly cannot tell you how to do this as a step by step...

But you can put it back to the old interface. Something about Manual somewhere.

When I join or send invites I am back to using the old style interface and have my discuss button.

I find all new interface looks have been absolutely negatively impactful on function. To someone who just wants to click a single play button and never know what happened why or how, I suppose that is a benefit. But to anyone trying to organize groups, curate game settings, and play specific things it is so much worse.

Your solution exists! Hopefully someone else can help you figure out how to get it to show you the interface you want. I can still use mine the way it used to be and it still functions and has my ability to talk at the table in setup.