Default for Arena seems odd

[detlefchef11]

In the 15 or so games I've played here, only 2 have been the expansion and one of those 2 was the only game I've played in Arena. Keep in mind that all or nearly all the games I've played were initiated by others, so the base game seems much more common. So why isn't that what is played in Arena?

[Kayvon]

Arena settings are decided by Gurus, who are the BGA players that play the game the most. They vote on new formats periodically.

Here's the FAQ entry:
https://boardgamearena.com/faq?anchor=f ... agamegurus

[detlefchef11]

Arena settings are decided by Gurus, who are the BGA players that play the game the most. They vote on new formats periodically.

Here's the FAQ entry:
https://boardgamearena.com/faq?anchor=f ... agamegurus

Thank you for the link. I was aware of the existence of the gurus and that they were responsible for choosing the format. I suppose I was just posting to alert them that they've chosen formats that don't represent what appears to be a style of play that seemingly most play.

Again, I just join the games that are offered to me and nearly always, they're not what they've chosen for the Arena.

That said, as a Wingspan enthusiast, were I in charge of deciding on the format there and the EE was available, I would be hard pressed not to choose it. So, I can understand where they're coming from even if it means that I won't likely be entering the PARKS Arena again.

[Mogri]

In the 15 or so games I've played here, only 2 have been the expansion and one of those 2 was the only game I've played in Arena. Keep in mind that all or nearly all the games I've played were initiated by others, so the base game seems much more common. So why isn't that what is played in Arena?

I will add that most players do not bother to change the default settings when starting a table. Playing with alternate options tends to decrease your odds of finding a table, especially in a real-time game. So it may well be that most people play without the expansion even though most would prefer to play with it.

If you're curious, about a quarter of all games are played with each expansion. There's an unknown amount of overlap, which means that anywhere between 50% and 75% of PARKS games only use the base game.

[detlefchef11]

In the 15 or so games I've played here, only 2 have been the expansion and one of those 2 was the only game I've played in Arena. Keep in mind that all or nearly all the games I've played were initiated by others, so the base game seems much more common. So why isn't that what is played in Arena?

I will add that most players do not bother to change the default settings when starting a table. Playing with alternate options tends to decrease your odds of finding a table, especially in a real-time game. So it may well be that most people play without the expansion even though most would prefer to play with it.

If you're curious, about a quarter of all games are played with each expansion. There's an unknown amount of overlap, which means that anywhere between 50% and 75% of PARKS games only use the base game.

Are there even instructions on how to play the expansions in those games?

[Mogri]

Are there even instructions on how to play the expansions in those games?

Of course. You can find the rulebooks on the publisher's website under "Downloads":
https://keymastergames.com/products/parks-nightfall
https://keymastergames.com/products/parks-wildlife

If you mean to ask whether the game itself teaches you how to play the expansions, then no, I'm not aware that any game on BGA does that. The "How to Play?" section at the bottom of every game table is community-editable. It currently contains a link to the Nightfall rules, but it has no instructions on either expansion. Again, as it's community-editable, this is a problem you and the BGA community can solve.

[detlefchef11]

Are there even instructions on how to play the expansions in those games?

Of course. You can find the rulebooks on the publisher's website under "Downloads":
https://keymastergames.com/products/parks-nightfall
https://keymastergames.com/products/parks-wildlife

If you mean to ask whether the game itself teaches you how to play the expansions, then no, I'm not aware that any game on BGA does that. The "How to Play?" section at the bottom of every game table is community-editable. It currently contains a link to the Nightfall rules, but it has no instructions on either expansion. Again, as it's community-editable, this is a problem you and the BGA community can solve.

Thanks