Meeplelowda wrote: ↑19 February 2024, 22:43
Tait-Dallas wrote: ↑19 February 2024, 14:45I logged in every day to BGA and
yet somehow, my timer kept increasing.
In contrast to a fast turn-based game that has a 12-hour rest period when your clock will never run and a 12-hour "playing hours" period, you entered a tournament that said on the registration page "24 hours a day (no playing hours)." Tell us what you thought that meant so we can clarify any misunderstanding.
I had only played with US players prior. So, had not had a 3D view on what it could look like with international players in a 24 hour playclock. I realize now that it can be distinctly unfair, but figured with BGA having the history it does, that things would've been made "fair" somehow. Reading the comments, I realize I'm naive so that's on me.
But, to answer your question: I signed on thinking the game was fair. That's a huge word that means something different to each person. I get that. Didn't even know that it was a thing until this tournament spiraled the way it did, honestly, as playing for the past 4 years has mostly been with friends or one off games. So, as I'm working through this, I know that I was very upset early on that some players seemed to just take "forever" to make there moves, but only after the game ended did I realize 2 of the 4 players were in different countries/continents. Yeah, I'm a moron - I assumed that tournaments paired us up with people in similar time zones. Never occurred to me that we could be 12+ hours apart. I know a bunch of y'all don't get that and it seems obvious, but I will say that it was not obvious to me. So I'm a moron. OK, terms aside....
This tournament game, I've learned, has 2 US players, 1 French, and one Chinese. So, me/you, an American, play at 8pm CST. The player next is also an from the US, and plays at 8:30pm CST. You are already in bed. The players in France and China play at some point in the next 15 hours - who knows, different time zones....You wake up and have meeting because your job just goes at a million miles an hour, go to work (probably fly somewhere) and finally the end of the day comes and you login to BGA as you always do 1-10 times a day - and yes, you have eaten up 16 hours of your BGA time, even though you're doing the exact same thing everyone else in the tournament is doing (living life and also gaming) but you're being penalized due to time zones. If my player position had been different, then France would wait on me. What I am saying is that massive time zone swings in conjunction with player position can have a very very big impact in a game. In a casual game, who cares? But in a casual game, people 'get' time zone swings. In a tournament? Player position vs time zone is a BIG deal.
BUT, all that said.... me and a 2nd player in our game both had time deficits on us for several days. I also had the option to "fast forward" past the other player on multiple moves. And I didn't take that option - because I'm a classy player that understands life happens to adults. I get it. Yet, somehow, just as the game is about to end and I'm ahead of other players... well, whatever...
I'm just saying that I've been a BGA member for 4 years with a 100% rating and I login every single day, so it makes me sad to have such a bad experience with my first tournament. I wasn't gaming the system. I was in 3rd place on my first game in a game that I'm actually good at. I understand that I'm not familiar with the expansion and that I don't have the time to dedicate to this that some people have - get all of that. And losing is acceptable if it's earned. I still would lose the tournament - I know that since I don't get the expansion - I only have experience with the base game of Puerto Rico - it was to get booted right before the game ended that stood out. I know it doesnt matter what I type - you are required to defend all things BGA. Just saying, if you were able to put yourself in another person's shoes for 5 minutes, re-read what I wrote. Image what it's like for an Asperger's person with few friends to find solace over a website that connects him to real games that he enjoys. How fearful it is for him (me) to play at all with people he (me) knows. Then, 4 years in, to finally start playing with strangers. Then, to finally enter a tournament in a game he knows (even though they are using an expansion he doesn't know, it's fine). And, then to login every single day - even some days to see the other players haven't played for 12 hours - and somehow, following the rules, to get a time penalty but keep playing. Then to see how people come to the defense of the tournament over a person.... big bummer. Yeah, it's a big thing. My first forum post and everyone defends the house. What a waste of 4 years slowly moving towards connection.
Hope the player that booted me wins.