Board Game Arena

I'm guessing the answer is no, but just in case. "What would be the point" you might ask? Maybe BGA can capture details from server logs that can help them stop this person creating yet another account.

Context:
I was playing a game against a "beginner" who had clearly played before (yes, I know someone could have played off of BGA, etc., but stay with me). During the game they said things like "so lucky" and "stupid game" when I won a round. After I won the game I said I hope you enjoyed your "first" game. Yes, this was poking the bear, but I strongly suspected this was a new account created to do....whatever people who make multiple accounts do. This prompted an obscenity-laced tirade--impressively in multiple languages. I of course immediately click on their profile to report them and get this message: "This player does not exist (account closed by player or for inactivity)." They had immediately deleted their account within a minute of ending the game. Further evidence this person was up to no good.

Ed.: I sent a message using BGA's general business inquiries web form, but I don't expect anything to come of it.

I got a response from support:

Thank you for reporting this strange behaviour. We do track suspicious accounts and I have added this user to the list. Your hunch seems to be correct.

Honestly, this seems like it would be a self-ending behavior. To start a new account, one has to always be a "0" ELO for every game.

You, yourself, can just choose not to play anyone less than average and you won't see this person again.

This person will have few players and need to go to the effort too often to open accounts.

It *, but think of it as the driver who runs a red light. They are gone, and hopefully do not drive around you very often.

People can be rude, but refusing to let them ruin your day, or take up a place in your head, leaves them powerless and you the winner at the end of the day.

*Moderator edit: please refrain from swearing on BGA, this is a family-friendly platform.

JoysJoy wrote: ↑15 June 2024, 23:48 You, yourself, and just choose not to play anyone less than average and you won't see this person again.

The "you, yourself" start doesn't read right. Did you mean to type something else? I've been trying to figure it out and nothing is coming together in my head.

Anyways, to get to your point. You may very well see this person again. They may have made a new account starting at 0, but they aren't going to stay there. Maybe they're just a beginner and will only hit 300 or so of whatever game this is, but if we're talking someone who knows how to play the game there's no guarantee they won't go higher. So it wouldn't be too hard for a new account to meet basic rating thresholds and not be "less than average" to a random player looking at the pairing. Reputation is of course laughable, in a couple days or less they should hit 100% without too much trouble. So while the prior new account was deleted, the next one might make a better run. Though if they keep going off on players for "getting lucky" and then deleting the account for each rage incident like that maybe it will take them a bit longer than someone with a bit more of a brain.

Ceaseless wrote: ↑16 June 2024, 01:17

JoysJoy wrote: ↑15 June 2024, 23:48 You, yourself, and just choose not to play anyone less than average and you won't see this person again.

The "you, yourself" start doesn't read right. Did you mean to type something else? I've been trying to figure it out and nothing is coming together in my head.

You, yourself, CAN choose... Simple typo and now fixed.

Anyone who sticks around long enough to reach an ELO Of 300 will not be swearing and being mean in comments on every game. Obviously when this person acts that way, they delete their account.

Getting a high ELO on a new account takes time. And constant good behavior. This person is a self-limiting problem and can be easily avoided. Go start a new account yourself and you will learn in just a few days it is not so easy as you imagine

A few years ago a younger user turned up on the forums quite upset that their Elo was not going up indefinitely. It turned out they were creating new accounts, playing, then getting upset when their Elo would not go any higher, deleting the account, and starting again. People are strange (or in that case perhaps uninformed about what Elo is). The behaviour you encountered is rare and somewhat self-defeating (the strongest sanction BGA can apply for misbehaviour is deleting an account and the person did that to themselves).

JoysJoy wrote: ↑16 June 2024, 03:36

Ceaseless wrote: ↑16 June 2024, 01:17

JoysJoy wrote: ↑15 June 2024, 23:48 You, yourself, and just choose not to play anyone less than average and you won't see this person again.

The "you, yourself" start doesn't read right. Did you mean to type something else? I've been trying to figure it out and nothing is coming together in my head.

You, yourself, CAN choose... Simple typo and now fixed.

Anyone who sticks around long enough to reach an ELO Of 300 will not be swearing and being mean in comments on every game. Obviously when this person acts that way, they delete their account.

Getting a high ELO on a new account takes time. And constant good behavior. This person is a self-limiting problem and can be easily avoided. Go start a new account yourself and you will learn in just a few days it is not so easy as you imagine

Ah, so that's what it was. Was pretty sure it was a typo, but I had my eyes on the wrong word and just could not work out what it was supposed to be. Thank you.

Anyways, we're not talking about a high elo, we're talking beginner elos like 300. Enough to not stand out as being particularly good or bad. I've started a new account before to demonstrate some stuff. Cleared 300 the first day. It was fun and instructional; after I showed what I wanted to show I moved on. You overestimate it. It might take extra work if someone wanted to play for a more serious rating, but that's a different subject.

As for the swearing issue, being unable to not do that for every game you play is on the extreme end, this shouldn't be a problem for most players, even ones that do have a rage game every now and then. If they absolutely can't hold it together, then that will be very self-defeating, but I wouldn't count on that always being the case.