Board Game Arena

Hi,

I often see discussed as a possibility for people not caring about competition, ELO, time limit, or learning some rules, that they have the ability to play in friendly mode in order to avoid disappointment.

Do we have stats about how possible that is? Do we know how many percents of the total games played are friendly games? Do we have stats about how many of these games take place between unrelated players (not linked as BGA "friends")? How many Real-time vs turn-based?

I personally don't have many experience with friendly games, beside often cancelling the "friendly" option in order to find game partners, so I was also wondering what is everyone experience with it.

I'm also experiencing lately anxiety toward other players expectations what is leading me to play solo almost uniquely (what is also fueled by having a bit of an obsolete device that may or may not lag), would be playing in friendly mode really a viable option?

I don't know what stats may be available from a BGA POV, but anecdotally, I've seen and found myself in friendly games with strangers. That said, yes, I tend to avoid them, partly because I have more concerns about a person I don't know disappearing and not playing their turns which becomes frustrating for me. At least if they run over their time limit, they get notified that they're missing their game (and I don't boot at the first moment a player goes over time, only if they disappear for days at a time), and I have the option to boot them if they're still not playing, which may deter them from doing that again, or at least let me know that they may be a player to avoid.

From that perspective, you're probably more likely to find friendly games among friends (or possibly groups) because people want to be able to trust their playing partners if there's no impetus to continue the game (like the timer).

As far as the lag issue, possibly playing turn-based would suit you better? But of course, that is a much slower form of play. Friendly games don't have a time limit, so the game is somewhat more tolerant of your lag, but your opponents may or may not be, and if they feel you are playing too slowly, they could just leave the friendly game anyway. It really depends how bad your lag is - but if you're playing turn-based, then some lag isn't likely to matter much. I personally play mostly turn-based, but run quite a number of games, so when I'm online to play, I get to take a lot of turns, but each game can progress slowly. Every now and then, a player and I are online at the same time, and we basically play out the game in real-time, which is nice. But it's nice to also have the option to not completely finish the game, because sometimes my time to play is very limited, and I have to go (which is why I don't often play real-time).

Thank you for your imput!

Scheduling difficulties with friends are apparently the same online as IRL for my circle of friends. I tried the turn-base option you mention, but it doesn't really suits me, I cannot follow a game for days/weeks to end, nor can I allow myself being sure to play several turns regularly spaced in a single day, real life (aka kids) always get in the way, I can only have one-three consecutive hours here and there.

My lag problem is not severe, but it can happen that I have to reboot, and it can take up to 5-8 minutes, what is usually too much for real time games. I have to upgrade my system anyway, I just have to find the energy to face multiple days of trial and errors and no internet connection without feeling a complete failure.

Well until then I'll keep soloing, and maybe once all is back in order can I try to note if waiting times for friendly tables are "acceptable".