Board Game Arena

So I'm relatively new here, just played 20 games. But I'm not getting anything like the sort of spirit I get from playing board games (even with strangers). People generally barely talk beyond a prefunctory "gg" or "hf", most aren't particularly helpful to someone new learning games, (to the point of not even telling them how the UI works). All around, I'd rather be playing against AI's - they at least take their turns in an orderly manner.

Is there anything to be done? Some sort of 'group' to join that has more talkative/friendly people? Or is this pretty much the way online board gaming works?

Somebody, a few months ago, suggested to have a "talkative" option in the game setup so that, if you want to have a chat while playing you would join this kind of games. But you are right, this could be added as a "group" thing I guess. I must say that I understand how you feel, and that, while sometimes I just want a short game, 90% of the time, having chatty interactive games would be more fun.

edit: perhaps somebody should just create a group for this kind of plays (I mean: I could do it) ... question is how to advertise it and how many people would be interested?

Online boardgaming looks often the way you see it but...
Yes, there are groups, as i saw even some sort of funclubs of some players I haven't joined one but I think you can create one by just gathering people with who you like to play (if, of course, they like playing with you) or just they will get to you.

Also remember that the problem here is language. Some people don't speak english at all because BGA gives opportunity to play every game in your own language (and that's awesome!), so they don't have to. Personally i mostly talk with people from my country (it's somehow easier ), or when majority of players talks in english because it is their native language (i think it's the same reason as me talking with polish gamers). And of course games when you have to wait for you turn for longer period of time (in boardgaming in real life it looks so too )

Yes of course I understand that this is language dependent: I could be talkative in French or in English but that is it!

But you could have as many groups as languages if necessary ...

I agree that allowing a lot of people who do not speak english to play is one great thing of BGA, no doubt about it. But I think it is good if, additionally, people who like to talk a bit while playing could ...

Definitely if someone doesn't share a language with me I don't expect them to talk. But even accounting for that, it seemed extraordinarily quiet.

I'm just looking for that table interaction that makes boardgaming more fun than playing computer games - I think you guys get what I am after.

So a group would work? I'd set one up, I don't know how. After you join the group, will you see other players from it to suggest? The only group thing I bumped into excluded me from joining certain peoples games.

The only group thing I bumped into excluded me from joining certain peoples games.

Sounds like this is exactly what you want to do: exclude players who don't talk during games.

Another possibility and maybe easier to do is add a table description where you state that you want a talkative game, so possible players don't have to join a group or feel excluded because they aren't in that group yet. But nevertheless you state your point and people who join know that you wanna talk during the game and that they are expected to do so, as well.

There is another reason people don't chat much, if they are like me they can not type that fast( I use the hunt and peck method). If you play with a regular group you all could use skype or some of the other programs for communicating. They make playing at sites like vassal much more enjoyable.

I would definitely talk and be interested in it, except...

I don't really know what to say to strangers, unless they start a conversation and I have a response. (Kinda like this. ) I do chat (elsewhere) with people I have gotten to know but don't chat much with people I don't know.

When I only have 30 seconds to take a turn, I'm busy taking the turn and not sure how I have time to type anything. In a more complicated game I would be trying to use opponent time to think about what I'm doing. In f2f I've noticed we have a tendency to have 2 or 3 people talk while someone else takes a turn but then you don't know what you're doing when your turn comes. Or, we all end up stopping and talking. That's a problem with a timer running. But chatting also makes it more interactive like you're playing with real people.

I'd be interested in such a group, except I have no clue how to even find a group... and I also only know 5 games on here and not sure how much I'd cross paths with the people in the chatty group, at least for now.

(Don't know why people wouldn't help with the UI, or rules maybe - that's a little odd.)

OK let's try this:
http://en.boardgamearena.com/#!group?id=1088438

This is a new group joins who wants ...

Concerning Liallan's remarks I agree, but perhaps first such a group will convince you (and me ) to try new games with more fun when learning and less fear to be in front of somebody that just want to play 100 games in the evening ...

second, concerning the subjects of conversation, I agree we won't have deep discussions, but discussing about the game might be a good start, or having a couple of sentences at the end commenting the game ... you can always ask people where they are from

And I forgot, of course "very fast" and "fast" speed are not adapted to this kind of games ...

PS: this is my first group creation, forgive me if I configured something incorrectly, or if it does not work as expected ...

Bumping up an old post but....

A great idea!

This group needs a reboot and reinvigoration. Perhaps every 15 minutes or so whenever a member doesn't see a post in the last few messages in everyone chat that they post something like:
to get more members.