I just started a few private games because I am trying to learn a new board.  I did this because I don't want my learning to effect my current GR, and monthly rank.  It looks like it does, in fact, effect the monthly rank.  Could this be a mistake as it seems like someone should be able to use private games to learn a board risk free of rank implications, aside from the private games GR that is tracked separately?  I did win my first one of these learning games, but, I do expect to make mistakes and lose future ones...  I would gladly give back the points I already earned from my first victory if it meant I could continue to learn risk free...  Is this possible Tom, or, is it by design that private games are included in the Monthly ranking?  Or maybe they're not and some other game ended and snuck a change into my monthly ranking without me realizing it?

he posted somewhere else recently that private and DEV games do not count. must be something else or a bug he needs to look into. 

Only dev games don't count. Private games count towards monthly score and elimination streaks.

"I just started a few private games because I am trying to learn a new board.  I did this because I don't want my learning to effect my current GR, and monthly rank. "

This is cheesy. You should be doing new boards like everyone else...by getting smashed by the board designer until you sort it out. 

Xrayjay wrote:

"I just started a few private games because I am trying to learn a new board.  I did this because I don't want my learning to effect my current GR, and monthly rank. "

This is cheesy. You should be doing new boards like everyone else...by getting smashed by the board designer until you sort it out. 

Not cheesy at all.  That is the exact use of private games, in my opinion.  A place where you should be able to go to play relaxed knowing that it won't effect your rank... Though there has been some talk of non ranked public games, which would work just as well.  I also join a lot of DEV games to be able to play some new boards without worrying about any rank implications and to be able to have some no-strings-attached fun.  Also, don't think I made those private games to avoid getting "smashed by the board designer until [I] sort it out".  I do my homework and play for real.  Even though I put myself up against my WarGear friends who know the board best, and thus face a real possibility of losing, I still do not expect to lose those games.  I want a challenge and to understand where I stand with regard to how I've studied the board, and also want to learn with a little less stress that comes with rank implications.  If I have learned the board properly, however, I should be competitive at least and have a decent chance at winning even.

Anyway, everyone has their own method.  Some think that tournaments are for learning so that it won't effect their regular GR/CP.  Others just don't give a hoot and jump into anything without even looking at the board explorer or reading the board description.  Some study and strategize by watching histories of the best players of that board, and pick apart the board in the board explorer... To each their own!

Korrun wrote:

Only dev games don't count. Private games count towards monthly score and elimination streaks.

Yes they do... But should they?

berickf wrote:

Xrayjay wrote:

"...by getting smashed by the board designer until you sort it out. 

Speaking for myself, at least, this strikes me as an overestimate of a board designer's mastery over his or her own board. I seem to recall getting unceremoniously smashed to a pulp playing berickf in a dev game on my own board just the other week... =P

Like Victor Frankenstein, we have little control over our own creations!

Kjeld wrote:

berickf wrote:

Xrayjay wrote:

"...by getting smashed by the board designer until you sort it out. 

Speaking for myself, at least, this strikes me as an overestimate of a board designer's mastery over his or her own board. I seem to recall getting unceremoniously smashed to a pulp playing berickf in a dev game on my own board just the other week... =P

My exact experience, except it's a private game instead of a dev game.

Private games definitely shouldn't count for GR, monthly rank or any of the streaks (although they did count for streaks up until a recent update).

If you have any evidence to the contrary, please let me know!

I'm not sure if they did or not as I always have so many games going and people surrender when I'm not even aware, giving me points.  But, I was trying to pay attention at the time of my private game against Ozyman completing and it seemed like it might have?  Maybe you can check more closely?  If it did effect the monthly ranking then I incorrectly took points from Ozyman here: http://www.wargear.net/games/view/431997.  I wasn't paying attention at all to my points when this second one against Korrun completed here: http://www.wargear.net/games/view/431984, but, I potentially took points from him as well if that is what was happening.  Neither of these games effected regular GR, as expected.  That was easier to confirm because I play few regular games, but many tournament games.  I did not look at the streaks.  If I did indeed get monthly points from those games then please take them back because I like the idea of being able to play private games without rank implications.

Thanks!

Noticed this dude who posted in the general forum so I clicked on his stats....he has no public stats and no apparent ranking history, but he does have a current monthly score. Presumably from private games?

http://www.wargear.net/players/info/WarDamage/Player%20Profile

I have been following this a bit more closely when my private games end and the last one definitely broke my win streak and cost me monthly ranking points.  Don't need anything done retroactively as I think my lead is secure and my streak was broken previously by a tournament game, but, if this could be rectified for future private matches it would be much appreciated!

Thanks!