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Dear Ms. Netiquette,
Recently, I was enjoying a game of Dice City Roller. I play with the auction feature and there weren’t many of us in the room. Well, I bid on the same item as another player, and won the bid. This happened a few more times. The player that I outbid then proceeded to call me mean and rude. She stated that it’s not proper etiquette to take “her card” when there are others that weren’t bid upon. I told her if she wanted the card, she would have to outbid me and that I didn’t want the other cards, which is why I bid on that one. I really wanted to tell her “it wasn’t ‘your’ card if I won the bid.”
I told her not to get mad about it, that it was just a part of the game. I wanted to see what your opinion on the matter is.
Is it really rude to bid on an item that another player has already bid on when there are open cards and not many players?
Signed,
H F
| Dear H F,No, it’s not rude at all. You are, of course, 100% correct. Dice City Roller is a game. Games are most often competitive. Bidding in Dice City Roller is part of the game. It doesn’t matter if there are two people in the room or ten; you are free to bid on whatever you like.
I received several letters this week from people who have experienced similar situations. One woman who hit the “Play Now” button ended up in a room with another player who scolded her for choosing a room with only one player. Another was the fifth player in a room and was told that the room was already full and to find another room. This is one of those situations where by-the-rules players must develop a thick skin to combat the peer pressure from players who either do not know the rules, or are too lazy or greedy to play the game the way it is intended to be played. Pressuring players to leave a game, or trying to persuade them to play a certain way despite what the rules say is just plain rude. So, if you run into this situation again, be strong. You’re not just doing it for yourself. You’re also making a statement for everyone who wants to play by the rules. If someone tries to pressure you into leaving a room, or into not bidding in a certain auction, mute them immediately and continue to play the way you normally would. |
Dear Ms. Netiquette,
I was looking into joining a Pogo players club and was using the free games to become accustomed to the game arena. I, unfortunately, have been having a terrible time in the Fortune Bingo rooms. It seems that “sharing” is mandatory in rooms with less than 3 people. I have no idea what sharing is and have never done it. The last time I played, another player became so mad at me for winning and not sharing that she (or he) started calling me names and accused me of being a “bingo b–” oops…, I’ll leave out the expletive.
Can you explain to me just what sharing is and if it is mandatory? I thought that when you played bingo you had to completely fill out your card. How is it possible to share a jackpot with someone?
Thank you for your assistance.
Sharing Confused
Dear Sharing Confused,I must admit I’m quite a recycler. Why, my neighbors are constantly commenting on how impressed they are by the sheer amount of recycling I do. Your letter has given me a brand new way to recycle, and I thank you! To demonstrate, look at this:
I must admit that was rather fun. It isn’t quite saving the planet, but it does show that what applies to one game often applies to others. Now I will address the other questions you pose. Sharing is most definitely not mandatory and goes against the rules of the game. The idea behind sharing in Fortune Bingo is that if people wait to claim Bingo, more people will be able to claim Bingo. The same advice applies here as it does in Dice City Roller: be strong and play the way the game was made to be played. |
Dear Ms. Netiquette,
I just wanted to say that the article on sharing accounts was a very good warning.
I myself have been a member for some time now. And I had been sharing an account with two friends. Well, a few months ago now I had won a drawing prize of 50 dollars cash. I was proudly displaying my badge until one day I noticed it had disappeared! So, of course I contacted Pogo and to my dismay they told me that my account had at some point used an “automatic game player” and that the prize was null and void for that reason! So, knowing I had two other people using the account I called them up and one of them admitted to using an automatic game playing device. So, because of my letting others have access to my Pogo account I have lost my prize, and have had to open a new account on to which only MYSELF will be permitted from now on!
So, heed Netties warning and never– and I mean NEVER– let anyone besides yourself have access to your account. Because, as I have found out the hard way, it just isnt worth the risk!
Signed,
Anonymous Pogoer
| Dear Anonymous Pogoer,I am sorry you had this experience. Your warning is well taken and much appreciated. Hopefully your experience will help others not make the same mistake. Thank you very much for writing! |
