Member
Sorry if this has been answered before, but I did a search with scattered information. Could someone explain to me the best method for ping ponging with other players? Do I just let them hold the tracks the entire time or take them back every once in a while with a fault or two less? How often to take them back if you do it that way?
Member
loads of different ways to do this, helps if you are prepared for an all out war at the end! if you have an agreement, like a message on here or something, probably retake tracks roughly every hour by a fault, or just by beating the time (no fault change), start each track with maybe 20 faults and a slow time. Definitely have some gold tickets built up so you can go back and forth without waiting for the regen on race tickets! usually an agreement would be to let one person win the pot then immediately serach for a new game when that one is finished and hope to get matched up again, and switch! If not, the race is on in the final hour or so!
Member
Thanks. Just got matched up with a legend who apparently wanted to ping pong. Wanted to make sure I did it properly before botching the whole thing. I sent him a message but haven't gotten a response yet so I wanted some quick answers.
Member
Generally once a match has started I'll put down runs with 15 faults. Then just wait to see how long the other person wants to wait until they take the tracks back. If they wait an hour then we go back and forth every hour, if it's an hour and a half then that's what I use. Keep bouncing the tracks back and forth whenever you can until the last hour. If there's been no communication and if it's someone I don't know then I usually compete in the last hour. If it's someone I recognise then we'll trade wins, or if they want the win for upgrades or something then I let them win and I'll win the next.
At this point in the season there are a lot of people that are either legends or at least rank 5, so it's becoming harder and harder to get matched up with someone after the first match is over.
Senior Member
the best thing to do is reach out to the opponent with a message to see what their intention is. without communication i think its best to flip tracks every hour or so or perhaps try to match chip count. if the other guy takes the tracks first and you let him hold them for an hour and they accumulate about 100 chips then you take them and hold them for an hour. obviously without communication this might not work and the other player might just take the tracks immediately which many see as a problem. Just try to match what the other player is doing if you arent talking.
like harding said expect a fight at the end. most players arent going to just let someone win without speaking first.
and yes each time you take the tracks back you either do it with 1 less fault or equal faults with a faster time.
the point is each time the tracks switch hands the prize pot grows bigger and the chip counting resets and accumulates faster again.
check out the ping pong etiquette thread for more info.
Senior Member
also, keep in mind not everyone is ping ponging with the best intentions. sometimes players are just trying to get the biggest prize possible with no care about the other side getting something too. there is nothing wrong with this but i think too many people get mad when this happens when they never spoke with the other player. if you see the other player constantly immediately taking tracks but right away you may have to spend some golden tickets to try and hold the tracks other wise it might not be worth it if you have any doubts you are not going to be able to beat the other player in the end.
Senior Member
What gets interesting is when things aren't going to plan....Originally Posted by sriskus Go to original post
When the other guy takes back the tracks quickly (in under 10 minutes, let's say) that is usually a big warning sign that something is going on. If you can send a message to the guy you might find he has a good reason... Maybe he is going not going to be available in an hour and wants to get some chips early, let's say. OR maybe he is a total jerk and just pushing you to get more chips. Not being able to talk makes this hard to tell.
This has happened enough to me that I had to decide on a policy. I let them take the tracks back fast once, but when they do I will take it back after 50-60 minutes. The next time they take it back fast, I take it right back immediately, but still following the rules of pong. That's their warning that I insist we share equally. If they do it again.... It's time to 0-fault and take no prisoners, IMO.
Senior Member
thats what i would do too. thats why i say its best to try and match if you can. if a guy takes them after only 10 minutes take them back in 10 minutes. the way i like to do it is just watch the chip count and try to keep it equal. this way i dont have to worry as much about time.
