As Shannon said, most Guide Games end where the NR Deadbeats rather quickly and most games end with the NR does not even take a turn.
BUT something needs to be done to help the few NR who truly want to learn. I would (somehow) encourage the NR who played 1v1 to allow a 2nd Guide Game as a Doubles team. And I further suggest that the opponent team be BOTS only to fill it quickly.
While here, I will suggest that if a Guide Game is waiting more than 60 seconds, that any empty slots (in triples or quads) to be filled by Bots, so that the game can start ASAP. Most NRs will not wait even 3 minutes; the quicker the Guide Game starts, the better chance we have to keep the NR playing.
Shannon Apple wrote:Not sure what the correct course of action would be for that. Most NRs don't even wait around for a game to start because they expect it to be instantaneous. They are literally gone within 30 seconds.
I will agree that when playing a 3 or 4 player guide game, I have noticed veteran players who want to win it at all costs, and I'm like "Geez, they're super serious about the game."
I have deliberately played kinda crappy in many of them to allow them to feel like they're getting a game out of it (if that makes sense). I let them catch up and if they follow the pointers I gave them, like "take smaller bonuses at first because they're easier to hold" they actually have a chance of beating me. If they take North America, I'm breaking that. It's dishonest to just let them win without any effort, but it's also really mean to go into those games with the intention of beating the crap out of some noobs. Where's the fun in that?
People who treat guide games the same as any other game really need to reconsider that strategy. It costs them nothing to give the newbie some genuine advice and let them take a shot at actually beating you. You lose no points and if they win, the site might have gained a half-decent new player who takes what they've learned and builds on it.