It is not always clear for me what is allowed when you ard a spectator during a tournament game. You should of course not give tips or remind someone when for example he has forgotten to focus. But am I allowed to interupt when a rule is broken? Or do I have to stay still and hope a judge is there seeing that?

I know some guys who mean that you have to absolutely be passive no matter what.

I don't think this would be the right thing.

Opinions?

I think you should limit your comments to things like "nice move" or "Wow that roll sucked for you"

If you see a rule being broken you could go inform the TO. But you shouldn't say anything to the players.

No you may not interfere in the game. Just this past weekend at Worlds, Alex Davy and Chris Beck, who were commentating on the match, noticed a problem with a game where a guy shot with the VCX out of the rear arc AFTER he had deployed the phantom and they did nothing so that should explain it to you.

You can go talk to the judge if you seem something wrong and he can keep an eye out for it but you shouldn't interfere unless you are one of the players involved or judge at the event.

Spectator

A spectator is any individual at a tournament not actively engaging in another role. Spectators must not disturb an ongoing game, and cannot provide any input or assistance to players during their games.

Which is always hard when you see a mistake. Only option if it's really bad is to get a TO.

Spectators should avoid speaking directly to a) the game (you mentioned giving advice) and b) the players .

Other than that, respect the focus needed for this game and don't give away any information that is not shared or inferred (did I use the right terms?).

I'd go along with Vanor. Things might be different if one or more of the players are friends of yours (i.e. More ribbing, humorous comments, and so on.

The main thing is to remember to be polite.

The Prime Directive.

Things might be different if one or more of the players are friends of yours (i.e. More ribbing, humorous comments, and so on.

Yeah I'd agree pointing out what a boneheaded move that was to a friend is acceptable... most of the time.

The main thing is to remember to be polite.

This is vital and the reason I said most of the time above. While your friend may not mind some ribbing, the other guy may find it distracting so you really got to be careful about too much joking. Myself I'd hate to think my joking around distracted someone and cost them a game.

Things might be different if one or more of the players are friends of yours (i.e. More ribbing, humorous comments, and so on.

Yeah I'd agree pointing out what a boneheaded move that was to a friend is acceptable... most of the time.

The main thing is to remember to be polite.

This is vital and the reason I said most of the time above. While your friend may not mind some ribbing, the other guy may find it distracting so you really got to be careful about too much joking. Myself I'd hate to think my joking around distracted someone and cost them a game.

The other guy might also see your ball busting of a friend for doing something dumb as providing feedback on his tactics during a match.

If we're talking about a tournament, just hold your comments until after the match.

The Prime Directive.

So... do whatever I want as long as I have a flimsy justification for it and/or I'm sassy enough?

Having made this mistake personally, I 100% admonish going to the TO or judge if there is a rules violation. I interrupted a game once and still feel horrible about it.

Things might be different if one or more of the players are friends of yours (i.e. More ribbing, humorous comments, and so on.

Yeah I'd agree pointing out what a boneheaded move that was to a friend is acceptable... most of the time.

The main thing is to remember to be polite.

This is vital and the reason I said most of the time above. While your friend may not mind some ribbing, the other guy may find it distracting so you really got to be careful about too much joking. Myself I'd hate to think my joking around distracted someone and cost them a game.

Things might be different if one or more of the players are friends of yours (i.e. More ribbing, humorous comments, and so on.

Yeah I'd agree pointing out what a boneheaded move that was to a friend is acceptable... most of the time.

The main thing is to remember to be polite.

This is vital and the reason I said most of the time above. While your friend may not mind some ribbing, the other guy may find it distracting so you really got to be careful about too much joking. Myself I'd hate to think my joking around distracted someone and cost them a game.

The other guy might also see your ball busting of a friend for doing something dumb as providing feedback on his tactics during a match.

If we're talking about a tournament, just hold your comments until after the match.

The "spectators can't point out rules violations" rule is basically designed to aid cheaters.

Non-cheaters -- i.e., people who make honest mistakes -- will never mind being informed of the rules. For them or against them.

Cheaters mind when people are informed of the rules ... but only against them.

Yes, you should go to the TO. In many cases, that will be too late for anything to be done. So, absolute best case , the cheater gets to successfully cheat once.

Just remember, do not throw your underwear at players. Yes, even if That move was That good

Just do want normal people do these days, put your cell phone on speaker and then have a loud conversation about how fat and smelly your friends wife is while not giving a **** about anything going on around you. It's either that or go stick your nose into a game you have no part in.

Even the commentators were wrong about several things taking place at worlds. Imagine if everyone watching butted in or bugged the TO each time they thought something was wrong.

I stick to public informations are open. Forgetting to add stress after PTL, etc are public infos pointing things like this out is legitimate for the audience.

Everything else? Shut up. But the reals certainly are part of the public informations category ;-)

Pretty standard stuff imho.

The "spectators can't point out rules violations" rule is basically designed to aid cheaters.

Non-cheaters -- i.e., people who make honest mistakes -- will never mind being informed of the rules. For them or against them.

Cheaters mind when people are informed of the rules ... but only against them.

Yes, you should go to the TO. In many cases, that will be too late for anything to be done. So, absolute best case , the cheater gets to successfully cheat once.

Not at all.. think of it this way, what if the spectator got the rule wrong, or the players thought it played differently. It would throw out the whole game while people checked rulebooks and argued over the rule. This could cause one player to forget what they were doing or run down the game time causing one player to not get time to win.

I have to agree that sometimes it can be too late to go to the judge and explain him the situation.

Last time I forgot that my IG88-B was dead, so the other one was not able to use the gunner effect. I used it but then a spectator reminded me/asked me why I can use it. It was completely ok and fair to me that I was reminded by a spectator. I was glad he did.

Wow...

If I am breaking the rules please tell me, I can't believe this do nothing stance people are taking.

If I am playing wrong I want to know, and I want to know right now. If I disagree and my opponent doesn't then I can bring a TO over. In my experience almost all rule breaking us just brain farts and misunderstanding.

I can't imagine getting upset with someone trying to help the game be played correctly.

I don't know where you guys play, but it sounds like toxic environments to me.

Wow...

If I am breaking the rules please tell me, I can't believe this do nothing stance people are taking.

If I am playing wrong I want to know, and I want to know right now. If I disagree and my opponent doesn't then I can bring a TO over. In my experience almost all rule breaking us just brain farts and misunderstanding.

I can't imagine getting upset with someone trying to help the game be played correctly.

I don't know where you guys play, but it sounds like toxic environments to me.

In a casual game which is not timed... I totally agree.. In a timed tournament environment things are a bit different as games can run all the way to time so easily. Having someone butt in and then having to either discuss what they think the rule should be, or have to explain to them the actual state of the game can distract the players, make them forget to do things, etc.

As I'm one of the local TOs, if I'm playing a match and watching the table next to me (I'm incredibly quick on setting dials) and I see something like this. I straight up tell them. Some might consider this rude, but, it's a rule in the game. Not following it could easily alter the game state in favor to one side when it shouldn't.

As a lot of people have said, if it's bad or constantly happening, get a TO. I also refrain from saying things like wow your dice aren't with you etc. The player knows when their dice are sucking, they don't need reminders from the bleachers. Just let them concentrate on the game. Be polite, reward good moves and congratulate good play. A person knows when they have screwed up. Leave it to their opponent to remind them of it.

I think if you see players misinterpreting a game rule or missing a trigger or something then you shouldn't interfere. If you see something distinctly underhand, like players changing dials, then get a TO so they can observe the same behaviour and act.

The ultimate rule of spectating is that the game should proceed exactly as it would if you were not there - mistakes and all. The only time I would break this rule is where I saw clear deliberate cheating.

While it can be frustrating if you see cheating, or an honest mistake in a game, remember you yourself are breaking the rules if you interfere (and are not a Judge/TO).

I personally think that if you are watching a tournament game, please, PLEASE don't say anything directly to the players regarding rules. It's not your game, keep it minimal and only really if they players speak to you. Speak your mind to a TO first if you have a rules query or are questioning an interaction or missed trigger and have them take the appropriate action, don't just step in. Even comments loud comments like, "Well at least he is now stressed from Rebel Captive" when it was missed after an attack is interrupting and not to mention rude.

I had a match where by I told my opponent at the start that C3PO cannot be used against Omega Leader if I had C3 locked as it counts as a modification to dice, which OL abilities prohibits, he agreed. Half way through as their own game had finished, someone "questioned" why my opponent didn't use C3PO when defending and then caused a 7 minute debate, got a TO involved, the next table involved, phones, rule books, FAQS, everything. . .

Whilst this was going on, the entire game stopped and I felt sick, what if I was wrong, had I been using Omega Leader incorrect the entire event, should I even be in the final?? I felt terrible, my opponent looked understandably frustrated and now it seemed that, for those seven minutes that I was a liar and cheat.

Turns out, that once the TO had spoken to him, the onlookers and eventually us, that I was right, you cannot modify the dice and everything was played as intended. Whilst that was a relief, I was still feeling sick to my stomach, I didn't enjoy the rest of much, I misjudged stuff, forgot tokens and nearly lost.

When it was all said and done, I just wanted to leave. embarrassed and I still feel the same way when I play that person.

Had the spectator just mentioned it to a TO, that could of all happened outside our game and never interrupted us. Had I of been proven wrong and incorrect by a TO, I would of happily conceded the match and openly apologised to everyone. Luckily this was just a kit event but if that was a bigger event, say a Regional or National, it would of absolutely ruined the experience for me, just because someone couldn't keep their mouth shut.

Personally, if my friends are in a close game, I won't watch, I'll leave them to it, I don't want to accidently say something or distract them and be the reason they lost.