This has happened to me a few times. One I remember was the game Alchemist, where I just sat there confused as hell for 4 and a half hours while three guys were all talking about strategies. Tonight it was Terraforming Mars, where I was told it would be a 3 hour game, but by hour 4 we were halfway done. This time I said “it’s 11pm, I have work in the morning, this will be my last hand” and the host got very passive aggressive with me. I just don’t know what to do in these situations.
^Also is there a word for this? My girlfriend said I was “held game hostage” but I don’t see that used in my searches.^
Make your time limits know ahead of time. Focus on the socialization with your friends rather then the game itself.
People can get annoyed if you dip early for the same reason you stated. You got quorum, you spent hours learning and playing the game. And you don’t even get to finish it.
If your game group suffers from analysis paralysis suggest setting a timer for each turn to keep the game moving.