## Bug: Cannot Create a 2-Player Battle as a Participant (Creator Forced as Referee) #151
Description
Description
When creating a multi-person battle on SynHax, the user who creates the battle is automatically assigned the role of referee. As a result, they are not treated as a participant, and no access folder is created for them in the battler workspace.
This makes it impossible to create a simple 2-player battle where the creator is also one of the competitors.
Expected Behavior
The creator of a battle should have the option to:
- Join the battle as a participant (battler), or
- Choose whether they are acting as a referee or a player
In a 2-player scenario, the creator should be able to participate without requiring a third account.
Actual Behavior
- The battle creator is automatically assigned as referee
- No battler access folder is created for them
- They cannot edit or compete in the battle
- A third account is required to act as referee if two users want to compete
Steps to Reproduce
- Create a new multi-person battle
- Invite another user to join
- Observe that:
- The creator is assigned as referee
- Only the invited user receives a battler workspace
- The creator cannot participate as a battler
Impact
This adds unnecessary friction for basic use cases:
- Requires a third account just to act as referee
- Makes casual or quick 1v1 battles cumbersome
- Breaks expected behavior for users who assume the creator can also participate
Suggested Solutions
- Allow the creator to select their role (Referee or Battler) at creation time
- Automatically assign the creator as a battler if the battle size is 2
- Provide a way for the creator to "join as participant" after creating the battle
Environment
- SynHax CSS Battle Platform
- Browser: (Version 146.0.7680.81 (Official Build) (64-bit))
- OS: (Window 11 Pro)
Additional Notes
This seems to be tied to how battler access folders are provisioned only for participants and not for referees. Allowing role flexibility at creation would resolve the issue cleanly.