The Mafia Discussion Thread

[Plubby]

I can't place my finger on exactly what, but adding a role after the game has begun rubs me the wrong way. I'm coming at this from the POV of a game designer myself, it just feels...off somehow.

[FireDoughnut]

I forgot to add in my ""

Sorry Norro.

[Sousa]

I am outraged by Norro's inclusion and am reporting it to the admins.

[FireDoughnut]

I will back you up Sousa! Mafia is srs biznes!

[Sousa]

I don't think you can, FD.

See, I'm not talking about the board admins. Oh, no.

I'm talking about the admins of the Internet.

[The Mask of Norro]

I figured, FD, hence my last line there. It was more directed at anyone who took offense to my inclusion, unless they're Sousa because, well, he can hate me all he wants but he knows he's always coming back for more Norro.

Anyhow, now that that's all said and done, I have to say this:

and I reminded him several times to sign me up, he forgot,

lol, Ruki.

[R.W.]

I can't place my finger on exactly what, but adding a role after the game has begun rubs me the wrong way. I'm coming at this from the POV of a game designer myself, it just feels...off somehow.

This is what I agree with more. If you've got a well-designed, balanced game, adding roles should be the last thing you want to do. But to each their own. As long as they abide by my rules.

I don't think you can, FD.

See, I'm not talking about the board admins. Oh, no.

I'm talking about the admins of the Internet.

I'm sorry, but I am the Vice-Admin of the Internet, reporting directly to Admin Al Gore, who's busy right now saving the world. How can I help?

[Plubby]

You can help by taking this PIRANHA RIGHT IN THE EYE!

*throws*

[Sousa]

I'm sorry, but I am the Vice-Admin of the Internet, reporting directly to Admin Al Gore, who's busy right now saving the world. How can I help?

The Admins of the Internet do not gladly suffer false prophets among the hoi polloi. Rest assured that the members of the actual Triumvirate--Al Gore, Zero Cool, and sEpHiRoThRuLzXxX666--will soon learn of your insolence.

[R.W.]

sEpHiRoThRuLzXxX666 was my name before I changed it to RW

[R.W.]

What is a Sephiroth anyway, and why would it rule?

[-A-]

Seriously though, Calvinball is not Traditional at all. Getting modkilled for almost not obeying a stupid rule?

[R.W.]

Yeah, I think it's really pushing it now.

[Sousa]

What is a Sephiroth anyway, and why would it rule?

Depends. If you're a theologian it's one of the ten means by which God reveals himself to His creation according to Jewish Kabbalah.

If you're an Internet nerd--a far more likely scenario--it's one of these.

[Plubby]

As I said in the other thread - Traditional has the shortest list, blatant gaming of the system. If people are going to abuse it like this, are we just going to have to make people demonstrate how their game is traditional?

[FireDoughnut]

I have an idea for a traditional/small mafia.

ENDGAME Mafia. The game starts on the brink of Endgame... where one/two poor moves from the town will lose them the game. Thoughts?

[-A-]

It would probably only work with a really small game, otherwise it's phenomenally difficult for the town to win. 3 or 5 players and it could work.

On traditional games: I think part of the problem is that we haven't got any kind of definition. Having generic role titles is only part of it and having few roles isn't even a requirement. Dethy is still traditional and everyone has a power in that - the point is that traditional games are all based around strategy rather than meta-gaming, storylines or anything particularly creative.

[FireDoughnut]

The way MPH explained it. There is no theme, i.e. there is no way for anyone to roleclaim a character to cover themselves.

[-A-]

Yeah, but that's only part of the equation. I could design a game with generic role titles that's out of control with wacky abilities and I think Calvinball has proved that you can have a blatantly non-Traditional game with no power roles or themed titles.

Edited February 6, 2009 by -A-

[-A-]

So, I need to figure out something for Newbie Mafia. This is the set-up:

1 Mafia Don

1 Mafia Goon

1 Mafia Roleblocker

1 Investigator

1 Protector

7 Townies

With the town having both power roles and the mafia only having 1/4 of the players, I think they need something extra to balance things. Should I make the don clean on investigation, immune to death until his colleagues are dead, or add another goon to make them 1/3?