What makes you interested in and keeps you interested in a mafia game?

[michiganj24]

I ask this question in a purely scientific manner in order to help improve the mafia game environment for all. I have noticed a trend in which some games elicit much participation both in posting and sending in of Pm's(determined by how quick games reopen and how much complaining mods make). Their are some games who have no problem keeping peoples interest while others that I feel no worse than any other languish day after day. No sometimes this can be attributed to people being unfamiliar with the material but I have seen this in even games where people were excited for the game to start.

So I would like to hear what people think are the parts that most make you want to post and be a part of a game besides the obvious likability of the material. And also what parts of games that may sour you on the experience and make you bored with a game and abandon it (besides another player)
I hope ultimately this can be used to make the overall gaming experience more fun and spark more involvement. I would love to hear form both veteran players and especially newer players

[madslaust]

I see that in mafias I've run, and wondered if it's me and the roles I make or if it's the people and the source material.

:ermm:

[charlesx]

I believe it's mostly the source material. The more people know about the scenario and the characters, the more they are willing to participate. Of course, interesting/fun roles always encourage participation as well. I try to keep true to the source material while giving the scenario my own particular twist. I also try to create roles that lend themselves to interactivity - the kind of roles that I'd like to play, were I not the mod.

[sstralkowski]

I'm in the same boat as Mads. Some of my games have a ton of interaction and others just flounder. I have yet to figure out what causes one or the other.

[Amora's_best_friend]

I think if there's funny twists and turns the game becomes more interesting.

[sstralkowski]

I think if there's funny twists and turns the game becomes more interesting.


So why is Shaun of the Dead so...dead?

[DocDoom187]

So why is Shaun of the Dead so...dead?
'Cuz I'm not in it. :(

[sstralkowski]

'Cuz I'm not in it. :(

You have no idea. I was bummed to have to replace someone who's usually vocal. Especially after the game started and I saw how quiet the thread was.

[Jackofhearts2005]

I think if there's funny twists and turns the game becomes more interesting.
Either I'm the only one that finds them funny or that is not the case.

Something Different 4 is suffering from an all time low in participation. 24 hour night phase. No pms.

[michiganj24]

See I thought it was the source materail too but I have see low participation in even games with big names like Avengers/Justice league while stellar participation in games where no one knows what is going on ie What Else or well to be honest some of Carlo's games( still myself trying to figure out his What if game lol) That is where I am trying to figure out the X factor most. I know some games are going to be slow from the start but there are othe3r like the aforementioned big guns who did poorly or why a niche game does real well

[CarlosMucha]

Ok, now that I'm out as a mod I will give a few ideas. :p

Lot of things:

1- First: what it's the game about? it must be something that you love and know why you love that so much.
2- Roles Motivations and goals: In the Role must be very clear the character's motivations and goals, and each role must have a challenger for the player: You can do it! you must do it!, revenge, save, honor, justice! all kind of things that will made the character link with the player.
Send videos, pictures, anything that made the player know what it's his character about! some players may know that they know his character, but maybe they don't. Or may never know of his motivations: Your goal as a Mod must be made the player LOVE his character and see why his character it's cool. After all his character is in this game because HE IS really cool! if not that character don't deserve be on your game.
3: EACH Role must be a role that almost anybody will like to play. Nobody want to be "unknow thug number 2". And if the role it's silly put a good power on him. if the power is silly put a good character on that silly power.
4- Mysteries: all the time must be interesting mysteries running with each character. In the Role must be at least a question, to let the player get interested in that question. His mistery will let him participate more and interack with others players in seach of know what is happen with his character and with the game.
5- Changes: If you tell to the player that his character will/may have changed win condition or/and changing powers in some point he cound be curious or interested on that. That can made the player "fight" to discover what will coming next and he will enjoy a lot have new powers or solve mysteries about his own character in any point in the running game, not just in the end of the game IF he wins.
6- Write ups: If a character don't look absolute awesome in the write up, try to not put him unless is necesary, each scene in the write ups must made people talk. Put questions in the write up like "What will happen next" "will he get what he wants?" lot of questions like that can made people have more questions like "who is "he"? and what he wants", that could have LOT of people with LOT of theorys of what it's going on, and that will bring MORE people who agreed with the theroys or not.
7- As a Mod try to not talk soo much in the game. In your game you are the ruler. any question must be answer for the player, NOT for the mod. All the words of the Mod must be in the write up and not in other part of the day posting pages.
8- PMs: Pm to the players who are not sending the Pms with a "You are very important for the town/Mafia! without you, they are lost and you knwo it!" made the player feel that he is really important for the game and others players. This is absolute true, one player can create interestings for others players. You can PM him with a challenger, also: "Your PM tonight is VERY important. will you let your enemies do what they want?".
Made the player remember his character and his power in each PM: "Sarah, the Raven is waiting for your order, who the raven will follow tonight?" this give a sense of Role to the player and in the same time if he lost interest because he don't rememeber his role or power in this way you let him be awake of that without have to send a painfol Pm of "I lost my role and I don't know my power" Lot of players lost prefeir get killed or lost interest before of admit that they forget about his powers and character AND delete his roles.
9-PUSH players to be worried about something. If is necesary send a pm like "wow, that was close, you are lucky of be stil on the game". in War, Love and Mafia games everything i's important to let the players get interested!
10- Be a good player in the games that you play. If you are a good player, when you are a mod and the mod is one of your players, he will feel that he MUST be active in your game if you was active in his game, it's a common cortesy. You always must be active in the game that you sign up, BUT you feel a compromise to be more active in the games of the mods who were good players in your games.

Just a few ideas, I may be wrong in a few but Is like I see some things.

[michiganj24]

Hey you cant be wrong if its your opnion and I appreciate it. I am actually considering making a much more wide open game like yours for my next one
Cryptozoology is a possibility. Most people dont know what it is at first glance but it is stuff like Chupacabra, Yeti, Lock Ness monster etc

Ok, now that I'm out as a mod I will give a few ideas. :p

Lot of things:

1- First what it's the game about? it must be something that you love and know why you love that so much.
2- Roles Motivations and goals: In the Role must be very clear the character's motivations and goals, and each role must have a challenger for the player: You can do it! you must do it!, revenge, save, honor, justice! all kind of things that will made the character link with the player.
Send videos, pictures, anything that made the player know what it's his character about! some players may know that they know his character, but maybe they don't. Or may never know of his motivations: Your goal as a Mod must be made the player LOVE his character and see why his character it's cool. After all his character is in this game because HE IS really cool! if not that character don't deserve be on your game.
3: EACH Role must be a role that almost anybody will like to play. Nobody want to be "unknow thug number 2". And if the role it's silly put a good power on him. if the power is silly put a good character on that silly power.
4- Mysteries: all the time must be interesting mysteries running with each character. In the Role must be at least a question, to let the player get interested in that question. His mistery will let him participate more and interack with others players in seach of know what is happen with his character and with the game.
5- Changes: If you tell to the player that his character will/may have changed win condition or/and changing powers in some point he cound be curious or interested on that. That can made the player "fight" to discover what will coming next and he will enjoy a lot have new powers or solve mysteries about his own character in any point in the running game, not just in the end of the game IF he wins.
6- Write ups: If a character don't look absolute awesome in the write up, try to not put him unless is necesary, each scene in the write ups must made people talk. Put questions in the write up like "What will happen next" "will he get what he wants?" lot of questions like that can made people have more questions like "who is "he"? and what he wants", that could have LOT of people with LOT of theorys of what it's going on, and that will bring MORE people who agreed with the theroys or not.
7- As a Mod try to not talk soo much in the game. In your game you are the ruler. any question must be answer for the player, NOT for the mod. All the words of the Mod must be in the write up and not in other part of the day posting pages.
8- PMs: Pm to the players who are not sending the Pms with a "You are very important for the town/Mafia! without you, they are lost and you knwo it!" made the player feel that he is really important for the game and others players. This is absolute true, one player can create interestings for others players. You can PM him with a challenger, also: "Your PM tonight is VERY important. will you let your enemies do what they want?".
Made the player remember his character and his power in each PM: "Sarah, the Raven is waiting for your order, who the raven will follow tonight?" this give a sense of Role to the player and in the same time if he lost interest because he don't remmeber his role or power in this way you let him be awake of that without have to send a painfol Pm of "I lost my role and I don't know my power" Lot of players lost prefeir get killed or lost interest before of admit that they forget about his powers and character AND delete his roles.
9-Mad ehte players be worried about something. If is necesary send a pm like "wow, that was close, you are lucky of be stil on the game". in War, Love and Mafia games everything i's important to let the players get interested!
10- Be a good player in the games that you play. If you are a good player, when you are a mod and the mod is one of your players, he will feel that he MUST be active in your game if you was active in his game, it's a common cortesy. You always must be active in the game that you sign up, BUT you feel a compromise to be more active in the games of the mods who were good players in your games.

Just a few ideas, I may be wrong in a few but Is like I see some things.

[CarlosMucha]

...well to be honest some of Carlo's games( still myself trying to figure out his What if game lol)...


some mysteries continue even after the game. Not because I want to, but still! :p

[CarlosMucha]

So why is Shaun of the Dead so...dead?


made the zombies go to a Shooping Mall full of costumes and made the Zombies get dress like JLA members and THEN things will go REALLY very interesting. :laugh:

[Jackofhearts2005]

Good advice, Carlos.

Good advice.

[CarlosMucha]

Good advice, Carlos.

Good advice.


witch one?! The Zombies in JLA Costumes? :confused:

[Robo-Onion]

How much more broad do you get than "Food?" Yet I have 14 people, and one may or may not be YosiP. :(

[michiganj24]

Well It just proves my theory that half the realmsers are really Skrulls who have no interest in human food
How much more broad do you get than "Food?" Yet I have 14 people, and one may or may not be YosiP. :(

[Robo-Onion]

Don't be a fritter! Join food mafia!

Unless you are michiganj24. Then you can be a fritter, you have a license to fill.

[Jackofhearts2005]

I meant your very long post about lots of ways to keep people intested, Carlos.

[CarlosMucha]

I meant your very long post about lots of ways to keep people intested, Carlos.

Oh yes. thanks.

I put there a lot of my experience as a Mod in the games that I had run.

[AZS]

So why is Shaun of the Dead so...dead?This is a knee-jerk answer, and just my first thought, not a criticism.
The game may have taken too long to get started. I saw the sign up thread up for what seemed like months. Maybe by the time the game started, people were either playing other games or just lost their enthusiasm for it?

[AZS]

Here are a few things that help hold my attention, and things I’ve noticed about games that have high / low participation:


In *no* particular order:

Mod activity, opening and closing:
– The mod has to keep up with the game, open and close the thread when he says he will. If the game is supposed to reopen at noon and doesn’t open until 6pm, people aren’t going to be checking come 7pm to see what’s going on.
This follows through with write ups too. It doesn’t have to be a novel, and sometimes it doesn’t even have to be very good, it just has to show up. If you need 2 more hours to do the write up, feel free to open the thread and let the players know. They’ll start chatting in advance of getting the writeup.
- Re-opening the thread is the most important. If it’s closed for more than 24 hrs after it was supposed to reopen, you’re going to lose players. If you need personal time for something and will be away from the game, let players know.
- Weekends- be conscious of the weekend and give more time for things. Some people don’t get online at all from Friday night to Sunday evening. If a whole night/day phase has gone by and a player learned they missed their chance to send a night action or vote in a lynch (where the vote closed before a lynch was reached) they feel like they missed a beat in the game and have to play catch-up. This can kill the pacing for a player.
Similarly, try to work out the timing so the thread isn’t closed all weekend long.
- Day phase, the thread should be open when people are able to post to it. I know people keep different schedules and that’s hard, but if a game has been closed all day and I don’t check it from home – then come back the next morning to find that a whole day phase has passed and the thread is closed again, that puts me off. If it happens more than once, forget it.


Game pace;
- A game has to feel like it’s moving along. Sure we don’t expect a lynch on day one, and there might not even be a kill in the first night. But if come day 3 there’s only 1 guy dead, the game’s moving a little too slow.
- A game really shouldn’t take more than 2 weeks to run it’s course, 3 weeks on the outside. If it looks like at the end of a week there’s little movement, not much has happened, or the game is going to take forever, people may start to drift off.
- The size of the game can affect this too. If there are 40 players in a game, it’s hard to keep track of and too many people are saying too many different things. It’ll also take forever for the game to end, at which point people start to lose interest.
- Resurrections can affect this too. It’s neat to have a player come back from the dead here and there, but if it happens too much, players will start to ask “why bother killing anyone then?” It also keeps the game from resolving, if it takes 2 kills per player to keep them down.

Information:
- The mod must find a good balance for disseminating information beyond relying on the Investigators. (This doesn’t necessarily need to happen in the first few days, but eventually.)
But if come day 3 there’s little info to be had and people are just posting “does anyone know anything?” over and over, the game has lost it’s way.
- Don’t just ‘tell’ people things, but give clues that they can follow. Clues in the write up can help, but I realize they’re really hard to pull off properly and not a skill everyone has.

Active involvement:
- It’s not enough to have the promise of winning the game to keep people interested, players have to be actively involved in the game. That includes having juicy roles and/or being Masoned with someone. Even if two people with no powers are masoned, they can at least talk to each other and keep each other interested.
- Keep an eye out for inactive players and do something about them. If the investigator isn’t sending night actions or posting to the thread, hand the role off to someone else who is active and maybe even Mod Kill the player if it’s getting to the end of the game. (but at the very least, don’t let the role wither.)

Balanced roles:
- Players have to think there’s a chance they can win. That means things like 3 person mafias, towns with almost no powers or 1 person (neutral) players who don’t have much chance might not keep a vested interest in the game.
In the horror movie mafia I was a lone neutral player with no power. If I was investigated, I’d come up as neutral which is as good as being mafia, and I couldn’t do anything with the role. It was like being intentionally outcast.

That’s what I’ve got for now, hope this helps.

[batfink]

Sometimes its the flow of information. If trackers & cops don't report back the players have nothing to feed off of.

[sstralkowski]

This is a knee-jerk answer, and just my first thought, not a criticism.
The game may have taken too long to get started. I saw the sign up thread up for what seemed like months. Maybe by the time the game started, people were either playing other games or just lost their enthusiasm for it?

Hmm, hadn't thought of that. Good point. maybe I'll try a shorter sign-up next time.

[sstralkowski]

Sometimes its the flow of information. If trackers & cops don't report back the players have nothing to feed off of.
remind me to comment on this later.

[Antipathy]

remind me to comment on this later.

I have a feeling I know what you're talking about, unfortunately. :(

[kontrol]

I have a feeling I know what you're talking about, unfortunately. :(
Yeah probably.

[CarlosMucha]

Here are a few things that help hold my attention, and things I’ve noticed about games that have high / low participation:


In *no* particular order:

Mod activity, opening and closing:
– The mod has to keep up with the game, open and close the thread when he says he will. If the game is supposed to reopen at noon and doesn’t open until 6pm, people aren’t going to be checking come 7pm to see what’s going on.
This follows through with write ups too. It doesn’t have to be a novel, and sometimes it doesn’t even have to be very good, it just has to show up. If you need 2 more hours to do the write up, feel free to open the thread and let the players know. They’ll start chatting in advance of getting the writeup.
- Re-opening the thread is the most important. If it’s closed for more than 24 hrs after it was supposed to reopen, you’re going to lose players. If you need personal time for something and will be away from the game, let players know.
- Weekends- be conscious of the weekend and give more time for things. Some people don’t get online at all from Friday night to Sunday evening. If a whole night/day phase has gone by and a player learned they missed their chance to send a night action or vote in a lynch (where the vote closed before a lynch was reached) they feel like they missed a beat in the game and have to play catch-up. This can kill the pacing for a player.
Similarly, try to work out the timing so the thread isn’t closed all weekend long.
- Day phase, the thread should be open when people are able to post to it. I know people keep different schedules and that’s hard, but if a game has been closed all day and I don’t check it from home – then come back the next morning to find that a whole day phase has passed and the thread is closed again, that puts me off. If it happens more than once, forget it.


Game pace;
- A game has to feel like it’s moving along. Sure we don’t expect a lynch on day one, and there might not even be a kill in the first night. But if come day 3 there’s only 1 guy dead, the game’s moving a little too slow.
- A game really shouldn’t take more than 2 weeks to run it’s course, 3 weeks on the outside. If it looks like at the end of a week there’s little movement, not much has happened, or the game is going to take forever, people may start to drift off.
- The size of the game can affect this too. If there are 40 players in a game, it’s hard to keep track of and too many people are saying too many different things. It’ll also take forever for the game to end, at which point people start to lose interest.
- Resurrections can affect this too. It’s neat to have a player come back from the dead here and there, but if it happens too much, players will start to ask “why bother killing anyone then?” It also keeps the game from resolving, if it takes 2 kills per player to keep them down.

Information:
- The mod must find a good balance for disseminating information beyond relying on the Investigators. (This doesn’t necessarily need to happen in the first few days, but eventually.)
But if come day 3 there’s little info to be had and people are just posting “does anyone know anything?” over and over, the game has lost it’s way.
- Don’t just ‘tell’ people things, but give clues that they can follow. Clues in the write up can help, but I realize they’re really hard to pull off properly and not a skill everyone has.

Active involvement:
- It’s not enough to have the promise of winning the game to keep people interested, players have to be actively involved in the game. That includes having juicy roles and/or being Masoned with someone. Even if two people with no powers are masoned, they can at least talk to each other and keep each other interested.
- Keep an eye out for inactive players and do something about them. If the investigator isn’t sending night actions or posting to the thread, hand the role off to someone else who is active and maybe even Mod Kill the player if it’s getting to the end of the game. (but at the very least, don’t let the role wither.)

Balanced roles:
- Players have to think there’s a chance they can win. That means things like 3 person mafias, towns with almost no powers or 1 person (neutral) players who don’t have much chance might not keep a vested interest in the game.
In the horror movie mafia I was a lone neutral player with no power. If I was investigated, I’d come up as neutral which is as good as being mafia, and I couldn’t do anything with the role. It was like being intentionally outcast.

That’s what I’ve got for now, hope this helps.

I thouth I would not comment but since you mentioned my game. :p ...

Mod activity, opening and closing:
– The mod has to keep up with the game, open and close the thread when he says he will. If the game is supposed to reopen at noon and doesn’t open until 6pm, people aren’t going to be checking come 7pm to see what’s going on.

This can be true, but if you are a little delayed and you say so, they will wait if what it comes it's good.


This follows through with write ups too. It doesn’t have to be a novel, and sometimes it doesn’t even have to be very good, it just has to show up.

I think that if it's good, it's always better to made the game great.


If you need 2 more hours to do the write up, feel free to open the thread and let the players know. They’ll start chatting in advance of getting the writeup.

this could be not good if some of the players will be dead when the write up it's open. sometimes is not even good to let the game open too long after the lynch because what players say altere desicions in night actions and lynch votes.

- Re-opening the thread is the most important. If it’s closed for more than 24 hrs after it was supposed to reopen, you’re going to lose players.


I don't know why but it don't happen to me, and I give thanks for ALL my players for that. :)


If you need personal time for something and will be away from the game, let players know.

Good advice.


- Weekends- be conscious of the weekend and give more time for things. Some people don’t get online at all from Friday night to Sunday evening. If a whole night/day phase has gone by and a player learned they missed their chance to send a night action or vote in a lynch (where the vote closed before a lynch was reached) they feel like they missed a beat in the game and have to play catch-up. This can kill the pacing for a player.
Similarly, try to work out the timing so the thread isn’t closed all weekend long.

This is very true.


- Day phase, the thread should be open when people are able to post to it. I know people keep different schedules and that’s hard, but if a game has been closed all day and I don’t check it from home – then come back the next morning to find that a whole day phase has passed and the thread is closed again, that puts me off. If it happens more than once, forget it.

it can be true or not. Sometimes if the game is interesting some players can't wait to post even if they lost a few days phases.


Game pace;
- A game has to feel like it’s moving along. Sure we don’t expect a lynch on day one, and there might not even be a kill in the first night. But if come day 3 there’s only 1 guy dead, the game’s moving a little too slow.

Very true.


- A game really shouldn’t take more than 2 weeks to run it’s course, 3 weeks on the outside. If it looks like at the end of a week there’s little movement, not much has happened, or the game is going to take forever, people may start to drift off.
- The size of the game can affect this too. If there are 40 players in a game, it’s hard to keep track of and too many people are saying too many different things. It’ll also take forever for the game to end, at which point people start to lose interest.
- Resurrections can affect this too. It’s neat to have a player come back from the dead here and there, but if it happens too much, players will start to ask “why bother killing anyone then?” It also keeps the game from resolving, if it takes 2 kills per player to keep them down.

I disagree with respect.

Again if the game is interesting people will keep posting and enjoin the game even if its long (2 of my games last one month. :confused: ).

Resurrections can affect IF are unfair to one of the sides.


Information:
- The mod must find a good balance for disseminating information beyond relying on the Investigators. (This doesn’t necessarily need to happen in the first few days, but eventually.)
But if come day 3 there’s little info to be had and people are just posting “does anyone know anything?” over and over, the game has lost it’s way.
- Don’t just ‘tell’ people things, but give clues that they can follow. Clues in the write up can help, but I realize they’re really hard to pull off properly and not a skill everyone has.

excelent advice.


Active involvement:
- It’s not enough to have the promise of winning the game to keep people interested, players have to be actively involved in the game. That includes having juicy roles and/or being Masoned with someone. Even if two people with no powers are masoned, they can at least talk to each other and keep each other interested.

Very true.



- Keep an eye out for inactive players and do something about them. If the investigator isn’t sending night actions or posting to the thread, hand the role off to someone else who is active and maybe even Mod Kill the player if it’s getting to the end of the game. (but at the very least, don’t let the role wither.)

Good advice but I mod kill just as a last option.

Balanced roles:
- Players have to think there’s a chance they can win. That means things like 3 person mafias, towns with almost no powers or 1 person (neutral) players who don’t have much chance might not keep a vested interest in the game.
In the horror movie mafia I was a lone neutral player with no power. If I was investigated, I’d come up as neutral which is as good as being mafia, and I couldn’t do anything with the role. It was like being intentionally outcast.

AHA! AND this is the point were I want to get.

You begin the game in HORROR as a normal person without power but after die You DO have a power.

Edit: I just checked:
your power was to know who targeted you. I even remember that you say that it's was not a good power (specially if somebody target you for killing you), but it's a power that could be useful.

My idea with that power was that you will have somebody to "acuse" in the next day phase, and they could say if they targeting you for something good or not. giving to the game more actvity and interest. :)

You was Neutral in the begining, but you change to "Mafia".

at least 1 vanilla is necesary in a game (specially a 40+ game!) but you was not a Vanilla all the time. You just don't give a change to your character and the game in the begining, and well, sometimes that can happen and ift's unfortunatelly, but i did as I can to give to each character the "feeling" what that character deserve and your character: Chucky: in the begining is a normal "killer" human. and I could not give you a killing power because I already have too many killers. BUT ANYONE could be a killer on that game if anyone win the Special Victim. (The one who win the Victims know about that.).

Just my perspective. Nothing more, nothing less.

[loganspeedo]

I think sometimes, just because you think it will be interesting and appealing, doesn't mean everyone else will. I like MST3K and thought sign ups would go faster than they did. I'm hoping some of the people in my current game will bring in some more people to the next one to make it more interesting.

[The BoyBlunder]

People should always think they have a chance to win. Even if they have no active power, they should pay attention and have faith in the mod.

In What Else, Tidge had no power, and the only info his role gave him is that if he died, terrible things would happen.

He gets killed, and suddenly he kills his killer, and is transofrmed into a demonic serial killer who goes on to win the game. He stayed active when he had no power, and I'm very glad he did.

[goodman]

Yeah, thats a major mood killer when there is no chance of winning the game, unless you're a killer in which case you can make everyone else lose with you :)

Things that keep me interested in games;

1) Subject material i'm interested in OR that catches my interest

2) balanced roles and interesting new takes on powers and such things

3) Keeping the players on their toes, throw a monkey wrench into the equation via 'Gooey Bomb' perhaps? :p

4) Plot Twists!!!!!!!!!!!!! which may be the same thing as number 3) but i feel it needs to be insisted upon

5) Creating paranoia amongst the players, make anyone a target, randomly kill someone for no apparent reason, make everyone a suspect!!!! more so than they usually are in mafia, confirm nothing, i may do this next time in a game :cheeky:

Thats all i can think of for now but yeah, i like these things

[Robo-Onion]

Sounds like Pokemon wasn't done very well... If I wanted to wait until Summer it would have been better about opening, but that was in Feb., so 4 months.

[michiganj24]

Well thats good as Crypto is going to have all those and more. One or 2 roles that I hope might even become staples. And also the debut of the eagerly awaited (ok maybe just by me) of the monkey butler mechanic lol
Yeah, thats a major mood killer when there is no chance of winning the game, unless you're a killer in which case you can make everyone else lose with you :)

Things that keep me interested in games;

1) Subject material i'm interested in OR that catches my interest

2) balanced roles and interesting new takes on powers and such things

3) Keeping the players on their toes, throw a monkey wrench into the equation via 'Gooey Bomb' perhaps? :p

4) Plot Twists!!!!!!!!!!!!! which may be the same thing as number 3) but i feel it needs to be insisted upon

5) Creating paranoia amongst the players, make anyone a target, randomly kill someone for no apparent reason, make everyone a suspect!!!! more so than they usually are in mafia, confirm nothing, i may do this next time in a game :cheeky:

Thats all i can think of for now but yeah, i like these things

[Ignatz_Mouse]

I have some thoughts about my current game-- Satellite-Era JLA-- but I will save them until the game is over.

It seem to be clipping along during the night, but the day phase is dead!

[sstralkowski]

I have some thoughts about my current game-- Satellite-Era JLA-- but I will save them until the game is over.

It seem to be clipping along during the night, but the day phase is dead!

I am having the same problm with Shaun of the Dead. I miss the heyday when Rokk, JacinB, Thawmus, etc would get the discussion going.

[anonym0use]

I've gotten to a point where I'm ready to lynch silent players for being silent. You signed up for the game, you may as well play it. When it's just a few people going back and forth it gets old pretty quick - and then when the talkative ones die out, what are you left with. Meh.

[michiganj24]

I totally agree. Yes occasionally something comes up in the personal life but their are more than a few who sign up and never intend to talk.
I've gotten to a point where I'm ready to lynch silent players for being silent. You signed up for the game, you may as well play it. When it's just a few people going back and forth it gets old pretty quick - and then when the talkative ones die out, what are you left with. Meh.

[JacinB]

I am having the same problm with Shaun of the Dead. I miss the heyday when Rokk, JacinB, Thawmus, etc would get the discussion going.
Nowadays, it seems doing that just gets you dead faster.

[Magnito]

I totally agree. Yes occasionally something comes up in the personal life but their are more than a few who sign up and never intend to talk.
Is the game really fun that way? To sign up and just watch.

[CarlosMucha]

Is the game really fun that way? To sign up and just watch.


Exactly. If I enjoy a game I CAN'T stop talking, lol.

If you don't talk you are not really playing.

[michiganj24]

I dont know I never do it. If I sign up I participate to the best of my ability even if I dont know the subject. But their always seem to be some who do this but they never explain why
Is the game really fun that way? To sign up and just watch.

[malakim2099]

Exactly. If I enjoy a game I CAN'T stop talking, lol.

If you don't talk you are not really playing.

Yeah. Of course, the more I talk, the more people want to target me... no matter which side I'm playing. Only once when I won was I a talky. Otherwise, I was relatively silent and snuck in.

(And daykills. I hate daykills.) :p

[sstralkowski]

Yeah. Of course, the more I talk, the more people want to target me... no matter which side I'm playing. Only once when I won was I a talky. Otherwise, I was relatively silent and snuck in.

(And daykills. I hate daykills.) :p


I'd rather lose and talk than win without earning it. Not saying that's what you did, I'm just sort of lumping together everyone who's won a game wihtou really participating much. When I mod, I silently jump for joy when I see people who barely participate get offed.

[CrusaderC]

I am having the same problm with Shaun of the Dead. I miss the heyday when Rokk, JacinB, Thawmus, etc would get the discussion going.

I tried that in the 'almost vanilla' and got dead. Fast. I don't get the logic of "Hey! He's questioning everyone, he must be bad".

[malakim2099]

I'd rather lose and talk than win without earning it. Not saying that's what you did, I'm just sort of lumping together everyone who's won a game wihtou really participating much. When I mod, I silently jump for joy when I see people who barely participate get offed.

Oh, I do participate, but really, it worked like this.

Battletech: Insanely good luck, and basically manipulating people with my superior Battletech knowledge when I was the Don. Posted a lot.

AOA: Posted... well, a fair amount. Didn't coast, but I wasn't as talky as I normally am until it got closer to the endgame. (Mafia, though, which normally means you tend to talk less anyway. At least for me.)

Muppet Treasure Island: BAD luck on this one, where two of our mafia guys RB'd the SAME person, who was then killed by the SK... and the reverse tracker was watching the person RB'd twice and killed. So I laid low, tried to string up/recruit the neutrals (was the Don again), and managed to use my secondary win condition. I was also being roleblocked almost every single night, and the nights I wasn't no one agreed to join my crew (except for Anti, bless ya!).

But I do try and participate a fair amount... maybe too much, considering how rapidly I've been getting killed off lately (ironically, as a Townie more often than not). :cheeky:

Which is a fine line... how much, is too much?

[CarlosMucha]

I will only say this: Beware of Freddy! he is now unleashed out there! :devious:



:p

[batfink]

I will only say this: Beware of Freddy! he is now unleashed out there! :devious:
:p
Freddy died.
Unless you're thinking of a sequel.
'Cause those kinds of horror movies never had sequels.

[CarlosMucha]

Freddy died.
.


yea, but Freddy's scense it's stil out there in the Mods minds!

and they will bring his power to new character in new games hahahaha!

:devious:

[michiganj24]

Oh yes I am definetly thinking of making it that quiet people have a better chance of being targeted by the random people
I'd rather lose and talk than win without earning it. Not saying that's what you did, I'm just sort of lumping together everyone who's won a game wihtou really participating much. When I mod, I silently jump for joy when I see people who barely participate get offed.

[goodman]

You guys ever thought about putting a post count rule into your games, you must post 10 times at least during the day phase or you will be mod-killed? Could be a cool rule that gives people incentive to post

[michiganj24]

I think A that is excessive and B that hampers the person who happens to not be on for one day. I mean lets says a person has 300 posts and then is at work and misses one day phase. By that rule you would have to kill the person who was posting the most. I think its better for their be incentives to post rather than punishments for being quiet
You guys ever thought about putting a post count rule into your games, you must post 10 times at least during the day phase or you will be mod-killed? Could be a cool rule that gives people incentive to post