View Full Version : Analyze, Read, Skim or Skip?
After modding a few games, and playing in many more, I have noticed a few people that don't really seem to read the write ups. This got me wondering, how many people really do?
When you are playing a mafia game, and the night ends and a write up is posted, what kind of write up reader are you?
1) Analyze: You go over the whole write up, examining every detail and miss nothing.
2) Read: You read through the whole thing, but not in quite as much depth.
3) Skim: You are busy. You will skim the write up, look for important details, like death scenes and maybe see if your character is in it.
4) Skip: You scroll straight to the bottom to see who died and never look back
madslaust
05/14/2008, 23:27
3 & 4 for me usually.
:ermm:
Jackofhearts2005
05/15/2008, 03:26
Depends on the game but I'm usually in the 1 catagory.
If I'm playing in too many games, I'm usually a 2 but still a 1 in the ones that I'm most involved in (ie ones with my favorite mods and ones that are late in the game).
Sometimes I'll go back and analyze writeups in games that I didn't analyze before when I start dieing off in the rest. :p
Jack sums it up well for me. Depending upon the game I'm a 1 or a 2. I've usually got a Word document or spreadsheet going for the games I really get into, so that pretty much requires 1 :laugh:
GreatArelius1
05/15/2008, 03:51
I do 2 or 3 normaly; depending on time and whats going on. Never 4.
The BoyBlunder
05/15/2008, 03:52
Normally 1.
But in the games that I don't know the subject at all, I just skip to the deaths. I'm not going to be much help either way.
I have been a 4 maybe once, for one game that I really didn't care about. Usually, I am a 2.
Jackofhearts2005
05/15/2008, 03:55
I've usually got a Word document or spreadsheet going for the games I really get into
You've got a journal, sir. ;)
Man, I wasn't half as effective in mafia games during that week or so that journals were down. :laugh:
The BoyBlunder
05/15/2008, 03:57
You've got a journal, sir. ;)
Man, I wasn't half as effective in mafia games during that week or so that journals were down. :laugh:
I could never be so hardcore as to journal.
My crazy random brain makes leaps of logic all on its own, and it usually pays off. I'm just not that great when it comes to manipulation. Which is unfortunate.
You've got a journal, sir. ;)
Man, I wasn't half as effective in mafia games during that week or so that journals were down. :laugh:
I honestly never thought of that.
Might have kept me alive another night in the JL Detroit game to have had my notes available when I wasn't at home :laugh:
Space Jawa
05/15/2008, 04:13
Usually 2, occasionally 1.
I'm usually a 3.
If it's a theme that I'm REALLY into, then it's a 1. But it's rare.
I do it more out of principle than actual habit, to be honest. The amount of information that can be gleaned from writeups has always been a problem, and I feel it gives an unfair advantage to the town to begin with. There's been a couple games where I had information, due to an in-depth analysis of a writeup, when I should have had nothing. :ermm:
Not something I'd ask anyone else to practice, because it's rather foolish. But that's just the way I am. Balanced gameplay is just that important to me.
The BoyBlunder
05/15/2008, 04:49
I'm usually a 3.
If it's a theme that I'm REALLY into, then it's a 1. But it's rare.
I do it more out of principle than actual habit, to be honest. The amount of information that can be gleaned from writeups has always been a problem, and I feel it gives an unfair advantage to the town to begin with. There's been a couple games where I had information, due to an in-depth analysis of a writeup, when I should have had nothing. :ermm:
Not something I'd ask anyone else to practice, because it's rather foolish. But that's just the way I am. Balanced gameplay is just that important to me.
Truth be told, I kinda try to run my games to Thawmus' specifications. I think I fail most of the time, but at least I try.
Only kill attempts, recruitments, and anyone stopping a kill get into my write-ups. I also think I prefer games where the characters are original so noone knows who is who.
anonym0use
05/15/2008, 08:42
It depends on how well I know the source material. For FMA I would look at the dead list. In my Detroit game I tried to keep write-ups short because of this.
For me it depends on my mood. If I am unfamiliar with the source material, or have no active night powers I almost never pay much attention to the writeups, except to see who died. Too often I see other players make mistakes because they read the writeup wrong (I'm guilt of this myself) so I try to not accidentally bias myself.
I also don't start logging games until after night 3 or so because I am so often killed on one of the first few nights. (IIRC, I've been targetted for death on nights 1 or 2 in three of four Carlos' games)
Here is my obligatory remark: I dislike writeups that turn every character into a flavor cop. The last game I played in that I thought did a good job being misleading in that direction was Suicide Squad Mafia 2 because there were TWO townies with cold-based powers...I was having a hard time figuring out how one character was performing kills (turned out to be the town vigilante!) and another was roleblocking.
I guess the Dalek Mason group in Doctor Who also benefitted from that confusion...as would have the Knights who say NI! mason group from Holy Grail. IIRC it wasn't obvious there was more than one Dalek (which allowed them some freedom of action) and as for the Knights, one of us was "outted" on Night 1 but since each of us appeared the same in the writeups it wasn't easy to tell what action we were taking (and we were also misdirectors/blockers/busdrivers too...luckily we concentrated on the mafia!)
Amora's_best_friend
05/15/2008, 12:28
I always skip to the bottom first, to read the gist, then go back to the top and read it properly.
Hmmmm, it really varies with my interest in the games i'm playing in and also the way the writeups are written, if they tell the events in an interesting and fresh way i'm more likely to pay attention than when they are basic and dreary. I can honestly say i vary from 1 to 4, it just depends what mafia game it is and which mod is doing the writeups.
In any game, number 1.
THe write ups can sometimes be very crucial.
Vanilla intrigues me because there are not write ups so I have to figure out a completely new game. But Vanilla has made me a much better player.
JackAssterson
05/15/2008, 14:04
1) Analyze: You go over the whole write up, examining every detail and miss nothing.
2) Read: You read through the whole thing, but not in quite as much depth.
3) Skim: You are busy. You will skim the write up, look for important details, like death scenes and maybe see if your character is in it.
4) Skip: You scroll straight to the bottom to see who died and never look back
If I really like the subject matter, 1.
If I care, 2.
If I don't, 3.
If I'm bored, 4.
anonym0use
05/15/2008, 15:30
In any game, number 1.
THe write ups can sometimes be very crucial.
Vanilla intrigues me because there are not write ups so I have to figure out a completely new game. But Vanilla has made me a much better player.
Quoted for Truth.
Robo-Onion
05/15/2008, 20:13
In games I really know the material: 1
Usually:2
If it's something I don't know well, but a little: 3
Never heard of it, or it's too long: 4
CarlosMucha
05/17/2008, 01:05
In games that I like: 1 and 2.
In Games that I don't like a lot or I don't know what is about: 3.
I do the 4, only If I'm busy but always read all the write up when I have more time later.
For me also depends if my character is a information gattering. As much information more things I can match with the write up and is more fun for me discover a lot of things.
michiganj24
05/17/2008, 22:48
Aw Thanks and actually their were three but poor Pengy never got a chance to do ANYTHING all game. Melk was roleblocked every night till he was killed tres sad
My style personally though is If i know the stuff to analyze it but I seem to end up in a few games where I go I have no clue about the writeup
Here is my obligatory remark: I dislike writeups that turn every character into a flavor cop. The last game I played in that I thought did a good job being misleading in that direction was Suicide Squad Mafia 2 because there were TWO townies with cold-based powers...I was having a hard time figuring out how one character was performing kills (turned out to be the town vigilante!) and another was roleblocking.
I guess the Dalek Mason group in Doctor Who also benefitted from that confusion...as would have the Knights who say NI! mason group from Holy Grail. IIRC it wasn't obvious there was more than one Dalek (which allowed them some freedom of action) and as for the Knights, one of us was "outted" on Night 1 but since each of us appeared the same in the writeups it wasn't easy to tell what action we were taking (and we were also misdirectors/blockers/busdrivers too...luckily we concentrated on the mafia!)
Here is my obligatory remark: I dislike writeups that turn every character into a flavor cop.
I was actually toying with the idea of having no cops in one of the Mafia games I'm looking at running and just having flavor in the write-ups.
CarlosMucha
05/17/2008, 23:53
question: everybody read the dead ones first? and after that the write up??
question: everybody read the dead ones first? and after that the write up??
Not me - I read them from top down, so the "Dead List" is the last thing I read.
I was actually toying with the idea of having no cops in one of the Mafia games I'm looking at running and just having flavor in the write-ups.
That would be interesting. I'm more non-plussed by "theme" games in which a player (who is not a cop, but has another night action) can basically read a writeup and figure out who they targetted (and sometimes what their target did).
It's a fine line, because I enjoy reading writeups of games that I'm not even playing, to see the mods excercise creativity.
I wonder if it would be balancing to allow detailed writeups, but to NOT let the players know who their characters are (but they should know their powers of course)? This would have the added fun of not "allowing" for "character claims" (forced or otherwise). So a player would know they are the vigilante, but wouldn't know they were "Wonder Woman".
It might add some fun for players to try to figure out who they are too.
question: everybody read the dead ones first? and after that the write up??
This is what I do. Read the deaths, then the write up.
That would be interesting. I'm more non-plussed by "theme" games in which a player (who is not a cop, but has another night action) can basically read a writeup and figure out who they targetted (and sometimes what their target did).
Since there have been games where I was outted and killed because of info from the write-up (not anything the players got from their characters' abilities) I know exactly what you're talking about!
I wonder if it would be balancing to allow detailed writeups, but to NOT let the players know who their characters are (but they should know their powers of course)? This would have the added fun of not "allowing" for "character claims" (forced or otherwise). So a player would know they are the vigilante, but wouldn't know they were "Wonder Woman".
It might add some fun for players to try to figure out who they are too.
Now that's an interesting idea :devious:
Since there have been games where I was outted and killed because of info from the write-up (not anything the players got from their characters' abilities) I know exactly what you're talking about!
Who hasn't been
Jackofhearts2005
05/18/2008, 01:36
question: everybody read the dead ones first? and after that the write up??
I read the deaths first.
Can't help it. :nervous:
CarlosMucha
05/18/2008, 02:44
Yea, I read the deads first.
But only because it let me imagine in a better and awesome way the write up because at least know WHO one of the persons in the write up is.
Truffle Shuffle
05/21/2008, 19:19
I always scroll to the deaths first. Then I read.
Where I know the topic, 1.
If I don't, 2 or 3.
Never 4.
And I pay particular attention to what everyone says. I often reread a phase, especially when I'm trying to figure out my target for the night. Sometimes I'll reread an entire thread, if I'm trying to figure something out, or I think I missed something.
I read top to bottom, and I try to be a number 1, but I end up missing certain points.
And I try to be as ambiguous with my writing as possible, but at the same time, I feel like I'm telling a story. I want my readers intrigued without giving away the main plot points. After all, secrets lie deep in Mt. Charteris!
sstralkowski
05/27/2008, 09:08
Gotta say I'm almost always a 2. If it's a game where I know the source well, it's a 1, but those are rare seeing as I seem to have a unique taste in themes.
I have been a 3 on occasions where I was just way too busy or didn't know anything at all about the material.
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