tips about hosting mafia games

by **strike wolf** on Thu Apr 07, 2011 11:39 am

Ok with the forum revamp I thought that it might help to discuss ways to ensure balance productivity and fun in mafia games. Some possible topics:

1. Factors one should consider when balancing one's game.
2. How long should a mod wait before prodding an inactive? Possible fluctuations based on game size and deadlines
3. Protocol for prods and replacement. (If a player requires multiple prods how many before he is just replaced?) Under what conditions should one initiate a mass prod when activity falters?
4. Under what conditions should a player be mod killed?
5. Implementation of deadlines.

I think this covers most of the core issues though there are many topics that I didn't mention that probably be stated (writing scenes, flavor, etc).

Also I realize that different people like to balance games differently so I expect a variety of answers.

by **safariguy5** on Thu Apr 07, 2011 1:49 pm

1. I tend to follow the general principle that 20-25% of the players at most should be mafia. Cult Recruiters only viable in a large game. Any recruitment roles should be very carefully considered, and possible recruitment targets need to be carefully weighed so that one side doesn't become too powerful. Generally, I like to put 1 strong investigative role (cop) or 2 weaker investigative roles (watcher+tracker) and 1 strong protective role (doc) or 2 weaker investigative roles (jailkeeper+ bodyguard) for a small or medium sized game, and more for a larger game. Whether or not to put Vigilante or SK roles really depends on the size and strength of town and mafia, generally, I avoid them in small games. Lovers and masons also should be put in larger games.

2. Prodding an inactive for me depends on how active that person was before going inactive. The more active he was previously, the longer I wait. I usually wait and see if the players want someone to be prodded, although sometimes I will prod preemptively. If a deadline is set, prod inactives right away.

3. If the player shows a willingness to play, I will give them multiple prods. If they don't respond to the prod via pm and don't post, replace. If they read the prod and don't post, replace. If activity flags the first time in a day, I usually send out a mass prod. If it happens again, mass prod and a deadline.

4. I try really hard not to modkill an inactive. Replacements are always preferable. Breaking the rules like repeatedly editing posts and quoting PM's warrant a modkill.

5. I've decided to set deadlines for Day 1 now because the day drags without it. I usually won't set deadlines after that unless someone requests one or things start to drag again.

by **got tonkaed** on Thu Apr 07, 2011 3:26 pm

make cool games and shit will sort itself out.

by **Anarkistsdream** on Thu Apr 07, 2011 3:28 pm

got tonkaed wrote:make cool games and shit will sort itself out.

Q-F-T

by **nagerous** on Thu Apr 07, 2011 4:47 pm

Modkills should happen if there is serious breach of the rules i.e someone decides to post their role in the game, or if a player entertains in 'secret diplomacy' and starts to pm other players outside of the game pertinent information. If a player edits then they should be warned though if they continue to do this it would be in the moderators discretion to perhaps replace the player in question, if the town haven't lynched him already for this gross misconduct rather than modkill.

by **VioIet** on Sun Apr 10, 2011 6:23 am

nagerous wrote:Modkills should ONLY happen if there is serious breach of the rules

I took what nag wrote and added an only to it, to express my opinion. I strongly disprove of modkills for reasons of inactivity. If a player is inactive, they should either be replaced or lynched off.

The mod works hard before the game trying to make sure that all the roles are balanced. What if the inactive player is the mafia GF or the SK. Or the town cop/doctor. The mod will most likely not want to mod-kill a player with such a role b/c doing so could unbalance the game.

And if the mod does mod-kill them, I feel it is a rip-off to the townies. The fun part of being a townie is trying to hunt down the scum without interference of the mod. If mafia/SK are just mod-killed, it is as if all the efforts, posts, cases, and time spent by the townies was all in vain.

by **strike wolf** on Sun Apr 10, 2011 10:45 am

I agree with most of what's been said so far. Mod kills are a last resort. Unfortunately in some cases they can be unavoidable. As far as vote counts, I understand that this is not always possible but as the mod I feel that putting one vote count up roughly once a page helps a lot when allowing players to keep track of what's going on. I also like to post one when a player gets within one or two votes of a lynch if I can.

by **Fircoal** on Sun Apr 10, 2011 12:16 pm

All those firmly against Modkills should check out Pokemon Mafia. That game there was no choice but x3

by **DoomYoshi** on Wed Apr 13, 2011 4:14 am

safariguy5 wrote:1. I tend to follow the general principle that 20-25% of the players at most should be mafia.

3 mafia out of 11 is more than 25%. 3 mafia out of 12 is 25%. You should change that to 20%-30%.

by **Fircoal** on Wed Apr 13, 2011 2:40 pm

I once had a game with 3/26 as mafia.

And they won.

by **strike wolf** on Wed Apr 13, 2011 3:06 pm

In big games it seem the numbers for determining how many mafia there should be seems to be more skewed which is probably why a lot of the bigger games seem to prefer two moderate sized mafia factions rather than one big one.

by **Fircoal** on Wed Apr 13, 2011 3:23 pm

strike wolf wrote:In big games it seem the numbers for determining how many mafia there should be seems to be more skewed which is probably why a lot of the bigger games seem to prefer two moderate sized mafia factions rather than one big one.

There was only 1 mafia faction x3

by **strike wolf** on Wed Apr 13, 2011 3:25 pm

hmm...I guess it is easier to hide when you have small numbers

by **Fircoal** on Wed Apr 13, 2011 6:13 pm

strike wolf wrote:hmm...I guess it is easier to hide when you have small numbers

It's actually cause there were 4 SKs, a cult, and everyone had death roles so no one knew the real role of the deceased x3

by **jonty125** on Mon Jun 06, 2011 2:27 pm

Fircoal wrote:All those firmly against Modkills should check out Pokemon Mafia. That game there was no choice but x3

I sholud keep my head down about this post

by **shieldgenerator7** on Mon Jun 06, 2011 2:35 pm

jonty125 wrote:
Fircoal wrote:All those firmly against Modkills should check out Pokemon Mafia. That game there was no choice but x3

I sholud keep my head down about this post

that's ok. As long as you learn from your mistakes. i don't even recall right now as to why it happened.

by **jonty125** on Mon Jun 06, 2011 2:37 pm

shieldgenerator7 wrote:
jonty125 wrote:
Fircoal wrote:All those firmly against Modkills should check out Pokemon Mafia. That game there was no choice but x3

I sholud keep my head down about this post

that's ok. As long as you learn from your mistakes. i don't even recall right now as to why it happened.

I accidentally edited my post, that in itself wouldn't have been as bad if I wasn't the town cop :lol:

by **Fircoal** on Mon Jun 06, 2011 6:29 pm

jonty125 wrote:
Fircoal wrote:All those firmly against Modkills should check out Pokemon Mafia. That game there was no choice but x3

I sholud keep my head down about this post

No you shouldn't. The Pokemon Mafia I'm referring to is the one that I ran 4 years ago. There were 30 players. Half of them ended up modkilled due to inactivity.

by **jonty125** on Tue Jun 07, 2011 9:56 am

Fircoal wrote:
jonty125 wrote:
Fircoal wrote:All those firmly against Modkills should check out Pokemon Mafia. That game there was no choice but x3

I sholud keep my head down about this post

No you shouldn't. The Pokemon Mafia I'm referring to is the one that I ran 4 years ago. There were 30 players. Half of them ended up modkilled due to inactivity.

Oh.

by **shieldgenerator7** on Tue Jun 07, 2011 10:34 am

Wait... there was another pokemon mafia?

by **pancakemix** on Tue Jun 07, 2011 11:40 am

shieldgenerator7 wrote:Wait... there was another pokemon mafia?

Fircoal hosted several a few years ago.

by **shieldgenerator7** on Thu Jun 09, 2011 4:24 pm

Hey, about modding: I want to mod a "test game" (just to get experience) before I do any real big stuff, and so I was wondering about my eligibility. I have played several games already and have been eliminated in at least 3, and have been in 1 completed game, and 1 nearing completion.
Would it be alright if I made my new game thread now?

by **strike wolf** on Thu Jun 09, 2011 4:31 pm

I don't think I personally would have any problem with you hosting a C9 game but considering your current history in mafia games I don't think working out your own set ups (co-mod or not) may be the best thing for you rihgt now.

by **safariguy5** on Thu Jun 09, 2011 5:38 pm

strike wolf wrote:I don't think I personally would have any problem with you hosting a C9 game but considering your current history in mafia games I don't think working out your own set ups (co-mod or not) may be the best thing for you rihgt now.

Agreed, shield, you're play has gotten better, and certainly activity is not a problem, but I'd feel more comfortable if you modded a smaller C9 game just to see how it works out. Theme games can get very difficult to balance, especially if you don't find a co-mod and you might have some trouble finding enough players if it's too large.