Keifru
April 21st, 2011, 06:34 AM
Sorry if this is in the wrong section, move it elsewhere if that is the case =V
First off, I first found your mod from the TL Mafia forum. I'm definatly interested in such a game, as Mafia has become one of my favorite games to play. I've only been able to play a game or two at the moment, but I figure I'd like to toss some points your way incase you read anything you like. I do apologize if I offend you, as I don't exaclty know your Mafia experiences and where you've played.
I noticed that you're using Epic Mafia as your sample; I would like to suggest a secondary source: http://mafiascum.net/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page
Mostly because the terminology is just more intuative. "Role Blocker" its pretty self-explanitory, compared to "Escort"
I used to play EpicMafia for a couple weeks, and while it has some good points, there are a few 'bad habits' I would say. For one, the popularity of roles such as Fool or Warlock. They promote a method of play that makes it detrimental to actual behavioral analysis. Fool is the easiest example of it, as it goes completly against 'proper' gameplay: Not being lynched. The mere existence of a Fool will always go against.
One thing I believe that is not possible in the current EpicMafia, but is all over the place in more Forum Styled mafias (I can provide ample links; I've been playing forum mafia for...two? three years?) is Flavour. That extra little icing on the cake that helps with immersion. There are two kinds: Informative, and Descriptive.
Informative is most easily shown in the kill methods: Some games have SK/Mafia/Vig kill 'differently'. Descriptor of what the watcher sees (two people, one with a gun, the other with a medkit vs "Player X & Player B visited him")
Descriptive is just for immersion, and I think should exist just for that reason, if there won't be any Informative (or option for Informative.)
A big thing about your game, is that I believe the Disguiser role can actually be a 'good' role, due to the way you handled the Anonymizing of names (I don't care if that isn't a word =V ) although I believe if you do implement that role it should be limited to one jump rather than being able to jump every night.
Another thing I wonder if possible is "Back-up" roles. For example, Backup Cop will become a Cop if the regular Cop dies. In my opinion, this is a better method of 'multi-power roles' as you remove EpicMafia's mason'ing of them (2 Cops of the same type have a little chat) and adds that much less certinty.
About the SK Role: When most everyone playing is competent, SK is a very very hard role to win with. Most everywhere have SK flip as 'town' when investigated by a cop for this reason.
About the Vig Role: A way to limit the number of shots (1-shot Vig, 2-Shot Vig, etc) would also be neat. (A 'normal' 12 man game of 1 scum PR (usually RB) + 2 scum vs 1 cop, 1 doc, 1 one-shot vig, 6 townies is the most sterotypical 'beginner' setup from where I have played most of my Mafia)
I don't recall if there is an option for Day Start, but in my opinion games should only have a brief scumchat/mason chat pre-game and then Day Start...its just really frustrating from both sides to have everything be a roll of the dice, rather than having something to go on when using abilities such as investigation or killing someone as mafia; you don't know if someone would be a 'good kill' or 'good investigative' target. I also imagine for a new person trying it out, it would be aggrivating to wait for a game, get in, have it set up, just to end up dead without getting to do anything.
And in the far future, perhaps combo roles... 1-shot vig that is also a mason pair with someone, etc.
Addendum: As this is the internet, the possibility of Closed Setup would just be insanity, perhaps in addition to the 'random' roles, two or three 'possible' roles could be added, and then a randomization of the 'available' roles occurs? (with limiter parameters, such as "no more than 1 cop, 1 doctor, etc"...perhaps just randomize if X PR exists; for all other roles, assign Citizen. (I have no idea how coding works, if you can't tell... =/ ) This would give scum a bit more wiggle room in the claim department, instead of ALWAYS having to claim blue or CC someone.
Addendum Redux: I'm finding the voting phase always seems to cut pretty short (when people are actually participating, and not just standing around of course...); could there maybe be a way to vote for more time (as opposed to just increasing the time.)?
First off, I first found your mod from the TL Mafia forum. I'm definatly interested in such a game, as Mafia has become one of my favorite games to play. I've only been able to play a game or two at the moment, but I figure I'd like to toss some points your way incase you read anything you like. I do apologize if I offend you, as I don't exaclty know your Mafia experiences and where you've played.
I noticed that you're using Epic Mafia as your sample; I would like to suggest a secondary source: http://mafiascum.net/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page
Mostly because the terminology is just more intuative. "Role Blocker" its pretty self-explanitory, compared to "Escort"
I used to play EpicMafia for a couple weeks, and while it has some good points, there are a few 'bad habits' I would say. For one, the popularity of roles such as Fool or Warlock. They promote a method of play that makes it detrimental to actual behavioral analysis. Fool is the easiest example of it, as it goes completly against 'proper' gameplay: Not being lynched. The mere existence of a Fool will always go against.
One thing I believe that is not possible in the current EpicMafia, but is all over the place in more Forum Styled mafias (I can provide ample links; I've been playing forum mafia for...two? three years?) is Flavour. That extra little icing on the cake that helps with immersion. There are two kinds: Informative, and Descriptive.
Informative is most easily shown in the kill methods: Some games have SK/Mafia/Vig kill 'differently'. Descriptor of what the watcher sees (two people, one with a gun, the other with a medkit vs "Player X & Player B visited him")
Descriptive is just for immersion, and I think should exist just for that reason, if there won't be any Informative (or option for Informative.)
A big thing about your game, is that I believe the Disguiser role can actually be a 'good' role, due to the way you handled the Anonymizing of names (I don't care if that isn't a word =V ) although I believe if you do implement that role it should be limited to one jump rather than being able to jump every night.
Another thing I wonder if possible is "Back-up" roles. For example, Backup Cop will become a Cop if the regular Cop dies. In my opinion, this is a better method of 'multi-power roles' as you remove EpicMafia's mason'ing of them (2 Cops of the same type have a little chat) and adds that much less certinty.
About the SK Role: When most everyone playing is competent, SK is a very very hard role to win with. Most everywhere have SK flip as 'town' when investigated by a cop for this reason.
About the Vig Role: A way to limit the number of shots (1-shot Vig, 2-Shot Vig, etc) would also be neat. (A 'normal' 12 man game of 1 scum PR (usually RB) + 2 scum vs 1 cop, 1 doc, 1 one-shot vig, 6 townies is the most sterotypical 'beginner' setup from where I have played most of my Mafia)
I don't recall if there is an option for Day Start, but in my opinion games should only have a brief scumchat/mason chat pre-game and then Day Start...its just really frustrating from both sides to have everything be a roll of the dice, rather than having something to go on when using abilities such as investigation or killing someone as mafia; you don't know if someone would be a 'good kill' or 'good investigative' target. I also imagine for a new person trying it out, it would be aggrivating to wait for a game, get in, have it set up, just to end up dead without getting to do anything.
And in the far future, perhaps combo roles... 1-shot vig that is also a mason pair with someone, etc.
Addendum: As this is the internet, the possibility of Closed Setup would just be insanity, perhaps in addition to the 'random' roles, two or three 'possible' roles could be added, and then a randomization of the 'available' roles occurs? (with limiter parameters, such as "no more than 1 cop, 1 doctor, etc"...perhaps just randomize if X PR exists; for all other roles, assign Citizen. (I have no idea how coding works, if you can't tell... =/ ) This would give scum a bit more wiggle room in the claim department, instead of ALWAYS having to claim blue or CC someone.
Addendum Redux: I'm finding the voting phase always seems to cut pretty short (when people are actually participating, and not just standing around of course...); could there maybe be a way to vote for more time (as opposed to just increasing the time.)?