Degradation of the game

[mmmbeer]

I was initially attracted to Mafia because of the who-done-it type mystery aspect of the game and the problem solving and process of elimination skills you need to play the game well.

It seems now though that the roles like Executioner and specifically Jester, where "trolling", which was at first used as a tactic to win with these roles (albeit an annoying one), has now ballooned out of control and has taken over the game completely as an acceptable way to play any role.

Even a lot of the main player base in Mafia channel now think that trolling is a good tactic and we even have a number of people joining in parties just to random lynch, throw out random accusations, and muck up the game with irrelevant talk.

Perhaps I am in the minority here, I get people telling me to troll myself instead of complaining, but that is not what I enjoy out of the game (most people don't even know any other way to play Jester).

Has anyone else noticed this trend downward lately?

I am not sure what is needed to clean up the game. Clamping down on party/skype cheaters is a start. I would even go so far as removing the Jester role completely and and any people whose only purpose is to ruin the game. I know personally I've gone from an avid player to barely playing at all anymore (maybe 1 in 4 games are good these days?).

Anyways just wanted to voice my opinion.

[Dark.Revenant]

1.4.0 = banlist

[EagleMan]

Your name sounds familiar.

I can't recall what role you were but I do recall you weren't happy with my victory or disagreed about how I obtained it (even if I was Town), since I remember talking to you in some fashion. Or maybe you're just a guy who hangs out in the channel. If you do remember me though, perhaps you could help to jog my memory. Were you ever a person named Starscream?

The "trolling" was essential to my victory though, in the 2 games last week where I went such a route.

[Narks]

I was initially attracted to Mafia because of the who-done-it type mystery aspect of the game and the problem solving and process of elimination skills you need to play the game well.

It seems now though that the roles like Executioner and specifically Jester, where "trolling", which was at first used as a tactic to win with these roles (albeit an annoying one), has now ballooned out of control and has taken over the game completely as an acceptable way to play any role.

Even a lot of the main player base in Mafia channel now think that trolling is a good tactic and we even have a number of people joining in parties just to random lynch, throw out random accusations, and muck up the game with irrelevant talk.

Perhaps I am in the minority here, I get people telling me to troll myself instead of complaining, but that is not what I enjoy out of the game (most people don't even know any other way to play Jester).

Has anyone else noticed this trend downward lately?

I am not sure what is needed to clean up the game. Clamping down on party/skype cheaters is a start. I would even go so far as removing the Jester role completely and and any people whose only purpose is to ruin the game. I know personally I've gone from an avid player to barely playing at all anymore (maybe 1 in 4 games are good these days?).

Anyways just wanted to voice my opinion.

your existence is trolling me

please stop breathing

[Dark.Revenant]

It wouldn't literally ban anyone but it would initiate kickvotes. Putting people on the list will involve more than just moderators (it would be hard-coded into the map).

[Troll]

Even a lot of the main player base in Mafia channel now think that trolling is a good tactic

It is. Simply cause you dont know others role. Some players play the game to win, others play it for the lynching or killing. It's your style who defines your gameplay not your role. Roles just give you different options, they dont demand how to play.

[Luna]

I hear you OP, but that's what makes the game. Sure, I prefer a more relaxed and mature/serious game, and I sometimes even get one in pubs. At the same time though people can genuinely make me laugh. Sometimes I'll use the name of a fictional character and someone else will use the name of their fictional love interest/buddy; we then do some light and mocking roleplaying or something.

Mafia isn't solely about the game, it's about the social experience. In that regard, yeah it's more enjoyable to play with people you know, and to play in real life as a party game. If Mafia became solely about the logic puzzle then it basically becomes an advanced form of sudoku. Besides, in most games I've played anyone who's trolling usually has some master plan up their sleeve, and if they're on my team will triumphantly buckle up and save the day at the right moment.

Whilst I love the logic-solving though I must admit recently I've become more attached to neutral roles which will let me spectate a game and observe as I muck up everyone elses plans, mwahaha

[MENTLEGEN]

I always decide ahead of time what mood I am in. If I'm in a trolling mood, I will pick the name: Optimus Prime. Then throughout the game, I will start reciting the speech at the beginning of the 2007 Transformers movie, in all caps.
Starting the game off with:
"BEFORE TIME BEGAN, THERE WAS... THE CUBE."
"WE KNOW NOT WHERE IT COMES FROM. ONLY THAT IT HAS THE POWER TO CREATE NEW WORLDS AND FILL THEM WITH LIFE."

Everyone usually thinks I'm a jester or something, so they leave me alone. I have won games as mafia using this strategy, and talking normally at night, with near perfect grammar just to throw off any spies lol.

[GJUnLeAsHeD]

Soooo sick of skypers seems like evey game i play has like 4 of em

[Alpr]

I hear you on that one. Every game I play seems to be either half the people drop or half the people are skyping. Two games I play back to back, one had 5 cheaters (two different parties), the other had 2 skypers, all of which I reported in complaints.

I've seen maps be able to disable parties into the game, so is there a way for DR to make Mafia like that?

As far as trolling goes, I don't have a problem with it unless they are town-aligned. I've had a few games where people were mason or doctor and got 2+ people lynched before dying.

If you're neutral, go for it.
If you're mafia, go for it.
If you're town, no.

[Troll]

Always funny to watch 2 teams of skypers barking at eachother. ;D

[Luna]

I sometimes skype, but don't see it as an issue. It wouldn't be any fun if my friend and I told each other who we were and what our role was, we just use skype to up the ante a bit and play even more mind-games on each other (we only reveal names/roles at the end, to a lot of laughter usually). One game we were both masons, working with each other to destroy everyone else, but on skype we kept implying that we were different people both claiming to be SKs!

I have no problems with people joining as parties, because this is a social game. However this is the internet, and far too many people seem to get a hard-on for teaming up with their friends and ruining games for others. As far as I'm concerned, the people you should most want to deceive should be you friends in this game, so have fun with that anonymous name :P One of these days I hope to stumble into one of these skype parties, join forces with them, then lie about my identity and undermine from within.

[Darth Sand]

I've seen maps be able to disable parties into the game, so is there a way for DR to make Mafia like that?

The problem is: not every party is for cheating and people that want to cheat will still be able to do so, even with parties disabled (just create a game of mafia instead of joining it). It would just make joining games for people that just want to play together harder but prevent no cheaters.

@Lunavium: Yeah, the problem is not skyping while playing, the problem is using skype or any other program or party chat to cheat.

I don't even play Mafia anymore, the cheating and trolling just destroy all the fun. And in EU, the mafia channel is completely dead...

[Inca_Killa]

I've seen maps be able to disable parties into the game, so is there a way for DR to make Mafia like that?

The problem is: not every party is for cheating and people that want to cheat will still be able to do so, even with parties disabled (just create a game of mafia instead of joining it). It would just make joining games for people that just want to play together harder but prevent no cheaters.

@Lunavium: Yeah, the problem is not skyping while playing, the problem is using skype or any other program or party chat to cheat.

I don't even play Mafia anymore, the cheating and trolling just destroy all the fun. And in EU, the mafia channel is completely dead...

Seems to be happening in the US Servers too. IDK why really, but having a 3/4 pub game is NOT worth it. . I think all you EU players should come play on US servers! !

@DR: Banlist <3<3<3

[Darth Sand]

Seems to be happening in the US Servers too. IDK why really, but having a 3/4 pub game is NOT worth it. . I think all you EU players should come play on US servers! !

@DR: Banlist <3<3<3

Do you want to pay my NA copy of Starcraft?

[Inca_Killa]

Seems to be happening in the US Servers too. IDK why really, but having a 3/4 pub game is NOT worth it. . I think all you EU players should come play on US servers! !

@DR: Banlist <3<3<3

Do you want to pay my NA copy of Starcraft?

I poor. .

[Darth Sand]

Seems to be happening in the US Servers too. IDK why really, but having a 3/4 pub game is NOT worth it. . I think all you EU players should come play on US servers! !

@DR: Banlist <3<3<3

Do you want to pay my NA copy of Starcraft?

I poor. .

Ye, same

[Inca_Killa]

Seems to be happening in the US Servers too. IDK why really, but having a 3/4 pub game is NOT worth it. . I think all you EU players should come play on US servers! !

@DR: Banlist <3<3<3

Do you want to pay my NA copy of Starcraft?

I poor. .

Ye, same

I think we can all learn something from this.

Fuck you Blizzard, give us back Bnet 1.0 where I could have a profile on every realm without your say so, you stupid, greedy fucks!

[Alpr]

I've seen maps be able to disable parties into the game, so is there a way for DR to make Mafia like that?

The problem is: not every party is for cheating and people that want to cheat will still be able to do so, even with parties disabled (just create a game of mafia instead of joining it). It would just make joining games for people that just want to play together harder but prevent no cheaters.

@Lunavium: Yeah, the problem is not skyping while playing, the problem is using skype or any other program or party chat to cheat.

I don't even play Mafia anymore, the cheating and trolling just destroy all the fun. And in EU, the mafia channel is completely dead...

Well, it's always like that. You can have all sorts of fun but one group can ruin it completely where you have to change your rules and you can never have that fun again. Every game I play now has cheaters in it. I feel like I can't play mafia anymore, even though it's one of my favorite customs.

[GJUnLeAsHeD]

If there's a game there is always going to be some one who enjoys cheating more than wining fairly and will find a way through hell or high water it cant be avoided.