What makes a good mafia game?

[LilyElizabeth]

This might help mods a bit. In your opinion, what makes a good mafia game?

 

I was recently told by a veteran player that a game of mine was not balanced, but was still a lot of fun. We've all played games that we just wished would hurry up and end. So, what is the difference?

 

For me as a player the #1 criteria is an involved mod. Flashy setups are awesome, too (the reason I never miss a DPR or Pete game) but less important, I think.

 

What do you like in a game?

 

[aemonkristen]

I'd say that the main thing that makes a game really fun for me is a lot of acvtivity by both the players and the mods. When there are too may inactive players, the actives kill each other off fast and the game just stagnates because no one wants to say anything. i'd rather the inactives were replaced as quickly as possible to keep the game moving along. It does get confusing sometimes when dead players come back, but I can deal with that as long as people are talking.

[LilyElizabeth]

That's very true, but what makes players want to be active?

 

I guess I was looking at what makes some mods' (DPR, Kivam, to name a couple) games so popular and successful and others just, well, not. I seem to have less problem with my games stagnating, too, and I guess I want to know why, so I can keep doing it.

 

I agree with you that inactive players inhibit the fun. We should all consider that when choosing our nightkills, at least. Lynches, I'm not sure we really can so much. Let's face it, there are some people who just aren't going to be active no matter what we do.

[aemonkristen]

In that case, I'd say originality, activity and extra scenes for flavor and/or game info. cool death scenes are always a bonus as well.

[Liathiana]

As long as you remember the difference between inactives and lurkers. Not all of us like to spam or speak every word that comes into our brains ;)

[aemonkristen]

Lurking is a legitimite strategy and I know that not everyone has the time or inclination to post a lot. When I say inactives, I mean the people that sign up and then check in when the game starts and are never heard from again. I think these are the people that need to be switched out of a game unless they have already spoken to the mod and made arrangments for an absence.

[LilyElizabeth]

Lia, I don't think we're talking about people like you. I know I'm not. I agree with Aemon, and I apologize for not being more on top of that in my tarot game. I think there were at least two that I probably should have replaced. Aust set the bar high on scene writing, and I had a lot more of my attention on that than usual.

 

As a mod, I will do more prodding in future games. If someone doesn't want to be there, there are often backups who do.

[Hybrid]

That's very true, but what makes players want to be active?

Active players, especially players like Mynd and DPR, who really know how to stir the pot up.  Especially Mynd - nothing is better at encouraging activity than being accused of mafia for no reason.  :D

[LilyElizabeth]

I can't wait to get to know that man! LMAO

[Talya]

I think Aemon hit the nail on the head, when he said active players and mod. Though I would say proactive players. i know there are lurkers, but if you end up in a game of all lurkers and yourself, then I would find that boring. I like to be challenged and lurkers, don't do that, because they don't say much. I don't like spam in a game, especially when it goes on for a few pages. The odd bit is okay.

 

Wes's games are always interesting, probably because he also draws the players that like to discuss debate and challenge, it gives the mind a good exercise.

 

Flashy setups can ruin a game. Giving out too many weird and wonderful roles, for me don't always do it. As I mentioned in your game Lily, having roles that haven't been used before can make things a little unbalanced. However it was an interesting game, people kept the activity up. But for me it's the people in the game that make it. When a game has so many roles, the game can lose it's Mind stretching because there are too many outside factors brought in that then leaves me cold!

 

Also I think now that games that have too many players are hard going. Unless you have a lot of kills, it goes on too long, there are too many roles and I can lose interest in it fast.

 

Adding too much into the story can also be a turn off. Wes has it that you do things, or select things give out dilemma's which keeps you thinking, however too many through in all these one time shots and hand them out for no reason, again too much going on. Too many twists and turns makes people lurk even more and can ruin the game through confusion, so you have nothing to discuss with people!

 

I have to say, that I do like a good scene at lynch and when the morning comes, it's a bit of a put off when the Mod just puts who died and thats it. It shows they are involved in the game and that does help. If the Mod comes across as not caring then the players won't (I'm not saying the mod doesn't care, but if it comes across like that)

 

All inactive players should also be replaced early, if that can't happen then they should be modkilled early on in the game and not left for days before something happens.

 

Mynd is brilliant, I love playing with him! He's great fun!

 

But at the end of the day, it comes down to the players that make a game good!

[Reyn]

-Active players

 

-Active mods

 

-Catchy scenes 

 

-A few unexpected roles, but not so many twists and turns that all the players are too confused to point the FOS at someone :p

 

 

Oh and in the tarot game I liked that we had some sort of clue what the roles could be because of the explanation of the cards.

[LilyElizabeth]

I guess it makes sense that puzzles to solve would be popular in a mafia game. *giggle* I'll keep that in mind when I write more. Right now, I'm trying to find homes for the two I have written. One is for here when I come up on the queue, but that's going to be a long wait.