[Discussion] Private Invitation

[Nolder]

I was wondering, how does everyone feel about privately inviting people to play in a mafia game before opening sign ups publicly?

 

The thought has crossed my mind before but I always feel guilty about wanting to cherry pick people I think are especially "good" or active so I've never done it (although I may have done it when searching for backups I can't remember).

 

Would any of you feel hurt or excluded if you didn't get into a game because all the slots were filled by people who were privately invited? Is this right/wrong? Is it something that shouldn't be allowed? Is it ok if only some slots are private but the majority are public? Half and half? Let me know what you guys think.

[Sakaea]

Well, for my upcoming FF game, I've had quite a few people say sign me up already. So I have a list of people that are already signed up, a list of people I want to invite cus it's FF, and then the rest will be open signups.

 

I find nothing wrong with it, mod preference all the way.

[Basel Gill]

I would have no objection to privately inviting people if I wasn't sure that they would see the signup thread, or if they were someone I was really hoping to get into a game I was running. There is one game coming up where I have told the mod in private that I am interested. (Won't say which one, out of respect for the private nature of PM.) But I would post the signup thread first, and just send the people I wanted to invite privately a link to the thread. I wouldn't post a signup thread with some names already filled in.

[Nolder]

I would have no objection to privately inviting people if I wasn't sure that they would see the signup thread, or if they were someone I was really hoping to get into a game I was running. There is one game coming up where I have told the mod in private that I am interested. (Won't say which one, out of respect for the private nature of PM.) But I would post the signup thread first, and just send the people I wanted to invite privately a link to the thread. I wouldn't post a signup thread with some names already filled in.

I'm basically talking about giving preference to certain people not just notification

[Basel Gill]

I'm basically talking about giving preference to certain people not just notification

 

Now that I would have a problem with. Especially if I lost out on signing up because other people received a preference.

[Kaylee]

I'd have no problem with it. I would suggest leaving a few spots for open sign up though imo. It doesnt bother me much since I'm new and don't really expect to get asked to play, with the exception of the current game. (which is only due to personally knowing people who wanted me to start).

[Nolder]

I'm basically talking about giving preference to certain people not just notification

 

Now that I would have a problem with. Especially if I lost out on signing up because other people received a preference.

This is what I expect most peoples reactions to be

but on the flip side what if I view someone as an incompetent player or "flakey" (inactive or often replaced)

is it still wrong of me to pass that person over in favor of someone I believe is better at mafia or at least more reliable?

[Basel Gill]

 

This is what I expect most peoples reactions to be

but on the flip side what if I view someone as an incompetent player or "flakey" (inactive or often replaced)

is it still wrong of me to pass that person over in favor of someone I believe is better at mafia or at least more reliable?

 

Incompetent players won't get the chance to become any better if they get passed over for being incompetent; if mods did this it would just make for a divide between haves and have-nots when it comes to playing ability. You'd wind up with a caste system split between good players and bad players, because the bad players would have trouble getting the practice they need. As for unreliable players, if one of them wants to sign up but has a history of being inactive and/or needing replacement over and over, then I would lean toward discussing this tendency with them in private before committing them to the game. Depending on the circumstances, I'd also be leery of giving them a power role. If the random draw gave them a really important power role, I'd seriously consider switching them with a random vanilla player that I'd think I could count on more. The huge drawback here would be that scum would tend to game the mod and assume the players who need to drop out a lot are vanilla in my games.

[Songstress]

Basel makes a lot of sense here re: incompetent players... experience helps a lot.

 

As for unreliable players, well... I can already think of a few people who have a tendency to sign up for games and then go MIA and have to be replaced out. It's frustrating to the other players to be stuck with a perpetual inactive. Waiting to allow them to sign up until you've gotten a commitment to their activity level may help. Discussing consequences for inactivity in the future may also help -- i.e. how many chances you personally are willing to give that person before you will not let them sign up for future games that you mod.

 

I can totally understand the desire to keep any game you mod entertaining for everyone by hand picking some of the signups and restricting some of the people who drag the game down. Making sure that there are at least a portion of the slots available as open signups would be good to give newer people the opportunity to get experience with the usual suspects would be nice, I think.

[LilyElizabeth]

I've had invitation only games. I wouldn't recommend doing that all the time, but once in a while doesn't hurt. For me, it's not about skill level, but inactivity.

[Arez Al'Loke]

As A rather new player, I feel it would be very "unfair" to exlude new people from your games =P I mean, if that's the case, I suggest sending private invitation's and just making the mafia game thread invisible so no one gets "hurt"..

 

Although... I think there should be some kind of list there it's written how many times a player has went LOA in the middle of a game or needed to be replaced. Because I don't think that people who regularly are inactive in games should get the same chance to join games as other more active people.

 

Now if that needs any clarification, I'll write it more properly tommorow xD I'm sooo tired..

[Alanna]

I don't really see the problem with it. It's been done before and so far as i know, no one had really cared. It's the mod's game, after all, and they can run it how they want, including who they let sign up. It's not like there aren't always other games going on.

[Nolder]

Thanks for all your responses guys!

I really appreciate it because, as I said in the OP, this is something I have considered doing before but it felt wrong so I didn't

 

with your feedback I think we're starting to get an idea of when it is and isn't ok and to what extent

I think I'll have some more direct responses later but I woke up not feeling too well so I'm trying to take it easy on thinking/typing atm

also if anyone else has anything to say, even if it's just repeating what someone else has said by now, I encourage you to post since I'd like to see the clearest picture on this issue we can get and of course there's people who play regularly that haven't weighed in yet

[John E. Kelley]

I have no problem with it at all. As some have already said, inactivity is kryptonite to a good Mafia game. I'll take poor / inexperienced play to inactivity every time. I actually don't mind encouraging or mentoring new players at all, but inactivity doesn't just ruin the game for players, it's insulting to the mod that has made a serious effort to provide us with a fun game. It's maddening.

 

And to clarify, I realize the RL issues come up. It's happened to me more than once. But when it happens each and every time someone signs up to play a game, then you'd be well within your rights to not want that player in your game. Most of us don't have a problem with being inactive, and more than likely the usual players are going to be the ones you personally invite anyway. If, for whatever reason, I was one of the ones left out of your private invite, I wouldn't take it as an insult, I'd see it as motivation to step up my game. Just my two cents.

[LilyElizabeth]

I have no problem with it at all. As some have already said, inactivity is kryptonite to a good Mafia game. I'll take poor / inexperienced play to inactivity every time. I actually don't mind encouraging or mentoring new players at all, but inactivity doesn't just ruin the game for players, it's insulting to the mod that has made a serious effort to provide us with a fun game. It's maddening.

 

What he said. It is insulting to the mod and not fair to the other players. And there are some people who sign up and don't play - and do this consistently. I won't allow them in my games, although it's never come up that I have to tell them this. That won't be pleasant. :S I absolutely don't mind inexperienced players in my games. I encourage people to learn the game. How else are we ever going to have another epic 30-player game? :D (Okay, if DPR mods, we can....)

[Leelou]

I have no problem with this. I generally invite a few people I want to play in my games now and then leave sign up spots open as well.

[cosmicpanda]

In moderation, having an invitational game is fine and can be fun, since the players will be of a high caliber. I don't think Nolder's proposing that this be the only way that signups work.

 

About newbies - that's why we should have more regular newbie games, so they can learn the ropes without annoying people who already know how to play.

[Kaylee]

Id personally like to see a mentoring type game. But that aside even being brand new I agree with what the others have been saying about it being no problem. It would eliminate the inactivity.

[Gabriel Kross]

I want to play in every mafia game (*,..,*) :addicted:

[John E. Kelley]

I want to play in every mafia game (*,..,*) :addicted:

 

We've trained (corrupted) you well. You are one of us now. One of us, one of us....drink the Kool-Aid, because the Cult will never let you go......

[Gabriel Kross]

but if I drink the kool-aid I cant play as I'll be self-sacrificed or somthing

[John McClane]

I was wondering, how does everyone feel about privately inviting people to play in a mafia game before opening sign ups publicly?

 

The thought has crossed my mind before but I always feel guilty about wanting to cherry pick people I think are especially "good" or active so I've never done it (although I may have done it when searching for backups I can't remember).

 

Would any of you feel hurt or excluded if you didn't get into a game because all the slots were filled by people who were privately invited? Is this right/wrong? Is it something that shouldn't be allowed? Is it ok if only some slots are private but the majority are public? Half and half? Let me know what you guys think.

 

This feels like another greivance, piss and moan about stuff thread.

 

If I go to the trouble of creating an intricate setup, and know how much time its going to take me to moderate the game... then I have no qualms about picking and choosing who I want in my game.

[Red2111]

i've never ran an invite only game thread, but i have gotten into the habit of post public signups then sending out a mass PM to players to let them know about it so they wont miss out on the signups.

 

the thing about inactives is you never know if a person is being inactive or just has a lurker playstyle. imo, as a mod, you should always take the step to get a few people willing to be back ups (including previous game players) to avoid MKing and messing up your balance. but generally, you can tell whose inactive and will need to be replaced by the end of D1 *nods* especially if you have meta on the players.

 

 

I encourage people to learn the game. How else are we ever going to have another epic 30-player game? :D (Okay, if DPR mods, we can....)

 

i'd expect the same with a Kivam game too

 

 

I want to play in every mafia game (*,..,*) :addicted:

 

We've trained (corrupted) you well. You are one of us now. One of us, one of us....drink the Kool-Aid, because the Cult will never let you go......

 

underlined is a freudian slip VOTE: ISHY he's obviosuly either the cult leader or a cultist. and EP is next, as he's drinkign the coolaid (ie: has been recruited)

 

*is thwacked* OW!!! what do you mean this isn't a mafia game .... oh, oops

[Nolder]

This feels like another greivance, piss and moan about stuff thread.

I promise you that is not the case

as far as I know I've never been deliberately left out of a game via private invites

I am genuinely curious as to what others think about this sort of thing that's all

[Arez Al'Loke]

If every slot in a game was privately invited, I feel it would be rather unfair =P