Games being killed by inactivity

[Nolder]

Oops shoulda kept reading 'cause I want to respond to this stuff too.
 

When I started playing Mafia there was only the requirement to post at least one game related post in a day phase. Now it's like some crazy gameshow where quantity seems to count more than quality. Not everyone has the time to post a bazillion times in a game - and the more you push this - 'we are going to lynch anyone who don't meet our perceived standards about what a game should be about' then the less people want to play.

That may be true for some people but not for me and I think I'm one of the most outspoken people about inactivity on this site. I've always said if you can't keep up with the game as it's flowing then when you get the chance one quality post can really make up for all that. A good example of this is some of the posts Ape made in the last DPR game. He was busy for a few days and went MIA but when he came back he made a couple big posts and for me that was enough. The point isn't to spam or to make needlessly long posts. The point is to give your thoughts on the game and other players adequately so people can get an idea of where you stand. Most people are really bad at this.
 

Lynching inactives is a mafia ploy that will mean they dont have to case and they can't have their reasons examined for being on a Town Lynch. They can just pick off quiet Town and then win the game. I can't believe you are being fished in like this. Find the Mafia. Lynch the Mafia. It really isn't that difficult.

It is not a mafia ploy. Are we in a game right now? Am I mafia?

It's in town's best interest to always lynch inactives. The reason this is a bigger issue though, as I've said before, is that it's too many people per game and happens in almost every game. I don't think the solution to the problem can be achieved in game any longer but I do think it is a viable play on a smaller scale. If you have one or two lurkers/inactives it's protown to lynch them.

[Nolder]

It's no fun go round and round with Despo, Dap, darthe and nolder each game while the others sit and watch.  

I think part of that is we're loudmouths though. I don't know about the rest of you but one of the biggest things I am constantly working on to improve my play is to take a step back and let others talk and not dominate the thread with my own arguments. 

[csarmi]

Again, I think the best would be a system where inactivity has some long-terms consequences - like not getting into other games. Mods could give points, that'd be subjective, but better than nothing.

 

Another thing I feel to be contraproductive is social community points being given for playing (at least like this, people getting about the same amount of points regardless). I was tempted for a moment to join a game even though I do know that I won't have the time to play it an ddon't even feel like playing it. And I'm not even so fond of ppints.

[csarmi]

Also nothing sucks more than playing in a scum team where your teammates are inacftive.

[csarmi]

Who decides who is the least active player? Post count?

The mod reads the game and makes a subjective judgment based on post count and post quality.

[peacesells]

 

It's no fun go round and round with Despo, Dap, darthe and nolder each game while the others sit and watch.  

I think part of that is we're loudmouths though. I don't know about the rest of you but one of the biggest things I am constantly working on to improve my play is to take a step back and let others talk and not dominate the thread with my own arguments. 

 

 

lol..there are many times I post a lot just to keep the game alive.

[peacesells]

Well, my basic game I'm running will have specific requirements and an in game action that punishes those who do not meet requirements.  Check it out.

[csarmi]

Yea I'm thinking about it Peace. I just know that I'll be very busy and I'll be playing in JiF's epic game too. So very hard to decide.

[peacesells]

Yea I'm thinking about it Peace. I just know that I'll be very busy and I'll be playing in JiF's epic game too. So very hard to decide.

 

That's cool..but give the rules a look.  See what you think.

[Mrs. Cindy Gill]

the more of the stuff I read like this... lynch inactives, DM mafia sucks bc certain ppl play in a way I don't like, I lost a game and I'll spend the next ten pages trolling, harassing, insulting the ppl I played with, .... the less i want to play.

 

which is fine cause I've just been told very kindly that people didn't want me playing here anyway.

 

but I'm pretty sure y'all don't feel that way about everyone except your favorite vets.

 

I'm thinking back to the first thread I ever noticed talking about mafia on DM, something like... mafia complaints or whatever... the jist of that one was how much it sucked dealing with noobs who didn't know how to play right.

 

that one thread kept me from even trying to play for years. not just me, either, for those o you who'd jut as soon i stayed out.

 

the player pool dwindles not only bc of veteran players who have pet peeves they cant stop beating the rest of us over the head with, but because what could be a fun game, where people may screw up, do silly stuff, have varying learning curves, maybe even get themselves mod killed now and then... turns into some performance in which one is constantly weighed, measured, and found wanting.

 

it's a numbers game. do the math. you scare new people away from ever playing, or they get the nerve to try and you make them feel like crap for failing to meet The Mafia Gold Standard.... and the pool of willing players even your golden idols depend on for a game simply dries up.

 

nobody gonna want to play in the not very long run.

[csarmi]

I thought you were about to give us PR's and such as well.

 

Open game is nice, I think that the possible setup variants should be given in a basic game. I believe that post quality should be judged too. The mod can judge that, I think. If someone don't like, they can ***.

[peacesells]

the more of the stuff I read like this... lynch inactives, DM mafia sucks bc certain ppl play in a way I don't like, I lost a game and I'll spend the next ten pages trolling, harassing, insulting the ppl I played with, .... the less i want to play.

 

which is fine cause I've just been told very kindly that people didn't want me playing here anyway.

 

but I'm pretty sure y'all don't feel that way about everyone except your favorite vets.

 

I'm thinking back to the first thread I ever noticed talking about mafia on DM, something like... mafia complaints or whatever... the jist of that one was how much it sucked dealing with noobs who didn't know how to play right.

 

that one thread kept me from even trying to play for years. not just me, either, for those o you who'd jut as soon i stayed out.

 

the player pool dwindles not only bc of veteran players who have pet peeves they cant stop beating the rest of us over the head with, but because what could be a fun game, where people may screw up, do silly stuff, have varying learning curves, maybe even get themselves mod killed now and then... turns into some performance in which one is constantly weighed, measured, and found wanting.

 

it's a numbers game. do the math. you scare new people away from ever playing, or they get the nerve to try and you make them feel like crap for failing to meet The Mafia Gold Standard.... and the pool of willing players even your golden idols depend on for a game simply dries up.

 

nobody gonna want to play in the not very long run.

 

I think most of what you are stating here Cindy is going beyond the current discussion.  I like the play here...when people participate.  It's the lack of participation that bothers some of us.   

[peacesells]

btw Cindy..loved your game play...but you know that.

[Mrs. Cindy Gill]

the current discussion and others like it are all part of the same scene.

 

you'll note how words like judge, and quality are being used now.

 

everyone has pet peeves, everyone gets annoyed.

 

you try to control every aspect of the game, you eliminate willing players.

 

don't mind me though.

 

carry on.

[WWWwombat]

I am declaring myself Supreme Chancellor of the DM Committee on Unactive Activities.

 

Due to the threat posed by the Inactives, I am declaring martial law. The Town Senate has been abolished and I am assuming wartime powers.

 

Indefinitely.

[csarmi]

I think the best short-term solution would be to run games with

 

- low amount of players (6-13, not sure why we need bigger games)

- no deadlines (yes you read it right, they actually encourage lazy play and inactivity)

[lolguy26]

Cindy, i dont know which thread your talking about but ive played with you, you post your thoughts and are in general active, its more the people who dont bother posting at all

[Mrs. Cindy Gill]

btw Cindy..loved your game play...but you know that.

that's kind of you to say.

 

I've heard otherwise from others and I'm not up for the talent show.

[WWWwombat]

 

btw Cindy..loved your game play...but you know that.

that's kind of you to say.

 

I've heard otherwise from others and I'm not up for the talent show.

I will want to play with you again sometime. Probably a while from now though and with a mod who isn't a bastard. <3

[peacesells]

 

btw Cindy..loved your game play...but you know that.

that's kind of you to say.

 

I've heard otherwise from others and I'm not up for the talent show.

 

 

Lead me to them..I'll show them the error of their ways. 

 

And the judging comments in this thread are tongue in cheek.

[Nolder]

the player pool dwindles not only bc of veteran players who have pet peeves they cant stop beating the rest of us over the head with, but because what could be a fun game, where people may screw up, do silly stuff, have varying learning curves, maybe even get themselves mod killed now and then... turns into some performance in which one is constantly weighed, measured, and found wanting.

Basic games are for learning. Other games are not. If someone plays in a non basic game then they need to be willing to accept that people may be more critical of their play than they otherwise would be. They're playing on hard mode basically.

 

I am always happy to teach newer players how to play, even in advanced games and I almost always give newbies a newbie pass at least on Day 1.

I think most people do the same.

 

I don't think mafia is particularly unwelcoming to new people. I do think the game environments have not been very friendly in general though recently so I'll give you that.

[Mrs. Cindy Gill]

 

 

btw Cindy..loved your game play...but you know that.

that's kind of you to say.

I've heard otherwise from others and I'm not up for the talent show.

I will want to play with you again sometime. Probably a while from now though and with a mod who isn't a bastard. <3

no.

[WWWwombat]

Figured as much. Probably for the best.

[dapianoplay3r]

I dont consider an iavtive person to be thhe person with the lowest count

i consider it the person who has said the least

 

if your posts are shit quality but you are trying to be involvved and work things out anf post thoughts im happy

 

if you fill a game with posts that havd nothing too do with anything im not.

 

Unfortunatly it normally bugs me at about day 4 (i get D 1 can confuse people a lot) but i think anny pplicy lynching should be done early

[Tiinker]

"Sorry! Doing a reread will post thoughts soon"

 

Does a "reread"...

 

"I'm unsure but I'm going to go with the majority vote because of reason already stated a million times and to avoid random"

 

^ 

This is the guy you don't want in your games..