What do you want to see?

[Professor Flitwick]

I always thought a great S/W game would take place in a Hutt crime lords hideout, at the loyal criminals must try and find the traitors that are plotting to kill the Hutt for another Hutt.

[CMP]

I always thought a great S/W game would take place in a Hutt crime lords hideout, at the loyal criminals must try and find the traitors that are plotting to kill the Hutt for another Hutt.

That'd be cool.

[pedro]

Another idea just occured to me... going sc-fi again on this one, based on Frank Herbert's classic novel...

DUNE Mafia.

Oweing an alliegance to the Emperor Shaddam IV and House Corrino, House Atreides accept control of the desert planet Arrakis, also known as DUNE and the source of the most valuable substance in the universe, the spice Melange. But the Emperor fears House Atreides and seeks to destroy them, enlisting the help of the Atriedes arch-enemies, the dreaded Harkonnen!

Players take control of Atreides soldiers, personnel and advisors, who have relocated to DUNE and it's capital city Arrakeen. But sown amongst them are spies and assassins of the evil Harkonnen! The Atriedes must discover and expose the Harkonnens, lest they bring about the fall of House Atriedes...

[iamded]

Not sure if I've posted in here, but I liked Sandy's Hogwarts Mafia because everyone had some sort of night action, so no one was left out during the night time of the game. And the multiple night actions made it all the more better, people were more encouraged to PM each other and discuss/share information, you had to decide who to side with and believe (I totally made the wrong choice siding with Shadows... ).

I know in Mafia games where you don't have a night action, the enjoyment is sort of diminished as at night time all you can do is sit around twiddling your thumbs, hoping you aren't randomly murdered in the night. Having night actions makes it all the more better, especially when everyone has them, it makes everything much more interesting. I understand this means a lot more work for the host, but I'm sure all the players agree it's worth it in the end, and appreciate the effort the host puts into the game.

Well, that's my thoughts! As for throwing a mafia game idea into the hat, I think a Fallout one could be interesting...

[Peanuts]

I like the mafia game I´m currently playing a lot and I must say, the 40 player situation is really funny.

I would also like a new star wars mafia game, which was mentioned a lot of times, and I would try to play in one if omeone would host it.

As a future idea: I would really much like a weird-night-action-anything-can-happen psychopath mafia game (), maybe playing in an asylum or such...just if someone would be interested in this, feel free to host one. I just think it was a funny idea and I would love to see one.

[Walter Kovacs]

DUNE Mafia.

There are so many possibilities with a Dune Mafia. I read the books a long while ago, and I am currently listening to the books on CD to refresh my memory (currently in the middle of God Emperor, probably the worst of the six books). Ixians, Tlelaxu Face Dancers, Bene Gesserit, Corrino, Atriedes, Harkonen. You could even go into the later books and set the Bene Gesserit against the Revered Matres coming back from the scattering, or even Fish Speakers protecting the God Emperor. I think this is a wonderful idea.

Star Wars Mafia would get plenty of people interested. When I was thinking up an easy game for beginners, I thought of a prison setting, where a tyrannical dictator has rounded up suspected dissidents and planted his secret police among them, to ferret out their leaders.

[def]

As a future idea: I would really much like a weird-night-action-anything-can-happen psychopath mafia game (), maybe playing in an asylum or such...

Haven't you seen the upcoming mafia list?

[Peanuts]

Haven't you seen the upcoming mafia list?

Actually no.

That´s funny, I really hope I´ll be in it.

[CMP]

Not sure if I've posted in here, but I liked Sandy's Hogwarts Mafia because everyone had some sort of night action, so no one was left out during the night time of the game. And the multiple night actions made it all the more better, people were more encouraged to PM each other and discuss/share information, you had to decide who to side with and believe (I totally made the wrong choice siding with Shadows... ).

I know in Mafia games where you don't have a night action, the enjoyment is sort of diminished as at night time all you can do is sit around twiddling your thumbs, hoping you aren't randomly murdered in the night. Having night actions makes it all the more better, especially when everyone has them, it makes everything much more interesting. I understand this means a lot more work for the host, but I'm sure all the players agree it's worth it in the end, and appreciate the effort the host puts into the game.

Well, that's my thoughts! As for throwing a mafia game idea into the hat, I think a Fallout one could be interesting...

Agreed. Dystopia mafia wasn't fun for me because I didn't have an action.

I just came up with a great idea for an Apocalypse/Fallout mafia. I don't have many Legos for it, but perhaps LDD along with some kind of software to increase its looks would work...

[Professor Flitwick]

I always thought a good game would be a Zombie Infection game, A group of survivors trying to route out the infected. I suppose the virus would need to be gradual, gradually turning them into nocturnal zombies during the night, whilst back into human form (as the infection lessons) during the day. I imagen it would play out rather like a modern day Infection! In fact, when it was little more than a name on an index, thats what I thought Infection! would be.

EDIT: And, yes, I believe night actions should be attributed to everyone, which was one of the strengths of Hogwarts.

Edited October 20, 2010 by professor flitwick

[iamded]

Idea! Like, a zombies mafia, the Infected (mafia) vs Survivors (townies). It makes sense, because the Infected don't wanna be found out, or they'd be killed off. It's a situation where everyone would be tense and it would be easy to get into character. Survivors of course want to survive, and Infected know they're doomed, and are trying to infect everyone so as to not be hunted. Not sure if that's already been suggested before, or if this is the right thread, or what. Seems likely I'm wrong on both accounts, but I'll throw it out there just in case.

~Peace

[Peanuts]

Idea! Like, a zombies mafia, the Infected (mafia) vs Survivors (townies). It makes sense, because the Infected don't wanna be found out, or they'd be killed off. It's a situation where everyone would be tense and it would be easy to get into character. Survivors of course want to survive, and Infected know they're doomed, and are trying to infect everyone so as to not be hunted. Not sure if that's already been suggested before, or if this is the right thread, or what. Seems likely I'm wrong on both accounts, but I'll throw it out there just in case.

~Peace

Sounds really much like Quarryman´s "Infection!" game to me.

But if we are already bring up used ideas, I would really much like a second (and this time finished ) Roman Mafia game, maybe playing with Sulla´s loyal ones vs. traitorous Marius-liking Senators or a game playing after Catiline´s treason with Catilinarians as scum, who try to murder the consul or such...

Another idea I would like would be a second Western game, maybe playing in a corrupt town, where few vigilates (mafia) try to clean up with the corrupt ones.

Just two more ideas of mine to re-use old ideas.

Edited October 21, 2010 by Peanuts

[def]

Just two more ideas of mine to re-use old ideas.

I think they sound like good ideas, but when it comes to making games, there's a certain comfort zone each maker needs. Sandy loves Harry Potter, so she did Hogwort's mafia. I'd love to play some steam-punk mafia, but when it comes to designing one, my head's much more stuck in the real world. So, the theme I'd really like to play isn't the one I'd really like to make. Though if I try a second one I might go out of my comfort zone.

As for people wanting everyone to have powers... well, I'm against it. Eurobricks games are drawn out (two months) compared to one or two weeks on most sites. So, it seems like you don't have a chance here to really cut loose (for me, I only got to have special powers in Dystopia, and that was the insane cop, so it was kind of a drag after it was revealed). I understand that you want something to do. But, you have to keep in mind that there are lots of people playing. There is a challenge for the cop, investigator, and doctor to finding the no-ability players to team with, and for the mafia to pick off the ability players before the no-ability ones. When everyone has a power, the mafia take down a power player every time they have a kill. It's a drag for the game runner, who loses a big piece of the game, and gets rid of some of the balance in the game. There are ways around this, to keep the game exciting for un-powered players, but I think "everybody has powers" is like playing a video game with cheat codes. It's okay for one game now and then, but to make it the norm would make mafia a lot more boring. Unpowered townies are an important, useful play dynamic. Play a few rounds, and your time will come.

The other (non-Eurobricks) games I've played tweaked the systems to increase the novelty and enjoyment. One game had a split mafia, one of killers, and one of recruiters, who won together, but didn't know each other. So the two mafias had to figure out a way to reveal themselves to each other in a trustful way without releasing their identities to town. Another had three mafias, no town, and the last remaining mafia won. But, the players didn't know who for sure was on the other two teams, so kills and voting was the only way to know.

There are lots of ways to jazz up the games here. Interesting themes is one, but varying gameplay would possibly make things interesting for all players.

[Rick]

As for people wanting everyone to have powers... well, I'm against it.

Couldn't agree more. It's not like you have nothing to do when you're a plain vanilla townie. Having lots of night actions takes the real game away from the day threads and into PMs and night action results. Accusations, defenses, bluffing, people vouching for others, voting patterns, and voting results are as important, if not more important than night actions. In that sense there is certainly something to be said for the traditional mafia game with a small amount of players and not too many night actions...

There are lots of ways to jazz up the games here. Interesting themes is one, but varying gameplay would possibly make things interesting for all players.

... and should that get boring over time, you make some excellent suggestions for spicing it up a bit.

[Dragonator]

As for people wanting everyone to have powers... well, I'm against it.

*snip*

Unpowered townies are an important, useful play dynamic. Play a few rounds, and your time will come.

I cannot agree more def, it is nice to have a change occasionally, but we have to remember that the primary part of a Mafia game is the voting; night actions are just added flavour. If it was all about the night actions, with little focus on the voting, then it wouldn't be a Mafia game. It all comes down to game balance really, something I consider to be extremely important; with too many night actions, the actual voting process becomes arbitrary as more progress can be made during the night. Standard live action Mafia games would normally just have a cop (investigator), a doctor (protector), and the Mafia as the basic night action roles, and that is it. I think it's great to have variation in the night actions as it gives us something fresh and new every game, something unexpected, but again I must stress how important the actual voting is to the game. Vanilla townies are the most important players in the game, as it is them who decide the majority votes and can make the difference between winning and losing during the voting.

I am of course always open to variations in the game mechanics too, we've seen several examples of how this has been done successfully on EB. I really enjoy the EB version of Mafia, it has some unique mechanics and concepts that work well in our community. And, it is ever evolving; just look back to some of the first games and you can see how far we've come already.

[CMP]

I kind of disagree with both of you. If you think about it, the game ends a bit faster when 2-3 people are getting killed or investigated each night. Not only would fewer night actions extend the game, probably a third month, around 1 out of 3 days ends without a conviction. Playing a townie with no action sucks. Playing a scum with no actions is worse.

How are vanilla townies 'useful play dynamic'?

[Big Cam]

Whilst I'm sure discussion like this belongs in the general Thread, I will give my two cents.

I'd like to see a game in which the Important night actions don't just go to Fellows and above, Zepher and TinyPies. They've shown they can use them in the past, yes, but they were new to them once, like everyone else participating in the games.

Also, Fellows and above (generally with Quarryman as the 'Oh look I'm not exclusive' exception) almost always get in. There aren't 42 places in Zephers game, there's 30, as all they have to do is cough and there in. I know allowing your joe-blogs average Count/Knight/Citizen in won't give you a shinny new title, but we're still members too.

I kind of disagree with both of you. If you think about it, the game ends a bit faster when 2-3 people are getting killed or investigated each night. Not only would fewer night actions extend the game, probably a third month, around 1 out of 3 days ends without a conviction. Playing a townie with no action sucks. Playing a scum with no actions is worse.

How are vanilla townies 'useful play dynamic'?

So you want more night actions but then you want less night actions.

I've played 4 mafia games and I'm not a fellow and in 3 of those I had night actions.

I guess I don't see what you ultimetaly want. All the games I've played have been done very well and were fun even when I didn't have a night action.

[CMP]

So you want more night actions but then you want less night actions.

I've played 4 mafia games and I'm not a fellow and in 3 of those I had night actions.

I guess I don't see what you ultimetaly want. All the games I've played have been done very well and were fun even when I didn't have a night action.

I'm saying have night actions would further extend the game another month. That's not really a good thing.

[JimBee]

I'm not sure whether I agree or disagree about having fewer night actions. On one hand, yes, it puts more emphasis on voting, but on the other, it gets boring for some players without night actions. I've been without a night action in most of the games I've played, and I don't recall any of them being boring, but I guess I didn't feel as powerful (which is not necessarily a bad thing).

I would say that the important thing is to have fun and not play the game alone. Even if you are a vanilla townie, use everything you have to your advantage, including the PM system. Contact multiple players, and try to either find out what they're up to or join them to figure out what everyone else is doing. When you get wrapped up in winning, it's not very fun.

I strayed a little off topic there, but the bottom line is that you should never look at a game as "boring", because then it will end up being boring for you.

I only got to have special powers in Dystopia, and that was the insane cop, so it was kind of a drag after it was revealed).

I understand, and I'm glad you decided to share that. Game hosts can learn from their own and other's mistakes this way.

[Sandy]

I'm also in favor of having more night actions in a game. It might not be the traditional Mafia-game some of you are accustomed to, but it doesn't mean that type of games are less fun either, just different.

I'm glad my Hogwarts Mafia managed to broaden the perspective of what a Mafia-type game could be, but of course I don't mean every game should mimic it. It's important for every host to make a game that they feel most comfortable hosting, regardless of the demands of the potential players, because as past games have proven, people will still compete to play in any game anyway.

[Peanuts]

I for myself don´t mind/wouldn´t mind (is this playing the game?) being an actionless townie, I think, the main part of the game shall be accusing and voting, and not night actions.

But I think, games without much night actions are boring, as you have nothing to base accusations or defendings on. I think, the accusing is happening on the the use of night actions, while the defending is often claiming to have done something else, so that this court ambiance is created. The town has to choose who to trust and who to vote of. Without this or with much less the town had only the chance to succeed by luckily voting for the right people and the vote was completely based on mistakes of the scum.

I think, too many night actions would be very confusing, ´cause everyone could claim anything...

But I would be very interested, how a special game with many night actions or only night actions would turn out, e.g. this 5 players game with one scum and four cops, one sane, one insane, one paranoid and one naive (how is this one called?) or something else like that....

[Rick]

I think, too many night actions would be very confusing, ´cause everyone could claim anything...

You don't need many actual night actions for this...

[def]

I understand, and I'm glad you decided to share that. Game hosts can learn from their own and other's mistakes this way.

I think it was a good role, and I'm glad you did it, but it has a feel of 'prank' to it. As long as all the rules are set in advance, and the players are chosen at random, it's a play mechanic. The goal is to have a good game for everyone overall, so of course satisfaction will vary from person to person.

My disappointment was that I got all excited investigating, and it was all a bluff. But, I was enthusiastic and enjoyed it all. So, it was in no way a mistake. Since then, I've played mafia games with lots of bizarre, extended roles, like 'the lovers,' where a person has a partner, but will die if their partner dies. No night actions, just a role. If you have a role like that, you have to overcome it, not complain that you were saddled with it. So, as I wrote, you and ricecracker made no mistakes, and produced a fun game, and I'm glad you introduced extended roles.

If you're playing a game like this, you have to realize that creators spend a heck of a lot of time putting it together, and roles are selected for a reason. You have to have a good sense of humor about it and not take it too seriously. If you're going to get upset about any of it, it's time to turn off your computer and go out and get a breath of fresh air.

Constructive feedback is good. Whinging is not.

[Dragonator]

Not only would fewer night actions extend the game, probably a third month, around 1 out of 3 days ends without a conviction.

I think that is a result of the EB mafia mentality that it is a sin to vote wrong. Traditionally, people vote all over the place and make random accusations such as "I vote this guy because his hair looks funny" etc. Also, many online Mafia games are done on a much shorter cycle, say 24 hours for each day and 24 hours for each night, and often without the need for a majority. This style of game has its benefits, but it also has its negatives as well, and the same goes for the popular EB version of the Mafia game. As you can see, there are many options for variation in the mechanics that still result in fantastic games.This is why I'm quite happy to let a host experiment and try different versions of the mechanics, and I think Sandy's most recent game is an example of how this works very well. But we need to make sure we don't get stuck in that one style, of course. I think a couple of the upcoming games will have you all confused and begging to know what the hell is going on.

Personally I like to see a mixture of games, some with complex night actions like Hogwarts Mafia, and some with a much greater focus on the voting process. It's important to have unique game mechanics for every game, as it is more enjoyable to play something new ad challenging than to repeat the same thing over and over again. Although it is nice to return to those classic EB favourites once in a while. *whistles*

It's important for every host to make a game that they feel most comfortable hosting, regardless of the demands of the potential players, because as past games have proven, people will still compete to play in any game anyway.

Exactly Sandy, which is one reason why this topic is a little unnecessary, but it does create some interesting discussion so that is good.

If you're playing a game like this, you have to realize that creators spend a heck of a lot of time putting it together, and roles are selected for a reason. You have to have a good sense of humor about it and not take it too seriously. If you're going to get upset about any of it, it's time to turn off your computer and go out and get a breath of fresh air.

Constructive feedback is good. Whinging is not.

I agree completely def, players need to trust that the host is always right, and that what they do is for a reason. It may turn out they made a mistake somewhere along the line, but we're all human, so just take it in your stride and enjoy the game.

[The Legonater]

Traditionally, people vote all over the place and make random accusations such as "I vote this guy because his hair looks funny"

Or he has Viking armour

Though I agree- increased night actions add some more interesting variables in the game. But there's also some fun in the unkown, not having any control over the game except voting. I, personally, think the way it's done here is fairly good.