In post 8443, LicketyQuickety wrote:[..]
Have a question about one thing.
You attempt to purchase an ability. Do you get charged a vote or not?
Only if your request is granted.
Also unless the game is NOT majority lynch I don't see this working.
I'll elaborate below.
I don't like plurality lynches, but I could change the limit of abilities given out. For example, I could make it
number of players - absolute majority - 2
. In fact, after thinking about it, I've decided I like the idea of having all the votes available in the end-game stage, when only 3 players remain. Which means I should stop handing out abilities when 4 players remain.. But I'll have to figure out an algorithm that suits me in both the begin stage of the game as well as the end stage, so I'll come back to that.
Initially, I personally thought the risk of making lynches harder was not a problem:
- First of all, it's a conscious trade-off. Do I get the ability, hopefully catching a scum, and let the others do the voting? You'd better be convincing.
- Secondly, the first come first served and one request restrictions would alleviate this problem.
But like I said, I'll reduce the number of abilities given out, although I don't know by how much yet.
(Also, based on experience with this sort of game, I should mention that it's very important that the game does not have a purchasable kill.)
I have multiple set-up ideas with no pre-defined roles, and I have yet to find a way to incorporate a kill ability in a fair manner.. So no, I won't add a kill ability. In fact, unless prompted otherwise, I'll just use the list I suggested.
First come, first served is a potential problem, though (especially where Cop and Watcher are concerned, which are easily the two most powerful on the list); it means that timezones have a large influence on the game. Especially if the same player goes for it again after again. Perhaps it'd work best if the players are given role priority numbers in their role PMs, and if multiple players request the same role, the player with the highest number wins. (That way, players with lower numbers would know that they would be unlikely to get the more desirable roles.)
This quote touches upon a few things.. First of all, I don't think it will be a problem. Sure, some abilties are more desirable, so you will have to make a decision: request a popular ability and contend with competitors, or request something not as popular and increase your chances.. Or just try to be the first to request it. You could also try to use the dayphase to help you out.. Perhaps openly discuss ability requests, with the risk of the mafia using this to their advantage, or try to leave hints..
About timezones, yeah, that's an unfortunate and unavoidable issue. The "priority" ability was created especially to alleviate that, to give someone else a chance to get a popular ability. I forgot to mention the priority ability is a special case, and doesn't cost you your vote, and doesn't count towards the ability limit. If you request (and are granted) the priority ability, the next night you have first dibs on any ability.
I could try to alleviate it further by having a separate start time independant of the regular deadlines, after which players can start sending in requests. For example, if we take 48 hour dayphases, one day it may be after 24 hours, the next after 36..
I do not want to give certain players an inherent advantage.
Originally, I wanted players to be able to send in another request if their first choice wasn't available, but:
1] That's more work for me.
2] That gives them info that I prefer they only get to know when the night's over.
I could compromise by using wishlists, top 2 or top 3, so if their first choice isn't available, I'll use the next one.
Also 1 night deadlines won't work in the Micro Queue (too much risk of missed night actions), so I think this game would be more suited to the blitz queue (where you can quite legitimately tell people "get online every day or don't show up"). Probably even 3-1 would work (although would definitely count as blitz).
I originally had this in mind for the micro queue, but I'm eager to see how the blitz queue performs here, so I'm leaning towards that one currently. But I'll keep it in mind for future reference.
If I'm doing a micro game, I'll do a 9p (7-2) game with 5-2 day-night cycles, if I'm doing a blitz game, I'll do a 13p (10-3) game with 2-1 day-night cycles. Do you people have any preferences? I'll enter the queue at the start of November, if I know my schedule is clear for the month, although if I enter the Blitz queue I'll need a reviewer first.
