Mafiascum.net

When I'm modding I use the rule that if a player with a night choice does not submit a choice before the deadline, they miss out on their night action. I notice that some mods randomly make a choice if there is no choice submitted in time. Which way is better/fairer??

I'm considering changing to a random choice instead of no choice, especially in Newbie games where a non choice can have a severe impact on the game.

I saw someone at one point use the rule that the first time you miss a night choice you get a random replacement choice, and after that you lose your choice.

Cam

i think i was in the newbie game you're talking about. it definitely made it easier to pick out the absent scum when there had been no night kill and an outed cop.

at least in a newbie game, i think the random mafia kill would be better than no kill.
i'm not really sure how that would work in a larger game.

I guess I'll try out the one random choice then no choice, like Cam suggested.
Thanks guys.

My approach:

First night only, substitue random choice for no choice (because some players tend to drop out before the game really starts). After that, no choice = no choice.

I always say no choice = no choice, unless a role has to make a choice, in which case it's random.

mathcam wrote:I saw someone at one point use the rule that the first time you miss a night choice you get a random replacement choice, and after that you lose your choice.

Cam

DP wrote: First night only, substitue random choice for no choice (because some players tend to drop out before the game really starts). After that, no choice = no choice.

Oh yeah! It was DP.

Cam

I think it hurts the game to much when no choice is made, so I would pick a random choice.

I say no choice = no choice...after all, bad play deserves to lose.

But I do warn players via PM if the deadline's coming up and I've yet to receive a choice from them.

I think no choice is better, because even though it might make the mafia, or whoever, more obvious I say it is just like day, it's their problem, not mine, let them fix it/deal with it.

I can see the viewpoint that a no choice should only disadvantage the slacker... and that's the rule I've used up until now.

I just feel bad for the players when someone's non contribution takes the fun out of it.

But helping a slacker scum could conceivably make the town lose when they really deserved to win. Ugh.

Yeah, a flaky cop who abandons the game after confirming and doesn't tell anyone he's doing so has just really hurt the town's chances, and in more extreme cases, has unbalanced the game. I feel like taking away the night choice just punishes players who kindly volunteer to replace.

Cam

Not that I have ever modded before, but if someone did not make the night's deadline (after being reminded perhaps), then I would automatically search for a replacement and either wait for their choice or random. Turning a role with a night activity into a townie, I would think, would have game balance issues, which is unfair to everyone playing.

The problem with extending night to wait for a choice, or replacing an inactive at night, is that then people can logically figure out that the inactive MUST have had a night choice...

I generally go by letting everyone have one chance to miss their night choice. Not only on the first night, but one time throughout the game.

This might have to do with me most of the time being unable to access the internet during the weekends and finding the night to be over on a monday. I do agree with 48 to 72 hour nights (actually, 48 hours might be to little for proper night discussion), but I think exceptions should be made during the weekends .

I think it's a real shame that so many games end up needing replacements. In an "ideal" world, a game runs from start to finish without a single playing dropping out, but I can't think of more than a handful of games where that's actually happened.

You'd think it wouldn't even be that hard to find players who will at least give you notice before they drop out, and submit a departing default choice if necessary, but apparently not

I agree with Talitha that the biggest problem is basically broadcasting that after an extended night with a replacement at the end, that that player had a night choice. The only solution I can think of is to require that all players "touch base" with the mod each night, even if they have no choice, but it seems like a whole lot of work.

So just try really really hard to deal with any replacement issues when night rolls around. It's not like even a base-touching thing would be difficult; how many roles don't have night choices these days?

It all depends on how much the choice would effect the game, I would probably do no choice for some roles, if it balanced the game better if I screwed up or something. otherwise, I'd do random. or maybe i'd make a choice myself

Rot-13'd, it's Abervary! wrote:So just try really really hard to deal with any replacement issues when night rolls around. It's not like even a base-touching thing would be difficult; how many roles don't have night choices these days?

"Townie"? I hear it's used in quite a few games

Dasquian wrote:"Townie"? I hear it's used in quite a few games

Come on, everybody claiming townie these days most definitely are mafia !