Hosting: Game Design & Execution

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Hosting: Game Design & Execution

#1

Post by Epignosis »

Hosting: Game Design & Execution


This is an exposition on how to design and implement your own game of Mafia. Much of this comes from experience as both a host and a player. What is presented here is not a set of policies one must follow before hosting on The Syndicate; rather, these are guidelines intended to help hosts create a balanced game that maintains its integrity throughout its existence.

The Hosting Guide

1. Before the Game
This section covers game balance, powers, sign-ups, and other miscellaneous (but important!) considerations. Check it out...
Balance
Powers
Sign-Ups
Miscellaneous

2. During the Game
You will frequently run into circumstances you either did not anticipate or had hoped wouldn’t happen. Circumstances like...
Inactive Players
Hostility
Info-Dumping
Mistakes

3. After the Game
Great job! A few more things...
Loose Ends
Feedback
Banners
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Re: Hosting: Game Design & Execution

#2

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Balance

Regardless of the theme, the reputation of the Host, or the player roster, the most important way to ensure everyone has fun is to create a balanced game from the start.

Assuming all roles are vanilla (i.e., no powers) and a Mafia that has a Nightly kill and BTSC, and assuming a player is randomly lynched during the Day and a Civilian is killed at Night, the probability of a Civilian victory can be calculated using this tool:

http://games-net.de/hosted/tggc/trash/mafiacalc.php

And if you really like math: http://arxiv.org/pdf/1009.1031.pdf

(It may be counterintuitive, but in the setup described above, adding an extra civilian when there is an even number of civilians (for example, going from 10 to 11 civilians) actually increases the Mafia’s chance of winning.)

Caveat #1: Human psychology / emotion / rhetoric / metagaming is not taken into account using the calculator above. That’s what makes Mafia so fun!

Caveat #2: Role abilities beyond a Mafia’s kill and BTSC are also not taken into account using the calculator above. That, too, makes Mafia fun.

While giving the Mafia more power(s) will always strengthen the Mafia, giving the Civilians more power(s) will not always strengthen the Civilians. This is because the Civilians do not know who is on their side, while the Mafia do.

The inclusion of a second Mafia team or an independent serial killer generally helps balance the game in favor of the Civilians.

A way to curb powerful roles is to limit their uses in some way, such as making the power available only on Odd Nights, or by allowing it to only be used twice.

A general lack of death can make for a frustrating game for either the Civilians (failed lynches) or Mafia (failed kills). Therefore, limit the number of protections and resurrections.

Limit info roles, powers, and events. These can turn an otherwise balanced game into a one-sided affair.

Important: Do not alter the fundamental dynamics of the game in progress just because one side had rotten luck. Bad luck happens. Only intervene as the Host if you detected a fundamental flaw in the game design that you had not foreseen prior to starting.
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Re: Hosting: Game Design & Execution

#3

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Powers

What follows is a list of common powers:

Block - Stop another player from using his power
Silence - Prevent someone from talking during the next Day
Insanify - Make someone talk gibberish the next Day
Protect - Protect someone from death that Night
Check - Determine a player’s role or alignment
Track - Learn who someone targeted or (Passive) learn if someone targeted you
Lynch Stop - Stop the lynch from happening
Lynch Switch - Switch the lynch to someone else
Vote Block - Prevent someone’s vote from counting the next Day
Vote Force - Control someone’s vote the next Day
Vote Manipulate - A vote that is worth more than 1 or negative received votes
Target Switch - Switch two players’ targets
Target Redirect - Make someone target someone else
Poison - Make someone take a cumulative vote each Day period
Thieve- Steal another player’s powers
Remove - Remove someone from the lynch poll
Instruct - Provide your analysis anonymously through the Host
Lie Detect - Select one statement in the thread and learn if it is true or false
Resurrect - Bring someone back to life
Seem - Appear as a different role if lynched / checked
BTSC - The ability of two or more players to speak privately
Kill - Eliminate a player

Inventing original powers or interesting variations of the above powers is what can make your Mafia creation even more creative and fun for your players. A few examples from previous games:

*A tracker who, instead of finding out who someone targeted, learns if his target has BTSC or not. By including Civilian, Mafia, and Independent BTSC in the same game, it provides information without revealing the target’s alignment.

*A role that has different powers, but incurs votes for using them. For example, a player who can choose to block but incur a 2 vote penalty the next Day, or try to kill but incur a 4 vote penalty the next Day.

*Another option is to make powers contingent on something else happening. For example, if the player is targeted, those who targeted that player will be silenced the next Day.

Sometimes, you may need to have a role’s power be secret. Designate this with a *Secrets* label. If a role has secrets, it’s generally unfair to the player to reveal them, especially to everyone.

Some powers need to be secret to protect the integrity of the game. That third power above, for example, would need to be secret, especially if there isn’t another silencer in the game.

Important: Always remember that this is Mafia. The objective is not to showcase the theme or create amazing role abilities- Civilians must be able to lynch Mafia and Mafia must be able to kill Civilians. Everything must work toward those two ends.
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Re: Hosting: Game Design & Execution

#4

Post by Epignosis »

Sign-Ups

If your game lingers in sign-ups for over a week, it’s acceptable to send a mass private message (by sending to “Registered Users”) inviting players to sign up for your game. Include a link to the sign up thread. You may include a link to your sign up thread in your signature as a constant but acceptable advertisement. You can also make a post in the appropriate thread on another forum (such as this one).

Don’t pester people to sign up for your game. If they hadn’t signed up after one notification, they don’t want to play. Don’t take it personally.

Several factors play into a game getting stuck in sign-up limbo for a while, including the busy real lives of the potential players and whether or not another game (especially a large one) is in progress here or elsewhere.

Your game will fill up eventually- don’t despair.
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Re: Hosting: Game Design & Execution

#5

Post by Epignosis »

Do you know how to handle all technical functions?

Make sure you know how to create / delete polls and edit your initial posts. Generally speaking, your first posts will follow this template:

Roles
Rules
A List of Players (some Hosts include a color-coded gender guide)
An Index of Events with Links
Day 0 / Day 1

Also, make sure you know how to lock and unlock the thread if you need players not to post during a certain time. You will be able to post, however. Make sure you unlock the thread when you’re done, though, or your players can’t play!

How will you handle ties? Ties are quite common, especially on Days 1. Some suggestions:

*Random selection (this depends upon the integrity of the Host!)
-Drawing from a hat
-Rolling a die
-Using an online random selection tool
-Asking a complete stranger (try it sometime!)
*Having a role that determines ties
*Anticlimax (no lynch / outcome)

How can you be consistent in the timing of your posts?

Consider your real life schedule. End phases at a time when you will be available. If possible, write your posts ahead of time and have them ready. While hosting, you will have access to a hidden forum in which you can test posts and get the formatting correct. If you have the post written and formatted in your hosting thread, all you will need to do is copy and paste into the main game thread.

Tip: Ending Night phases after 23 hours (instead of 24) is a great way to keep your game’s deadlines within the same window of time.
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Re: Hosting: Game Design & Execution

#6

Post by Epignosis »

Inactive Players

You may be concerned that no one is talking in your game. This does not mean that people are bored or uninterested in your creation. Most Mafia games online go through lulls that often correspond with a lot of real life activity in the lives of the players or a dearth of “shit” that has hit any fans in the game. Don’t worry about this. You will be surprised at how suddenly a game can pick up simply because a mouse farted.

It is up to the Host if players who miss votes will incur a penalty. Such penalties should be minor, although a player who chronically misses votes can receive additional penalties. Some penalties include:

*A +1 vote against the player who missed the vote the next Day
*Being unable to use his power that Night period
*Have a role that punishes those who miss the vote with a curse

If you choose to penalize players for missing the vote, it is generally good practice to make these punishments clear at the outset and to be consistent in dispensing them.

Tip: If your game has a role whose vote is worth significantly more, then it may be a good idea to not penalize players for missing a vote (as the player with that role may not want to out himself).

As for chronically inactive players, mod-killing is a bad idea. Here’s why:

1. It doesn’t punish the player (the player wasn’t playing anyway!)
2. It likely removes a role that handicaps either the Civilians or the Mafia
3. It usually does the job of the Mafia for them (i.e., kill)

Instead of taking out the role by mod-killing, advertise for a replacement or send a private message to those who signed up as a replacement.

Reserve mod-killing for those who break cardinal rules, such as editing posts or having unauthorized BTSC.
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Re: Hosting: Game Design & Execution

#7

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Hostility

In a game like Chess or Monopoly, the only thing you can reasonably get upset about is blatant cheating by your opponent. In Mafia, however, where tone, reputation, and accusations all matter, tempers can flare. Furthermore, many of the strategies used to win (especially by bad guys) are "not nice," like ignoring facts, faking an emotion, provoking a reaction, and outright lying.

For some players, their indignation is a tell. And some players pretend to be upset in certain circumstances. So how is one to know if you've genuinely hurt someone or if they are faking?

Fortunately, your game comes complete with a Moderator, an impartial individual who can serve as a referee, issue warnings, or just be a therapist to players who just need to vent. If you as a host (or a player) observe resentment manifesting itself in the thread, it’s best to alert the Mod on duty, and let him or her handle it from there. :noble:
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Re: Hosting: Game Design & Execution

#8

Post by Epignosis »

Info-dumping

Having information in a game as a player is a tightrope act. On the one hand, you want to proclaim what you know to the world, but you also would appreciate not being mod-killed. So what should you do as a Host if a player dumps information in the thread? What if someone plants fake information in the thread?

Assess the situation. What is the aftermath of the info-dump? Are other players buying it?

Do not publically punish a player for sharing information, because that immediately validates the claim. “Host-blocking” a player for one or two Nights is one idea. Another is to compensate the injured party. What did the info-dumping cost them? Give it back to them somehow. :feb:

Consult your Mod regarding an info dump, because they regularly lead to hostility (see above).
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Re: Hosting: Game Design & Execution

#9

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Mistakes

So you screwed up in the middle of your game. First, don’t panic.

Assess the nature and consequence(s) of your error. Host errors fall into one of two categories:

Reversible errors: If the mistake can be rectified immediately without affecting the integrity of the game, correct it as soon as possible. For example, if you allowed the Mafia to kill a player who had a protection that Night, simply bring the person back, acknowledging the mistake. Creative Hosts can even work this into their narrative.

Irreversible errors: These mistakes are more concerning because they have affected the integrity of the game. For example, if you accidentally lynched the wrong player (perhaps due to making a mistake with lynch vote manipulations), then his role has been revealed publically and someone who was supposed to be lynched was not.

While you may not be able to correct the mistake, with a bit of creativity, you may be able to compensate the victim. Ask your Mod to help you reestablish the integrity of your game.

Having a cohost can reduce the chance of an error occurring, especially in a complex game.
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Re: Hosting: Game Design & Execution

#10

Post by Epignosis »

Loose-Ends

When the game has ended and the winners are announced, it is time to reveal who had what role, reveal secrets, and other items of interest. It’s helpful to maintain a little journal regarding what happens during Days or Nights, because players will be curious why this or that happened (“How’d I get lynched? I only had one vote!”).
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Re: Hosting: Game Design & Execution

#11

Post by Epignosis »

Accept Praise and Criticism with Grace

Many will tell you what a stellar job you did.

Others may express criticism over an element of your game or how you handled a certain situation. Listen to their criticism and consider how that should factor into any future game you may create and host. If the criticism is hostile, notify your Moderator.
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Re: Hosting: Game Design & Execution

#12

Post by Epignosis »

Banners

Don’t forget that you will need to design (or get someone to design) an attractive Winner and Host banner to display in the signature.

The Syndicate banners are 150x50 pixels.
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Re: Hosting: Game Design & Execution

#13

Post by Epignosis »

Congratulations on Hosting!

Now go drink beer. :srsnod:
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Re: Hosting: Game Design & Execution

#14

Post by thellama73 »

I say it there, it comes out here. :D
Epignosis wrote:If llama is good, it means we exist in a universe in which multitasking llama can call out the first of two mafia while simultaneously calling out two civilians.

I don't want to live in that universe.
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Re: Hosting: Game Design & Execution

#15

Post by Epignosis »

thellama73 wrote:I say it there, it comes out here. :D
The thread is locked, ruminant. :evileye:

And now it's not. :smile:
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Re: Hosting: Game Design & Execution

#16

Post by bea »

Epignosis wrote:Congratulations on Hosting!

Now go drink beer. :srsnod:

I not only agree with this - but highly recommend it during all phases of hosting a game. Beer makes everything better. :noble:
I was born to speak all mirth and no matter.... :wine:
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Re: Hosting: Game Design & Execution

#17

Post by Epignosis »

So why does an odd number of civilians give the Mafia a better chance of winning?

Using the rules above, where a random player gets lynched in the Day and civilian gets killed at Night, consider:

With four players at an endgame scenario, a civilian is lynched, a civilian is Night killed. That leaves two players voting for each other.

With five players at an endgame scenario, a civilian is lynched, a civilian is Night killed, and a civilian is lynched and then the last civilian can be Night killed.

With the first scenario, there's a 50% chance the Mafia member will be lynched.

With the second scenario, there's a 33% chance the Mafia member will be lynched.

This is why having an odd number of civilians benefits the Mafia.
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Re: Hosting: Game Design & Execution

#18

Post by thellama73 »

Epignosis wrote:So why does an odd number of civilians give the Mafia a better chance of winning?

Using the rules above, where a random player gets lynched in the Day and civilian gets killed at Night, consider:

With four players at an endgame scenario, a civilian is lynched, a civilian is Night killed. That leaves two players voting for each other.

With five players at an endgame scenario, a civilian is lynched, a civilian is Night killed, and a civilian is lynched and then the last civilian can be Night killed.

With the first scenario, there's a 50% chance the Mafia member will be lynched.

With the second scenario, there's a 33% chance the Mafia member will be lynched.

This is why having an odd number of civilians benefits the Mafia.
This is very true, but depending on game mechanics, serial killers, kill blocks, lynch stops, etc. an odd number of civilians at the start of the game doesn't necessarily mean an odd number of civilians at the endgame.
Epignosis wrote:If llama is good, it means we exist in a universe in which multitasking llama can call out the first of two mafia while simultaneously calling out two civilians.

I don't want to live in that universe.
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Re: Hosting: Game Design & Execution

#19

Post by Epignosis »

thellama73 wrote:
Epignosis wrote:So why does an odd number of civilians give the Mafia a better chance of winning?

Using the rules above, where a random player gets lynched in the Day and civilian gets killed at Night, consider:

With four players at an endgame scenario, a civilian is lynched, a civilian is Night killed. That leaves two players voting for each other.

With five players at an endgame scenario, a civilian is lynched, a civilian is Night killed, and a civilian is lynched and then the last civilian can be Night killed.

With the first scenario, there's a 50% chance the Mafia member will be lynched.

With the second scenario, there's a 33% chance the Mafia member will be lynched.

This is why having an odd number of civilians benefits the Mafia.
This is very true, but depending on game mechanics, serial killers, kill blocks, lynch stops, etc. an odd number of civilians at the start of the game doesn't necessarily mean an odd number of civilians at the endgame.
Hence the underlined. Obviously any deviation from this setup is going to alter odds tremendously.
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