The Syndicate

I chose not to write anything while the topic was hot, because I was out of town and writing more than one liners on a tablet or smartphone is painful for me. There is absolutely no need to address anything I'll say, if you feel everything has already said (and quite well, too), my post won't be nearly as eloquent or pertinent anyway. I don't have the experience of those who have played for years here and can feel that things have changed, nor of those who have went through every kind of role (will I ever be cast as a regular civilian, I wonder... ), situation and gameplay.

I can only speak from personal experience, although even in this case there's not a whole lot to say. I consider to have had only one awful game and experience so far and it made me reflect a lot afterwards on how I personally need to deal with this. That game was the definition of how much of a bad loser I have been in games my entire life - just ask my grandpa, if he can still remember that is, how often he had to let me win at chess as a kid in order for me not to flip the fark out to the point of breaking things in the house... god I miss playing chess (...with him) :small noble: . My future paths, hopefully throughout the rest of my mafia playing, will be either total detachment or level-headed defending, in case I still see a window of opportunity. In either cases, it will still feel like a loss for me, but without any unnecessary tension between me and my lynchers - and, basically, it will also be more of a loss for the civilian team, depending on each player's varying degree of regret afterward. Quite recently, I found myself again in the same situation and, although I did not quite choose detachment, I hope, at least, I had a much better exit. If I still let some snark slip through my posts, I apologise.

As far as I'm concerned, I have two main mentalities: One, I'm always playing to win. Always. Well, maybe not in Omelerta, but let's put that aside. So far, I don't think I developed a game in which to be intentionally conniving, deceptive and/or agressive to other players, in order to achieve my win. I mean, I still haven't even experimented at all with gambits, dirty tricks, so idk.

Second mentality I want to make clear, on my behalf, is that I respect every each one of you as players. That includes the gameplay mentalities you yourselves have or the choices you take - except if they'll ever veer into derailing or madness, of course. Others have said it much better that deception is still at the heart of such a game and many things are fair game, even if objectively unpleasant. I embrace the competition - not to mention how scary good said competition sometimes is. I can take snark head on - although I probably won't ever reply on the same level. I find the PC to be actually a good screen to filter your emotions or reactions, even when your actual body language is all tears or rage. Same with previewing your post once or twice before submitting it. If the couple of members I still tend to have a beef with, in and out of games, ever feel that it's going overboard, they're free to let me know(they also happen to be mods, so... ).

On a larger, non-personal level, I think we are in the middle of expanding the community and we're bound to face the differences in mafia culture and atmosphere between us. I don't expect any particular party to give in completely to another's ways or mentalities.

Not sure what I just wrote and why, but there you go.