Game Design: What works and what doesn't?

[Magicziggy]

sorry Charlou In OZ at least you actions had a bearing on the game ,you had a team ,plans could be made . from my point of view my 'team' couldn't talk or PM the first member that died set the rest of the players hunting us because there was no apparent scum team . Even after the fact ,with the game post mortems I still have no fucking Idea what Happened ,I wouldn't mind but I was sober for most of it !

It sounds like we were on the same team. That's how clueless we were. Even now I still have no idea what happened.

[Feck]

It wouldn't have mattered MZ if I had written out my role in big fucking red letters you would still have decided to lynch me wouldn't you ? and then accused my team of Wifom!

[Magicziggy]

It wouldn't have mattered MZ if I had written out my role in big fucking red letters you would still have decided to lynch me wouldn't you ? and then accused my team of Wifom!

That was the unforunate reality my friend and fellow Munchkin.

[Feck]

It wouldn't have mattered MZ if I had written out my role in big fucking red letters you would still have decided to lynch me wouldn't you ? and then accused my team of Wifom!

That was the unforunate reality my friend and fellow Munchkin.

There just aren't enough faces


you know you could try reading my posts Before during and after you call me a liar and lynch me and slot your tiny little wheels in the tram tracks ,then who fucking knows after I flip town you might not spend the rest of your game single mindedly trying to kill the other members of a pro-town team !

[Magicziggy]

Oh, I thought you were still talking about Oz

[Magicziggy]

you know you could try reading my posts Before during and after you call me a liar and lynch me and slot your tiny little wheels in the tram tracks ,then who fucking knows after I flip town you might not spend the rest of your game single mindedly trying to kill the other members of a pro-town team !

I sense a bit of frustration. Hmmm. No, you're wrong. I was agreeing with you about Oz and thought that's what we were venting over because we were both clueless in that game and both Munchkins.

I agree with you. I didn't have a good game. Sorry.

[Feck]

Iz ok I'm pissed off at the world today ,try not to take the vitriol personally ..I will away to other threads and spread my bad attitude there

[Magicziggy]

Iz ok I'm pissed off at the world today ,try not to take the vitriol personally ..I will away to other threads and spread my bad attitude there

Tis accepted with good grace. And feel free to vent anytime.

[Zigmen]

First, Thanks to Oblivion for this great list!!! I'm new to GMing, so this is quite helpful!

If I could add a couple of things that i have learned:

1) Change it up a little each game in terms of specials and balance elements.
2) Don't use generic PMs. Keep them guessing!
3) Be willing to add a bit of random element to keep it fresh. But don't overdo it.

But mostly:

Flavor, Flavor, Flavor!!!

It's impossible to make every role fascinating. But, for specials, try to write them some storyline into their night action PMs.

And I do think that the Game OPs should have some intrigue. Have fun with the killing methods. Be descriptive. Write it like it actually happened.

We may all have different reasons we like to play. Fantasy confrontations have a certain allure and may give us something we like to do without real consequences. We may be heroes or villains in every game.

I like to fuel those desires at a core level.

And finally, the theme:

It should be something that most players are familiar with. Even if it isn't. it should be intrguing.

We all have our day-to-day lives, responsibilities, and schedules. I see Mafia as a wonderful diversion into a world where life and death hinge upon the turn of a phrase. It is a release.

We should try to make it achieve these goals.

And, an occasional flavorless Mafia is good to help us cement out skills. But, even the recent flavorless game here had graphic killing and almost an attraction of its own, where our minds filled in the blanks.

It should be fun to play~

[Uselesstwit]

that one was a blast

The asylum bloodbath mafia you co GMed was too


Looking forward to irre joining the other GM's here.

There has been some talk of bringing the nun, frog, and twit team over here to run a game, but it's on hold until our spreadsheet/graphics guru finishes her writing project.

[oblivion]

Guys, this is great discussion, especially what you liked and disliked about past games. One thing that I kind of miss here at Ratz when I GM is the immediate positive and negative feedback about how a game went. My GM style has changed based both on players' feedback and on my experiences as a player.

don't be shy to criticize a game's design when it's over. Especially my games!

[Magicziggy]

I disagree with zigs stance on the posting/not posting of the town role pm by the GM. That whole gameplay of paraphrasing your role pm to prove yourself is outside what the game's about imo. If I'm a special, or scum and everybody is revealing their role pm and I have no idea what is in it, then that's a massive advantage to town. Oblivion did that to me in a game a while back and I winged it. But it's a cheap shot. Take it out of the game like Ghat did. Just an opinion

[irretating]

I like flavour to games, but if the game requires knowledge of the flavour theme, then I can start to feel lost (eg Oz). I am happy to play on just as if the game is like any normal mafia game (hehehe even if that infuriates others).

I think if there are going to be any game design surprises, it's best to indicate that up front. One example is recruitment... some of us have felt burned by recruitment games elsewhere, and would prefer not to play them. So a heads up is a good idea.

I am hoping the frog, twit and nun trio can bring some ideas to ratz mafia in a few weeks time.

I think we are becoming quite a cosy mafia community here :group hug:

[sifaka]

Great thread!

I'd love to mod a game with the Twit and Nun team!

[charlou]

Great thread!

I'd love to mod a game with the Twit and Nun team!

In the meantime, would you like to join in the Star Trek game, or any upcoming games?