Thought you might like some feedback from someone who wasn't involved (and if not tough - you're getting it anyway
)
The good
1. The different theme. While I think this could have been taken further (see later), it was a nice change to have the variety.
2. The sheriff worked much better in this version. When everyone knows who he is, he becomes a target. With the identity a secret it makes things that little bit harder for the bad guys.
3. As always, the intrigue of "who is and who isn't" is good fun to try and work out. Trax seemed a fairly safe bet given the hints he was throwing out, but like last time it seems that in the early game at least, the one who draws most attention to themselves gets targetted for the execution. It happened to me last time and to Piacular this time. It also looked like happening in the first game until Piacular managed to convince everyone that it was thatbloke when he gained a bit of outside knowledge
(*cough* cheat*cough*)
The not-so-good
1. The long days. I understand the reason for it, but it felt too slow. Certainly from the point of view of a spectator it didn't seem to flow as well as the first two, which had more of a feeling of urgency to them.
2. The "no-vote" on the first day. For the same reasons as my last point. I didn't like it in the last game (and in fact got myself lynched because I tried to liven things up on the first day). I also feel that it gives the wolves/mafia an extra advantage that they don't need. So far the score is 2-0 to the bad guys (counting the first one as a draw because of how it ended). Giving them a free kill can only help them. I realise that a lynching on the first day could help the bad guys as an innocent could go, but that's true of any evening vote. Without the vote they get two guaranteed kills before there's even the risk of losing one of their side. I also think the veto is uneccesary. A veto will not make a difference unless the voting is very close and as it is an either/or situation with the voting, why not just use your vote? A possible adaptation of this is that the veto can be used in addition to your vote, but only once in the game. That way, players get the chance to make a difference with the veto
if used wisely
3. The lack of depth to the posts. With the exception of Ronin's posts, there seemed to be very few posts of more than a couple of paragraphs (obviously leaving out Piacular's cut-and-paste bible epics
which in themselves didn't have much outside the bible text). There were some good posts, but it didn't seem that anyone got into their characters as much as in earlier attempts.
Suggestions for future games
I mentioned taking the theme a bit further. What I mean by this is that the mafia scenario has more possibilities than "bad guys take over the village". For example, instead of taking over the village, it could have been infiltrating another mafia gang, with every player given (or taking) an assigned role - the enforcer, the money launderer, the bent cop, the crooked lawyer etc. I know this is similar to taking roles within the village, but I think these roles would fit more appropriately with the scenario.
Character development. I think it might help if players were given a chance to develop their characters for a day or so before getting into the game. Set up the scenario a day in advance, get everyone posting in character. If you feel that there has to be deaths to draw people into the situation then make up names for the victims during that period. (or use other forum members who aren't playing).
Currently, the bad guys seem to have too high a chance of winning. I think changing the ratio a bit further in favour of the innocents, or maybe adding in an extra "power innocent" (a second sheriff for example) could even things up well.
The last thing I want to say is thanks to tb for organising the game.
