A Proposed Code of Ethics for Gameroom Mafia Players

[Seamus Fermanagh]

Gameroom Mafia Player’s Code of Ethics

I will endeavor to adhere to the basic rules for good posting/participation expected of all members of the .org community.

I will not use screenshots relating to a mafia game during that mafia game. This includes my posts within the thread, my private messages, my individual e-mails or any other means of communication.

I will not use an alternate .org identity for any aspect of a mafia game and will restrict myself to the identity used in signing up for the game for all communication relating to that game. Note: multiple identities is against org policy and may draw unfavorable attention from moderators and administrators.

If I have additional abilities as a moderator or administrator on the forum, I will endeavor not to use those abilities as part of my participation in a mafia game, save where asked to do so by the game’s host in response to a valid moderator-related question or function.

I will not quote from a private message or from a chat log in the main thread of a mafia game and will not do so in private messages, e-mails, or other communications with anyone who was not originally a party to that message or chat unless permitted to do so by the game host.

I will endeavor to abide by the rules and conditions laid out by a host for her or his own game at all times.

If I believe that I have accidentally contravened this code, broken one of the rules laid out by the host, or believe myself to be on the receiving end of another who has done so, I will report my behavior to the host, attaching any relevant support information, and await the decision of that game host before continuing play.

[Don Corleone]

Looks good to me.

[GeneralHankerchief]

In particular, I strongly encourage feedback from our site moderator and the gameroom mafia "founder" General Hankerchief.

Very well.

I will endeavor to adhere to the basic rules for good posting/participation expected of all members of the .org community.

Well, I hope all players do this normally, but this is of course a good rule to have as a back-up.

I will not use screenshots relating to a mafia game during that mafia game. This includes my posts within the thread, my private messages, my individual e-mails or any other means of communication.

This is really up to the moderator of that game. I think Graffiti Mafia has proven that some screenshots can be doctored in certain circumstances. As for privately, this is definitely a no-no since the goal should be to convince people of your role without actually proving it. But if the game moderator allows screenshots, then that's their prerogative.

I will not use an alternate .org identity for any aspect of a mafia game and will restrict myself to the identity used in signing up for the game for all communication relating to that game.

Agreed. The only two games where this has been used (Black Hand 1 and Capo) have proven that it does little, and in BH1 the town was blown up prematurely for this instance.

If I have additional abilities as a moderator or administrator on the forum, I will not use those abilities while participating in a mafia game, save where asked to do so by the game’s host in response to a valid moderator-related question or function.

From what I've gotten out of Sasaki's posts in Capo, it seems like he doesn't have an option on this. However, I could be wrong, and if I am then I agree.

I will not quote from a private message or from a chat log in the main thread of a mafia game and will not do so in private messages, e-mails, or other communications with anyone who was not originally a party to that message or chat.

Don't agree with this one. If you get a mafioso to admit he's a mafioso privately, then you earn the right to bust him. Basically, people should be more careful.

I will endeavor to abide by the rules and conditions laid out by a host for her or his own game at all times.

If I believe that I have accidentally contravened this code, broken one of the rules laid out by the host, or believe myself to be on the receiving end of another who has done so, I will report my behavior to the host, attaching any relevant support information, and await the decision of that game host before continuing play.

Mafia is a nasty game, but cheating is just wrong. This rarely, if ever happens, but yes, it is a good rule to encourage FAIR dirty playing.

Very good code you have here. Most of it is just common courtesy but I think judging by Capo that more rules need to be set in stone.

[Kralizec]

Good idea. Some points:

I will not use an alternate .org identity for any aspect of a mafia game and will restrict myself to the identity used in signing up for the game for all communication relating to that game.

Isn't using multiple accounts against the Guild rules anyway?
And does this, in your opinion, forbid the "Andres tactic" I used in your game?

If I have additional abilities as a moderator or administrator on the forum, I will not use those abilities while participating in a mafia game, save where asked to do so by the game’s host in response to a valid moderator-related question or function.

Mods can see through people's invisibility when they're logged in, as far as I know this can't be turned off. To compensate maybe mods should either turn off invisibility themselves or only be logged in when they're actually posting. The latter seems unpractical, though.

[Sasaki Kojiro]

There's a hack for vBulletin which turns off who's online for those using invisibility. I've asked tosa about it.

I'm against screenshots of public things. Sure they can be faked, but it shouldn't be about someones skill with photoshop. Screenshots of someones post in the thread or of the chatroom (if there are enough witnesses) I think are ok because they are essentially public anyway.

Pm quotes: I think this should be against the rules because it's unfair to some of the members who don't have english as a first language and couldn't possible fake a role pm, or another persons pm. Paraphrasing should be allowed. Basically, you can't quote a pm conversation but you can say "I pm'd so and so and pretended to be a wise guy and he invited me to join his mafia family".

[Stig]

I like them

PM quote: well see it like this. Sasaki and I are in the pub chatting to eachother about the current murders and what we were doing when they happened. How on earth would I be able to quote him in a conversation with Ichigo I might have after that. All I can say is: "I heard that...", "I think that...", "He told me that...", but why would you believe me?

[Motep]

I like them

PM quote: well see it like this. Sasaki and I are in the pub chatting to eachother about the current murders and what we were doing when they happened. How on earth would I be able to quote him in a conversation with Ichigo I might have after that. All I can say is: "I heard that...", "I think that...", "He told me that...", but why would you believe me?

exactly. It would be more realistic and beleivable if quotes were allowed.

[Stig]

exactly. It would be more realistic and beleivable if quotes were allowed.

no quotes shouldn't be allowed

[Orb]

exactly. It would be more realistic and beleivable if quotes were allowed.

I think you've got the wrong end of the stick, old boy.

What Stig's trying to say (and I agree somewhat) is that it's better to paraphrase rather than quote fully. Full quoting in CTDC a) Nailed Kralizec, b) convinced me that Sasaki's innocent, c) Allowed me to do a couple of things that otherwise I couldn't have done.

It does add a little extra strategy, but also detracts from the real gameplaying, so I think this should be up to the host.

Good set of points Seamus, I particularly like the no dual accounts one, I think it's sort of taken the risk out of being a Mafioso recruiter.

[Redleg]

There's a hack for vBulletin which turns off who's online for those using invisibility. I've asked tosa about it.

I'm against screenshots of public things. Sure they can be faked, but it shouldn't be about someones skill with photoshop. Screenshots of someones post in the thread or of the chatroom (if there are enough witnesses) I think are ok because they are essentially public anyway.

Pm quotes: I think this should be against the rules because it's unfair to some of the members who don't have english as a first language and couldn't possible fake a role pm, or another persons pm. Paraphrasing should be allowed. Basically, you can't quote a pm conversation but you can say "I pm'd so and so and pretended to be a wise guy and he invited me to join his mafia family".

I agree, PM quotes should not be used. One should paraphrase the information or state that so and so - stated this as fact. That way everyone can determine if the individual is telling the truth.

One should be able to quote anything that is posted in the thread. This will be helpful in proving that someone is attempting to mislead others via what was stated in the PM. That way the Thread could be considered the record - and PM information is used as hearsay.

[Seamus Fermanagh]

Good comments.

At our General. Yes, I would agree to listing all of these code items with the proviso "unless specifically allowed by the host in question." I would never want to restrict a host from establishing the style of game for which they were aiming.

I personally am not against the quoting of PM's or of Chatlog. Others have suggested the reason for their opposition above. I actually have enjoyed some of the fake "reveals" that such PM's evoke. I'm less happy with quoted chatlog as it is bulky but....

At Kralizec, RE: PMing by proxy. I will have you know that I am not the one publicly acknowledging the existence of this tactic. Since you mention it, I thought it was inspired and VERY MUCH in keeping with the flavor of my game. As you learned, this tactic is not without its own risks. Some of our folks are razor sharp text analysts -- at least after Sasaki and the General's near legendary fake reveals.

Skeptical? Read up on Hanky's "we're both secret detectives" reveal. He scragged me but good with that one.

So I say a big yes, at least for my style of game. A host running a more classic mafia may feel otherwise, but this can be handled in the game rules quickly.

[CountArach]

Good idea! I like these!

[Papewaio]

I will not quote from a private message or from a chat log in the main thread of a mafia game and will not do so in private messages, e-mails, or other communications with anyone who was not originally a party to that message or chat.

Maybe this should be a special ability for the FBI and Luca players?

Wire tapping.

[Kagemusha]

I agree that chat logs and other communication should not be shown in the game.But forging pm´s is an important part of the game.

[Orb]

I agree that chat logs and other communication should not be shown in the game.But forging pm´s is an important part of the game.

No real pms, and no forged ones.

Seems reasonable enough to me, if you want to bluff, you don't need to post something in a manner which is probably very unrealistic.

EG

Townie: I'm a townie
Townie 2: Don't believe you
Townie 3: Maybe he is
Mafioso: Prove it

Townie: OK, here is the first section of the townie PM, each townie can post another section *posts townie PM part 1*
Townie 2: *posts townie PM part 2*
Townie 3: *posts townie PM part 3*
Mafioso:

[Stig]

How about this:
A killed person is allowed one last post, for example his last words. In this he can say what he wants, but no quotes or such what so ever, just posting your last words

[Pannonian]

How about this:
A killed person is allowed one last post, for example his last words. In this he can say what he wants, but no quotes or such what so ever, just posting your last words

Or a dead person can no longer communicate by PM, but can post in the public thread. Also, a dead person cannot quote, but will have to paraphrase.

So previously secret information will have to be communicated in public as best they can, and there will be no quoted PMs, or anything of the sort. There won't even be any quoted posts, which will mean confusion if the deceased does not address a mainstream issue. The dead can still contribute to the discussion, but their death will give them less authority than is currently the case, since paraphrasing without a good argument to back it up will not be convincing. Killing active posters won't necessarily silence them, but their freedom from further threats won't give them an easy opportunity to blab.