Proposed Rules of Play (please comment)


I -- Setting:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 
Fatlington, New Jersey, 1949:

It’s a hot August and Fatlington is stuffed with tourists – but the entire town has been quarantined for 3 weeks because of what appears to be simultaneous outbreaks of cholera and Spanish Influenza. Social conditions are near mutinous, and the threat of the mafia has re-appeared. Mayor Tosa Inu, away at Trenton for a conference, has called for the Committee of Vigilance to be re-established to deal with the threat.


II --Winning the game:

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In general, the town wins when all the mafia dons are dead – including any new ones that have “hatched.” A mafia family wins when its members outnumber the remaining mafia & townspeople (which include any independent Wise Guys for this purpose) and all of the other family’s mafia dons are dead. A draw can occur if all of the mafia dons have died and the numbers of remaining “townies” and Mafiosi are equal.

Individual, each player scores points for participation and effectiveness. While the score possibilities vary with role and are role-appropriate, points are weighted heavily in favor of a role’s “general” victory condition so as to encourage you to work for victory even after your demise – or at least not to get in the way. The townie scorecard is published below as an example:

Townsperson:

Overall Victory: 100 points for a townie win.

Personal Survival: 25 points for personal survival.

Night Actions: 50 points (maximum) for:
15 points for each Don killed as part of a “vigilante” group
10 points for each Made or Luca killed as part of a “vigilante” group
5 points for each Wise Guy killed as part of a “vigilante” group
-5 points for each townie killed as part of a “vigilante” group
-10 points for each Detective/Doctor or like pro-townie role killed as part of a “vigilante” group
5 points for each townie saved as part of a “protection” group
0 points for each wise guy saved as part of a “protection” group
-2 points for each mafioso saved as part of a “protection” group

Voting Participation: 25 points (maximum) for:
5 points for voting for a mafia Don to be lynched
3 points for voting for a Mafioso to be lynched
0 points for voting for a Wise Guy to be lynched
-1 point for voting for a Townie (any role) to be lynched


As you can see, general victory weighs more importantly than personal survival, and effective participation is valued. While “mistakes” are punished, the punishment is usually less severe that are the points earned for individual successes. DO NOT FIXATE ON YOUR SCORE – this is largely a guideline to encourage participation and staying both “in character” and within the rules.


III -- Phases:

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The usual sequence of 24-hour days and 24-hour nights will be followed. Some of these phases (notably nights 1 and 2) may be extended where necessary to account for outside events/unusual situations. In no instance will the time period be decreased below 24 hours. Please note, however, the first phase of this game will be a day phase (Day One) during which no lynching will occur, only the initial Director’s selection (see roles below).

Day Phase: Each day the town may vote to lynch one suspect from among the list of players. Each townsperson save for the director can cast one vote (see below for procedure). On odd-numbered day phases, the town also votes to select a Director (see below for procedure). The game-master will write up the results of these votes and post them for general consumption, along with any juicy particulars about any executions. The game then proceeds to the next night phase.

Night Phase: Every role has something to do at night – even if your choice is to do nothing. Since every role can be active, with investigations attempted, murders, etc., all players should PM the game-master during each night phase to indicate their actions. The game-master will respond as quickly as possible, and will write up results that take effect immediately prior to the next day phase and voting.


IV -- Night Actions:

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Every player has the option to “get some sleep” on any given night. Depending on roles, you may be attempting a kill, investigating someone, or protecting someone instead. Unless indicated otherwise by specific instructions in your role PM, most night actions aside from investigations require teams of participants. Note:

a) You may participate in one and only one killing attempt or protection attempt each night. Investigations MAY – depending on role – be done in addition.

b) Your PM's to me must indicate clearly your actions and provide all of the necessary information or you will be listed as "sleeping" that night. Feel free to provide whatever level of detail you wish (kill specifics etc). Within the constraints of playability I will endeavor to use all such material, but reserve the right to edit if necessary for game play.

PM Example:

Night 4: Working with Red Harvest and Divinus Arma, I will kill Strike for the South.

c) should one of the partners in your group fail to PM me, or should they PM me with different instructions (accidentally or on purpose), you group may not have the requisite numbers to perform a given night action successfully. The write up will indicate that failure, but may or may not reveal who did not participate.

Note: Townies participating in a “vigilante” killing who end up operating solo, by happenstance or betrayal, run a risk of being killed (1 chance in 3). Wise Guys or Mafiosi operating solo run a risk of being identified (1 chance in 6).


V – Clarity to balance the ambiguity

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Upon death, the local gendarmerie will launch a full investigation of that individual to try to determine the reason they were killed. Though slow (results reported on the 3rd morning after death), their then-current role will be revealed. Unfortunately, the specific actions of that individual -- what they did with their role -- will remain a mystery (until the post-game!).

Since investigations are imperfect in this game and since roles can be taken a number of different directions (or even changed), this provision gives the town some hope of a successful conclusion. Please note however, that this revelation will occur a significant period of time after the death of that player.


VI -- Voting:

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There are two types, lynch voting and Director selection. Each living townie save for the director may vote to lynch one townsperson per day. On odd-numbered days, each living townie may also vote for the next director.

To lynch a suspect:

You may vote or not vote at your choice. Please be aware however, that persistently avoiding the voting process will result in your removal from play. While the game-master reserves the right to remove someone from play when/if needed at their discretion, as a “rule-of-thumb” missing 3 votes in a row or 5 overall is likely to result in your removal.

Legal vote choices include:

1. voting by name for a living fellow townie to express your preference for their lynching
2. voting “abstain” indicating you have no preference as to who is lynched but wish to see a lynch occur
3. voting “no lynch” indicating that you want no one lynched that day
4. voting “present” to indicate your continued participation

To be counted, a vote MUST be posted in bold typeface using the following format:

e.g. Vote: Seamus

To change a vote, please post the following:

e.g. Unvote: TosaInu
Vote: Seamus

The player receiving the most votes (plurality) will be lynched. If no lynch receives a plurality, no lynch will be conducted. If votes to "Abstain" outnumber "no lynch," the player receiving the most named votes will be lynched even if there were more votes for "no lynch" than for that player. In the event of a tie in votes, the Director decides, solely at her/his discretion, what means to break the tie will be used and may lynch all, some, one, or none of those tied for the most votes.

Lynch votes do figure in the scoring for all roles, please participate.

To select a Director:

You may:

1. “Select: Name” to select a given player as director
2. “Select: Abstain” indicating you have no preference
3. “Select: Vacant” to have the post vacant (filled by Chief Seamus)
4. “Select: Present” to indicate your continued participation

To be counted, a vote MUST be posted in bold typeface using the following format:

e.g. Select: Seamus

To change a vote, please post the following:

e.g. Sack: TosaInu
Select: Seamus

The player selected most often will become the director for the following two lynch votes (though not the one being conducted concurrently with the selection). If abstentions outnumber votes to leave the office "vacant," then the person receiving the most named selection votes will be elected.

Votes to Select a director will not figure in the scoring.


VII -- Gameplay Rules concerning the dead, screenies, and general concerns:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 
The dead may post, but not vote/select nor carry out any night actions. Dead players may not reveal their roles publicly or privately until that role has been revealed as per section V and may not reveal their “familiy” or role particulars even after that time. Dead players may not reveal, recount or allude to their previous night actions (or results thereof in the case of investigations) publicly or privately – even to confirm a previously made public or private reveal. Remember, even if dead you can still score well provided your “side” achieves victory. Your participation must be circumspect, but your continued participation IS encouraged.

No screenshots may be used, from or to anyone, for ANY purpose – this includes during PMs. Feel free to quote from the public portion of my Role PM’s to you or to fabricate as you see fit. Each role PM will also have an “eyes only” section that is never to be revealed, quoted, or alluded to in your interactions with others under penalty of removal from the game.

Chatlog conversations may be referenced/quoted, but may not be copied via screenshot. Note: it can be difficult to maintain role secrecy during chat conversations.

It is suggested that all players enable “invisible” mode so that technology is not used to trap you. If you remain visible while on the org boards, your activity can be logged and compared against a normal profile providing clues as to your role, working partners, etc.


VIII – The Roles.

[tbc]


Thoughts?