The series is absolutely incredible. Highly recommend it. Liveship traders was a bit more eh, but anything with Fitz and the Fool - I don't know that I've ever seen fantasy characters written so beautifully, period.
Chats are useful if there are mechanics conversations you want to have away from the rest of the thread, but there's always the problem that you don't know how much to safely share with the other person and who to trust. Most behavior info should go to the thread, and that's most of the communication in any given game.
There were some interesting tricks you could pull, but to make them really central to the gameplay, there need to be abilities that encourage use of that design space, despite the risks.
I did enjoy them here, and the setup was fine. The town lost this based on our play, decisively.
If some place smaller and more insulated, with a style that more matches ours is the notion, maybe we should do some investigating and scout out some of the other communities that MU has networked together?
Maybe there's another good fit out there that has style, sustainability, and community?
Ok, so does someone want to touch base with MU and gather some facts on how this would work, if everything's the same as from 3 years ago?
And for MC, is there any data/info we have on what their long-game survival strategy is?
Over the short-term, I love the sound of a playerbase with tons of overlap and a very similar playstyle. That's huge. But if we're just postponing a similar crisis for several more years, I'd rather rip the band-aid off now, and do the transition while we still have some strength, numbers, and good communication lines established. We'll have a stronger chance of establishing the design and playstyle identity we want now, than if we lose another 1/3 to 1/4 in a transition to MC and then try to move again later.
If MC has self-sustaining player-base growth or can come up with a solid recruitment plan to produce that, it's a different equation for me. But if they're in rough shape too, then I'd rather stay as allied communities than merge. A transition is risky enough, without having to try it twice in short order.
Are there any other sizable mafia communities with a similar playstyle we should be considering? I'm not familiar with two of those you mentioned, Silver, and I haven't played on MS in ages.
Also, I think a necessary step before we leave would be to identify any and all past veterans who may drop back in, and send them all PMs so they know how to find us. That way, even if the sub is eventually closed and archived after our material is ported, we have continuity.
How many active players does MC have, how many games running, does either MU or MC have a tools edge?
Also, it sounds like MC is gradually shrinking as well? Do they have a recruitment or growth strategy?
MU's gathering of refugees from across the internet has been a pretty successful plan, that seems like a strong bet for long term viability. I'd rather move once, not twice, as any and every move is going to result in casualties.
Alternatively, if the MC folks are declining also, would they be interested in leaving together with us, so that we can form a stronger bulwark against contrasting playstyles and meta?
Hey everyone. There's been intermittent discussions in the council cave regarding whether the MTGS mafia community should continue on here, or find a new home.
We have a lot of history and infrastructure here, and a lot of our older players and players from other communities know where to find us. We have our own distinct playstyle, and can organize the types of games we're interested in playing.
On the other hand, we don't have a ton of new blood coming through, now that the site has split and traffic is significantly down. Little by little, we're slowly losing numbers.
We've tossed around ideas such as joining MU or another well-established community with a healthy influx of new users. As per above, there's pluses and minuses to that. We've also discussed the idea of a specially designed inaugural game or competition. I have a setup that I've just drafted that I'd be willing to toss into the ring, with a co-mods' assistance, whichever way this debate goes.
Let me know your thoughts on options and strategies to respond to the situation. We'll leave this open for a good while.
Also As putting Cantrip at top town tier feels weird.
I've felt good about Cantrip's posts, but his constant disappearing and lack of presence don't make him my top tier town read.
He's the friendliest of the lurkers. You could kind of sub-categorize this a bit given lurking quotients, but I'd be more willing to bank on Cantrip's occasionally showing up to make positive town posts once in a blue moon, over some others'.
But given how little pressure is being put on the lurkers, or on anyone really, the town is lacking information on a whole variety of fronts. There really haven't been very many major wagons at all. Nobody placing votes, nobody moving things.
Without that information generation, the town's information pool is severely under-developed. Most towns I'm used to would have 3x or 4x as many wagons to analyze at this point of the game.
To elaborate. If Boom is scum, he's done an absolutely fantastic job. I can't clear him, but he's not the most likely deep wolf, at all.
Bessie? Not so much. Totally vanished today at EOD, complete non-factor for the town. Not sure why she wasn't prodded. Pretty good starting spot for you, if you want to hunt deep wolves.
Vaimes is here mainly due to anti-town effect. He's just not doing good things for the town. I can't pin anything on him tell-wise, but I've never been able to previously, either.
Tubba is just a generic lurker, in my book. They're not all of them scum. Hasn't given me much either way.
Bur and Cuth seem more like the pernicious types, for reasons previously stated. My ISOs will have those preserved for you.
None of the others on my POE are viable until someone makes a persuasive case. That hasn't happened, and I didn't have time. Lynches are non-viable until goes to the effort of making them viable.
If someone does, you got a shot. Take a look, do some analysis, it's still a winnable position.
I don't think my analysis is fully complete, but it's a good starting point. With relatively little content and responses going on, that makes it hard to pin down deep wolves. But the low-hanging fruit are much easier to start with. And the town's never going to win, if those lurkers don't get replaced or killed.
There were some interesting tricks you could pull, but to make them really central to the gameplay, there need to be abilities that encourage use of that design space, despite the risks.
I did enjoy them here, and the setup was fine. The town lost this based on our play, decisively.
Maybe there's another good fit out there that has style, sustainability, and community?
And for MC, is there any data/info we have on what their long-game survival strategy is?
Over the short-term, I love the sound of a playerbase with tons of overlap and a very similar playstyle. That's huge. But if we're just postponing a similar crisis for several more years, I'd rather rip the band-aid off now, and do the transition while we still have some strength, numbers, and good communication lines established. We'll have a stronger chance of establishing the design and playstyle identity we want now, than if we lose another 1/3 to 1/4 in a transition to MC and then try to move again later.
If MC has self-sustaining player-base growth or can come up with a solid recruitment plan to produce that, it's a different equation for me. But if they're in rough shape too, then I'd rather stay as allied communities than merge. A transition is risky enough, without having to try it twice in short order.
Are there any other sizable mafia communities with a similar playstyle we should be considering? I'm not familiar with two of those you mentioned, Silver, and I haven't played on MS in ages.
Also, it sounds like MC is gradually shrinking as well? Do they have a recruitment or growth strategy?
MU's gathering of refugees from across the internet has been a pretty successful plan, that seems like a strong bet for long term viability. I'd rather move once, not twice, as any and every move is going to result in casualties.
Alternatively, if the MC folks are declining also, would they be interested in leaving together with us, so that we can form a stronger bulwark against contrasting playstyles and meta?
We have a lot of history and infrastructure here, and a lot of our older players and players from other communities know where to find us. We have our own distinct playstyle, and can organize the types of games we're interested in playing.
On the other hand, we don't have a ton of new blood coming through, now that the site has split and traffic is significantly down. Little by little, we're slowly losing numbers.
We've tossed around ideas such as joining MU or another well-established community with a healthy influx of new users. As per above, there's pluses and minuses to that. We've also discussed the idea of a specially designed inaugural game or competition. I have a setup that I've just drafted that I'd be willing to toss into the ring, with a co-mods' assistance, whichever way this debate goes.
Let me know your thoughts on options and strategies to respond to the situation. We'll leave this open for a good while.
He's the friendliest of the lurkers. You could kind of sub-categorize this a bit given lurking quotients, but I'd be more willing to bank on Cantrip's occasionally showing up to make positive town posts once in a blue moon, over some others'.
But given how little pressure is being put on the lurkers, or on anyone really, the town is lacking information on a whole variety of fronts. There really haven't been very many major wagons at all. Nobody placing votes, nobody moving things.
Without that information generation, the town's information pool is severely under-developed. Most towns I'm used to would have 3x or 4x as many wagons to analyze at this point of the game.
I look forward to your demise, scum. It's a travesty the town's love of shiny objects and lurking has allowed you to survive this long.
Bessie? Not so much. Totally vanished today at EOD, complete non-factor for the town. Not sure why she wasn't prodded. Pretty good starting spot for you, if you want to hunt deep wolves.
Vaimes is here mainly due to anti-town effect. He's just not doing good things for the town. I can't pin anything on him tell-wise, but I've never been able to previously, either.
Tubba is just a generic lurker, in my book. They're not all of them scum. Hasn't given me much either way.
Bur and Cuth seem more like the pernicious types, for reasons previously stated. My ISOs will have those preserved for you.
Again:
Tier 1 Town (5)
Sloth
Anak
Tammy
KJ
Cantrip
Angry Elf (town unless faking anger) (1)
HR
Tier 2 Trees (4)
Boom
Vaimes
Bessie
Tubba
Scum/Neutrals (3)
LW
Bur
Cuthalion
No hard feelings at all. Rooting for you. Hope the Cuth shot helps us both.
None of the others on my POE are viable until someone makes a persuasive case. That hasn't happened, and I didn't have time. Lynches are non-viable until goes to the effort of making them viable.
If someone does, you got a shot. Take a look, do some analysis, it's still a winnable position.
I don't think my analysis is fully complete, but it's a good starting point. With relatively little content and responses going on, that makes it hard to pin down deep wolves. But the low-hanging fruit are much easier to start with. And the town's never going to win, if those lurkers don't get replaced or killed.