Need some advice on running a large game for new players

[kingcobweb]

I just introduced mafia to the Something Awful forums, and I'm looking for advice on ways to run the next game better. It'll probably be mostly new people playing (maybe a few returning that played in the current game), and I'd also like to have it very large- as in, over 21 people. What would some fair setups be? I'm looking to have mostly basic roles, but I'm not sure which ones. Anyone have any tips?

[Thestatusquo]

Hey KCW, how's MTG:S treatin' ya. Anyway, we'd need a little bit more information to answer that question fully.

What kind of experience do you have modding? Do you want to run a theme? What do you think is the kind of commitment you'll get from the players on the forum, and most importantly, how involved are you willing to be in the game? I am going to assume since you're asking that you do not have a huge ammount of modding experience, so I am going to answer this with that assumption. Please correct me if wrong.

From my experience on other forums with a lot of noob players (Lddebate.com was a flippin DISASTER.) They like themes, they do not like vanilla.

Something that you could do to realize something like this, is to create a game loosely based on a book, game, idea you are well aquainted with, and will be well known at the boards you are trying to run it on, and use that as the starting point for the flavor for the game.

Then, to avoid as many vanillas as is humanly possible, split up roles. If there is a doctor, make him a doctor who protects only on even nights (he doesn't have to know that) and have a counterpart who can only protect odd nights. (She doesn't have to know that either. Just have her send in a choice every night, and use the night number to determine which goes through. With a system like this, you can keep players more interested by giving them all something to make them feel important with.

One important thing to note about a theme game is you need to make sure that mass claims cannot break it. That is, if everyone were to be forced to claim their role claim, the scum would not be obvious. You can avoid this one of two ways. 1) Make the scum group different from the one expected. An example of this is a simpsons game with a mafia group of marge, selma, and pattie as mafia. Or 2) You can give the mafia fake claims that they can be assured are not in the game. That is, you can make the mafia side show bob, but make sure that he knows he can claim bart simpson without fear.

If you need something else, or want a setup reviewed, feel free to PM me, or any other of a number of people on this board.

[mith]

I would be careful about discussing any specific details in this thread, unless it's going to be an open game. I think about half of the SA forums have joined mafiascum in the last couple weeks.

[Primate]

Probly the best thing for you to do would be to just look through the New York forum, use that to get some idea of the kind of things make up a big game. If you're going to base it on a source material, just don't make it breakable through flavour massclaim, and you should be ok.

If just want general ideas about the modding of the game itself, Greenliquid wrote a great guide that's in this forum somewhere.

And there's plenty of people here who'd be willing to take a look at the game and get rid of any remaining doubts you might have.

[Thestatusquo]

Pod, have I ever mentioned how much that monkey scares the shit out of me. Could you bring back spirited away?

[Primate]

Nope.

Is it all monkeys that scare you, or just kokomo?

[Thestatusquo]

It's that expression. He looks as if he plans to eat my soul.

[Rainbow Brite]

I just introduced mafia to the Something Awful forums, and I'm looking for advice on ways to run the next game better. It'll probably be mostly new people playing (maybe a few returning that played in the current game), and I'd also like to have it very large- as in, over 21 people. What would some fair setups be? I'm looking to have mostly basic roles, but I'm not sure which ones. Anyone have any tips?

don't run a game of that size for mostly new players?

[Mert]

Surely if your goal is as much to introduce people to the game as it is to run one, then two 12-player games would serve the same amount of people as one 24-player game but they'd both be over far quicker and give people an "easier" introduction into the world of mafia.

The only problem is that it increases the workload for you, but if you're willing to put in the effort then that might be better.

That said, I've never actually modded a game before so please take this as my two penn'th and nothing more.

[Quagmire]

also, kcw, keep things simple; there's no need to put a mason that doubles as an uninvestigateable SK in there. mafia, some townies, a cop, doctor, vigilante, etc.

if you're going to give people townspeople roles, then make sure that it's within the flavor of the game.

just make sure that they understand the basic roles before you place anything more advanced in their faces. that's what i've done with the players i play with in meatworld, and they've seemed to take the game in stride.

[kingcobweb]

Hey KCW, how's MTG:S treatin' ya. Anyway, we'd need a little bit more information to answer that question fully.

What kind of experience do you have modding? Do you want to run a theme? What do you think is the kind of commitment you'll get from the players on the forum, and most importantly, how involved are you willing to be in the game? I am going to assume since you're asking that you do not have a huge ammount of modding experience, so I am going to answer this with that assumption. Please correct me if wrong.

I've run a couple games before, with fairly basic setups. The one going on now is just an open setup with 21 people, 4 scum, a cop and a doc. I was worried them using the classic cop + doc breaking strategy, but the mafia have actually been kicking ass (haven't lynched a single scum so far, with 11 people left). I didn't realize until it was too late how many days it would go on without an SK in the mix, but hey, live and learn. I've been surprised how quickly some players have caught on, though, I just pointed them to this site's wiki and forum and many of them are already fairly good players.

I was intending on doing a basic roles game (but more advanced then this one) followed by a theme game, but two separate 12-person games might not be a bad idea.

[Yosarian2]

don't run a game of that size for mostly new players?

(shrug) We always did on misetings, back when we were all mafia newbs, and that generally turned out fine.