Is it fine to be angry...

[Elephant Hell]

...if your players are royally screwing up your game? Or, in a more general way, do game mods have the right to be pissed off when their players have no idea how to play Mafia, don't bother reading the game's rules, don't bother with properly reading their role PMs, can't be bothered to play the day game at all (for example, in my game the night phases (which have gone on for the normal length of a few days at most) have so far lasted far longer than the day phases, and that isn't an exaggeration), etc.?

[Zindaras]

You have the right to be angry, of course. The more important question is, of course: is a mod allowed to do something about it (forcefully replace, blacklist)?

[Mr Stoofer]

Don't get angry, just replace them.

[Mr Stoofer]

BTW, you seem to be an alt. For whom?

[Mr. Flay]

If it's an ongoing game (on this site or otherwise), I'd just as rather EH didn't answer that.

That said, I agree with replacement if you really feel the players are causing the game to die. Reasons include

extreme

lurking (strategic lurking has its place for certain roles), personal attacks outside the game context, and breaking important rules.

Speedlynching and being more interested in the Night Game than the Day Game may be a factor of your game design than the players, though. It's always permissible to put a time limit on how long Nights can last (here, it's usually ~72 hours).

[Adele]

I like threatening players within an inch of their life:

Punitive measures for lurkers include prods, lost night choices, lost voting privileges, replacements and/or MOD KILLS. It will not be pretty. Lurk thee not.

Problem is, I'm not an attentive enough mod to back these words up with action - but be aware of the threats you can send a player's way to make 'em fall in line I especially like the idea of taking a player's vote priveleges if they've broken a rule (especially a rule besides lurking, like bad language, or possibly having sigs... )

[Cogito Ergo Sum]

Taking away someone's vote would be pro-scum as it makes harder to get people lynched. I don't think it's a good punishment.

[Adele]

Depends on your definition of "good". "Uncomfortable for the victim"? Fits. It's mean, yes, but its effect on the victim's more felt than it's effect on the game - and if people are playing sillybuggers in endgame, they deserve whatever they get.

Bear in mind, though, that if

scum

were to lose vote privs, that'd be pro-town.

Of course, you'd have to give fair warning (unless it's bastardmod mafia)

[IH]

No, not really. It gives the scum an excuse to throw suspicion without their vote following.

[Cogito Ergo Sum]

Voting is an inherently pro-town action. Taking away the scum's vote simply removes any duty on their part to pretend to help the town in such a way.

it's

FREUDIAN SLIP!

[Elephant Hell]

BTW, you seem to be an alt. For whom?

You.



...On another note, how would you go about combating a play-to-survive mentality? A few of the players where I play/mob have this ideal, surprisingly enough some of the more experienced players included. I've tried explaining the concept of winning with your faction even if you're dead several times and most of them understand that, but there are a few who don't and who have a tendency to speedlynch and bandwagon to avoid being lynched themselves and so on (and inexplicably, they manage to get away with that).

[Mr. Flay]

Lynch them anyway. Explain that play-to-survive is not pro-town. The lynchee may not get it, but your other players might, which will in turn raise the bar site-wide (albeit slowly).

[Peter Venkman]

I was going to hit up these forums after my first newbie game and ask a similar question. I'm still incredibly new here, but have experienced (in my oppinion) exactly what the OP is talking about.

Specificly, before a game starts, can we ask to be dropped due to the presence of another player?

-Peter

[Kelly Chen]

The real Peter Venkman would never do that.

[Mr. Flay]

I think asking privately and before the game starts is the least drama-inducing way to avoid another player. Of course if you think they are one of the best lynch targets of the day, that can be useful as well, but it's a sort of metagaming that can be perilous to the course of the game (and get you a reputation for spurious lynches).

[Peter Venkman]

I don't want to create drama. I just want to play fun, logical Mafia games. =)

If necessary, I will do as you suggest Mr. Flay. Thanks!

...and Kelly>

I make it a rule never to get involved with possessed people... Well, actually, it's more of a guideline than a rule.

-Peter

[Adele]

The real Peter Venkman would never do that.

Please. The real Peter Venkman would

always

do that.

[Peter Venkman]

Adele> You can read my mind!

Stop by my office, we can set up further testing...

-Peter