Theoretical situation with a traitor role

[Gorny]

If you were modding a game where you had three or more players that are the scum faction and one asks for a private chat with only one of his co mafia, on the suspicion that the other is a traitor role, how would you handle the request?

[callforjudgement]

"Traitor" normally refers to a player who wins with scum but isn't in the scum PT.

The opposite, a player who's in the scum PT but doesn't win with scum, is probably impossible to mod correctly (I normally say "basically impossible" but that isn't enough to stop mods trying and it's never really worked). There therefore isn't a right way to mod this situation. (That said, I'd consider it inadvisable to give players PTs just because they ask for them, even if they share a PT already.)

(Also, this isn't related to an ongoing game, is it? If it is, you have bigger problems.)

[Gorny]

No it isn't. I'm not actively playing right now.

[mhsmith0]

It is essentially bastard to have a sub-mafia faction within the mafia faction (barring creative open formats). It's probably ok to just tell the player such a mechanic isn't in the game.

[Gorny]

I'm putting together a themed game with non standard mechanics and want to keep things balanced while sticking to the theme. It's based on Fallout 4 and it's multiple factions. I might opt for only one scum faction in order to keep things under control from a modding point of view.

[Plotinus]

I played a game like this offsite where we had a "mafia member who was aligned with the town" thing. It kinda sucked. It was easy to figure out who she was because when she was ran up early day 1 she neither wanted to push a wagon on town (because she was aligned with town) nor did she want to give away the names of the mafia (because it was against the spirit of the game) so she just kinda froze up and the mod just had her leave the game and apologised for the "it sounded like it was a better idea than it was" thing and then we continued on.

[Plotinus]

but really optimal play for her wincon would have been for her first post to be "Hi, I'm a mafia traitor who is aligned with the town and the mafia is ___, ___, ____, and ____. let's lynch them."

[Gorny]

I think I'm going to skip it entirely and avoid the situation. I want a good game with widespread confusion!

[RadiantCowbells]

"Traitor" normally refers to a player who wins with scum but isn't in the scum PT.

The opposite, a player who's in the scum PT but doesn't win with scum, is probably impossible to mod correctly (I normally say "basically impossible" but that isn't enough to stop mods trying and it's never really worked). There therefore isn't a right way to mod this situation. (That said, I'd consider it inadvisable to give players PTs just because they ask for them, even if they share a PT already.)

(Also, this isn't related to an ongoing game, is it? If it is, you have bigger problems.)

Challenge accepted.

[mhsmith0]

You can have two scum teams, where scum team B is a subset of scum team A (iirc an open like that ran a while back?). But if that's not an open mechanic, you're WELL into bastard territory.

[GreyICE]

Ah yes, we call these "Reaper Charlie" mechanics.

[Jingle]

The opposite, a player who's in the scum PT but doesn't win with scum, is probably impossible to mod correctly (I normally say "basically impossible" but that isn't enough to stop mods trying and it's never really worked). There therefore isn't a right way to mod this situation. (That said, I'd consider it inadvisable to give players PTs just because they ask for them, even if they share a PT already.)

Mafia survivor is a role that works along these lines. Wins with the scumteam, but only if they're still alive.

The trick is to make it so that them outing the scumteam will obviously lose them the game.

An example of a role whose access to the scum PT without themselves being scum that wouldn't break the game is Jester or Unlyncher for one of the mafia. Now, making a fun game with one of those roles (as opposed to just a balanced one) is a different matter entirely.

As for Gorny: As a mod, questions you should answer:

1. Public mechanics of the game.
2. Hypotheticals that aren't an obvious waste of your time.
3. Reasonable requests that will not provide an advantage but will make the game more fun.

Ways to talk to the other players outside of previously established PTs are not one of these three. A PT for private thoughts could be, but those get out of hand quickly.

[Carcalilly]

OHHH wait this reminds me of mountainish mafia

viewtopic.php?f=54&t=72430

[Alisae]

Wait pts for private thoughts can get out of hand????
How, because this is news to me.

[Gamma Emerald]

This reminds me of the Mastermind role. It's been made to work in forum mafia fyi.