What can mods do to reduce this?
Maybe one tool that's underutilized is flavor.
If mods can capture the imagination of the players, make them feel like they are the protagonists of an exciting story, this could increase their engagement and stickiness.
When the players feel that the stakes are high, instead of getting bored midway through, and regretting having signed up for the game, they will want to participate, and progress the plot of the story. They matter.
As a mod, I've suffered from losing interest in writing flavor past day 2 on occasion, and lacked a repeatable structure that kept the tension as the game progressed. Maybe it's just me but maybe this applies to you too, if you don't know what flavor to write.
It made me think of creating a flavor template for mods.
One of these templates is
"The Heist"
as a storytelling device to frame the mafia game.The flavor would follow a general outline and vary in the specifics, but would contain the tropes that have stood the test of time in terms of their enjoyability.
All the players have assembled to attempt a crime, but they unknowingly have members among them that are planning to betray the group and make off with the rewards, leaving but a trail of dead bodies behind.
Here's the Plan
The Client (mod) has put together a team of crack shots and specialists to carry out a daring plan. One last job for the veterans, one and done to save a loved one for the reluctant protagonists, and finally making it into the major leagues for the rookies.
We're In
Each member of the team executes their job to perfection, the scapegoat is sacrificed according to the plan, and the team has begun their infiltration, until...
Something's Not Right
Somebody dies. Tension grows.
Status Report
The team must regroup and adapt or keep dying.
It's Now or Never
The object of the heist is in sight. Time to make the move. A callback to the initial motivations of the members, so that they can imagine life after the mission, thinking they are so close to a better future.
The Twist
What you thought was going to be just another mission has now completely morphed due to a twist. It's time to improvise. A new solution must be worked out to overcome the new problems, or all is lost.
Fly You Fools
They've got the object! Now they need to escape. Fight your way out. Chase scene. Explosions.
Go to Ground
They stand in a circle facing each other. Only a fraction of the original team remains standing. It's time for each person to go their separate ways, but they have to figure out the traitor(s) for them to be safe.
The Hunt
They are still being hunted by someone(s) with intimate knowledge of their modus operandi.
