# Dante's Mafia Sign Up Thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Thread Games\ **Created:** [September 14, 2015, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dantes-mafia-sign-up-thread/731233 "2015-09-14T19:11:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2015, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dantes-mafia-sign-up-thread/731233/21 "2015-09-16T02:01:15Z")
/in Sign me up! ---
**Author:** ![Plumpudding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Plumpudding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plumpudding)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2015, 10:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dantes-mafia-sign-up-thread/731233/22 "2015-09-16T10:17:37Z")
I’m in. ---
**Author:** ![Dante\_G](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/977dab/32.png) [@Dante\_G](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dante_G)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2015, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dantes-mafia-sign-up-thread/731233/23 "2015-09-16T11:16:44Z")
Good, good … so far then - 1. Suburban Plankton 2. Astral Rejection 3. Precam(maybe?) 4. HookerChemical 5. WFTomba 6. Mahaloth 7. Plumpudding ---
**Author:** ![Plumpudding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Plumpudding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plumpudding)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2015, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dantes-mafia-sign-up-thread/731233/24 "2015-09-17T18:27:38Z")
Hey Dante G, this might be obvious but I just want to know for clarity’s sake; villain-roles will not necessarily have villainous names, right? ---
**Author:** ![Dante\_G](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/977dab/32.png) [@Dante\_G](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dante_G)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2015, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dantes-mafia-sign-up-thread/731233/25 "2015-09-17T18:34:21Z")
> [@Plumpudding](#): > > Hey Dante G, this might be obvious but I just want to know for clarity’s sake; villain-roles will not necessarily have villainous names, right? Not sure I understand your question, sorry. Could you elaborate? Are you referring to the villain characters in the game? Those are going to be villains from the\* Die Hard\* franchise. ---
**Author:** ![Plumpudding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Plumpudding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plumpudding)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2015, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dantes-mafia-sign-up-thread/731233/26 "2015-09-17T18:38:44Z")
Oh yeah, sorry. I think I got something in my head mixed up. Looking forward to start up! ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2015, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dantes-mafia-sign-up-thread/731233/27 "2015-09-17T18:39:53Z")
Meaning, what are you relying on to prevent a mass name claim from biasing the game strongly in favor of town? ---
**Author:** ![Plumpudding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Plumpudding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plumpudding)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2015, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dantes-mafia-sign-up-thread/731233/28 "2015-09-17T18:43:02Z")
Damn you dutch weed! You make me super confused sometimes! ---
**Author:** ![Dante\_G](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/977dab/32.png) [@Dante\_G](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dante_G)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2015, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dantes-mafia-sign-up-thread/731233/29 "2015-09-17T18:47:21Z")
Well, see, I think I get what you are saying Stickler, but the thing is, in all my games I’ve written, I never had that problem. I’ve done games with characters from TV and movies before and I never had players claiming a lot. I mean, if you think it will be an issue, I suppose I could instate a “no claiming” rule. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2015, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dantes-mafia-sign-up-thread/731233/30 "2015-09-17T18:53:25Z")
Well, I won’t be playing so my feelings aren’t relevant. It’s just what I assumed Plumpudding was getting at. How critical is it? I don’t know. It depends on if you care about players evaluating alignment through character names and how much you want scum to work at fake claims. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2015, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dantes-mafia-sign-up-thread/731233/31 "2015-09-17T18:57:52Z")
As you have perhaps seen from the most recent game, Straight Dope games are _highly_ analytical and pedantic. It’s worth considering stuff like that. ---
**Author:** ![Dante\_G](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/977dab/32.png) [@Dante\_G](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dante_G)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2015, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dantes-mafia-sign-up-thread/731233/32 "2015-09-17T19:06:57Z")
Yeah, I’ve realized that Johnny. LOL. There is a lot of analyzing and number crunching going around. It’s a chore just to read some of the posts. Think I’ll play it safe and say no claiming. ---
**Author:** ![Plumpudding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Plumpudding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plumpudding)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2015, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dantes-mafia-sign-up-thread/731233/33 "2015-09-17T19:22:26Z")
How would that work? If we have a bunch of roles, with corresponding names, then everyone is a unique power role, with differing levels of power. Claiming vanilla is a lot less relevant than claiming a unique role. But claiming is important. If we are about to lynch a guardian, I’d like for that player to be able to claim. ---
**Author:** ![Dante\_G](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/977dab/32.png) [@Dante\_G](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dante_G)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2015, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dantes-mafia-sign-up-thread/731233/34 "2015-09-17T19:31:06Z")
I see what you are saying, Plum. Damn, you guys are making me think about this too much:p Ok, fine, there will be no rule against claiming. I have faith it will work just fine. Like I said, I never had this issue before. ---
**Author:** ![Plumpudding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Plumpudding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plumpudding)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2015, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dantes-mafia-sign-up-thread/731233/35 "2015-09-17T19:35:17Z")
Maybe if you give vanilla names, you know like Dr. Hasseldorf, Gail Wallens or Convenience Store Clerk and leave the bigger names for just a few, it would balance things out? ---
**Author:** ![Plumpudding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Plumpudding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plumpudding)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2015, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dantes-mafia-sign-up-thread/731233/36 "2015-09-17T19:37:31Z")
By the way, I just scrolled down a bit, so I don’t know if any of those names are well known or not. I’ve seen Die Hard a few times and I like it, but I can’t be arsed to remember the names of every character. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2015, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dantes-mafia-sign-up-thread/731233/37 "2015-09-17T19:48:02Z")
Rules **against** claiming do, in and of themselves, affect balance. The usual solutions are this: 1. Every villain gets a fake “good guy” name that they can use in the event of a mass claim. Town knows this, and so mass claims don’t happen. 2. “Good guy” and “bad guy” names are not relevant in terms of alignment. Just because somebody is named Hans Gruber doesn’t necessarily mean he’s scum, in other words. ---
**Author:** ![Dante\_G](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/977dab/32.png) [@Dante\_G](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dante_G)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2015, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dantes-mafia-sign-up-thread/731233/38 "2015-09-17T20:44:18Z")
Well, how about this : if you claim, you have to convince players who you are. You will not be permitted to cut and paste your private message from me, the mod, that tells your role and alignment. This way it goes along with one of the core concepts of mafia : convincing players of your innocence through strategy and smarts. ---
**Author:** ![Plumpudding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Plumpudding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plumpudding)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2015, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dantes-mafia-sign-up-thread/731233/39 "2015-09-17T21:12:27Z")
But that puts importance on your name. If I claim I’m Convenience Store Clerk, someone can counter that by saying they are Convenience Store Clerk. I wouldn’t believe Convenience Store Clerk has any special powers, unless all characters in this game has powers. Then me trying to convince people that I am Convenience Store Clerk makes no sense, since they cannot know what I received in my inbox. But if you ommit the names of all “vanilla” roles you post in the game thread, then gives us names, we would actually get a mini-game trying to find out what characters is actually used in game. Which would do the same as just posting vanilla role-claims, scum wouldn’t do it because they have to guess from an IMDB page, and town won’t do it of fear of being perceived as scum. Then power-roles regain their importance in a game of universally unique character names. ---
**Author:** ![WF\_Tomba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d9b06d/32.png) [@WF\_Tomba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WF_Tomba)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2015, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dantes-mafia-sign-up-thread/731233/40 "2015-09-17T21:12:58Z")
In normal Mafia games the power roles already have names: First Mason, Detective, Alpha Wolf, etc. The only difference that I can see with what you’re proposing is that the vanilla townies will also have names. And the only way that creates a risk for the scum is that in the event of a mass name claim, a scum might choose a fake name that happens to be the same as a real Townie’s name. Then it would be obvious that someone was lying. To make that impossible, you could give the scum (but not the townies) the list of all names used. You would not tell them which player had what name. Knowing which names were used, the scum could then choose movie characters not on the list for their false name claims. There would be no way for Town to know that those names were false. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dantes-mafia-sign-up-thread/731233.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dantes-mafia-sign-up-thread/731233.md?page=3)