# Johnny Bravo's First Mafia Game Watch-Along Thread NO SPOILERS! \[FORBIDDEN TO LIVE PLAYERS\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Thread Games\ **Created:** [October 23, 2015, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-bravos-first-mafia-game-watch-along-thread-no-spoilers-forbidden-to-live-players/735581 "2015-10-23T22:14:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 16
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2015, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-bravos-first-mafia-game-watch-along-thread-no-spoilers-forbidden-to-live-players/735581/301 "2015-12-04T22:49:07Z")
> [@TexCat](#): > > But SNF would surely wonder why he was left alive to be the deciding vote. I think I would have enjoyed one last argument, with Hooker making the opposing case. I will always wonder how it would have turned out. Snfaulkner didn’t 't suspect me, but Hooker would have the advantage of being right. ---
**Author:** ![sachertorte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sachertorte/32/3727_2.png) [@sachertorte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sachertorte)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2015, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-bravos-first-mafia-game-watch-along-thread-no-spoilers-forbidden-to-live-players/735581/302 "2015-12-04T22:49:57Z")
> [@Dead\_Cat](#): > > I’ve now read this thread except the spoiler boxes on this page, and it just increases my frustration about my serious rookie error on the last Day. Without that, maybe we could have won without the randomness. I feel like I played an OK game up until then. Congratulations once again to Biotop. To me it felt like a pretty well-balanced game. > > Interesting to read that the win conditions were basically an oversight, but I agree JB resolved it well. > > Let me get this straight: Biotop secured a guaranteed mislynch at the end of the penultimate Day. So the result of the coinflip between me and HC didn’t really matter. Had Biotop then decided not to night-kill, this would have left him vs snf and HC on the next Day. Clearly HC would vote for Biotop, and then the two of them would have to fight for snf’s vote. So presumably Biotop decided to avoid this scenario as he felt a 50-50 chance on winning the final Day coinflip was better than his chances of convincing snf to vote for HC. Is that an error? I agree that I, in snf’s shoes, would be more likely to vote HC. But perhaps HC would have come up with a case against Biotop after all. Going for the 50-50 is certainly reasonable, but given that snfaulker was so sure Biotop was Town, I think snfaulker would have voted to lynch HC. Yes it’s possible snfaulker could have been convinced to vote against Biotop, but given the state of the game, that would have been a hard sell. I’d put the chances of getting snfaulker to vote Biotop at less than 50% (A better chance for a scum win). It’s easy to second guess now, I admit, but its just splitting hairs. ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2015, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-bravos-first-mafia-game-watch-along-thread-no-spoilers-forbidden-to-live-players/735581/303 "2015-12-04T22:51:38Z")
Having read the scum thread, I see now Biotop that a large part of your thinking was to do with snfaulkner’s real life situation. Classy move from a classy player. You are the winner of the game in my eyes (damn you) :). ---
**Author:** ![sachertorte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sachertorte/32/3727_2.png) [@sachertorte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sachertorte)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2015, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-bravos-first-mafia-game-watch-along-thread-no-spoilers-forbidden-to-live-players/735581/304 "2015-12-04T22:52:21Z")
> [@TexCat](#): > > But SNF would surely wonder why he was left alive to be the deciding vote. True. Exciting! Probably best result as is given that snfaulker isn’t in a position to play anymore anyway at this time. Would have been sad to put him through another week of this when he has more important things to attend to. ---
**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:** [December 5, 2015, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-bravos-first-mafia-game-watch-along-thread-no-spoilers-forbidden-to-live-players/735581/305 "2015-12-05T01:24:39Z")
Thanks to everyone for the positive feedback. I really enjoyed running the game for y’all and I’m glad you all had a good time. I learned a lot, and I think that’s about the best possible outcome in any situation. 🙂 > [@Dead\_Cat](#): > > Classy move from a classy player. You are the winner of the game in my eyes (damn you) :). \*\*Biotop \*\*talked a bit about this when he was messaging me as a kind of sounding board at the end of the day (while I did nothing but smile and nod and avoid actually giving him any useful information whatsoever. I, too, think it was classy as hell, especially coming at the end of a hard-fought and well-earned mislynch at the very end of the last day. Bravo, and bravo to everyone else. I had a helluva good time. ---
**Author:** ![MentalGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/439d5e/32.png) [@MentalGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MentalGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2015, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-bravos-first-mafia-game-watch-along-thread-no-spoilers-forbidden-to-live-players/735581/306 "2015-12-05T03:46:48Z")
I haven’t commented much on this game, but I have been following it regularly. Very good job by everyone. Town was doing very well, Biotop was playing excellently, and Johnny Bravo did an excellent job of running the show. When I saw the roles that the scum team had, I was amazed that the Town won, even if it was a coinflip, so good job. I will say that I really had no idea who the last remaining scum in the game was. Since it looks like it is agreed not to have any more mafia games until after the holidays, I am offering up something a bit quicker and lighter. Come play [Mafia de Cuba](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=18912232#post18912232). ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2015, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-bravos-first-mafia-game-watch-along-thread-no-spoilers-forbidden-to-live-players/735581/307 "2015-12-05T11:04:23Z")
> [@Suburban\_Plankton](#): > > I was as surprised as you…I still have no idea why everyone followed you on the “lynch Octarine” train…and why you didn’t take far more heat for that after I flipped Wolf. From a town perspective, it’s because it was started by confirmed Town IRConfused! Perhaps his only real mis-step, and an understandable one. Mahaloth, if you’re still reading, can you just clarify - was your reveal a genuine mistake in thinking the Day was already over, or was there a tactic behind it? What was the thinking behind your post-reveal “Kill Hooker, Biotop, and TexCat next”? ---
**Author:** ![Plumpudding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Plumpudding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plumpudding)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2015, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-bravos-first-mafia-game-watch-along-thread-no-spoilers-forbidden-to-live-players/735581/308 "2015-12-06T00:19:43Z")
Haha **Biotop** , you’re great! I love reading scum threads. ---
**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:** [December 6, 2015, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-bravos-first-mafia-game-watch-along-thread-no-spoilers-forbidden-to-live-players/735581/309 "2015-12-06T03:27:48Z")
So what do you guys think about scum cryptography of the sort discussed in the scum thread? Stuff like, “if my investigation turns up positive, my first post will start with x, but if negative it will turn up y.” ---
**Author:** ![Plumpudding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Plumpudding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plumpudding)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2015, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-bravos-first-mafia-game-watch-along-thread-no-spoilers-forbidden-to-live-players/735581/310 "2015-12-06T03:36:30Z")
I think you made the right choice, Johnny. ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2015, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-bravos-first-mafia-game-watch-along-thread-no-spoilers-forbidden-to-live-players/735581/311 "2015-12-06T03:40:25Z")
I’m all for letting Scum have the chance to pass on coded messages. Unless they’re as subtle as Biotop was (and I don’t think most of us are that), it’ll be another clue for Town, and that more-or-less evens things out. ---
**Author:** ![Plumpudding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Plumpudding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plumpudding)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2015, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-bravos-first-mafia-game-watch-along-thread-no-spoilers-forbidden-to-live-players/735581/312 "2015-12-06T03:50:18Z")
True; but when the code goes from being average knowledge to something more sophisticated, it stops being fair. Make up code, please do, but maybe keep cryptographic methods out of it. Scum knows the important information already, the challenge is in not giving it up. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2015, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-bravos-first-mafia-game-watch-along-thread-no-spoilers-forbidden-to-live-players/735581/313 "2015-12-06T04:05:59Z")
This issue must have come up in other games elsewhere. I wonder if there is a standard? It does seem unfair to Town for Scum to have a code Town cannot possibly crack, but on the other hand Wolves are not exactly known for being very fair-minded. I don’t know what the right answer is. I like the natural compromise we worked out. Dangerous town players naturally should not be treated harshly lest they turn their powers your way. The results of the Scum’s investigation can reasonably be inferred by other wolves based on the investigator’s play. ---
**Author:** ![Precambrianmollusc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/precambrianmollusc/32/63_2.png) [@Precambrianmollusc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Precambrianmollusc)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2015, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-bravos-first-mafia-game-watch-along-thread-no-spoilers-forbidden-to-live-players/735581/314 "2015-12-06T05:26:47Z")
Regarding scum bread crumbing, and allowing or not, it depends on what it is about and how it impacts the game balance . In this case perhaps the fact that the scum detective had to sit on their result all day , and not get lynched or allow the info to steer scum action , is a balance factor against the power . So scum should not be allowed to breadcrumb . For other things that don’t affect the balance of the role as the kid has designed the game , cipher away . I really don’t think there can be a generic rule, it depends on balance , mod style and player style. ---
**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:** [December 6, 2015, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-bravos-first-mafia-game-watch-along-thread-no-spoilers-forbidden-to-live-players/735581/315 "2015-12-06T05:33:16Z")
I don’t think it breaks the game for scum to be allowed to use cryptography. If they use it correctly, it just makes it as if they were all given the results of Night actions. It makes them a bit more powerful, but you can just take that into account when balancing the game. On the other hand, it creates opportunities for them to screw up and get the code wrong. I would favor allowing cryptography, mostly because as every child knows, secret codes are cool and fun. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2015, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-bravos-first-mafia-game-watch-along-thread-no-spoilers-forbidden-to-live-players/735581/316 "2015-12-07T03:18:33Z")
> [@TexCat](#): > > But SNF would surely wonder why he was left alive to be the deciding vote. Man, I think I would’ve had a stroke if I had to be The Decider for a second week in a row. That was a LOT of pressure! Great game though; I’m hooked to the stress! One question, where was the wolf board link? Did I miss it? ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2015, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-bravos-first-mafia-game-watch-along-thread-no-spoilers-forbidden-to-live-players/735581/317 "2015-12-07T03:19:34Z")
oh, NM. I found it. ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2015, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-bravos-first-mafia-game-watch-along-thread-no-spoilers-forbidden-to-live-players/735581/318 "2015-12-07T04:39:11Z")
Just finished reading the wolf board. **Biotop** , my hats off to you not just for your magnificent scheming, but for thinking of my poor pup. I’m glad to say my wife picked him up from the hospital today and he is home. He’s still a bit slow, but gladly joined my other two yappers in yapping at the other dogs passing by my fence. So when’s the next game! ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2016, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-bravos-first-mafia-game-watch-along-thread-no-spoilers-forbidden-to-live-players/735581/319 "2016-02-18T23:42:07Z")
So, will there be a Watch-Along thread for the current Mafia game? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-bravos-first-mafia-game-watch-along-thread-no-spoilers-forbidden-to-live-players/735581.md?page=15)