Padding = posting for the sake of posting. Posting in itself isn’t bad, per se. But if you are just posting to get your count up, it doesn’t really do much in terms of helping out your side.
Here is when post padding can look scummy:
Say someone had no votes or perhaps very few Day 1. Also, they were mostly silent and didn’t post much.
Now Day 2 comes along and they have some votes. They might even have the most votes. All of a sudden their post count shoots up. I could see that as being a bit scummy. Now all of a sudden post count matters for them.
We will have to disagree on this, and I see it as a flaw in this type of rule.
Let’s say you are Town and not posting much. You get votes and find yourself in a possible tie situation. Post count suddenly DOES matter to you. Should you just resign yourself to losing a tie and creating a mislynch? What about if you really consider the other candidate Scum?
Sure everyone should post a lot. But they don’t. That’s why “lynch the lurker” does not work very well.
Yeah, I can agree with you that it’s a bit of a flaw.
At the end of Day 1, I was in a tie with Stranger, but he had me beat in post count. I could have spammed like 30+ posts or something to break the tie, and I guess wouldn’t have broken the rules, but it would have looked ridiculous. And he could have just spammed right back. I don’t really think that’s how it should be played out, but desperate times call for desperate measures I suppose.
Gonna try to do a quick vote/post tally before lunch.
Here is why padding is bad practice for both town and scum:
A townie should have lots of posts because they are posting lots of good content which can later be analyzed for clues. Remember that a townie has nothing to fear from making good faith arguments, even if they’re bad.
If all townies are only writing substantive posts, then scum will also have to write substantive posts. The problem is that scum are always making bad faith arguments, so the more they post the worse it is for them.
If town declares that padding is good (or neutral) because everyone should want a high post count, they are creating camouflage for scum. And that’s bad.
Yes. But the rule encourages it. The rule also encourages Scum to kill the highest post count player who is not Scum.
So if Town were to post only quality substantive posts and Scum were forced to compete in that way, we have then the normal way Mafia should be played anyway. A special rule that encourages gaming the system is not helpful.
The rule encourages us to game the system, but if town refuses to pad then padding becomes a strong scum tell. Therefore I will state that I consider padding a scum tell and will refuse to do it myself. I see no other good solution.
Suspect list in this order (from most to least). If I have not commented on the players it is based on gut reads with regards to their overall tone. I would have suspected those who know me to have taken my thoughts more seriously.
I find it interesting too. I hope someone does something with the list. I was on vacation and still managed to play and give it my best shot. I played and tried. Those who remain owe it to me to finally consider my posts.
Just as a last minute plea here to reconsider your votes on **Biotop **- think about what we’d be losing if he’s lynched.
I think he really stepped up today. I know I talked about post padding and how I it doesn’t really help much… I wouldn’t consider Biotop’s posts today as padding. He’s been very active and has answered and acknowledged everyone in Day 2. It really might be a quiet Day 3 if he’s lynched.
And I firmly agree with Johnny Bravo’s sentiments:
Take **Biotop **out of the equation, and what do we have? Not a whole lot, I’m afraid. Not only is he chiming in, but he’s also doing a good job involving everyone else.
Although if the vote goes through and **Biotop **ends up being scum, it’s admittedly going to look very bad for me.
Why are you and SNF both so sure you will be around toMorrow?
And after you look at Mahaloth toMorrow (assuming you live), be prepared to answer why you did not look at it before toMorrow. And ask Sunny Daze the same. And also ask why Scum kill whomever they kill toNight. And why they didn’t kill someone else.
I find it tiresome to always append forward-looking posts with “if I survive the night.”
Like a teenager in a movie about racing his dad’s car down Dead Man’s Bluff in the middle of the night to impress his girlfriend, I’m pretty sure I’m going to live forever.
