# Mafia: Not-so-simple-Simpletown **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [March 6, 2009, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-not-so-simple-simpletown/488592 "2009-03-06T22:58:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![special\_ed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5ac83/32.png) [@special\_ed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/special_ed)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2009, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-not-so-simple-simpletown/488592/181 "2009-03-14T02:33:27Z")
> [@pedescribe](#): > > What if someone claims scum? I’m OK with that. If they turn up Town though, I’m going to pee in their butt ---
**Author:** ![Seeker\_of\_Truth\_and\_Beauty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f14d63/32.png) [@Seeker\_of\_Truth\_and\_Beauty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seeker_of_Truth_and_Beauty)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2009, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-not-so-simple-simpletown/488592/182 "2009-03-14T02:34:11Z")
Alright, you two. I said I was sorry. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Batman\_Jenkems](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/2bfe46/32.png) [@Batman\_Jenkems](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Batman_Jenkems)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2009, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-not-so-simple-simpletown/488592/183 "2009-03-14T02:40:53Z")
I’m here. I just enabled PMs, so I will message Sache and ask for a role PM ---
**Author:** ![peekercpa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8baadc/32.png) [@peekercpa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peekercpa)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2009, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-not-so-simple-simpletown/488592/184 "2009-03-14T03:36:46Z")
I made this comment on the giraffe board and will make it here. What are the dynamics of having multiple folks playing multiple games on multiple sites? Plus some of you suckers go by different handles on the particular board. For instance, I think **bat** is **punk** from **Idle’s** **pede** ’s smash game. Now he is **bat** in **sach** ’s game and **pede** is a player and not Mod. **nook** is here as normal. I still be **peek**. There is also a **seek** to be dealt with. And **tabber** is also around. Add that in with **ah** , **tl** and now apparently **tu**. And still the traditional cast of characters wander around. Just an observation. ---
**Author:** ![Trepa\_Mayfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/edb3f5/32.png) [@Trepa\_Mayfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trepa_Mayfield)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2009, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-not-so-simple-simpletown/488592/185 "2009-03-14T03:45:42Z")
> [@pedescribe](#): > > Basically, the masons would win with the town, but they could also win exclusively if they outnumbered the town after all the non-towns were dead. > Exp: > I’ve played 6, and am in the middle of 1. > I’ve modded 2, and am in the middle of modding 2. This is no longer true! I’ve played 6, and am in the middle of 1. I’ve modded 3, and am in the middle of modding 1. :D:D:D ---
**Author:** ![special\_ed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5ac83/32.png) [@special\_ed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/special_ed)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2009, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-not-so-simple-simpletown/488592/186 "2009-03-14T04:14:30Z")
> [@pedescribe](#): > > This is no longer true! > > I’ve played 6, and am in the middle of 1. > I’ve modded 3, and am in the middle of modding 1. > > :D:D:D I was curious at to my record, and I came up with this: I’ve played 10, modded 1, and I’m dead in 1 current games and alive in 3 current games. Though, most of my experience comes from Facebook, so it’s not a rigorous as some of the other games. Psycho Super Mario Brothers 3rd Party Survivor Loss Super Smash Brothers Scum Mason traitor/roleblocker Win Three Clan, Big Time ??? ??? ??? SDMB Evil Dead Town Vanilla Win Simpleton 2 ??? ??? ??? Facebook Psycho 1 Scum Win Buffy Town Mason Loss Psycho 2 Town Therapist Loss Lord of the Ring Town Mason Win Psycho 3 Scum Win KISS Town Vigilante Win (recruited to Scum) Loss Mickey Mouse Mod Town Hamlet Town Mason Investigator Win Star Wars Town Investigator ??? Giraffe Alpha Centauri ??? ??? ??? Win-Loss-Mod-Current 7-4-1-4 ---
**Author:** ![Hero\_From\_Sector\_7G](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/65b543/32.png) [@Hero\_From\_Sector\_7G](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hero_From_Sector_7G)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2009, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-not-so-simple-simpletown/488592/187 "2009-03-14T04:34:19Z")
> [@Seeker\_of\_Truth\_and\_Beauty](#): > > **Oredigger** is getting my vote for two reasons: > > A) a _very_ quick\* “me-too” vote for **Pleonast** Oredigger outed the mistake before I did. > [@Seeker](#): > > \*…along with some garbage about not being able to quote previous post, blah blah blah, we all know the boards are wonky butt his also could be used as a subterfuge for someone to hide behind. Really? > [@Natlaw](#): > > Yeah, some database errors here as well > [@Pleonast](#): > > Hello? Looks like my last post was eaten by hamsters. … Than there is this: > [@Pleonast](#): > > I find it rather interesting that Oredigger was so quick to vote me once someone else did. > [@Seeker](#): > > Vote Oredigger77 Is this a “me too” vote? Ped covered part B of your post, but it is worth saying I agree with him on that. Unvote Vote Seeker ---
**Author:** ![Almost\_Human](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/919ad9/32.png) [@Almost\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Almost_Human)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2009, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-not-so-simple-simpletown/488592/188 "2009-03-14T11:38:22Z")
[quote=“Hero\_From\_Sector\_7G, post:172, topic:488592”] > [@Almost\_Human](#): > > The way I see it we should be looking hard for scum every Day[/QUOT]Oh yeah? I thought we should be picking flowers and baking pies. > > How hard are _you_ looking for scum? Well when I’m not busy with my flower arranging and stuffing my face with pies pretty hard. I think you’re misunderstanding the point I was trying to get across which is that numbers/statistics etc, while very useful to many player’s gamplay arent’ the be-all and end-all. I was saying we should be searching hard for scum regardless of what stage of the game we’re at, whether it’s Lylo or with 5 mislynches to spare. It wasn’t directed at anyone in particular though as I was quoting you earlier in that post I can see why you may have thought it was. > [@ok11](#): > > The modified rules hint at a secret communication twist. It could be something that helps one (or more) of the following groups: > • scum e.g. scum can talk during the Day > • town e.g. masons can communicate > • third parties (if we have any) e.g. there could be an additional fraction, or a competition between PFKs (like in Evil Dead mafia) > Or it could be a red herring, though that’s unlikely because in that case **sachertorte** probably wouldn’t have re-posted the rules. > > This type of twist can make things a lot more complicated (and interesting), because if some subset of players gets to secretly communicate, then they might be able to pull off more elaborate strategies. So I’ll be on the lookout for (IOW, even more paranoid about) people working together, and perfect information slips. > > **Hero** , be nice to **Almost Human** ; I think **AH** and I are the only two women in this whole town 🙂 Personally, I agree with her about mislynches. Let’s not get too hung up on them. The exact number is too hard to predict anyway. It seems like larger games usually have two night kills, so we might have a Serial Killer or a Vigilante. In that case, we’ll probably have even fewer mislynches. And if we have a good/lucky doctor, we might get an extra mislynch. We’re the only two women? Cool - can we start divvying up the meat? You can go first 🙂 Interesting point about communication. If scum can talk in the Day we may start to see patterns forming as the Days progress. > [@Hero\_From\_Sector\_7G](#): > > Sorry, my tone was a bit blunt. > > I was trying to say Almost Human: do what you suggest, look for scum. I am suspicious when someone gives advice they aren’t following themselves. It takes a whole helluva lot to offend me so don’t worry about it. I thought my intention of looking for scum was implied but in case it wasn’t…I will be and am looking for scum.😛 > [@peekercpa](#): > > I made this comment on the giraffe board and will make it here. What are the dynamics of having multiple folks playing multiple games on multiple sites? Plus some of you suckers go by different handles on the particular board. > > For instance, I think **bat** is **punk** from **Idle’s** **pede** ’s smash game. Now he is **bat** in **sach** ’s game and **pede** is a player and not Mod. **nook** is here as normal. I still be **peek**. There is also a **seek** to be dealt with. And **tabber** is also around. Add that in with **ah** , **tl** and now apparently **tu**. And still the traditional cast of characters wander around. > > Just an observation. I’m AH on all the offboard sites so you shouldn’t have any trouble remembering me. Didn’t know bat was punk so that’s handy to know. Is anyone else in disguise? It could be a bit embarassing to find I’ve been talking to someone like a Noob only to find out they’ve got 27 more games under their belt than I do. ---
**Author:** ![willthekittensurvive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/91b2a8/32.png) [@willthekittensurvive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/willthekittensurvive)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2009, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-not-so-simple-simpletown/488592/189 "2009-03-14T11:47:25Z")
> [@peekercpa](#): > > I made this comment on the giraffe board and will make it here. What are the dynamics of having multiple folks playing multiple games on multiple sites? Plus some of you suckers go by different handles on the particular board. > > For instance, I think **bat** is **punk** from **Idle’s** **pede** ’s smash game. Now he is **bat** in **sach** ’s game and **pede** is a player and not Mod. **nook** is here as normal. I still be **peek**. There is also a **seek** to be dealt with. And **tabber** is also around. Add that in with **ah** , **tl** and now apparently **tu**. And still the traditional cast of characters wander around. > > Just an observation. Hu? ---
**Author:** ![Almost\_Human](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/919ad9/32.png) [@Almost\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Almost_Human)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2009, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-not-so-simple-simpletown/488592/190 "2009-03-14T12:09:13Z")
> [@willthekittensurvive](#): > > Hu? lol, there are multiple boards all over the place which have mafia playing sections on them. Quite a few of us are members of some or all of them. To make matters more complicated not everyone has the same username on each board. And peek’s point, I think, apart from the confusion over the usernames is a general musing over how the dynamics will change each game due to the cross-pollination of players. Up until fairly recently I think the majority of regular players kept to their own boards with only occasional insurgences of “new blood”. We’ve gone from being fairly insular little groups who probably know each other too well to having a whole plethora of people to play with. It’s a good thing I believe and might stop us getting too set in our ways 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![willthekittensurvive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/91b2a8/32.png) [@willthekittensurvive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/willthekittensurvive)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2009, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-not-so-simple-simpletown/488592/191 "2009-03-14T12:14:05Z")
Okay thanks! Hope I don’t get to confused, anyway not enough data for me to vote yet ---
**Author:** ![Trepa\_Mayfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/edb3f5/32.png) [@Trepa\_Mayfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trepa_Mayfield)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2009, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-not-so-simple-simpletown/488592/192 "2009-03-14T14:47:49Z")
> [@Almost\_Human](#): > > I’m AH on all the offboard sites so you shouldn’t have any trouble remembering me. Didn’t know bat was punk so that’s handy to know. Is anyone else in disguise? It could be a bit embarassing to find I’ve been talking to someone like a Noob only to find out they’ve got 27 more games under their belt than I do. Indeed, it’s…quite embarrassing. ---
**Author:** ![paulwhoisaghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e5b9ba/32.png) [@paulwhoisaghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/paulwhoisaghost)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2009, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-not-so-simple-simpletown/488592/193 "2009-03-14T15:08:54Z")
> [@peekercpa](#): > > I made this comment on the giraffe board and will make it here. What are the dynamics of having multiple folks playing multiple games on multiple sites? Plus some of you suckers go by different handles on the particular board. > > For instance, I think **bat** is **punk** from **Idle’s** **pede** ’s smash game. Now he is **bat** in **sach** ’s game and **pede** is a player and not Mod. **nook** is here as normal. I still be **peek**. There is also a **seek** to be dealt with. And **tabber** is also around. Add that in with **ah** , **tl** and now apparently **tu**. And still the traditional cast of characters wander around. > > Just an observation. I am beginning to notice a tread of people forgetting about me. 😛 Personally I am learning a lot about different people’s play styles really fast from playing multiple games with them at once. I can’t wait til I am able to put it into practice. I am really interested to see who messes up first with a vote for so-and-so based on reasoning from a different game lol… And funny that you called out bat on being punker… I know him IRL and when he told me that he was using a different name here in an effort to dodge people basing reasoning on his play style I told him someone would figure it out. And sure enough the game has hardly began and Peeker called you out Batman 😛 On a whole nother note… you really don’t wanna know what Jenkems is if you don’t already know. “Bitched don’t know about my Jenkems!” ---
**Author:** ![paulwhoisaghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e5b9ba/32.png) [@paulwhoisaghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/paulwhoisaghost)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2009, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-not-so-simple-simpletown/488592/194 "2009-03-14T15:09:55Z")
NETA: Bitched should read Bitches… not that it really matters. ---
**Author:** ![peekercpa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8baadc/32.png) [@peekercpa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peekercpa)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2009, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-not-so-simple-simpletown/488592/195 "2009-03-14T16:04:20Z")
> [@paulwhoisaghost](#): > > I am beginning to notice a tread of people forgetting about me. 😛 > > And funny that you called out bat on being punker… I know him IRL and when he told me that he was using a different name here in an effort to dodge people basing reasoning on his play style I told him someone would figure it out. And sure enough the game has hardly began and Peeker called you out Batman You are a fucking ghost. You are not supposed to be noticed FCS. And **bat** was scum with me in Smasher, so even I can’t screw that up. And you make the point that I was trying to make. Since it seems like we have multiple folks on multiple boards I can hardly wait until someone gets a dual scum role and posts to the wrong secret board. Genuine hilarity. Maybe we should make a rule that only sober contributions should be allowed. \ Ok, that was stupid. ---
**Author:** ![MentalGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/439d5e/32.png) [@MentalGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MentalGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2009, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-not-so-simple-simpletown/488592/196 "2009-03-14T16:11:57Z")
As I said earlier, this is my first game, so I have several questions. My apologies if some of these things should be obvious and I am just overlooking it. I have been thinking about Masons (if there are not any in the game, then I have really been wasting my time). First question, is it possible that their could be an assassin masquerading as a Mason? I realize that Masons might have special reasons for keeping themselves secret, such as an exclusive win condition or having the ability to communicate with each other. If, though, the only thing special about them is they know who each other are, is there any reason they should not publicly declare and confirm each other. That would at least remove a small group of players from the lynching pool, making the odds of lynching an assassin better. Like I said, I am a newbie and there is probably something I am overlooking. ---
**Author:** ![MentalGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/439d5e/32.png) [@MentalGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MentalGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2009, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-not-so-simple-simpletown/488592/197 "2009-03-14T16:41:17Z")
After I posted the above, I realized some problems with the Masons declaring. I had just not thought through far enough. I do still have the question about the possibility of assassins disguised as Masons. ---
**Author:** ![ok11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8baadc/32.png) [@ok11](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ok11)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2009, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-not-so-simple-simpletown/488592/198 "2009-03-14T17:20:12Z")
If you’re asking whether the scum can false claim to be masons, then yes. They can claim to have any role, but claiming mason is probably the riskiest move. If there are real masons in the game, the scum masons will get counterclaimed, and then the town will test and catch the scum (if not right away, then the next Day). If you’re asking whether it’s possible for one of the masons to actually be a scum player in disguise, the answer is also yes. Basically, one of the masons could be a traitor. But in that case, the masons should probably have some sort of hint in their PM that not all of them are pro-town. I haven’t read any games with this type of role, but I would imagine that as long as the masons see something like “pro-town” or “town-aligned” or “innocent” in their PMs, then they don’t have to worry about trusting each other. ---
**Author:** ![Trepa\_Mayfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/edb3f5/32.png) [@Trepa\_Mayfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trepa_Mayfield)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2009, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-not-so-simple-simpletown/488592/199 "2009-03-14T17:54:17Z")
> [@ok11](#): > > If you’re asking whether the scum can false claim to be masons, then yes. They can claim to have any role, but claiming mason is probably the riskiest move. If there are real masons in the game, the scum masons will get counterclaimed, and then the town will test and catch the scum (if not right away, then the next Day). > > If you’re asking whether it’s possible for one of the masons to actually be a scum player in disguise, the answer is also yes. Basically, one of the masons could be a traitor. But in that case, the masons should probably have some sort of hint in their PM that not all of them are pro-town. I haven’t read any games with this type of role, but I would imagine that as long as the masons see something like “pro-town” or “town-aligned” or “innocent” in their PMs, then they don’t have to worry about trusting each other. And this role is rarely used, because it tends t make everything very messy. ---
**Author:** ![Nanook\_of\_the\_North\_Shore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bc8723/32.png) [@Nanook\_of\_the\_North\_Shore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanook_of_the_North_Shore)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2009, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-not-so-simple-simpletown/488592/200 "2009-03-14T18:21:05Z")
Ped would know! Masons shouldn’t claim right away because it just makes them a huge target for NKs. A late mason claim(in terms of Days) can seal up a win for Town. Obviously masons about to be lynched should claim immediately, but that kind of goes without saying. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-not-so-simple-simpletown/488592.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-not-so-simple-simpletown/488592.md?page=11)