# MAFIA: The Game - Ideal for Beginners \[Game in Progress\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Thread Games\ **Created:** [July 14, 2015, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099 "2015-07-14T00:45:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![storyteller0910](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@storyteller0910](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/storyteller0910)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2015, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/1 "2015-07-14T00:45:19Z")
**Prologue** \*Welcome to Cecilton. Perhaps you’ve been here before; it seems I recognize your face, though I’ve seen enough years now that I could be mistaken. Well, we don’t get many visitors around here, so you’re well met either way. We sure don’t blame anyone for staying away, not any more than we blame those who’ve left. The Troubles started here, you know. Oh, they’ve spread across the land since – some say they’ve spread well beyond that – but the first of it happened right here, just a few doors down at the Town Hall… eight years ago this February, if I’m remembering it straight. ‘Course, those have been eight long years, and everything’s different now. Different people, different buildings… electric lights in most of the houses now and the gallows have been torn down for good. Enough of the old faces are gone now that some of the new faces have gotten to thinking there never were any wolves at all. But I know better, and stranger – if that’s what you are – I get the feeling you know it, too. So head on down to the Inn, if you’re planning to stay; get yourself a meal and a room and we’ll talk again soon. In the meanwhile, keep watch for anything strange. Anything… hairy. I’ll be doing the same. You can always do with a second set of eyes, and I’m happy to volunteer mine. What’s that you say? Oh – yes – I get that a lot. Well, don’t let it worry you. The better to see you with, after all.\* * * * I invite all comers to join a game of Mafia, to be held here in this forum starting as soon as we have a sufficiently large pool of players. There have been a number of games of Mafia on this forum over the years, of varying degrees of complexity. This one will be relatively straightforward and basic, and so ideal for somebody interested in trying out the concept; Mafia veterans are welcome, as well! Mafia is a game about information – specifically about conflict between a well-informed minority and an uninformed majority. It works like this: All players will be divided randomly into two teams – Villagers (Townies) and Werewolves (who will sometimes be called “Scum”). There will be a small number of Werewolves and a large number of Townies; however, the Werewolves will know from the outset of the game who is a Werewolf and the Town will not. The game plays out as a repeating cycle with two stages. Stage 1 is Day. During the Day, all players discuss among themselves which player(s) they think might be a Werewolf; each player gets to vote for a preferred candidate, and at the end of the Day cycle that player is “lynched,” and removed from the game (and his or her true alignment revealed). Importantly, the Werewolves vote and participate in this stage of the game, and can attempt to misdirect or manipulate the conversation and vote to whatever degree they think best. During the Night, the Werewolves will choose one Town player to kill, removing him or her from the game. This continues until either all the Werewolves are dead (Town wins!) or there are more Werewolves than Townies (Wolves win!). There will also be a few special roles on each side, which I’ll outline in a later, more detailed rules post as the start of the game gets closer. The game design will be totally open: that is, there will be no secret rules or mechanics and all roles will be known before the game starts. So: if you’d like to play, post a note to that effect in this thread. Once we have a suitable number of players – I’d love to get up to 18-20 though we could go with somewhat less – we’ll start the game. I’m also happy to answer any questions about the setup or the game. ---
**Author:** ![Plumpudding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Plumpudding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plumpudding)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2015, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/2 "2015-07-14T00:57:12Z")
I’m in. Newbie. ---
**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:** [July 14, 2015, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/3 "2015-07-14T01:53:48Z")
One of the reasons I joined the Dope was to get to play Mafia. I’m a Newbie, too. I’m in. (You might want to post a note in The Game Room forum and link to here, BTW.) ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2015, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/4 "2015-07-14T02:17:53Z")
I’m in. It’s not like I really needed that time I’m currently spending sleeping. And this was prompted by [a thread in the Game Room](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=761774), and has been linked there. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2015, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/5 "2015-07-14T02:47:54Z")
Ah, how I miss Mafia. But alas, I still have no time to play. ---
**Author:** ![Nonsuch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonsuch/32/2922_2.png) [@Nonsuch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nonsuch)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2015, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/6 "2015-07-14T02:59:29Z")
Noob question, in ref to Pleonast’s post: What kind of time does this entail? I’m intrigued and would like to give it a go, but I want to make sure I don’t end up punking out and leaving people hanging. ---
**Author:** ![Sario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sario/32/18580_2.png) [@Sario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sario)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2015, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/7 "2015-07-14T03:29:40Z")
I’m in. ---
**Author:** ![Plumpudding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Plumpudding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plumpudding)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2015, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/8 "2015-07-14T11:08:04Z")
> [@Nonsuch](#): > > Noob question, in ref to Pleonast’s post: What kind of time does this entail? I’m intrigued and would like to give it a go, but I want to make sure I don’t end up punking out and leaving people hanging. > [@Mafia? Moved?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-moved/724667/22): > > We usually do one-week cycles, with something like five-day Days and two-day Nights, so there’s plenty of time in there for a player in any timezone. While it’s theoretically possible to get literal last-minute vote shenanigans or the like, and thus it’s theoretically nice to be online at that time, in practice, it very seldom comes up. > > EDIT: > Oh, and games typically last about eight weeks or so, but most people will be out of it by then, and of those who are left it’s usually not very time-demanding. From the other thread. ---
**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:** [July 14, 2015, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/9 "2015-07-14T18:39:19Z")
In please . ---
**Author:** ![DiggitCamara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df788c/32.png) [@DiggitCamara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiggitCamara)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2015, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/10 "2015-07-14T19:13:22Z")
Someone already said it in the other thread: **storyteller** ’s games are awesome. In, please! ---
**Author:** ![Nonsuch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonsuch/32/2922_2.png) [@Nonsuch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nonsuch)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2015, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/11 "2015-07-14T19:40:12Z")
I’m in as well. ---
**Author:** ![storyteller0910](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@storyteller0910](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/storyteller0910)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2015, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/12 "2015-07-14T19:42:52Z")
PLAYER LIST: 1. Plumpudding 2. Prof. Pepperwinkle 3. Chronos 4. Sario 5. Precambrianmollusc 6. DiggitCamara 7. Nonsuch ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2015, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/13 "2015-07-14T19:54:52Z")
I don’t have time :mad: , but I wish everyone an enjoyable game! ---
**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:** [July 14, 2015, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/14 "2015-07-14T19:58:43Z")
I’m in. /in > [@Pleonast](#): > > Ah, how I miss Mafia. But alas, I still have no time to play. Wish you would get your butt over to giraffe boards and rejoin our games! ---
**Author:** ![TexCat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/texcat/32/9041_2.png) [@TexCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TexCat)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2015, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/15 "2015-07-14T21:19:12Z")
/in please! ---
**Author:** ![Thing\_Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@Thing\_Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing_Fish)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2015, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/16 "2015-07-15T01:50:13Z")
Oh, what the hell, I’ll find some extra hours under the sofa cushions or something. /in ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2015, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/17 "2015-07-15T02:50:35Z")
I’ve always wanted to try one of these games. I \*think \* I’ll have the time for it. Please count me in. Question: do the Werewolves have their discussions by PM? How do they pick their prey in secret? ---
**Author:** ![Cygnus42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Cygnus42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cygnus42)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2015, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/18 "2015-07-15T03:08:16Z")
Always wanted to try this, so I’ll de-lurk and sign up. Newbie game sounds like something I can handle. ---
**Author:** ![USCDiver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uscdiver/32/354_2.png) [@USCDiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/USCDiver)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2015, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/19 "2015-07-15T11:22:05Z")
> [@Bayard](#): > > I’ve always wanted to try one of these games. I \*think \* I’ll have the time for it. Please count me in. > > Question: do the Werewolves have their discussions by PM? How do they pick their prey in secret? Usually an offsite, password protected message board of some sort. ---
**Author:** ![storyteller0910](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@storyteller0910](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/storyteller0910)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2015, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099/20 "2015-07-15T12:44:15Z")
1. Plumpudding 2. Prof. Pepperwinkle 3. Chronos 4. Sario 5. Precambrianmollusc 6. DiggitCamara 7. Nonsuch 8. Mahaloth 9. Texcat 10. Thing Fish 11. Bayard 12. Cygnus42 …this is going faster than I’d thought it would. I’ll post the full rules list later this morning, which hopefully will allow everyone to answer existing questions and come up with any new ones. Hopefully we can fill the last few slots (I will take an absolute maximum of eight more) and start the game by tomorrow or Friday! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-game-ideal-for-beginners-game-in-progress/725099.md?page=2)