# Mafia: The Thrill of the Chase \[Newbie Friendly!\] **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [November 20, 2011, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-thrill-of-the-chase-newbie-friendly/603526 "2011-11-20T06:04:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![choie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/choie/32/7829_2.png) [@choie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choie)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-thrill-of-the-chase-newbie-friendly/603526/21 "2011-11-23T19:23:11Z")
Ooh. I’m a newbie _and_ an actual romance novelist specializing in suspense/horror, so I’m totally into this. Warning: My first/last mafia game ( **De’endee** ) ended with me killing one of my last fellow townies and losing the game for Town, so I’m not exactly brilliant at it. But also I’m female, and it looks like estrogen is sorely needed in this game, so screw-up or not, I’m in. : ) ---
**Author:** ![orcenio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/orcenio/32/1036_2.png) [@orcenio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/orcenio)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-thrill-of-the-chase-newbie-friendly/603526/22 "2011-11-23T19:28:54Z")
I’ll join (male) ---
**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:** [November 23, 2011, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-thrill-of-the-chase-newbie-friendly/603526/23 "2011-11-23T20:01:25Z")
> [@choie](#): > > Ooh. I’m a newbie _and_ an actual romance novelist specializing in suspense/horror, so I’m totally into this. Warning: My first/last mafia game ( **De’endee** ) ended with me killing one of my last fellow townies and losing the game for Town, so I’m not exactly brilliant at it. I once played so horribly on Day One that I had to out myself as the cop so as not to be lynched. Not that it’s a contest. But I would win, jsyk. ---
**Author:** ![Astral\_Rejection](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/258eb7/32.png) [@Astral\_Rejection](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Astral_Rejection)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-thrill-of-the-chase-newbie-friendly/603526/24 "2011-11-23T21:05:25Z")
> [@choie](#): > > Warning: My first/last mafia game ( **De’endee** ) ended with me killing one of my last fellow townies and losing the game for Town Choie, you didn’t lose the game for your team. It was already lost before you even placed your vote, since your tie-breaking choice was between two townies. All of the other voters were locked in, so it was literally impossible for you to have done any differently. > [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > I once played so horribly on Day One that I had to out myself as the cop so as not to be lynched. Not that it’s a contest. Hey! I’ve done that! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Scathach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Scathach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scathach)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-thrill-of-the-chase-newbie-friendly/603526/25 "2011-11-23T21:12:39Z")
> [@choie](#): > > But also I’m female, and it looks like estrogen is sorely needed in this game, so screw-up or not, I’m in. : ) Ooh, if someone starts a thread for signups on Idlemafia or Giraffeboard can they please title it “Trepa Mayfield needs your ovaries” 🙂 ---
**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:** [November 24, 2011, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-thrill-of-the-chase-newbie-friendly/603526/26 "2011-11-24T01:28:01Z")
I’m in. I’m male, but effeminate. How ever, if I’ma fucked up mason, I will still kill you. Slowly. Painfully. Humiliatingly. Yes, that’s a word. ---
**Author:** ![fubbleskag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@fubbleskag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fubbleskag)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-thrill-of-the-chase-newbie-friendly/603526/27 "2011-11-24T02:03:22Z")
I’ll play if you let me be a girl. And give me some kind of special power. ---
**Author:** ![wevets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9a140/32.png) [@wevets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wevets)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-thrill-of-the-chase-newbie-friendly/603526/28 "2011-11-24T18:00:35Z")
I’ve never played a mafia game before, but I’ll try it. Male, BTW. ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-thrill-of-the-chase-newbie-friendly/603526/29 "2011-11-24T18:21:25Z")
Put me on the sub list for now. I’ll have a lot of time on my hands in about two weeks. If I die in the game on Idle before this one gets started, I can go from the sub list to the active list. ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Jan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Silver\_Jan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Jan)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-thrill-of-the-chase-newbie-friendly/603526/30 "2011-11-24T20:03:27Z")
IN/ I can’t wait to start another game where I can upset everyone 🙂 ---
**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:** [November 24, 2011, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-thrill-of-the-chase-newbie-friendly/603526/31 "2011-11-24T21:42:50Z")
1. Inner Stickler (m) 2. Astral Rejection (m) 3. Mahaloth (m) 4. Scathach (f) 5. Zeriel (m) 6. gregorio (m) 7. MentalGuy (m) 8. Hirka T’Bawa (m) 9. septimus (m) 10. choie (f) 11. orcenio (m) 12. special ed (m) 13. fubbleskag (m, cd) 14. wevets (m) 15. Silver Jan (f) 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. Subs: Drain Bead ---
**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:** [November 24, 2011, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-thrill-of-the-chase-newbie-friendly/603526/32 "2011-11-24T21:43:52Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > I once played so horribly on Day One that I had to out myself as the cop so as not to be lynched. Not that it’s a contest. > > But I would win, jsyk. I once, as a townie, suggested to the rest of the town that we should lynch all the townies. > [@special\_ed](#): > > I’m in. > > I’m male, but effeminate. > > How ever, if I’ma fucked up mason, I will still kill you. Slowly. Painfully. Humiliatingly. > > Yes, that’s a word. I’ll take that risk. ---
**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:** [November 24, 2011, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-thrill-of-the-chase-newbie-friendly/603526/33 "2011-11-24T21:54:13Z")
In please Male ---
**Author:** ![fubbleskag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@fubbleskag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fubbleskag)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2011, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-thrill-of-the-chase-newbie-friendly/603526/34 "2011-11-25T05:08:44Z")
> [@Trepa\_Mayfield](#): > > I once, as a townie, suggested to the rest of the town that we should lynch all the townies. > > I’ll take that risk. amateurs. ---
**Author:** ![choie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/choie/32/7829_2.png) [@choie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choie)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2011, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-thrill-of-the-chase-newbie-friendly/603526/35 "2011-11-25T07:12:58Z")
> [@Astral\_Rejection](#): > > Choie, you didn’t lose the game for your team. It was already lost before you even placed your vote, since your tie-breaking choice was between two townies. All of the other voters were locked in, so it was literally impossible for you to have done any differently. Well, thanks, I guess I know that’s true, and yet it’s hard knowing I’m the one who pushed the button, even if the nuke was already warming up in the silo. 🙂 Ooh, one quick question to **Trepa Mayfield** , please? Before diving in back in the **De’endee** game, I read a bunch of the past Mafia games here, and there was at least one before that was advertised as newbie friendly. Yet IIRC, newbie **twickster** walked out in a huff and a bunch of newbies still felt in over their heads, possibly due to the multiple old-timers participating and referencing past games in their logic/strategy. But maybe I’m misremembering. I guess the question is: how _does_ one make a Mafia game newbie-friendly? What distinguishes a newbie-friendly game from a hardcore “don’t enter unless you’re Al Capone / John Gotti’s successor” kinda game? ---
**Author:** ![gnarlycharlie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/5f9b8f/32.png) [@gnarlycharlie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnarlycharlie)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2011, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-thrill-of-the-chase-newbie-friendly/603526/36 "2011-11-25T14:07:44Z")
/in male hi **choie**! you played well for your first game. as has been said, not your fault, even if i was that lynched townie. 😃 if you want to play more games, you can try the Geeb and idlemafia. there are always games there. ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Jan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Silver\_Jan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Jan)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2011, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-thrill-of-the-chase-newbie-friendly/603526/37 "2011-11-25T17:13:00Z")
> [@special\_ed](#): > > I’m in. > > I’m male, but effeminate. > > How ever, if I’ma fucked up mason, I will still kill you. Slowly. Painfully. Humiliatingly. > > Yes, that’s a word. Bah!!! You effeminate, I’ll eat my hat! 🙂 ---
**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:** [November 25, 2011, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-thrill-of-the-chase-newbie-friendly/603526/38 "2011-11-25T17:27:45Z")
> [@choie](#): > > I guess the question is: how _does_ one make a Mafia game newbie-friendly? What distinguishes a newbie-friendly game from a hardcore “don’t enter unless you’re Al Capone / John Gotti’s successor” kinda game? Well, for example, Trepa once made a game where Ed was a scum mason. The other masons thought he was town but he had his own secret alliance with the scum team. That brought forth a big debate about what makes a mason a mason and it can be quite interesting from a theoretical and game design perspective but I bring it up because it only worked in a game where people already had ideas about what masons are and what their job is. If a bunch of people who had never played before were in that game, they’d have been completely flummoxed about what was going on and they wouldn’t necessarily have understood what was going on without a lot of explanation. When a game is marketed as newbfriendly that usually means that there are few if any odd roles and the layout is straightforward with few surprises. DeeNDee was not a newbfriendly game. A new player, such as yourself, was not only learning to deal with the voting mechanic but with the leveling up mechanic as well. It adds a level of analysis beyond the core concepts. ---
**Author:** ![GuiriEnEspana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc79bd/32.png) [@GuiriEnEspana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuiriEnEspana)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2011, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-thrill-of-the-chase-newbie-friendly/603526/39 "2011-11-25T20:04:38Z")
/In please! Another male. Newbie friendly. **Is there a cutesy name for the scum team?** > [@](#): > > The scum win condition: It is impossible for the scum to lose even if they all openly revealed themselves. **Really?** ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Jan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Silver\_Jan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Jan)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2011, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-thrill-of-the-chase-newbie-friendly/603526/40 "2011-11-25T20:17:20Z")
> [@GuiriEnEspana](#): > > /In please! Another male. Newbie friendly. > > **Is there a cutesy name for the scum team?** > > **Really?** Makes you want to be on the scum team 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-thrill-of-the-chase-newbie-friendly/603526.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-the-thrill-of-the-chase-newbie-friendly/603526.md?page=3)