# Mystery Mafia -- Game Thread **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [August 17, 2011, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-mafia-game-thread/593025 "2011-08-17T14:03:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 68
**Author:** ![Askthepizzaguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askthepizzaguy/32/9405_2.png) [@Askthepizzaguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askthepizzaguy)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2011, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-mafia-game-thread/593025/1342 "2011-08-20T20:11:35Z")
> [@Giraffe](#): > > Woo hoo, it’s finally started! Neat. > > And to jump right into things, I’m not getting the votes on **Mykbot** at all. Maybe you guys play with each other enough that you’re on some meta wheels-within-wheels level, but **Mykbot** ’s “soft-clear” statement, while not well justified IMO, seems like an odd early gambit for a Wolf to make. Frankly, I’m a lot more suspicious of people eager to jump on an easy vote than I am of people who make casual statements of questionable logic about who is and isn’t wolfish. Scum sometimes defend folks they know aren’t scum because it gains them sympathy. Sometimes townies defend other townies. Sometimes townies even defend scumbags unwittingly, like Pizzaguy, breaking his rule not to defend anyone because of how scummy it is, then giving himself a pass because he’s been cleared so it’s not scummy, except it is stupid rather than scummy. But I digress from this far too specific counterexample; the above move could have been blowing flower petals in Mykbot’s direction so he looks like “the only sane one”. That can be scummy. Whether it is depends if Giraffe does this sort of thing a lot or not, or more to the point, whether he got the scum role card or not. > [@Giraffe](#): > > Up yours, I’m not getting drawn into your web this time, buster. When you’re Town, you bait me into mislynching you. When you’re scum, you bait me into trying to lynch you, getting lynched myself, and then wriggling out of the consequences through circular logic and daring lies. > > I absolutely can not figure you out. You’re like a hair under my contact lens. I’d lynch you every game on Day one if I could, except that then you’d be Town ten games in a row just to spite me. > > \ Overreaction to special ed’s post, IMO. > [@Giraffe](#): > > I agree with this. I do think it’s a bad idea, but it’s not as if there’s no upside whatsoever for Town: a public history of Night targets would give Town a way of catching Wolves in inconsistencies. So one can see how a Town player could suggest it. Would a Wolf suggest something like that on Day one? I think that’s a lot less likely, for the same reason I’m dubious of the votes against **MykBot**. Sometimes scum will give “sound advice” which they can cite later on as “I told you so” Why this is scummy is because the primary scum strategy, for anyone, ever, is to “look less bad than everyone else”. That’s why this can be interpreted as scummy. > [@Giraffe](#): > > Interesting. While it’s almost too obvious, this fits my pattern of typical scum on Day one (following the action but staying quieter than usual, trying not to ruffle feathers) so well that I think it’s worth a vote at this point. > > **vote Dancecat** This could be interpreted as a way of distancing his own behavior from one specific kind of scummy behavior (staying quieter, not ruffling feathers) and suggesting without saying, that since that is scum behavior, what Giraffe is doing now is therefore not. It’s not stated as such, but it could be implied. If it were stated out loud, it would be a laughable assertion; since it’s not stated explicitly, it seeps into everyone’s subconscious without challenge. This could also just be a townie talking about stuff. There are no \*\*\*reliable \*\*\*scum indicators so far, and even the most reliable scum indicators aren’t reliable. > [@Giraffe](#): > > On this board: one. (Town, and I think I got lynched the first Day.) > On my board: maybe six? The last one I got lynched the first Day (as scum), **in large part because I loudly and dramatically bemoaned how terrible I am at Mafia.** So I’m definitely not going to do that, but don’t get too riled up by my vote because I really am fairly terrible at this game. 😉 Where have I seen this behavior before? > [@Giraffe](#): > > It’s lazy to jump on me for my vote. Opportunistic. :dubious: Maybe. > [@Giraffe](#): > > Thanks for the clarification, I do think I misread your comment as being a more significant observation of her behavior than it was. > > Anyway, I’m now more suspicious of peeker for eagerly jumping on an easy vote, so: > > **unvote DanceCat** > **vote peeker** This is good distancing if it is. I doubt Giraffe and peeker are knowingly on the same team (AKA not mafia together). > [@Giraffe](#): > > I’ll take that bet. Ten games, if you flip not-town, your first post will be a paragraph listing five facts about John Quincy Adams. Hollow bravado. > [@Giraffe](#): > > Lol. “Definitely scum.” Someone’s got some omgys of their own going on. > > I’ll look forward to hearing you wax on about John Quincy Adams in our next game. \*\*Player X from a different game, \*\*is that you? > [@Giraffe](#): > > Are you just needling me here? Yeah, I was the worst scum ever in Gilligan’s Island. As soon as you laid out your case on me, I knew I was boned. My only hope was to agree with you that I’d been super scummy and hope that people might believe no one would be dumb enough as scum to actually play that way. Unfortunately, I then misread when Day ended, so I never got a chance to make the second half of the case. :smack:. GASP! I found her twin! They’re practically identical. I can’t wait to introduce them. > [@Giraffe](#): > > I have to say, **crackedquads** has been pinging the bejeezus out of me over the last couple of pages. His whole “c’mon Town, let’s all pull together and choose one of these vote leaders!” cheerleading seems really off to me. crackedquads, eh? Okay I’ll review him at some point. > [@Giraffe](#): > > It was just one hypothesis I came up with to explain the weird vibe I was getting off of your posting (which started two hours ago, thus _three_ hours before eod). Since toNight could be a bloodbath, I wanted to get my suspicions out there in case I die. > > Besides, it’s not impossible: **peeker** (who I believe to be a wolf) is crafty. I could easily see him telling you to vote for him once there were multiple vote leaders. It would be a gamble that could pay off dividends in later Days. A lot of players are crafty. Surely you’re not holding this against him? Being crafty is a null-tell because it doesn’t affect your odds of getting a scum role. > [@Giraffe](#): > > (Goddamn vb tags are a pain to write from an iPad…) Posting from an iPad = scum. Sure, I’ll go with it for now. Not the best case in the whole wide world, but better than zero. \*\*unvote: brewha vote: Giraffe **[COLOR=Black]peeker’s play doesn’t strike me as scummy at all.[/COLOR] While I am sure he’s an excellent scum, and that he could play this way as scum, I am wagering that it is not presently the case.** \*\* ---
**Author:** ![peekercpa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8baadc/32.png) [@peekercpa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peekercpa)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2011, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-mafia-game-thread/593025/1343 "2011-08-20T20:13:27Z")
seriously **jan**. this is not meant to offend or anything like that. what is town’s task? ---
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2011, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-mafia-game-thread/593025/1344 "2011-08-20T20:15:31Z")
> [@peekercpa](#): > > hey, who are my scumbuddies **giraffe**. since you are so sure i am one obviously i am providing cover for some others. or potentially stirring the shit on townies. how do you see it? I’m still not 100% on you – I do think it’s possible you’re just a Townie who is in super stubborn “only a scum would think I’m not Town!!” mode, but questions like these are making me feel better about my vote. What kind of defense is that? YesterDay, I was thinking **crackedquads** was your scumbuddy. ToDay, I’m not so sure. His analysis has been very solidly pro-Town, particularly [this post](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=14160718&postcount=1204) about **Silman** ’s posts yesterDay. Of course, if he’s a wolf then it’s not at all surprising that he caught those posts if the wolves did in fact target him as a potential seer. The first time I was scum, I was constantly throwing out “theories” for why the scum did this or that, based on having been privy to the back and forth about what Town might think about why we did whatever we did. True or false, it makes you look like an enthusiastically pro-Town player who is poring over the past Day’s posting to try to better understand those insidious wolves. So I’m still not sure about him. I also need to go back and re-read the posts and votes right around the time you were near or in the lynch lead and see if any other wolf candidates emerge. Of course, this is all only useful if you are in fact scum. Frankly, I may just wait until you flip so I know I’m not heading off on a wild goose chase. ---
**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:** [August 20, 2011, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-mafia-game-thread/593025/1345 "2011-08-20T20:17:18Z")
> [@peekercpa](#): > > really? i mean seriousl? Yeah, seriousl \* (sic) are you just being obnoxious? My language can be terribly vulgar although I choose not to use it and I have already said that I have sort of changed my mind about you (vulgar though you are) so find yourself someone else that you can shock 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Askthepizzaguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askthepizzaguy/32/9405_2.png) [@Askthepizzaguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askthepizzaguy)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2011, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-mafia-game-thread/593025/1346 "2011-08-20T20:18:30Z")
> [@sachertorte](#): > > But even if you go 1 for 3, that is most likely a net positive for Town. One for One is three times superior than one for three, and I can accomplish that by doing nothing. How about absorbing a scum-kill instead of a detective or better role? All of a sudden, I’m twice as good as just plain old one-for-one. I will debate this until the day I die; my move here was very good. > [@](#): > > Throw in a Vigilante and if that vigilante kills 4 people, 1 scum and 3 town, the net effect is even. Throw in a vigilante that kills 1 person: 1 scum, and the effect is far, far better. Getting greedy is why I’m a failure sometimes. Steady, pizzaguy. > [@](#): > > Also, it is my strong belief that vigilantes provide the additional service of _eliminating unknowns_. By killing off a player under suspicion, you remove the need for town to lynch that player. Whether scum or Town, that is a net positive for Town. Lynches and vig-kills are nearly interchangeable. Still, you’re right, I could have picked off some lurkers. It’s just that the number of true lurkers in this game is quite low and not many of them are reading scummy to me. I think the scums are adopting a middle-to-high talking strategy. > [@](#): > > I’m of the opinion that the correct Town move would have been to stay silent. Noted; basically everyone thinks my move was wrong. That’s why you need me around, so I can demonstrate that A-thinking is good, but B-thinking is also good. ---
**Author:** ![peekercpa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8baadc/32.png) [@peekercpa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peekercpa)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2011, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-mafia-game-thread/593025/1347 "2011-08-20T20:18:55Z")
btw. i’ll give you a clue. it’s a one word answer that has three letters. but if you get the spirit of the answer the professor will probably give you full credit. ---
**Author:** ![peekercpa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8baadc/32.png) [@peekercpa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peekercpa)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2011, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-mafia-game-thread/593025/1348 "2011-08-20T20:21:36Z")
> [@Silver\_Jan](#): > > Yeah, seriousl \* (sic) are you just being obnoxious? My language can be terribly vulgar although I choose not to use it and I have already said that I have sort of changed my mind about you (vulgar though you are) so find yourself someone else that you can shock 😉 actually i am trying to find scum. perhaps my methods are a tad unsettling? ---
**Author:** ![Askthepizzaguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askthepizzaguy/32/9405_2.png) [@Askthepizzaguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askthepizzaguy)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2011, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-mafia-game-thread/593025/1349 "2011-08-20T20:22:08Z")
Hey **peeker** ; I think you’ve made your points on Giraffe and it has earned my vote for now. May I ask a favor of you? Relax for a bit. It’s out there. See if you can’t find anyone \*else \*in the game who is acting scummy as well. That’s my challenge to you. Can you dig it? ---
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2011, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-mafia-game-thread/593025/1350 "2011-08-20T20:23:16Z")
> [@Askthepizzaguy](#): > > Overreaction to special ed’s post, IMO. Definitely, but ed and I have a history. I’m just coming off a game where he frickin’ crushed me, so I’m feeling a bit sensitive about him. > [@](#): > > Hollow bravado. Absolutely. I didn’t take the bet because I was sure I’d win, I took it because (a) I’m a sucker for prop bets and (b) the delight of peeker quoting John Quincy Adams facts far outweighs having to post about how awesome he is for ten games. The only thing about the bet I think has any information whatsoever is the fact that he made it. Feels like a scummy Hail Mary to me, but YMMV. > [@](#): > > vote: Giraffe Meh, that’s fine. Certainly not the worst case I’ve ever seen. ---
**Author:** ![Askthepizzaguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askthepizzaguy/32/9405_2.png) [@Askthepizzaguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askthepizzaguy)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2011, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-mafia-game-thread/593025/1351 "2011-08-20T20:24:37Z")
> [@peekercpa](#): > > actually i am trying to find scum. perhaps my methods are a tad unsettling? That they are. You’re like me, plus the word “fuck” thrown in. ---
**Author:** ![peekercpa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8baadc/32.png) [@peekercpa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peekercpa)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2011, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-mafia-game-thread/593025/1352 "2011-08-20T20:25:12Z")
ok. here’s the deal off boarders. i am a prick and an asshole when trying to find scum. i think most of the folks over here have kind have that as a given. man i was trying to be fucking nice on D1. small posts. small syllables. nothing too abstract. and then wham i get hammered by the dopers because of the way i am acting and posting. well fuck that. crap **jan** you even voted me for that very reason. now that i am playing more in my zone i am being “obnoxious”. seriously. what the heck do you want? ---
**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:** [August 20, 2011, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-mafia-game-thread/593025/1353 "2011-08-20T20:26:34Z")
> [@peekercpa](#): > > actually i am trying to find scum. perhaps my methods are a tad unsettling? Your methods are **very** unsettling but I will go along with you for now 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Askthepizzaguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askthepizzaguy/32/9405_2.png) [@Askthepizzaguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askthepizzaguy)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2011, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-mafia-game-thread/593025/1354 "2011-08-20T20:27:11Z")
> [@Giraffe](#): > > Meh, that’s fine. Certainly not the worst case I’ve ever seen. And my challenge to you, Giraffe, is to look for peeker’s possible scum teammates, and also give me a scenario where he’s not scum and tell me if you can find a second person in the game who is also scummy. It’s superior to debating with peeker because you’re both just locking horns at this point. Something more constructive, methinks. ---
**Author:** ![peekercpa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8baadc/32.png) [@peekercpa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peekercpa)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2011, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-mafia-game-thread/593025/1355 "2011-08-20T20:27:36Z")
> [@Askthepizzaguy](#): > > Hey **peeker** ; I think you’ve made your points on Giraffe and it has earned my vote for now. > > May I ask a favor of you? Relax for a bit. It’s out there. See if you can’t find anyone \*else \*in the game who is acting scummy as well. That’s my challenge to you. > > Can you dig it? well i am currently going after **jan**. does that work? next will be **tex** and then **scuba**. is that agenda copacetic with you. or do you have like a different set of priorities. ---
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2011, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-mafia-game-thread/593025/1356 "2011-08-20T20:28:11Z")
> [@Askthepizzaguy](#): > > And my challenge to you, Giraffe, is to look for peeker’s possible scum teammates, and also give me a scenario where he’s not scum and tell me if you can find a second person in the game who is also scummy. > > It’s superior to debating with peeker because you’re both just locking horns at this point. Something more constructive, methinks. That is a very reasonable request. I’m on it. ---
**Author:** ![peekercpa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8baadc/32.png) [@peekercpa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peekercpa)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2011, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-mafia-game-thread/593025/1357 "2011-08-20T20:30:13Z")
> [@Askthepizzaguy](#): > > That they are. You’re like me, plus the word “fuck” thrown in. ok. step away. so do you play to win or do you play to the crowd? this one is the honker question of all times. i’ve actually asked this of two other folks and their answers were surprising. ---
**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:** [August 20, 2011, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-mafia-game-thread/593025/1358 "2011-08-20T20:30:18Z")
> [@peekercpa](#): > > ok. here’s the deal off boarders. i am a prick and an asshole when trying to find scum. i think most of the folks over here have kind have that as a given. man i was trying to be fucking nice on D1. small posts. small syllables. nothing too abstract. and then wham i get hammered by the dopers because of the way i am acting and posting. well fuck that. crap **jan** you even voted me for that very reason. now that i am playing more in my zone i am being “obnoxious”. seriously. what the heck do you want? You see, I actually Like the normal\*\* Peeker\*\* and not this namby, pamby person you tried to portray and that is why you got my vote. ---
**Author:** ![Askthepizzaguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askthepizzaguy/32/9405_2.png) [@Askthepizzaguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askthepizzaguy)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2011, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-mafia-game-thread/593025/1359 "2011-08-20T20:31:55Z")
> [@peekercpa](#): > > ok. here’s the deal off boarders. i am a prick and an asshole when trying to find scum So, you are my long-lost cousin after all. I was wondering what in the blue Skeezix people were talking about when they said “let’s get Pizza in a game with peeker” because I was all “I don’t swear like that.” Didn’t see the connection. Peeker is basically Askthepizzaguy if he were raised by a pair of foul-mouthed sailor dads. ---
**Author:** ![peekercpa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8baadc/32.png) [@peekercpa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peekercpa)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2011, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-mafia-game-thread/593025/1360 "2011-08-20T20:32:17Z")
> [@Giraffe](#): > > That is a very reasonable request. I’m on it. hey, dude. look at my list. wink wink nudge nudge. ---
**Author:** ![peekercpa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8baadc/32.png) [@peekercpa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peekercpa)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2011, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-mafia-game-thread/593025/1361 "2011-08-20T20:33:25Z")
> [@Askthepizzaguy](#): > > So, you are my long-lost cousin after all. I was wondering what in the blue Skeezix people were talking about when they said “let’s get Pizza in a game with peeker” because I was all “I don’t swear like that.” Didn’t see the connection. > > Peeker is basically Askthepizzaguy if he were raised by a pair of foul-mouthed sailor dads. both of the bitches were female. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-mafia-game-thread/593025.md?page=67) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-mafia-game-thread/593025.md?page=69)