# Skimming the surface: Scum Mafia FORBIDDEN thread **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [January 29, 2010, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skimming-the-surface-scum-mafia-forbidden-thread/526896 "2010-01-29T15:18:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Red\_Skeezix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/aca169/32.png) [@Red\_Skeezix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Skeezix)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2010, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skimming-the-surface-scum-mafia-forbidden-thread/526896/21 "2010-02-09T15:51:17Z")
Eh, I’m still stuck on fluiddruid. Her case against story reads like ‘Story is so smart and good at this game that he must be scum! Go ahead read his posts and imagine he’s scum. Doesn’t it all make sense?’, this is a meme that scum players need to forget. This weak case combined with yesterday’s stinker on peeks, I think is pretty telling. Although, I have been wrong before. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2010, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skimming-the-surface-scum-mafia-forbidden-thread/526896/22 "2010-02-09T17:09:10Z")
> [@Scum mafia: On Cecil pond \[Game Over\]](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scum-mafia-on-cecil-pond-game-over/526202/870): > > You know, I don’t know if you’re Town or your Scum, but this thing? This, “oh, so-and-so is not playing the way they usually play?” This thing _never_ works. Worked fine to catch **Chronos** in Screamers mafia. ---
**Author:** ![MHaye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bbe5ce/32.png) [@MHaye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MHaye)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2010, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skimming-the-surface-scum-mafia-forbidden-thread/526896/23 "2010-02-09T18:07:29Z")
I’ve used it once as well. In Dotchan’s Three Kingdoms game (see idlemafia) I spotted on Day 2 that Hockey Monkey was posting much less than normal. I thought she was lying low because she was one of the rival Houses, so we of the Shu killed her that Night. She was the Vig. One of the few threats to a House with only one player left. (Next Day, we lynched Kat the Doctor. Good times…) ---
**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:** [February 9, 2010, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skimming-the-surface-scum-mafia-forbidden-thread/526896/24 "2010-02-09T20:14:11Z")
> [@](#): > > Worked fine to catch Chronos in Screamers mafia. Actually, I still think that was a fluke. The main difference folks were noticing there was that my early-game play isn’t the same as my mid- to late-game play. If I had survived to mid-game, I would have probably looked a lot more true to form. At least, I think so, but a person is probably the least qualified to judge their own playstyle. ---
**Author:** ![peekercpa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8baadc/32.png) [@peekercpa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peekercpa)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skimming-the-surface-scum-mafia-forbidden-thread/526896/25 "2010-02-10T03:05:03Z")
oh for goodness sakes. if town can’t convert this then i died in vain. sheesh. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Skeezix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/aca169/32.png) [@Red\_Skeezix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Skeezix)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skimming-the-surface-scum-mafia-forbidden-thread/526896/26 "2010-02-10T04:51:13Z")
The problem is that it (stylistic discrepancy) works no more often than it fails and people may play different town roles differently. It doesn’t mean scum is being exposed, just that the player may have an unusual role, or just isn’t used to playing that role. I think that stylistic discrepancy can add to a case, but can’t reliably be used as the meat of a case, because the motivation is at least as likely to be town as scum. The other problem I see with it is that as the more stubborn players place more reliance on it as a strong scum tell, the more scum will use it to manipulate those players. But in its defense, I see it as a tool for prioritizing time investigating possible scum; tagging (privately) those players who deserve a closer scrutiny. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Skeezix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/aca169/32.png) [@Red\_Skeezix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Skeezix)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skimming-the-surface-scum-mafia-forbidden-thread/526896/27 "2010-02-10T05:05:28Z")
Heh, I should have caught up with the game thread before I posted.:smack: If story is scum, I think the least likely claim he would have made is Vig (although there is a lot of wine to be drunk with that statement). If he were scum, I would have expected him to claim protective, to draw out protective roles. ---
**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:** [February 10, 2010, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skimming-the-surface-scum-mafia-forbidden-thread/526896/28 "2010-02-10T05:43:00Z")
By the way, **Skeezix** , are you still interested in subbing in? If **Scuba** hasn’t checked in by Thursday, he’ll need to be replaced. That goes for anyone else, too, if **Skeezix** doesn’t want it. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Sensitive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/58956e/32.png) [@Darth\_Sensitive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Sensitive)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skimming-the-surface-scum-mafia-forbidden-thread/526896/29 "2010-02-10T06:51:54Z")
Hah! I have no stylistic discrepancy. I’m always quiet when playing! 😃 (Also the godfather) ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Skeezix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/aca169/32.png) [@Red\_Skeezix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Skeezix)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skimming-the-surface-scum-mafia-forbidden-thread/526896/30 "2010-02-10T13:01:26Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > By the way, **Skeezix** , are you still interested in subbing in? If **Scuba** hasn’t checked in by Thursday, he’ll need to be replaced. > > That goes for anyone else, too, if **Skeezix** doesn’t want it. Yeah, I’ll jump in if Scuba doesn’t return. ---
**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:** [February 10, 2010, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skimming-the-surface-scum-mafia-forbidden-thread/526896/31 "2010-02-10T16:11:03Z")
> [@peekercpa](#): > > oh for goodness sakes. if town can’t convert this then i died in vain. > > sheesh. I thought your main goal in accepting your lynch was to prove I was lying and was scum… ---
**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:** [February 10, 2010, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skimming-the-surface-scum-mafia-forbidden-thread/526896/32 "2010-02-10T17:56:24Z")
Well, to be fair, your alignment is now in fact proven. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skimming-the-surface-scum-mafia-forbidden-thread/526896/33 "2010-02-10T20:14:58Z")
One day from the end of Summer, and half the players (not counting Scuba) don’t have votes on a human. ---
**Author:** ![peekercpa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8baadc/32.png) [@peekercpa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peekercpa)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skimming-the-surface-scum-mafia-forbidden-thread/526896/34 "2010-02-10T23:16:41Z")
> [@special\_ed](#): > > I thought your main goal in accepting your lynch was to prove I was lying and was scum… not at all **ed** and you know it. i knew you were stirring the pot, as was i, but that is kind of to be expected between us. my main goal in accepting a lynch was getting out of the way. seriously, when two folks basically vote you for personal reasons… i don’t need that level of crap. and maybe it was just game strategy on their part. if so, poorly done, poorly done. i’ll give you and some of the other regulars a ration of crap but it has never approached anything regarding personal unless it was the actual, my head will explode, visual image of you in a tutu with no skivvies. ---
**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:** [February 11, 2010, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skimming-the-surface-scum-mafia-forbidden-thread/526896/35 "2010-02-11T19:35:04Z")
**Red** , it looks like you’re in. There’s still 25 minutes before it’s official; check your PMs then. ---
**Author:** ![fluiddruid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@fluiddruid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fluiddruid)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2010, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skimming-the-surface-scum-mafia-forbidden-thread/526896/36 "2010-02-11T20:25:51Z")
Dead for a ducat, dead! I knew it the moment I took on Story. Too bad I had nobody else to take the wager. 😉 ---
**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:** [February 11, 2010, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skimming-the-surface-scum-mafia-forbidden-thread/526896/37 "2010-02-11T20:53:15Z")
There’s the old meeko! I especially like this: > [@](#): > > Not knowing allignment does hurt town. At the same time, it also helps Vig. I think he’s fallen back on his tendancy to think this is an individual game. The Vig is Town. If an action is bad for Town, it is bad for the Vig. Of course, he’s still taking more things personally\* than he should be, but I don’t think we’ll ever see that go away. \*Not in an offended way, but in a ‘how is this related to meeko’ way. ---
**Author:** ![Normal\_Phase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Normal\_Phase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Normal_Phase)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2010, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skimming-the-surface-scum-mafia-forbidden-thread/526896/38 "2010-02-15T17:34:31Z")
sachertorte: > [@](#): > > My top choice of things I want, would be for storyteller to be lynched. But I feel it necessary to also state precisely what I DON’T want. We absolutely must avoid a storyteller vs. vanilla choice. storyteller has claimed a power role. Towns are notoriously squicky about lynching claimed power roles. Given a choice between lynching a claimed power role and a vanilla claimant, town will lynch the vanilla claimant pretty much every time. We can’t fall into this trap or else scummy storyteller would be able to pick off one Townie at a time. We need to determine storyteller’s lynchability Today very quickly, and drop him if he is not feasible. That is not to say that we need to commit to lynching storyteller right away (though I wouldn’t mind), but if a significant portion of the population is against lynching storyteller because of the role claim, speak up now! Otherwise we’re wasting our time and setting up easy plays for scum. Huge scum motive for this part of his post, as it tends to discourage Story being lynched while seeming to be in favor of it. I’m leaning toward him as Scum at this point. Can you spoil me Chronos, so I can find out if I’m right? ---
**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:** [February 15, 2010, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skimming-the-surface-scum-mafia-forbidden-thread/526896/39 "2010-02-15T19:10:50Z")
OK, Normal, spoilered. ---
**Author:** ![peekercpa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8baadc/32.png) [@peekercpa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peekercpa)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2010, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skimming-the-surface-scum-mafia-forbidden-thread/526896/40 "2010-02-15T22:11:26Z")
sd mafia. home of the clueless. and, btw, thanks **chronos**. my life was short but my enjoyment was great. and it just keeps getting more entertaining. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skimming-the-surface-scum-mafia-forbidden-thread/526896.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skimming-the-surface-scum-mafia-forbidden-thread/526896.md?page=3)