Monsterhearts Mafia II - The Prequel - AAR Mafia Win

[Keirador]

and I genuinely think I couldn't bear the guilt of being actual Scum.

Something someone told me once kind of stuck with me in terms of maybe feeling "bad" or "guilty" if you are a wolf. Which is a completely understandable way of thinking. You're playing the bad guy and know that everyone else has no idea what's really going on and might be trying really hard and putting so much effort in trying to figure out who is a wolf and reacting to suspicion.

Basically, the way this person explained it was that like...everyone signed up for this game. And yea, you did rand wolf and don't get to be "with" the majority of players who are trying to solve it. But it's kind of your job to actually try to play well in order to actually give the townspeople a game to play. Like you are trying to build all these obstacles in order to make the game harder to solve. Trying to give the town the hardest puzzle to solve and seeing if they can figure it out. Like you're actually a vitally important part of the town having a game that's actually compelling/interesting and challenging.

This is basically how I play wolves, ftr. As a public service for the town.

[Keirador]

^ Probably why I'm a bad wolf player.

[Keirador]

By the way, I've been talking to the Director of Relationship Activities about this game for its duration, frequently saying it's the most fun I've had playing mafia in a good long while. She's been following the twists and turns, albeit with monikers like "science guy," "Canadian law student" "new guy," "singer who can cook," etc.

When I told her the game had ended, her immediate response was "did you thank the GM and the scum team for providing such a good game?"

So in case I haven't, thank you Nimb, Synth, Justin and Chuck.

[Fatmo]

and I genuinely think I couldn't bear the guilt of being actual Scum.

Something someone told me once kind of stuck with me in terms of maybe feeling "bad" or "guilty" if you are a wolf. Which is a completely understandable way of thinking. You're playing the bad guy and know that everyone else has no idea what's really going on and might be trying really hard and putting so much effort in trying to figure out who is a wolf and reacting to suspicion.

Basically, the way this person explained it was that like...everyone signed up for this game. And yea, you did rand wolf and don't get to be "with" the majority of players who are trying to solve it. But it's kind of your job to actually try to play well in order to actually give the townspeople a game to play. Like you are trying to build all these obstacles in order to make the game harder to solve. Trying to give the town the hardest puzzle to solve and seeing if they can figure it out. Like you're actually a vitally important part of the town having a game that's actually compelling/interesting and challenging.

This is basically how I play wolves, ftr. As a public service for the town.

Oh, it was probably you that said this then. I couldn't remember who it was.

[AKFD]

Hey, just came back since I last posted in this thread (I posted it right before a college entrance test), and I'm really grateful for the responses to what I feel. I just want to address a few points regarding what I felt during the game.

First of all, UDC. I read through his past scum games in Lambert Simnel and DW, and I'm just as equally amazed by his game here. From pulling himself from a very perilous position during SOD2 (where I predicted in spec that scum might bus him) to being very indistinguishable from the town during F4, I am just gobsmacked. Kudos to you. (And yes you totally deserve the Talisman.)

Syn and Justin, great scum games as always. Totally had me snowed up to the point I was killed.

To the rest of the town, great effort fighting hard to the end. I agree with Shadow when she said that the gameplay here was some of the best that this site has seen in a long time. I also really love how stacked the roster was; even the relatively new players proved very effective (PBubs, you deserve that Aura!).

To Nimb, great GMing and a great game! Coming off from the original Monsterhearts, I had high expectations for this game, and you didn't disappoint.

Now, to address the elephant in the room:
1. Thank you all for the responses to my last post. Do note that I was in an emotionally distressed state when I wrote that, and some parts of that post might come off as emotionally charged, but the vibe remains the same nonetheless. I honestly do think that for now, every new Mafia game that I play might end up being a net negative for my well being, and combined with my current lack of availability as a player, I think it would be in the best interests for me and the community to step aside from playing. When will I return? Who knows, maybe once I've graduated perhaps?
2.

I felt so shitty making votes like AK and Shark because I felt pressured into it, and I genuinely think I couldn't bear the guilt of being actual Scum.

You don't have to feel shitty for casting a vote on a townie. That's how we play the game: you'll never know that you voted for a townie unless you are scum. As for bearing the guilt of actual scum, I'd honestly say that being scum is more fun than being town, as you don't feel the distress when people are voting you wrongly. Re: What Fatmo replied to this, scum is an integral part of the game and giving the town a challenge is satisfying in itself.
3. Re: How I played D1, I was indeed falling behind at certain parts of the day, unsure if I'd survive the day. So I tried going the emotionally charged path, which didn't work out since I think scum were shutting it down, but I think in hindsight it should have been enough to prove I was town that day. Oh well. As for the statement that I got crucified over (my plan to kill all liars), I did actually have that sentiment and we can discuss the pros and cons of it in this thread. I really got paranoid from last game's EoD shenanigans, and wanted to try to avoid it this game . I maybe could have worded it better (maybe I shouldn't have gone too hard on the hard kill part), but I want to hear from you all what you actually thought about it.
4.

I think it's a self-fulfilling prophecy, that once a player starts getting killed D1, they play more cautiously, which then looks like scum play, and so they get killed again.

This is exactly the same thing that UDC posted about me in the American Mafia AAR. And come to think about it, there were some parallels between that game and this. For one, I was DKed as town on D1 on both games, with scum being the main drivers of both wagons, and a generally apathetic town that hardly moved around until EOD. By the end of the day, I kinda had a ping on UDC and an even tinier ping on Justin, but it was not enough for me to materialize into a full on read. And I tried playing more openly during EOD but I didn't know what to say exactly because unlike in American Mafia, scum were the ones listening to me in EoD. I should have also claimed my PR so that I might be saved. But I was already in a bad state that night so I may have not even considered that.
5. And yes, despite me taking a break from Mafia, I'll still be around to spec and maybe even GM a game. I've sent Shadow a very crazy Mafia game idea. We'll see if it materializes.

[Strategus]

@AK - For what it's worth, it sounds like your real life is very much on track, and you should remember that's the important thing. I think we all have to remind ourselves from time to time that when we are playing a game, it's just that - a game. In the grand scheme of things it's not important. Sometimes it can help to take a break from it. You also might find yourself getting the benefit of doubt in future. In this game I was certainly doing that, and I think these things go in cycles.

[justy]

Congratulations to scum team, well deserved win.

Thank you Nimb for GMing flawlessly.

Thank you everyone for playing. I enjoyed myself, this was slow paced enough for me to keep up. I also liked the friendly environment in thread, so thank you everyone for that. :)

[Justinrs2]

AK, chilling out is always an option. You're welcome in spec chat if I get my next game going

By the way, I've been talking to the Director of Relationship Activities about this game for its duration, frequently saying it's the most fun I've had playing mafia in a good long while. She's been following the twists and turns, albeit with monikers like "science guy," "Canadian law student" "new guy," "singer who can cook," etc.

When I told her the game had ended, her immediate response was "did you thank the GM and the scum team for providing such a good game?"

So in case I haven't, thank you Nimb, Synth, Justin and Chuck.

This is sweet, thanks Keir.

[Keirador]

Something someone told me once kind of stuck with me in terms of maybe feeling "bad" or "guilty" if you are a wolf. Which is a completely understandable way of thinking. You're playing the bad guy and know that everyone else has no idea what's really going on and might be trying really hard and putting so much effort in trying to figure out who is a wolf and reacting to suspicion.

Basically, the way this person explained it was that like...everyone signed up for this game. And yea, you did rand wolf and don't get to be "with" the majority of players who are trying to solve it. But it's kind of your job to actually try to play well in order to actually give the townspeople a game to play. Like you are trying to build all these obstacles in order to make the game harder to solve. Trying to give the town the hardest puzzle to solve and seeing if they can figure it out. Like you're actually a vitally important part of the town having a game that's actually compelling/interesting and challenging.

This is basically how I play wolves, ftr. As a public service for the town.

Oh, it was probably you that said this then. I couldn't remember who it was.

That was something Synth said to me once in scumchat when we were in a bad spot; that was the game where two scums got vig-killed at the same time on like Day Two. That might've been nobody knows the rules? Town had two incredibly strong townreads, a mechanical clear plus the guy who killed two scum, and of course this was in the era of never giving scum any night-kills so there was no way for scum to resolve it, so I was inclined to quit until Synth phrased it that way. I fought my way to F3, and then died.

[Nimb]

FYI I edited in a few questions into the first post with the roles & design commentary, would appreciate yalls thoughts!