Werewolf Central VIII: Important WW information goes here - READ OPENING POSTS!

[Thufir]

Sorry^{[Large number]} guys. Out of sight, out of mind, I'm afraid. I didn't check here for a while, so I continued to forget to check here, and it was all just an extensive loop of me not doing anything.

I've updated the Schedule as best I could, please let me know if there's anything wrong in it.
Also,

Originally Posted by Penguinator

Inanimate WW ended in an overwhelming wolf/neutral victory. (Actually, everybody won, but, hey)

Couldn't see this anywhere. Link so I can stick it in Completed Games?

Originally Posted by Lex-Kat

Minecraft WW has ended with a Flawless victory for the Villains.

Likewise.

[Penguinator]

Still without power, may be another week. I hope not.

Sorry, don't kill me. At a friend's place taking a Music Theory course on-line.

[Ur-Quan]

I will need two replacement players for Werewolf: Under Siege. PM me for access.

[Ramsus]

Oh! Oh! Me!

(Though that might actually be viable if I get lynched. )

[Zjoot]

Just wondering, are there any narrators willing to run a classic? It seems like it's about time we had one...

[Gnomish Wanderer]

I would run a Classic. I'm only in two games right now and I have some free time. Maybe I should throw it together.

[Penguinator]

I now have power, but not access to my computer at home. Still very frustrating.

[Vesth]

The Grimmace, did you not receive my PM regarding the D&D game?

And C'nor, reminder for Dvorak.

[Ur-Quan]

Hmm, inspiration struck. I have an idea!

Werewolf: The Narrator

Most of the action is done through the narration, powers change the narration. You vote for a normal lynch and everything, but in the narration, depending on the choices used by the power roles, you could get someone scried, or someone else killed, something other, too.

Night narrations would be controlled by the wolves, also with different effects according to power role narrators.

Feel the idea has any merit?

[Lex-Kat]

Hello, I'd like to announce that My Little Pony 2, the werewolf game, will begin recruitment August 13^th and begin playing the week of August 27^th.

No further details will be announced here. Thank you.

[Internet Flea]

Originally Posted by Ur-Quan

Hmm, inspiration struck. I have an idea!

Werewolf: The Narrator

Most of the action is done through the narration, powers change the narration. You vote for a normal lynch and everything, but in the narration, depending on the choices used by the power roles, you could get someone scried, or someone else killed, something other, too.

Night narrations would be controlled by the wolves, also with different effects according to power role narrators.

Feel the idea has any merit?

So all powers would be public?

[Ur-Quan]

Flea, yes, something like that.

[ThePhantom]

Alan Wake Werewolf has ended, the Town has won.

[C'nor]

Hm. Out of curiosity, has anyone tried a game where recruitment doesn't end after the game starts? It sounds like it might be interesting...

[TBFProgrammer]

I think there's a zombie themed game in the archives that worked like that.

[Internet Flea]

Originally Posted by C'nor

Hm. Out of curiosity, has anyone tried a game where recruitment doesn't end after the game starts? It sounds like it might be interesting...

It has the downside of practicality; everyone who wants to play will probably sign up to start with.

[C'nor]

Originally Posted by Internet Flea

It has the downside of practicality; everyone who wants to play will probably sign up to start with.

...So? If no-one joins after it starts, wouldn't it just work like a normal game?

[Internet Flea]

Originally Posted by C'nor

...So? If no-one joins after it starts, wouldn't it just work like a normal game?

Well, as long as the narrators are alright with the mechanic not being used much it wouldn't be a problem.

[C'nor]

Fair enough.

Anyway, Fae WW II has been sent in for approval, and will start recruiting as soon as it goes up.

[Rules Lawyer #1]

I'm interested in running a new game idea I came up with that, for lack of a better name, I'm calling Zombie Wars.
The basic theme is that there is this eternal war between the undead and the living. Half the players start as undead and the other half start as living. Game play concludes when there is only the living or only the undead (not counting ghosts or players removed from play).

The longer you maintain a role in the game, the more powerful your role becomes. You play to achieve the highest score before the game ends, but you don't know the scores of other players!

I've put together a loose collection of rules to peruse and hopefully give feedback on.

Informal Rule Notes:

Spoiler

Things are about to get crazy…. Vampires, Zombies, Liches… it's a regular armageddon and every power-craving lich for himself!

The Undead vs. the Living:

The Game will consist of two primary factions: the Undead and the Living

The Undead will be trying to slay all the Living
The Living will be trying to … live.

Game begins with equal number of living and undead.
Zombies vote to devour one living person each night.

Vampires masquerade as living people but each night each vampire turns one living person into a blood thrall. As long as a vampire has a blood thrall, he cannot be staked because his loyal thrall automatically warns him of the attack, allowing him to escape.

Thrall a living person loyal to a vampire. A thrall who survives for three days becomes a vampire.

Master Vampire: is a vampire who has successfully turned three people into vampires.

The Lich has the power to raise dead people as zombies. The Lich cannot be killed unless his phylactery is found. The Lich's Phylactery is a random piece of jewelry worn by a random player. The Lich may also vote one player slain each night. If the Lich survives for three days, he becomes a Demi-Lich.

Demi-Lich: A demi-lich is so powerful that even if his Phylactery is found and destroyed, he can still only be killed by a combination of stake vote, wood-cutter vote, and the expenditure of a raise dead vote from a cleric. A Demi-Lich is powerful enough to slay a High Cleric.

Ghosts: dead people become ghosts, each night ghosts may vote to protect one person from all attacks for 24 hours.

Villager: Ordinary in every respect. Villagers may vote each day to stake and burn one player. Any villager who survives for three days may choose to become a Rogue, a Wizard Apprentice, or an Accolyte.

Wood-Cutter: gains immunity to zombies attacks by virtue of the fact that any zombies that vote for him are instantly slain. He may also vote one zombie or living person slain each day. If he survives for three days he becomes a heroic slayer and his vote to slay applies to vampires and Liches without their Phylacterys. If his axe is stolen by a rogue, he becomes an ordinary villager.

Vampire Hunter: whenever a Master Vampire is created, a random surviving villager becomes a Vampire Hunter. As such, he may scry one player each night to determine if that player is a vampire or a thrall.

Cleric may raise one person from the dead each day (doing so reveals his identity to the raised person). The person raised becomes an ordinary villager. The Cleric is immune to vampire attacks. In fact, any vampires targeting the cleric have their identity instantly revealed to the cleric. The Cleric also turns undead making him immune to zombie attacks. He can only be slain by a Lich or turned into a thrall by a Master Vampire. The Cleric is able to destroy the Lich's Phylactery if the Rogue hands him the Phylactery. A cleric who survives for three days becomes a High Cleric. He can raise up to three people each day and cannot be killed by a Lich.

Rogue may steal one player's items each night. He will eventually find the Lich's Phylactery. A rogue who steals the Wood-Cutter's Axe gains the benefits of being a Wood-Cutter.

Master Rogue: a rogue who survives for three days becomes a master rogue. He can steal from up to three people each night.

Mage: is able to destroy the Lich's Phylactery if the Rogue hands him the Phylactery. The Mage can vote to slay up to three players each day. If the Mage successfully slays nine players, he becomes powerful enough that he may choose to become a Lich. He must choose a player upon which to bestow his Phylactery if he decides to do so. Alternatively, he may choose to becomes an arch mage.

Arch Mage: as mage except that he is able to locate one Lich's Phylactery each day. To do this he must name the lich whose phylactery he wishes to locate.

Wizard Apprentice: each day the wizard apprentice may vote to slay one player. If he successfully slays three players, he becomes a Mage.

Accolyte: can turn zombies, but not Vampires. If he survives for three days, he becomes a Cleric.

Note: Liches that are slain are destroyed and removed from the game. They do not have souls to return as ghosts!

The Game ends when there with only undead surviving (not counting ghosts) or only the living surviving (not counting ghosts). The player with the highest score achieved in game wins. Scores are not revealed until the game ends.
Game score:
Create a Zombie +1

Stake Vote success +0
Slay a Player +2
Raise a Player +3
Destroy a Player +3

Create a Thrall +2
Create a Vampire +3

Phylactery found +3
Phylactery Destroyed +3

[TBFProgrammer]

Rule's lawyer, consider relaxing the only one winner rule in some way. Currently factions have little reason to actually work together.

Also, starting as a villager, you'll not have time to accumulate much of any score before the high attrition ends the game, even if you survive to gain a strong role.

I'd think that staking someone should result in a high point bonus for villagers. In fact, gaining more power should make your point gaining abilities depreciate significantly (made up for by the more numerous sources, ability attempts and survivability).

[Internet Flea]

Originally Posted by TBFProgrammer

Also, starting as a villager, you'll not have time to accumulate much of any score before the high attrition ends the game, even if you survive to gain a strong role.

I was assuming all living players would start as villagers.

But yeah, mage seems pretty ridiculous. And I'm not seeing a way for ghosts to come back as undead, which is counterintuitive. And Master Vampire seems to benefit the living more than the dead.

[Rules Lawyer #1]

Originally Posted by TBFProgrammer

Rule's lawyer, consider relaxing the only one winner rule in some way. Currently factions have little reason to actually work together.

Also, starting as a villager, you'll not have time to accumulate much of any score before the high attrition ends the game, even if you survive to gain a strong role.

I'd think that staking someone should result in a high point bonus for villagers. In fact, gaining more power should make your point gaining abilities depreciate significantly (made up for by the more numerous sources, ability attempts and survivability).

Yes, I need to work on the win conditions quite a bit. I introduced the point system because I was worried about how the game would play without it. What do you think about playing without the point system? Just end the game when only one side wins?
Is the rule that liches are destroyed instead of becoming ghosts enough to create and sustain a conflict between the living and the undead?

I haven't addressed the attrition issue. I would like to come up with a good balance between attrition and recruitment.

Originally Posted by Internet Flea

I was assuming all living players would start as villagers.

But yeah, mage seems pretty ridiculous. And I'm not seeing a way for ghosts to come back as undead, which is counterintuitive. And Master Vampire seems to benefit the living more than the dead.

I haven't figured out yet what roles to give out at the beginning, but it would be nice if there were a variety of roles to start with. Right now, it looks like we definitely need to start with at least one vampire or there will be none in the game. I see what you mean about mage

As for ghosts... maybe I can find a way for them to be turned into wraiths... in which case normal ghosts should probably count as town and wraiths as undead. I realize we think of ghosts as being undead, but how to make this work? Maybe all ghosts should be undead? But if they can't kill anybody who is living, then they can't win once all the undead that can kill the living are gone... hmmmm, what to do?

[Internet Flea]

Originally Posted by Rules Lawyer #1

As for ghosts... maybe I can find a way for them to be turned into wraiths... in which case normal ghosts should probably count as town and wraiths as undead. I realize we think of ghosts as being undead, but how to make this work?

The Master Vampire could raise them, maybe; he doesn't seem to gain any powers besides being harder to kill.

[Gray Mage]

Originally Posted by C'nor

Hm. Out of curiosity, has anyone tried a game where recruitment doesn't end after the game starts? It sounds like it might be interesting...

I find it hard to maintain a balanced ratio of town/wolves. If you try to enforce it, it'd be possible and maybe even easy to game the sistem through meta-game, if you make it 100% random, it could disbalance things.

[Atreyu the Masked LLama]

Originally Posted by C'nor

Hm. Out of curiosity, has anyone tried a game where recruitment doesn't end after the game starts? It sounds like it might be interesting...

Convoy VII: Interstating the Obvious had a rule where a new player could join the Convoy every 4th day and pick their side of Trucker (villager) or Bear (wolf). It was only used twice and I don't remember which side each player picked, but I do know that the logical discussion it brought out was interesting.

Originally Posted by Uncle Festy

The thing about players joining the game choosing their side is that they'll probably join as a Bear, as it's far more interesting… and the players, knowing this, will promptly get them lynched. I'd suggest a randomly assigned role, if that rule is there at all.
Also, in. I'm part of way too many games already, but whatever. This is too awesome to miss.
Handle - Red the Pulper
Truck - Standard, with splattered red paint that – in the right light – could resemble blood…
Cargo - Do you really want to know?

Originally Posted by Lamech

Why would people joining choose bear, I would choose villager. Anyway, I guess we would have to use past game records.
Also since I just got killed in Kaos, I think I will join in this game then.
Handle: Dracula Alucard
Cargo : Not stolen blood
Truck: A completely normal truck, with gravedirt under the seat.

And that was only the 1st page.

[Thufir]

Well, if you could think of a way to make it work, maybe you could just have a game which starts as soon as you post it, with no players, and then they all sign up as the game is running.
No idea how it'd work of course...

[Atreyu the Masked LLama]

Every 4 days is too long between recruits if you want to make it a part of the game. Maybe every 3 nights, or every 2 nights if there aren't a lot of players.

I'd recommend making the role they receive random.

Maybe set the initial sign-up cap at 10 or 15. So that there will be people available to join in later.

[Count Dingdong]

Originally Posted by Thufir

Well, if you could think of a way to make it work, maybe you could just have a game which starts as soon as you post it, with no players, and then they all sign up as the game is running.
No idea how it'd work of course...

Have an idea 'bout that. Could be good/bad/okay. Heres how it works.

Spoiler

Have X number of roles, predetermined in random order (i.e. balanced but random). First however many needed to start = "Original Townsfolk" and have balance there. When Original Townsfolk are taken, game starts.

As players sign up, become "Clueless Newcomers". Theyre out of their first day and night phase and have no powers. On next phase, gain npredetermined role and start participating.

Lynches and NKs aren't required, so days/nights could pass with nothing. And let's keep days at 48 hours, nights at 24?

As players die, their roles die, but they can choose new players after 2 days/nights pass. So, X dies, waits 2 days, and re-enters as Y, Clueless Newcomer on first day.

Game ends when either all Wolves are dead, or Town remaining (including Newcomers) = Wolves remaining (including Newcomers). Could end up at some points with only Town or only Wolves until someone joins/revives, but unlikely.

Not sure if I could run b/c I have no ide aabout balance for WW games, but I could try.

Example:

Spoiler

Original Townsfolk: Players 1-15
Clueless Newcomers: Players 16-40 (or something)

Players starts signing up as spots 1-15, which are randomized and balanced. Initial Wolves know each other; Newcomer wolves don't, though some are mason wolves so do. Likewise, there are masons for villagers, both initial and newcomer.

After first 15 spots, next people take Newcomer spots (anywhere from 16-40, predetermined roles). Dead people can revive as these spots as well, so could have many roles if you want. So don't need 40 people; probably only 15-20 if need be.

So I take spot 12, which is a Seer. First day goes with lynch and second I scry but am killed. After startup but before Day 1, cd4 joins as spot 23, which is a wolf (non-mason) and enters as a Clueless Newcomer. Can't participate in votes Day/Night 2 and doesn't know role. Finds out role on Day 3 and votes for lynch/wolf kill. I revive as spot 30 on day 4 which is a villager. Day 4 comes and goes without my help, and I learn of identity for Day 5.

Alternatively, Clueless Newcomers can participate in lynch votes.

As for waht roles there are, it's up to narrator, but pretty much any role would work. Seers, masons, disguisers, baners (day as well?) are a must, and NK roles or some special roles can work as well. Other game mechanics could be added if wanted.

Just an idea; take it or leave it. Coudl probably be modified a lot...

[Atreyu the Masked LLama]

Originally Posted by Lex-Kat

Hello, I'd like to announce that My Little Pony 2, the werewolf game, will begin recruitment August 13^th and begin playing the week of August 27^th.

No further details will be announced here. Thank you.

Wooooo hooooo!