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This page gives an overview of the game of Mafia.  The game described here is the basic, vanilla version.  A number of games on [[Mafiascum]] (particularly Theme Games and Mini Theme Games) have altered [[Game Mechanics]].  Biut the following is true of the vast majority of games, and if you are playing a [[Newbie Games]], [[Mini Normal Game]] or a [[Large Normal Game]], you can rely on the this unless told otherwise by the mod.
{{Article
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==What is Mafia?==
==History==
'''Original Publication: Prior to January 28, 2007 by [[Antrax]]'''<br>


At its most basic level, Mafia is a game pitting an uninformed majority against an informed minority.  It is a game of cunning and deceit, along with logic and deduction. It is its dual nature that gives it the appeal. As opposed to most games, in Mafia you only know the real “board situation” after the game is over. While playing, you almost always have to play the odds, and count on many assumptions. The fact that every Moderator sets his or her own rules, and doesn’t have to POST these rules anywhere (except in [[Open]] games), makes Mafia more exciting than most other games.


==How do I win at Mafia?==
==How do I win at Mafia?==


Your [[win condition]] should be spelt out in your [[role PM]]. In a basic game, the [[Town]] wins if it manages to kill off all the [[Mafia]], while the Mafia wins if it kills off all the town.  Note that this does not mean that you have to survive the game to win, unless this is specifically part of your role (e.g. in the case of a [[Serial Killer]]). One of the may attributes of a good Mafia player is knowing when to sacrifice themselves for the good of their team.
This question really depends on how you define "[[Win Condition|winning]]". I believe the official definition of "winning" a Mafia game is surviving in it. I, however, have always considered myself to have won the game if the group I was part of won the game, regardless of my own demise, or lack thereof. I think everybody should adopt this view, as it allows for far more daring moves.


==Playing Mafia on Mafiascum.net==


Mafiascum is a place to play the forum version of Mafia.  During the [[Day]] phase, the players post their thoughts and suspicions and analysis of other player's posts, in an attempt to achieve their win condition.  That means that the [[pro-Town]] players try to find and lynch the Mafia, while the [[anti-Town]] players try to get a pro-Town player lynched.  During the [[Night]], players with nightchoices use them to try to achieve their win condition.
==Which is better, being on the Town’s side, or on the Mafia’s?==


==An attempt to generalize Mafia==
Ah. That is a truly interesting question. I’ve written a simulation. First of all, of a game of 20 players (3 [[Mafia]]). Every day, the program eliminated someone at random. Every night, it killed someone at random. The Mafia won with this setup 68% of the time. Then I added a [[Cop]], which was more like an exploder. My Cop would each night check someone. If that someone was Mafia, he got them eliminated the following day, and then got killed at night by the Mafia. With this simplistic setup, the Mafia won only 32% of the time!


Every game of Mafia is different, but there are certain general "moves" or "plays" that appear in most games. A comprehensive list would be impossible, but would include the following:
The next step was adding the Mafia members "not voting for each other". To do that, I gave the Mafia a chance of 1 in (<code>Town_alive-Mafia_alive</code>) of having someone else eliminated, every round. That brought the Mafia win percentage up to 74%, even with my exploder Cop. The conclusion I drew from all that is that (as expected) there is no definite answer to this question. Too much relies on the setup of the game, as well as on the performance of single players. Otherwise, it would be pretty boring, wouldn’t it? :)


===Moves that anyone can make===
;Post
: See further below;Vote
: Casting your vote to lynch someone.


These are (or should be, in a well constructed [[Setup]]), the most important things in the game.  They are the only things that [[Townie]]s can do, along with voting, to win the game.
==An attempt to generalize Mafia:==


===Role-dependant moves===
For use in my next articles, I’ve tried somehow generalizing the "moves" of Mafia, so it can be discussed like other games. Due to the unique nature of the game, it’s not 100% correct, but nonetheless, here it is.
;Vote
: Casting your vote to eliminate someone.
;Kill
;Kill
: Any action during the night or day, meant to cause instant death to any player.
: Any action during the night or day, meant to cause instant death to any player.
;Investigate
;Investigate
: Targeting a player at night, with the intention of gaining information about the game and/or roles of players. See [[:Category: Investigative Roles]]
: Targeting a player at night, with the intention of gaining information about the game and/or roles of players.
;Protect
;Protect
: Any action during the night, with the intention of preventing harm from any player. See [[:Category: Protective Roles]]
: Any action during the night, with the intention of preventing harm from any player.
;Relay Information
;Relay Information
: Targeting another player at night in order for him to learn information you possess. Somehting that [[Mason]]s and [[Mafia]] may both do.
: Targeting another player at night in order for him to learn information you possess.
;Recruit
;Recruit
: Targeting another player during the night in order to change his motives to that of your own, and/or adding him to your group. See [[Cult]].
: Targeting another player during the night in order to change his motives to that of your own, and/or adding him to your group.
;Other
: Their may be other actions that players may perform during the night or day.  The only limitation is the imagination of the [[Moderator]].
 
[[Category: Theory]]
 
===Posting===
A post may do some or all of the following:


Notice all of the above are [[role]]-dependent. In addition, any player may post (except in really weird circumstances). Posting usually has a goal, and those can be broken down like this:
;Attack
;Attack
: Any post that tries to persuade other players to Vote for the attacked person.
: Any post that tries to persuade other players to Vote for the attacked person.
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: Posting in a way to try and affect the target choices made by any group tonight. Can be simple ("[[Doc]]s, defend me!") or complex ("The Mafia will no doubt target [[Samadhi]] tonight." (which might have one of many effects)).
: Posting in a way to try and affect the target choices made by any group tonight. Can be simple ("[[Doc]]s, defend me!") or complex ("The Mafia will no doubt target [[Samadhi]] tonight." (which might have one of many effects)).
;Plant Information
;Plant Information
: Posting something obscure, with an intention for the meaning to be revealed later on in the game. For example "[[lynch]]ing me will get you literally nowhere" with the intention of revealing later on that you are [[lynch-proof]], or voting for someone early-on with the intention of people lynching him after you die and turn out to be a Cop. A different variation of that is still under debate, and that’s using [[cryptography]] to plant the names of your Mason buddies in your posts.
: Posting something obscure, with an intention for the meaning to be revealed later on in the game. For example "[[eliminating]] me will get you literally nowhere" with the intention of revealing later on that you are a [[diplomat]], or voting for someone early-on with the intention of people eliminating him after you die and turn out to be a Cop. A different variation of that is <s>still under debate</s> against site rules, and that’s using [[cryptography]] to plant the names of your Mason buddies in your posts.

Latest revision as of 17:32, 10 August 2022

Type:
Author:


History

Original Publication: Prior to January 28, 2007 by Antrax


How do I win at Mafia?

This question really depends on how you define "winning". I believe the official definition of "winning" a Mafia game is surviving in it. I, however, have always considered myself to have won the game if the group I was part of won the game, regardless of my own demise, or lack thereof. I think everybody should adopt this view, as it allows for far more daring moves.


Which is better, being on the Town’s side, or on the Mafia’s?

Ah. That is a truly interesting question. I’ve written a simulation. First of all, of a game of 20 players (3 Mafia). Every day, the program eliminated someone at random. Every night, it killed someone at random. The Mafia won with this setup 68% of the time. Then I added a Cop, which was more like an exploder. My Cop would each night check someone. If that someone was Mafia, he got them eliminated the following day, and then got killed at night by the Mafia. With this simplistic setup, the Mafia won only 32% of the time!

The next step was adding the Mafia members "not voting for each other". To do that, I gave the Mafia a chance of 1 in (Town_alive-Mafia_alive) of having someone else eliminated, every round. That brought the Mafia win percentage up to 74%, even with my exploder Cop. The conclusion I drew from all that is that (as expected) there is no definite answer to this question. Too much relies on the setup of the game, as well as on the performance of single players. Otherwise, it would be pretty boring, wouldn’t it? :)


An attempt to generalize Mafia:

For use in my next articles, I’ve tried somehow generalizing the "moves" of Mafia, so it can be discussed like other games. Due to the unique nature of the game, it’s not 100% correct, but nonetheless, here it is.

Vote
Casting your vote to eliminate someone.
Kill
Any action during the night or day, meant to cause instant death to any player.
Investigate
Targeting a player at night, with the intention of gaining information about the game and/or roles of players.
Protect
Any action during the night, with the intention of preventing harm from any player.
Relay Information
Targeting another player at night in order for him to learn information you possess.
Recruit
Targeting another player during the night in order to change his motives to that of your own, and/or adding him to your group.

Notice all of the above are role-dependent. In addition, any player may post (except in really weird circumstances). Posting usually has a goal, and those can be broken down like this:

Attack
Any post that tries to persuade other players to Vote for the attacked person.
Defend
Any post that tries to persuade other players not to Vote for an attacked person.
Accuse
Claiming to have solid information (as opposed to speculation) regarding another player, to persuade other players to Vote for that person.
Clear
Claiming to have solid information (as opposed to speculation) regarding another player, to persuade other players to not Vote for that person.
Affiliate
Posting in such a way to make other players believe you and another person or group of persons are related by your roles. Can be simple affiliation ("mith and I are in the same Mason lodge.") or a more complex one ("I agree with Antrax. Soothsayer must be Mafia").
Instruct
Posting in a way to try and affect the target choices made by any group tonight. Can be simple ("Docs, defend me!") or complex ("The Mafia will no doubt target Samadhi tonight." (which might have one of many effects)).
Plant Information
Posting something obscure, with an intention for the meaning to be revealed later on in the game. For example "eliminating me will get you literally nowhere" with the intention of revealing later on that you are a diplomat, or voting for someone early-on with the intention of people eliminating him after you die and turn out to be a Cop. A different variation of that is still under debate against site rules, and that’s using cryptography to plant the names of your Mason buddies in your posts.
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