On The RVS

Original Lecture: On the RVS

You wish the RVS didn't exist because nobody likes the RVS, but there's no way for games to begin with content in a day-start game. Heck, even in most night-start games (rare as they may be these days), there will still be an RVS. Pretty much the only games that don't feature an RVS are games where there was a mechanism in place that allowed for content discussion immediately.

The reason why we use the RVS is because it's impossible to start a game immediately with content unless, as mentioned, there is a mechanic in place that strongly favors there being content from the get-go. Thus, a method of generating content must be used. Other alternatives have been tried. The RQS, for instance, being a popular one, albeit one that ultimately favored scum more than town and didn't get the game rolling any sooner. There have been games where players have suggested skipping the RVS and generating content immediately--but in the process of discussing generating content, you take just as long if not longer to get actual content than using the RVS methodology.

We use the RVS because it's the method that has, by-and-large, proved the most effective at getting the results we want--content, soon, and useful content at that. Using it, a game can typically be out of the RVS before the end of page one (generally in smaller games) or two (in larger games). You might occasionally get an RVS that lasts longer thanks to some posting a ton of times in it, but even then, it typically ends in the same amount of time. (Generally within two real-life days, the Random Voting Stage has passed.) Not only is it easier to generate content soon in, but it's also something that can be fun. You can make jokes that don't otherwise fit into the game, you can have in-jokes that reference previously-played games, you can basically do your own thing for fun.

Thus, why it has such a strong hold over games. That doesn't mean we like it. I might have fun in the RVS, but I hate it. I find it awkward, and while I can get reads immediately from it, my accuracy is typically skewed as a result. I much prefer games that have that content rolling. There are ways to get more than the RVS. For instance, while the RQS is typically scum-oriented, you can ask questions in the RVS that (while more random than in other stages of the game) are beneficial to getting out. You can have RVS votes that are semi-serious as well, in that you're immediately discussing things and generating content, albeit in a more light-hearted way.

Still, though, RVS are a necessary evil of games by-and-large, because there's no method on the players side to avert the icebreaker that they give. On the modding side of things, though, you CAN influence this. As I said, simply by introducing a mechanic that changes the dynamics of the early-game, you've given a MASSIVE chance to the game lacking an RVS and having that immediate content, because the dynamics of the game have been changed. There may still be RVS votes, but they won't be the focus of the game.

Play around. Experiment. See what mechanics work and what don't. (For instance, one mechanic that might help is giving votes far more power than normal, thus, making players more cautious to simply throw them out.) Ultimately, your efforts will merely put a dent in the dominance of the RVS. But it's something that's different, something that's fun, which can set the bar high for other mods to aspire to accomplish, that breaking of the norm, of the RVS.