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Normal Game Review Group
The Normal Game Reviewers are a small group of members who are responsible for reviewing moderator's set-ups in the Mini Normal and Large Normal Queues. Since late 2010, it has been mandatory for all Normal Game moderators to have their games reviewed for normalcy, whilst simultaneously being checked for balance, but the latter is optional. The Normal Game Reviewers base their reviewing practice on the Normal Game Guidelines, which outline what is and isn't allowed within Normal Games.
The Group
Hoopla is responsible for running the group, answering questions and assigning reviewers to upcoming moderators. As of June 2011, she is ably assisted by these members;
How the process works
Once you're lined up in the Mini Normal or Large Normal Queue, waiting to mod (check these sources on How to Mod), upon nearing the top of the Queue, either Papa Zito or StrangerCoug (the Normal Game List Mods) will make contact with you, requesting your set-up information, which entails your Opening Post, Set-up/Role PM's, Rule Set and any Flavour Text you wish you use in your game. A Quicktopic Thread will then be opened on your behalf by Hoopla, with you receiving three pre-assigned reviewers, who will talk with you about your set-up. They take a look at the wording in your role PM's, normalcy of flavour/roles/mechanics and make sure your rule-set is normal and covers all the necessary topics. Once all that has been approved, you can be reviewed for balance if you are so inclined (it is recommended), and then start to take sign-ups!
You will not be able to mod until your set-up has at least passed the "Normalcy" side of the review. Take a look at the Normal Game Guidelines to see what is defined as Normal and Non-Normal.
Why the group exists
After a sequence of poorly designed Normal Games, a gradual push in Mafia Discussion towards mandatory game reviews was sparked, with the culture of reviewing heavily entrenched in Theme Games, yet not so in Normal Games. The tendency for Normal Games to be modded by newer mods, coupled with varying opinions of what Normal really was, was enough to push it over the edge, leading to policy being put in place defining normalcy.
Though the Normal Game Guidelines attempt to be objective in many ways, there are still grey areas that are dealt with in a subjective manner. The Normal Game Guidelines are reviewed and updated on a semi-regular basis, with public discussion having a large influence on how the guidelines are structured.