Gova
I'm goin' for it!
Credit goes to th3kuzinator for writing the OP.
Under new management!
All New Players: Feel free to introduce yourself to the community in this thread. In addition, feel free to post anything trivial (that adheres to the SWF rules and guidelines) here or in the dGames social thread. However, please refrain from posting elsewhere until you've read and understood how the queue works as it is illegal to post within a game thread that is still in progress.
What is dGames?
DGames (decisive games) is a sub-forum of SWF that hosts a variety of strategy based forum games. Some examples of these games include:
- Mafia
- Adventure/Survival/Puzzle
- Roleplays
- Diplomacy
A full list of all completed games can be found in the dGames archive. Although the most popular game run on dGames is mafia, other types of games are run from time to time so don't worry if you don't immediately find something that interests you.
How does the MVP System work?
If you look at the dGames archive, you will see names in orange next to a fair amount of games. These players are the awarded MVPs of these completed game threads and received this title due to outstanding play that set them apart from the rest of the roster. Not every game has an MVP, but if a certain player goes above and beyond what is required of his win condition, he's eligible for nomination. The mod of the game himself is the one to judge who receives MVP after the game has finished and there is generally one MVP per game (though sometimes two or more can be awarded for special circumstances).
One MVP performance earns you the :dice: postbit.
Two or more MVP performances earn you the :dice2: postbit.
What is Mafia?
In a nutshell, mafia is a strategic game of deception, motives, subterfuge, and deductive reasoning that can be played through several different mediums. In this case, we'll be using a forum.
You may find this flash tutorial helpful.
In its simplest form, Mafia consists of two sides: the Mafia, and the Town. The Mafia's goal is to kill the innocents, while the Town's goal is to kill the Mafia. At the beginning of the game, the Moderator will secretly send everyone their role. The Mafia will know who each other are, while (in the basic game) everyone else will only know their own role.
The game has two phases. Usually the first is Day. During Day, the Town must choose someone to Lynch; they are trying to eliminate the Mafia, but the Mafia can lead them astray by casting suspicion elsewhere. Generally, players will vote for someone they think is Mafia (the Mafia will also vote so that they seem to be doing this as well, and might even vote for each other to confuse the Town); when a player gets a majority of the votes, they are lynched. Their role is revealed by the Moderator, and it is now Night. During Night, the Town can not communicate, but the Mafia can discuss the game outside of thread and choose someone to murder. After the Moderator has received the name of the victim, the Moderator reveals the dead player, and next Day begins.
The game alternates between Day and Night until either all the Mafia are eliminated, or the Mafia have gained numerical parity or superiority to the town.
How do I sign up for a Mafia Game?
Note - Newbie Games: If you are new to mafia I suggest starting with a newbie game. Said newbie games are games hosted specifically for new players with the goal of instruction in mind. Any upcoming newbie games will be listed in the second post of this thread and can be joined through the same process of joining a regular game (just type /in newbie in this thread).
Step 1: Go to the SWF mafia queue.
Step 2: Scroll down to the sign-ups section of the original post and see if any of the two games listed there interest you. There is always one small and one large game in signups at all times. In addition to the size of the game, the host and the theme of the game will be presented alongside. It is not necessary to know/learn the theme of the game you're joining, but doing so may make the game more entertaining to play.
Step 3: Signify your interest in participating by posting "/in small" or "/in large." Alternatively you can indicate which game you would like to join by posting "/in Player X's Game" or "/in Specific Theme." One of the dGames moderators will then add you to the game's roster and you're all set!
Step 4: Wait. Games don't always start immediately after you sign-up and the time it takes largely depends on how fast the roster fills up. When the designated number of players for a game has been reached, the game mod will create the game thread which contains all the information you will need to know about that specific game.
At that point you will be sent your specific role through PM and every player will be asked to confirm either in thread or privately to the moderator before the game starts.
Alternatively, you can go to the Mini Mafia Thead to play a smaller game to learn, as the newbie queue tends to stagnate. Maximum player size is seven.
Note - How to Host a Mafia Game: Please read the original post of the SWF mafia queue and PM either dGames moderator (marshy, Raziek).
What is an Adventure Game?
Adventure Games differ from other forms of games in two ways:
1. They allow complete and total freedom of action, and
2. They do not rely on stats or dice rolls
Adventure Games are similar to text based games, the type where you type in your action, but instead of a game engine, we use real people. Whoever makes the game is also the game's Moderator, and like the Mafia moderator, is in charge of keeping the game under control. Players give their actions to the moderator -- usually through AIM -- who uses logic and reason to decide what happens due to those actions. This requires the moderator to separate himself from what he wants to happen or what he thinks would make a better game, and instead to stay unbiased and make realistic decisions. Due to the lack of set stats and calculations, this means that the quickest and clearest thinker is usually the winner. These games (depending on the theme) are also based on real life. Which means that if someone shoots you in the gut, you're probably dead. Wounds stay, and don't fade, and death is permanent. This creates a higher stakes in the game, and a sense of tension as every fight can end with someone's death, and because the fight itself is going to be decided by your actions, not by your gear or "stats". Communication is likewise based on realism; if you have the phone numbers of half the cast, you'll be having a lot of conversations. If you have no phone numbers or contact information, you cannot speak with anyone until you obtain as much.
Also related to Adventure Games is roleplaying. RPing in this sense is not in the general sense, but more related to how you play the character. A person playing the Joker who plays him cautiously and with many plans is doing a poor job, whether or not the player talks like him. At the same point, a crazy person living in a town is going to be doing a bad job if he acts sane and normal with everyone. This can be hard to balance, as sometimes a character might not do something that could be advantageous, or vice versa. This kind of thing comes with practice, and just a bit of rational thought. The idea of doing something that could endanger your character/slot somewhat frivolously can seem unusual, but at the end of the day half the fun of Adventure Games comes from diving into the head of your character and going a little bit crazy.
How do I sign up for an Adventure Game?
Step 1: Browse Decisive Games and see if there are any Adventure Games currently in sign-ups.
Step 2: If there are, simply post "/in" in thread and you're all set.
If not, feel free to inquire about the status of any upcoming ones in the dGames social thread. If there are none in the works you will be forced to wait until someone decides to host one, or you host one yourself.
Note: Speak with Eor, Evil Eye, or Virg if you have any questions about hosting an adventure game.
What is a Roleplay?
A tabletop roleplaying game is a form of RPG in which the participants describe their characters' actions through speech (or in this case, writing). Participants determine the actions of their characters based on their characterization, and the actions succeed or fail according to a formal system of rules and guidelines established by the GM (game moderator). Within the rules, players have the freedom to improvise; their choices shape the direction and outcome of the game.
Only the written component of a role is acted. This acting is not always literal, and players do not always speak exclusively in-character. Instead, players act out their role by deciding and describing what actions their characters will take within the rules of the game. In most games, a specially designated player called the game moderator (GM) creates a setting in which each player plays the role of a single character. The GM describes the game world and its inhabitants while the other players describe the intended actions of their characters. After actions are submitted, the GM describes the outcomes. Some outcomes are determined by the game system, and some are chosen by the GM himself.
How do I sign up for a Roleplay?
Step 1: Browse Decisive Games and see if there are any Roleplays currently in sign-ups.
Step 2: If there are, simply post "/in" in thread and you're all set.
If not, feel free to inquire about the status of any upcoming ones in the dGames social thread. If there are none in the works you will be forced to wait until someone decides to host one, or you host one yourself.
Note: Speak with Terywj or Werekill if you have any questions about hosting a Roleplay. There is now a Roleplay Group you can join if you're interested also!
What is Diplomacy?
Diplomacy is a strategic forum game that takes place on the map of Europe plus portions of the Middle East and North Africa. Its main distinctions from most board war games are its negotiation phases (players spend much of their time forming and betraying alliances with other players and forming beneficial strategies) and the absence of dice or other game elements that produce random effects.
Set just before the beginning of World War I, Diplomacy is played by two to seven players, each controlling the armed forces of a major European Power (or, with few players, multiple powers). Each player aims to move his or her few starting units—and defeat those of others—to win possession of a majority of strategic cities and provinces marked as "supply centers" on the map; these supply centers allow players who control them to produce more units and the game continues until there is a clear winner or a mutual draw is decided.
How do I sign up for a Diplomacy Game?
Step 1: Browse Decisive Games and see if there are any Diplomacy Games currently in sign-ups.
Step 2: If there are, simply post "/in" in thread and you're all set.
If not, feel free to inquire about the status of any upcoming ones in the dGames social thread. If there are none in the works you will be forced to wait until someone decides to host one, or you may host one yourself.
Note: Speak with Eor or Spam_Master if you have any questions about hosting a Diplomacy Setup.
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And that's it! Feel free to PM any questions you still may have to me or simply post them in this thread!
Good luck and and enjoy your stay. We look forward to seeing you.
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