Proposal: New Rule For Hydras

[Tom]

Question to Tom/frozen:

Going by Tom's logic, a hydra should agree on a standpoint then move forward in joint support of a single standpoint (Person A = Scum). However, then you agree that an 8 person hydra is not possible. Why is it not possible for eight individuals to agree on a single standpoint? Of course it takes more time, effort, persuasion, etc, but certainly convincing a hardheaded player of a 2 person hydra could require the same effort as convincing 6 people.

Just a thought.

less thinking more listening to me

If your hydra conferred with each other before posting and posted in a manner similar to a single player, then I'm sure there would be no problem, except that you may be night-killed early.

 

[M.K]

Oops, missed that.
Fair enough.

 

[vanderzant]

Lol what is this the Mafia Back Room

Anyway, I know that I tend to player better when I'm in a hydra based off being able to discuss ideas and thoughts openly. This is an advantage of being in a hydra.

However I don't think that it is unfair, and I do think hydras improve the quality of a game more often than not.

 

[#HBC | FrozeηFlame]

Question to Tom/frozen:

Going by Tom's logic, a hydra should agree on a standpoint then move forward in joint support of a single standpoint (Person A = Scum). However, then you agree that an 8 person hydra is not possible. Why is it not possible for eight individuals to agree on a single standpoint? Of course it takes more time, effort, persuasion, etc, but certainly convincing a hardheaded player of a 2 person hydra could require the same effort as convincing 6 people.

Just a thought.

I never said an 8 person hydra wasn't possible at all lol. Here was my original stance on the 8 man hydra:

Oh and I forgot about answering the question of how and 8 man hydra and a two man hydra are different. It really isn't relevant to the debate but I'll answer it anyway.

Ok so as I explained earlier, Hydras are expected to play to the best of their ability. Part of this is actively conferring and checking with your partner. Doing this properly with one partner takes X amount of time and effort. Doing this with 7 partners takes 7x more time and effort on the part of each individual player and [8!] amount of effort for the play slot as a whole.

When we consider that people often play in hydras for reasons relating to inability to be sufficiently active to reliably maintain the activity necessary for a single player slot, your 8 man hydra becomes defeating of its own purpose.

If we assume perfect play from all the players involved in any given hydra, then yes, an 8 man hydra is the same as a 2 man hydra and is the same as a 9001 man hydra, However, practically speaking, as more people enter a hydra it becomes exponentially more difficult to play the hydra responsibly and well and ultimately defeats its purpose. Hence, the practical difference Tom was talking about.

Then OS specified exactly how he envisioned his 8 man hydra would function, and this was my opinion on it:

Ok, that's an interesting take on a hydra. Though technically you still have a hydra, functionally what this sounds like is 8 individuals playing the game individually buy sharing the same player slot and simply dividing up the labor of focus. They each focus on and dicuss only one other playslot in the game and then the "leader" of the hydra picks whatever read out of his laborers he likes best and pretty much just endorses it with a vote.

There's no collaboration here. No team work. This is very different than your typical Hydra. Not saying it couldn't work, I'd actually be interested to see how that would play out, but this isn't something that should be considered as a standard hydra for any purposes of debate.

 

[Tom]

Lol what is this the Mafia Back Room

Anyway, I know that I tend to player better when I'm in a hydra based off being able to discuss ideas and thoughts openly. This is an advantage of being in a hydra.

However I don't think that it is unfair, and I do think hydras improve the quality of a game more often than not.

yes yes and yes

good vanderzant

 

[Omni]

I look at the two as just a preference.

I prefer games without hydras because it keeps everything consistent. I'unno why this analogy popped into my head but I think of it as like... a Dance Dance Revolution competition. Eveyone has their little dance floor thing except one team has two people on one mat; one player to cover two arrows and the other player to cover the other two.

That hydra can cover each other's bases. Point out details one may have missed on their own. Adds another voice during mafia talk meetings. Essentially, what Tom said: a stronger person.

Therefore I look at it is as a boost or a handicap just because the norm is playing your persona solo.

And no one is really cool with a person going into a game with a boost. It's not really unfair since players have the option of entering a game without it which is why I think it's a matter of preference rather than fairness.

 

[CT Chia]

So yea, can we just make it so hydras put the names of the players in their location plz? lol

 

[~ Gheb ~]

No way

 

[#HBC | Ryker]

All I know is that me & Xonar is greater than me or Xonar.

Honestly, you can't cry about unfair. Why does Frozen never live past day 1? It's because he's a strong player. You have varying degrees of ability anyway so it's not unfair. You had the same opportunity.

Anyway, I had a hella lot of fun when playing the two hydra games I did and would repeat the experience.