@Kitsune:
First of all, SG does have a point. The mafia games we play and Epic Mafia are two different things.
If they're two separate things, then its probably fine for them to have two separate threads. Just make sure the label is REALLY clear about it. The staff is looking into it.
What I'd like to address is the threat of closing the Mafia threads entirely. First of all, Mafia may be a "game" by its very nature, but unlike "Post to 500" games or "Guess the character" games, it requires thought-out posts and careful analysis. I will admit it gets kind of spammy in-between games, thought, which is something we need to work on circumventing.
And when its one thread, like it is now, that's fine. It wasn't when it was 15, in different sections. Spamfests in general aren't allowed, even if they go unnoticed for a while or are harmless.
Robby DOES make a good point about going out into the forum and contributing elsewhere, which I am all for, but I feel that's an overgeneralization.
I checked the post history of the people who posted in THIS thread asking about it. The folks willing to stray far enough from the mafia thread… to post about mafia thread. That's my sample base.
However, I'm not sure exactly why this is an issue. I mean, sure some people post only in the Mafia thread, but there are also those who post only in Collectibles, Cosplay, General, Spoilers, etc. I mean, I guess it would be for the best if everyone were active in other areas, but by the same token, I don't necessarily see the negative to it.
Everyone is always encouraged to leave from hanging out in just a single thread. That includes collectibles, cosplay, etc. Its kind of weird having little microcosms of people that stay in one thread and one thread only that nobody knows.
I really don't understand the "lynching" argument you are making though, Robby. Everybody in the game knows that it's an in-game mechanic, and I don't fully understand why that's even an issue. I mean, I can understand if external viewers might be intimidated by the terminology, but I don't fully get it.
It being an ingame term is lost on me. I know I've gotten pms from people asking to spread the game over into other threads, that aren't even connected, and that's a major no, and there have been requests to start up similar games, and other requests to go in and unmerge the whole thing, post by post. And other threads have been started in relation to it that are rather… random, like "Can I make new threads just for my mafia buddies?" This isn't the first time this game has come up.
I don't think it necessary to close the thread when it's for the most part self-contained and rather harmless. But on the flipside, it's not THAT hard to post on other sections of the forum, after all, so there's no real reason not to. Who knows? That might bring more people to play! But I also don't mean going around making threads "for your mafia buddies" either. glares
Its harmless until it comes up repeatedly, or spreads into other threads, or people keep asking for special privileges for it. I'm not closing it, just stating every time it comes across my desk it bothers me a little more.
@Wooden_Giraffe:
I will admit that I am one of these offenders. I do often read other threads with intention of posting but I often find that I have to say has already been said by someone else. I will take this to heart, however, and do my best to be more active elsewhere on the forum.
Go for it.