Since you fuckers play it so much, I'm still puzzled why it hasn't been made into a proper map. Think it's time to put an end to that.


But first, what would be the main problems with making a Mafia map? As I see it:

1. 8 player limit.
   
2. How would clues be implemented?
   
3. On bnet, attention spans shrivel up like chilled Scrotii. Extensive clue sleuthing might be asking a bit much.
   
4. Would the game be turn-based or real time?
   
5. Would it make use of native Starcraft features and unit abilities in its gameplay or would it just be a series of in-game prompts to emulate the classic game?
   
6. If the game involves real-time unit activity, how would mafia perform their kills at night?
   
7. Hacker/griefer heaven.
   

Here's some solutions I've thought of:

1. a.) Give players more than one unit and set player colors uniform (so no one can tell each other apart except by unit, and no two units can be linked back to a given player).
   b.) Give players an extra helping of 'lives' to keep in the game longer.
   c.) clokr_'s idea: Additional NPC units pad out the player roster.
   
2. a.) Each in-game unit type would have at least 20 pre-written (vague) clues for it. Between 24 units (maybe more or less, depending upon map needs), that's around 480 clues. Not that memorization still couldn't be an issue (or worse still: any lore gurus in the game). But hey. That's what red herrings are for.
   b.) Give each player a unique pattern of powerups or something that other players can 'read', and make each clue refer vaguely to a property of a player's given pattern. Could allow for actual semi-dynamic clue solving, but it would be kinda shallow.
   c.) A designated 'Dungeon Master' player who dictates clues in-game?
   
3. a.) Quality over quantity. Not enough time for elaborate mind games? Tighten up what's there and shove the players' faces right the fuck in it. I think a bit of Real Time action would do nicely for this.
   b.) An elaborate and (potentially) tedious password system for each day/night session. Could require a forced map restart between each day/night session in order to continue.
   
4. a.) Real time would up the pace and make the best of use Starcraft's strengths, but it could also turn it into a glorified game of snipers or hide and seek or something, if executed poorly.
   b.) A compromise that uses turn-based sequences (like one whole turn for townies to use their abilities, one turn for mafia to do their kills, etc.) with real-time activity during each sequence. Safest idea, perhaps, but I get the niggling feeling a truly dynamic solution, if executed right, would be the most fun.
   
5. a.) I'm thinking whatever way that uses native Starcraft features to be fun is probably the best way. A rigid series of prompts might hold true to the classic format, but the very fact that this is already being emulated inside Starcraft pretty much guarantees the format is going to be violated to some extent anyway.
   b.) Screw it. Rigid prompts ftw!
   
6. a.) Mafia have shared vision and access to high-speed bikes to make them a menace to anyone who tries to sneak out of their houses at night. They also take some time before they're able to 'break in' to a given house, so as to limit the number of players they can kill during the night.
   b.) Uh, haven't thought of any better ones...
   
7. a.) Solution 1a solves this somewhat. Passwording your games or just not being an idiot also helps.
   

Here's some map drafts I made implementing various solutions and ideas:

1. Real-time unit-based concept 1, draft 1
   

So which of these sound good? Any other ideas?
And what is plural for scrotum, anyway?

Post has been edited 7 time(s), last time on Sep 3 2009, 9:09 am by Tuxedo-Templar.

Don't try to make it like forum mafia. It won't be that great with SC's limitations.

A 3mafia 5townie system would be best probably, or 2m 6t. Testing would be needed. You could do the whole player colours being the same thing.

Mafia
At night mafia are allowed one kill, and say 2 lives per townie. There could be five 'houses' and mafia can go in 1 and only 1 at night.

Doctor
Only one doctor. The doctor's ability could make a player of his choice invincible at night. Thd mafia would come into the protected person's house, but wouldn't be allowed out.

Day.
IDK how to do the clues. Probably something to do with what unit the player is at day.

Night
Mafia are a unit like marine. Townies are civs.
One house per townie.
The mafia can go in but can't come out as I already said.

Although dungeon master would be the best for original answers, I think that the limited time (aka you don't want to be in one map all day) wouldn't allow them enough time to think of good clues. They'd probabaly be too easy.

Post has been edited 1 time(s), last time on Sep 2 2009, 5:47 pm by Doodan. Reason: removed bigass quote

Yeah, plus that would turn it into a glorified RP.

Not that I'm strictly against doing it like that, mind you. In fact, I should draft an outline for an RP-variation as well as the real-time unit one I currently have in mind.

Post has been edited 1 time(s), last time on Sep 2 2009, 11:35 am by Tuxedo-Templar.

Maybe have it be 256x256 but have a bunch of mini arena/map areas and make the arena randomized each game (set the map into a few quadrants and then randomly select one at the beginning for it to take place in), as well as the Mafia's starting location for the night and a townie's house?

Actually what about making it 100% SC based?

A countdown timer could be used for day/night cycles. Maybe 5 min, maybe 3 min, dunno.
On day every human player has a base in a hunters-like game and they mine and build stuff. All the human players are allied.
On night vision is turned off for every player so they cannot see their own units but for the mafia. They're free to attack any player they want.

I like that idea a lot. If a player hotkeys his/her unit, they'd see if they die, however, so maybe at night the units turn to P12 or something. Also stays with the anonymity of it all. During the day all is well and everyone is free to do whatever, and obviously free to figure out who killed the dead teammate. At night, maybe 1 person dies at a time (so the game goes longer?). If it's on a 256x256 map, it may be interesting because mafia would have to haul ass to find and kill someone before night ends.

Maybe (though this goes against forum mafia, somewhat), detectives can send out search parties during the day around the victim's base, and you could have set randomized clues for what they'd find. Maybe as time goes on, the clues get more relevant (whereas in the beginning they are either extremely vague or sometimes misleading). If the detective is dead, townspeople nearby can provide even vaguer clues so all isn't lost. I also like the idea of player houses, and if they were implemented, you could possibly have objects left in the house accidentally or things broken that somehow garner clues for the players (like a DNA sample that will take 1 day to analyze, and see if the finder of that DNA survives that long ).

I like the idea that everyone is the same color. Perhaps you'd have 2 mafia, and 6 townspeople - 1 being a detective? Like Zany said, perhaps a Doctor would be good that protects 1 player (or no players, for that matter) each night.

As for vehicles (and their need in a large sized map, supposing you go for that), I like the idea of using a Vulture to get around. It would be their town car, only available at night. If you wanted to get really fancy, you could have the mafia member(s) "get in" and choose a player's house to go to, then let triggers drive him/her to the victim's location. This way, you'd also make the mafia's decisions more uniform.

/2cents

That, or some related variation, could be an option too. Pretty straightforward.

Man. Now that leaves me with 4 major, workable variations of possible mafia map concepts.

Post has been edited 1 time(s), last time on Sep 3 2009, 9:45 am by Tuxedo-Templar.

Yay another tux map...

For alot of things you can use sprite abuse with star forge such as dark swarm or disruption web detection.

Edit: snip... for now.

Post has been edited 6 time(s), last time on Sep 3 2009, 9:43 am by Tuxedo-Templar.

Sounds like... no one would WANT to play as anything other than mafia.

That's what the rigged-ass helicopter is for.

Post has been edited 3 time(s), last time on Sep 3 2009, 9:47 am by Tuxedo-Templar.