Hmm yeah.
Lately, I've been pondering about this map... I've played it four times now, and while it's a good map with a solid base, it is begging for more...
Though you may rather stick to being simple and keep your current system, I find your mineral as mana thing really ... limiting .. to the gameplay... I feel that there's just not enough incentive for players to kill each other, and it makes the game much of a waiting game (like phantom, which I dislike, thus I may be biased
) So I'll suggest a system to replace the mineral = mana system and hopefully instill more hate amongst the players.
Money.
- Each player will start of with set amount of money in which they can use to do w/e Minerals are used to do now.
- Players will gain money after each day (like they've been working)... i.e. they'll get the extra money once night starts
- Mafia can get extra money. May want to test this out for balance.
- What's interesting with this system is that the money can be
Stolen!! If the player is holding the money, and is killed, the killer can then take his money (giving incentives for townies to make decisions quicker).
- The players, however, can hide their money in their manor (giving incentives to raise manors)
OR BURY it somewhere! Other players will have to use the "Investigate" button to find the bag of money (giving more use of the investigate button.. to find footprints + money)
- Money can be used to recruit houses, buy floor traps, rebuild manor... And, it makes sense that you'd bribe people with money, rather than mana.. lulz (IMA CHARGING UP MA LAZER .. COME WITH ME OR I'LL HUFF AND I'LL PUFF, AND I'LL BLOW YOUR HOUSE DOWN)
- I also suggest putting in a Not-Too-Significant upgrade system (infantry armor/weapons). This gives the Mafia a dilemma (if he/she gets more money than others).. since if they have way more upgrades than others.. they may be suspected.. but they'll be stronger in case they're attacked. ...
- A Blacksmith (weapon/armor upgrade) can be put in place somewhere.. which'd also act as a Hub for many people (creating conflict and profit), and should also be vulnerable for destruction! It would also be the place to buy for floor traps or rebuilding the manor or stuff.
- You can even add in a bank ... but the manors' niche overlaps that.
- Lastly, with the money system, you can easily add more interesting things to the game.. like Bike vultures.. or Car tanks... but that may get too complicated and take the players from the real objective of the game... which is to kill the Mafia ...
- therefore.. i'd suggest the Mafia gets more money (cause of black markets.. common, this is an excellent plot!) .. and, with multiple Mafia, where else can you get more money than others by robbing the robber?
Because of the greedy nature of SC players... teheheh.. this'd give players a LOT more things to worry about. The Mafia will be kept on his tail and not just run around doing nothing.. people will wanna kill him for his money (even fellow mafia (? maybe...))
None.