Forum Game: Werewolf!

[digitalnirvana 646]

I'd like to introduce you to Werewolf, a game which I read about on different forum and can be played on a messageboard such as this.

The game can be played by any odd number of players above 8, but a good number would be from 15 - 27 (fewer and the game is too short, much more and the game is too long). I am keeping the target number as 27 depending upon sign up interest.

Thanks to ciderman at redcafe for the rules writeup.

The Rules

At the beginning of the game each player is given a 'role' at random and in secret by myself, the moderator, via PM. Those roles are Villager (good) and Werewolf (evil).

The villagers will greatly outnumber the werewolves — in a 21 player game for example there will only be 3 werewolves — and the aim of the villagers is to identify and kill all the werewolves before the werewolves can kill enough villagers so that (#of wolves = #of villagers).

How are players killed?

Each 'turn' of the game will last 24hrs and also represents one 'day' of gametime, thus a game will go on for several days before it is concluded. There are two 'phases' to every turn of the game;

Night Phase - 10pm to 10am: When the werewolves secretly decide amongst themselves, via PM communication, which villager (one per night) that they shall slaughter and kill and then each inform the moderator of their vote via PM.

Day Phase - 10am to 10pm: After the slaughter has been announced, everybody, villagers and werewolves alike, discusses and ultimately votes publicly in the game-thread upon which player (one per day) that they shall lynch and kill.

Obviously during the day the villagers will want the group to vote for and lynch a werewolf, whilst the werewolves themselves will want not to be lynched; herein lies the fundamental strategy of the game; can the villagers identify the werewolves whilst at the same time convincing the rest of the group that they're not themselves a werewolf? And can the werewolves convince the group that they're not wolves at all and thus avoid being lynched?

Special Roles

To help the villagers out in their decision, some of them will be given special roles, there will be one of each per game. These roles are as follows:

Seer: the seer has the ability to PM the moderator once per turn and ask him 'Is X a werewolf?' to which the moderator will answer truthfully yes or no.

Priest: the priest will learn the roles of any players killed in the game.

Witness: the witness selects another player (has to be different each turn) to follow, if that player is killed during the night then the witness learns the identity of one of the werewolves. If the witness selects a werewolf then he/she learns nothing, because werewolves are too crafty to be followed, and if he ever does witness a killing then he becomes, for the remainder of the game, a normal villager.

Lovers: Lovers come in pairs and they are granted permission to communicate with one another privately. They may decide to reveal to each other their roles, or, they may not, they may be deceitful towards one another; the choice is theirs. Lovers' alliances may be different, love knows no boundaries between good and evil, though two werewolves cannot fall in love with one another, and a seer can never fall in love. Should both lovers be alive at the game's end then they'll each receive 15pts for the league table, but, should one be killed at any stage then the other instantly dies of a broken heart.

Players given these roles can announce them to the group if so desired, as can any player announce anything to the group really (in a game of Werewolf lying and deception is encouraged), but beware, doing so would likely make you a prime target for slaughter.

Werewolf Etiquette

There are few main rules which everyone must follow in order for the game to run successfully;

Dead players must leave the game

If you are killed at any point during the game then you are no longer allowed to participate; you may not reveal your role or further discuss anything to do with the game in progress, and cannot post anymore in the game thread. Dead players must not communicate with either the living or other dead players.

Living players cannot communicate privately with one another

Between living players, sending PM's or other forms of private communication concerning the game is strictly forbidden unless your role permits it (i.e. if you are a werewolf or a lover). Under no circumstances is a living player allowed to contact the dead.

Do not post or attempt to replicate anything sent to you from the moderator via private message

The secrecy of moderator PM's is paramount to the integrity of the game; do not under any circumstances try to make a point in the game thread or anywhere else by exactly reproducing, via direct quoting, screencapturing, or by any other means, anything that you have received in such a way.

Making bets

Nobody shall be held to any bets made during or concerning a game of werewolf; any bets offered should be considered all part of the game, and no payments or penalties for losing bets will ever be able to be called upon.

Do not neglect to vote or become inactive

If you fail to vote for a lynching on two consecutive nights then you will be replaced in the game. Neglecting to post in the thread however is acceptable (a valid tactic), though low post-counts may go against you when signing-up for future games. If you have tired of a game, don't have time for it or cannot continue for any other reason, inform the moderator and he shall see that you are replaced; do not just go inactive, give up or otherwise negatively effect the game.

Do not try to break the game

Use some common sense and respect the concept. If you think up a new way of somehow proving your role outside the context of the game (i.e. posting screenshots, making high-stakes bets or using mod-powers) use some self restraint and do not put it into action.

Forum moderators/admin must not read other people's PMs.

Anyone found to be breaking the above rules will be banned from the next game if any; please follow the rules and keep the game legitimate. Inform the moderator if anyone contacts you when they should not have done.

Voting: Day

During the day phase players must vote for who to lynch by posting in the thread, your vote must be formatted in bold and in brackets like this: [Player Name] votes [Player Name]. You may change your vote as many times as you like before the deadline at 10 pm. Upon the voting deadline (end of day-phase) the votes will be tallied by the moderator and whoever has received the most will be lynched and be out of the game: Remember, once killed you cannot take further part; do not reveal your roles to anyone until the game has been concluded. The priest alone will be informed of the dead player's role by the moderator. Any ties in voting will be decided by the moderator using a random number generator.

Voting: Night

During night phase, the werewolves must PM the moderator their vote before the morning deadline at 10am. Again, if they fail to do so, or do not agree and votes are tied, the player slaughtered shall be chosen randomly by the moderator. The preferred method werewolf voting, from the moderators point of view, is to elect a spokeswolf each night and cast one single vote between you.

The Seer and the Witness must inform the moderator of their day's 'target' via PM, if they fail to do so then they simply miss the opportunity

League Table

The league table shall be updated between games, with points being scored as follows:

• 10pts for everyone on a winning team
  
• 5pts for everyone alive at the end of a game (in the case of a werewolf victory, remaining villagers are classed as alive)
  
• Any other, role-specific victory points.
  
• Any deductions given at the discretion of the moderator for cheating etc.
  

Requested Absences

At the discretion of the moderator, a player may request an absence from the game whereby he be allowed to post one lynch vote a turn ahead of time. This may not be done on two consecutive nights however, and the ‘two missed votes’ rule still stands and if someone misses two consecutive votes that player will be replaced.

Time Scales

As I've said, each 'day' in the game lasts for 24hrs in real life, 10am-10pm Day Phase and 10pm-10am Night Phase, but if the game is progressing quickly and players are suitably active then this may be speeded-up by decision of the moderator.

That's it really, that's how you play.

Sign up below if you want to be involved in the first game and we'll see if we can get enough to start the first Night Phase from next Monday. Oh and make sure you've got room in your PM box!!!

This game requires active participation and to start I will accept entries from only users who have more than 500 posts. If there is any room left at the end, I will consider provisional entries with less than 500 posts if you ensure that you will be active.

Any questions post them here too and I'll try to answer when I can.

Who's up for it?

Edited July 19, 2011 by dipanlahiri

[Karthik R 246]

I am game

[digitalnirvana 646]

First one on board...26 to go...

[digitalnirvana 646]

Removing the post limit check for now to gauge interest, but folks intending to play please note you need to be active else the game basically dies, I think half an hour or so per day time needed to spend here to plan and make strategies.

Where are the RIM gurus no one is game, I think this is the first time such a game is being played here, come on everyone?

[Honest 836]

<< Topic Closed >>

Topic Closed temporarily on request.

[Honest 836]

Topic opened On Request.

[rajivunique 6]

Topic opened On Request.

Count me in....

[digitalnirvana 646]

OK we have two. Anyone? This is a fun and addictive game, tests logic, plus it is always fun to suspect someone as wolf. Wherever I have played this, this game changed the forum, people became much more trusting of each other and it increases the fun quotient. Rimweb is already a close knit family, come on, let us try this out once.

I need minimum 15 members to have proper game though 27 would have been great, but at this rate would be lucky to have 15 . The more the merrier.