Also, also, can we keep veterans off the sign-up list until we get closer to the end? It could be discouraging for new players if they see a sign up full or nearly full. It's my experience that newbies are nervous and unless they know somebody in this subset of the forums, it can be intimidating to just pop in and say "Hey, guys, can I play too?" Think back to the playground to relate to this one, guys.
I understood what she was saying, and I agree with her. Maybe no one here ever set foot on a playground, raerae. (BTW, playground bully references don't always go over well here, so if you continue to use them, make sure you're not a victim of bad timing.)
If this was supposed to be a newbie game, then clearly that changed. Hell, even the name of the thread changed. That's fine, it's Ash's game. But if it's no longer supposed to be a newbie game, then just say so. Otherwise, here's the mixed message that I see:
It's nice that there is a semi-definition of the term "newbie-game" in the OP, but that is lip service if the definition is not applied (uniformly) as the first filter for entry.
It's nice that there is a disclaimer that reads "Newbies will be given priority sign-ups..." but they weren't. Eevee and Robz are in at positions #4 and 7, and the thread is JUST NOW 36 hours old. (Yeah, I see the "if needed" phrase. It reads as a direct contradiction. It's either a newbie game, by the definition, or it's not.)
It's nice that that same disclaimer contains a clause that reads "and appropriate considerations taken to ensure new players get the most out of their mafia experience", but that is just lip service if such considerations only begin after the Day 1 start. Why wouldn't comfort level during the signup process be one of those considerations? Why wouldn't
clear communication that newbs are wanted and
truly prioritized be one of those considerations?
Sure, I saw post #23, but here's the thing. It's at #23. It's not in the OP. And if
I am still truly wondering whether Ash really would remove Robz or Eevee, then what in the world would newbs be thinking? Let's look at the data available just in this thread:
a) Not a new category!
Category changed. Thread name changed.b) Mafia X was newb too!
Hmm, not really: ashersky, Jorbles, Cuzz, GeoLib, Robz888, O, Captain_Frisk, Eevee, and Morgrim7/Voltairec) Ridiculous, unacceptable, and offensive!
to the notion of just waiting to the end of sign ups to add veterans to the gamed) No response at all to the notion "
if there is a sudden rush of Newbies I'd hope veterans such as Robz will be first in line to give up their spot." (BTW, Jim, a cogent, valuable, and commendable post)
Yeah, if I'm a newb, I don't think I'd be interested in this one.
So I ask: If a true newb game is desired, then why not phrase the disclaimer as "Newbies will be given priority sign-ups,
and more experienced players will not be added unless needed to start the game"? WOW, now that's a novel concept, wonder why no one thought of it, or posted it?
Further, I submit that a new category (Newbie Mafia) is PRECISELY what we need to keep new players coming in, and feeling welcome. We've recently had a little spike in that population, and we should do all we can to perpetuate it. I also suspect that the world will not end if there is a Mafia game on f.DS that any one player doesn't get to play in.
Edited to fix fragment in second sentence.