[SamwiseGamgee]

I thought I'd take this opportunity to voice some opinions on the characters and system of WW VIII from the point of an ungifted innocent villager for Enca to take on board for WW IX.

Firstly, the werebear. A controversial decision to include it, I think. However, despite initial reservations and frustrations I realised that it did add avery new and random air to the game. Fact is that we nailed the wolves very early in WW VIII. Now, there may have been some luck involved in that, but I think a lot of it had to do with people now being very experienced at the game, and the werebear as a new character keeps it fresh. Also, on a personal note, maybe one day I'll get to be the Beorning, and I think that'd be so much fun!

Secondly, the cobbler. I feel that WW IX should go without. Durelin's confession basically sealed the fate of the game, and though I'm very happy to have won, I didn't like that. I think that if there is a werebear in the game then there should not be a cobbler, pointing to what happened with Durelin. If, however, the goal of the cobbler was redefined so as his/her goal was to aid the werecreatures, that would be entirely different.

Thirdly, mass lynchings. Again, I'm really happy to have won, but I think they should be banned. I do not, however, think that this should be done by allowing retractable votes. The definite nature of the voting in WW VIII really made the whole process much better and more enjoyable- you were always thinking, "I only have one vote today, I must use it wisely." But back to mass lynchings- yeah, don't like them, but at the same time I can't see an effective way to rule them out except banning them, and I'm not really comfortable with that kind of nannying, so maybe they'll just have to stay there.

On a final, practical, note: I felt the 48 hour period for day and night was good, as it allowed everyone reasonable opportunity to get online.