I was somewhat concerned about game balance, as there were so many variables, but had carried out some 'dry runs', which used the randomiser but also took account of intelligent choices by the hidden roles. The basic premise was that there were to be multiple Wolf packs. I had orginally planned on three (
), but testing indicated that this would probably require at least 24 players to give the Villagers a decent chance. So I settled on two packs and testing indicated that, with the hidden roles we had, this would produce a Villager win approximately 50% of the time. In other words, it was 50:50 between the Villagers and the Wolves, but each individual Wolf pack had only a 25% (approx) chance of winning.
The Thief and the Priestess of Sauron obviously had a much lower chance of winning, since they needed to survive the bloodbath to the end, but the compensation for this was that they could win alone in particular circumstances. Their powers were also devised to give them a better shot at winning (ie, the Thief's hide ability and the Priestess' ability to survive Wolf attacks).
I must admit that I was rather annoyed that both died early on, as I was looking forward to seeing how they might use their powers in pursuit of the solo victory. If only Durelin had hidden on Night 1 although, with the chance of being killed at its lowest on Night 1, I can understand why she did not.
Despite the testing, I was still worried about game balance, but figured that the fact that there were six Wolves would be mitigated by the fact that the Wolf packs could very easily attack each other (and I was suprised that this did not happen until the fourth Night). Also, the likelihood of a Wolf being lynched early in the game (on pure chance alone) was greater than usual. And then there were, of course, the Shapeshifter's significant powers, which had the potential (and, given the bold way that Boro played it, the actuality) of creating havoc among the Wolves.
Still, given that it came down to three (well, two, really) Villagers and one Wolf and could have gone either way on the final Day, the balance looks to have been about right. I always knew it would be a bloodbath, though. Potentially, there could have been four kills in one Night (with the Thief's ability to Assassinate).
Obviously, this was a really fun game to mod, albeit somewhat demanding at first with all the Nightly activity going on and the need to bash out narratives as fast as I could (I would have liked to work a bit more on a few of them). And what a bunch of players!
Highlights include:
- Nogrod's first post, which was all over the place. I thought he was a dead cert for an early shower after this, but he recovered impressively.
- Legate's reference to white doves in his opening post - a clever signal to send out.
- Isabelkya's vote to unwittingly save Menel (a rival Wolf).
- Nogrod's last minute vote for Menel which nearly did for him (I was unaware of the history here).
- Boro's astoundingly aggressive (and largely successful) approach to the game, which was breathtaking. He didn't protect another villager once.
- Watching Boro trying to bait his trap on Day 2, in the full knowledge of what he was trying to do.
- Little Miss Aganzir's 'butter wouldn't melt in her mouth' performance.
- Realising that Night 3 really was going to be a slaughter of the innocents.
- Mith's eccentric Day 4 performance and her wonderful trickery, following her confession - I think that you might have survived the Day Mith, but it did look to be either you or Nogrod before you 'fessed up.
- Boro and Lommy's duel on Day 5. I felt sure that Boro would be lynched and that it would probably be game over. Noggie, was it your renowned sportsmanship which prevented you voting for him?
- The inexplicable abandonment of the 'two Wolf pack' theory on Day 5, just when it might have helped explain what had happened the previous Night.
- The tension on the final Day, when it could have gone either way.
I am sure that there are others that escape me now.
This game was an absolute joy to mod, and many thanks to all of you (Gil excepted, of course) for making it so.
