MafiaReturns is, first and foremost, a roleplaying game with the meat of the contents being contributed, created, and controlled by the users. If we analyze each part that is completely coded in, we realize that the actual coded aspects of MafiaReturns are a mere "shell"

That being said, I would like to discuss a suggestion that I believe will increase user retention, lower stagnancy, and improve quality of game play for all involved. How will this change game play? Aside from a new question added into registration, game play will not be affected.

My suggestion is to create another era for MafiaReturns, while keeping the current era in play.

What I mean by this is to add an option on registration to choose which era ( Classic or Present Day ) that you would like to play. Classic would be the default choice, which would bring you into the MR as we know it. Clicking Present Day would bring you into an MR version where you would be playing as a Mobster from present day. (Late 1900s to current)

How would this help RP?

If we allowed players to create accounts in both MR Classic and MR Present Day, one would be capable of performing an action in MR Classic, and moving over to MR Present Day and RPing about an action that their ancestor did as if it were real world history. I'm sure there are many other ways this could be used to increase fun for all, but that's why RP games are so fun. We never know how someone will use their creativity.

Would you be able to communicate between the eras?

No. For all intents and purposes they would act as if they were two completely separate games.

Why do this?

The users that come to this game are generally used to other mafia games available. Those games, for the most part, are based on current or recent history mob. We need to think to ourselves, and realize that the world has moved past the "Godfather" era of users, and it has moved into the "Sopranos" era. We need to move with it. This will allow us to move forward, but also keep the classic MR available for all to use. Moving forward will help us keep some of the users that reach our front page, realise the game is based almost 100 years ago (Yes folks, lets face facts...it's been 80 years since the 1930s. MR is showing its age)

I honestly see no cons to this idea. Allowing users to create accounts on both versions would not be a "dupe" risk, as there would be no possible way for an account to benefit from having one on each site. This would also allow users to help new players on both versions of the game. It would keep things interesting.

As for coding issues, a simple flag in the user database that is set on registration would handle how we grab data. All the formulas and everything would stay the same for both versions. Any change made would be made to both versions. There would be no duplicate pages, the pages would all be the same.

What do you think?

In all honesty, I really don't see the point in this. Are you sure that you wouldn't just, in effect, be splitting our small user base down the middle and giving a limited experience down whichever route people chose? I know people could have accounts in both, but I think games like these are best served by one account anyway. I'm sure you'd get people multitasking over them both, but it'd become almost chore-like, more so than normal (jailing etc I mean) and divided attentions have the potential to alter gameplay and player decisions detrimentally (ie, "fuck it, I'll just do xyz, I've always got my modern era account to fall back on").

The users that come to this game are generally used to other mafia games available. Those games, for the most part, are based on current or recent history mob. We need to think to ourselves, and realize that the world has moved past the "Godfather" era of users, and it has moved into the "Sopranos" era. We need to move with it.

I would disagree. Being different is a strong point. I enjoy MR because of the era.  

That said, really, if this kind of thing was to go ahead I don't see that people would/could complain too much because MR as we know it would still be here. I just think you need to tread carefully because you would risk splintering what is already a fairly small user base, further.

I just think you need to tread carefully because you would risk splintering what is already a fairly small user base, further.

That's one of the main reasons I brought this idea to light. I believe this idea would, at the very least, help to retain users that we are currently losing because they:

1. Don't know anything about 30s mob
2. Don't care to learn
3. Try it, find out its based almost 100 years ago, and think "Shit this is dated."

I feel this, because I was that way when I first started playing. But I was bored, and there was a very active community at that time. The community is why I've stayed. I believe this idea would help to bolster community activity again, which would in turn lead to a high userbase.

You may well be right, I'm just not sure. Do we have any info/figures on people leaving due to these reasons though, or is it just (gue)estimation?

As I say, I wouldn't argue particularly strongly over it because you've said MR itself will still be here. I just can't see that splitting down different routes is the answer to the community problems. Who knows though.

i think this is a really good idea and should be done i play a different gangster type game because i know more about now than 80 years ago nor do i really care about 80 years ago.

I think this is a good idea because it would be easier to RP because you dont have to worry "would that be available in in the 1930s?"

One of the things I've loved best about this game has always been that it's in a different era--and therefore, a totally different frame of thought and reference.  Putting yourself in the shoes of a person who lived 80 years ago adds a totally new level to the roleplaying.  Sreenan just argued that this new world would eliminate worrying about what was available in the 1930s while roleplaying, and I'm sure that there are many people who support this.  In fact, MattGondano just said that he doesn't know much about 80 years ago.  But the thing is, almost any bit of information can be looked up on this thing called the Internet, if you've heard of it, especially with the help of these things called search engines.  Oh, what's that?  You're already on it?!?! And you have a search engine built into your browser?!?!?!?!??!?  What a twist!  It's not the game's fault if someone is too lazy to look up on Wikipedia to find out when Pepsi Cola first came out.

As far as how the actual gameplay would go on this, it makes me afraid for the future of the 1930s userbase.  How many new users do you think would be more comfortable playing in a more modern setting than 80 years ago?  Probably at least 70%.  I hate to use a slippery slope argument here, but I think it's appropriate.  The majority of the new userbase would more than likely trickle over to the present-day side, making the 1930s side less and less worth playing.  If people think that it's hard getting members here now, then it would be disastrous if new users were given the option of playing in a setting they're naturally more comfortable with.  Eventually, it's quite possible that the 1930s side would be so dead that it would have to be just eliminated--and then this would be a Mafia game just like so many others out there.

Personally, I'd like to see the game in a more 1960s-1970s era. In this current timeframe, our country is ready to be geared into a world war. In the sixties, law enforcement, the birth of the CIA and immense increases in technology meant brutal crackdowns on the families because it was their heyday- they were, by then, pretty much on top of the world.


I'm for a new generation - I'm not sure about the multiple accounts, though.

If there is evidence that suggests people leave because they:

1. Don't know anything about 30s mob
2. Don't care to learn
3. Try it, find out its based almost 100 years ago, and think "Shit this is dated."

Then I believe this is something that should be pursued.

However, if there isn't evidence that supports this, I would suggest the real reasons are found and pursued. I imagine all emails are retained of anyone who has registed to MafiaReturns, perhaps a survey could be conducted to find out why people remain/have left and what would most encourage them to stay/return. I imagine the feedback would be limited, however if you did this on active players, similar to the demographics survey recently undertaken, you could get some feedback from the users as to things they would most like to see introduced/removed/improved.

~G~warble.

The era that the game is set in is what makes it so unique. How many present day games are there now? Hundreds? Possibly thousands? Why lose our uniqueness and what sets us apart from the rest?

One of the things I've loved best about this game has always been that it's in a different era--and therefore, a totally different frame of thought and reference. Putting yourself in the shoes of a person who lived 80 years ago adds a totally new level to the roleplaying.

That is part of what makes it fun for me too. But for a dieing genre, roleplaying in its truest form must grow with the times.

But the thing is, almost any bit of information can be looked up on this thing called the Internet, if you've heard of it, especially with the help of these things called search engines. Oh, what's that? You're already on it?!?! And you have a search engine built into your browser?!?!?!?!??!? What a twist! It's not the game's fault if someone is too lazy to look up on Wikipedia to find out when Pepsi Cola first came out.

This is an attitude that is highly counter productive. Just because one does not know much about an era does not mean that one is too lazy to look the info up. It simply means that one is not as excited about performing enough research to write a college dissertation about the era, just to play a game.

I hate to use a slippery slope argument here, but I think it's appropriate. The majority of the new userbase would more than likely trickle over to the present-day side, making the 1930s side less and less worth playing.

If they're just lazy, as you previously stated, why does it matter what era they play? This would free up the 30s era for the hard-core 30s lovers and RPers.

I'm for a new generation - I'm not sure about the multiple accounts, though.

I don't see a reason for hesitation on that subject. Multiple accounts would not mean duping, and would not be required. It would just give you the opportunity to play all different eras of the game at the same time.

If there is evidence that suggests people leave because they:

1. Don't know anything about 30s mob
2. Don't care to learn
3. Try it, find out its based almost 100 years ago, and think "Shit this is dated."

Then I believe this is something that should be pursued.

If you could come up with a way to handle doing an exit survey that would not detract from the user's experience here, I'd love to hear it. I've been trying to come up with a similar way to get actual hard evidence of exit data.

The era that the game is set in is what makes it so unique.

I agree this helps, but to be honest, I don't think that's completely true. I believe it is our community that makes the game so unique. No other game that I have ever played has had such a tight knit community as MafiaReturns.

How many present day games are there now? Hundreds? Possibly thousands? Why lose our uniqueness and what sets us apart from the rest?

I don't see it as losing what makes us unique, as I said before, I believe that is our community. I look at it as moving with the times.

what makes this game ... well this game! is that it is based on the 1930's

if we want to change that to the present day like "all the other games" we might as well leave it be and play the others...

bad idea!

As I said before, -Auset-, the era of the game is nothing to do with what makes us different. The era is just what people think about. How many people stick strictly to the era when doing their RP? Noone. The best RPers here don't. In the 30s you would not see a single woman mobster, especially not one in a leadership position. The idea I'm proposing is not a change to the era, either. It is an addition of another era.

Furthermore, to come out and simply state "bad idea" with little to no actual qualitative arguments to back up your two word claim is ignorant and counter productive. When coming into a suggestion that I've posted, do so with a bit more grey matter working, shall we?

After reading every post on this subject, I will have to say that my opinion on the idea does not really sway to either side.

As the game stands right now, we get new players, but very few stay and continue to play. A change such as this could possibly bring in more players.

However, as stated above, this change could also create a userbase split. MR has always operated on the fact that people join and go inactive. That is how we train our guns. If people were to stop joining the era we currently have, the way we train our guns would need to be altered. Also, if the userbase split occurred, it would be all too easy for the era we currently have to die.

My reasons for staying on MR these many years are a combination of things. First and foremost, this game has one of the most amazing communities of any game I have ever played. Secondly, the game is not like any other game out there. Gameplay wise and era wise. Thirdly, I find myself quite bored with most other games. MafiaReturns has alot more to it than just roleplaying and button clicking.

If this idea were implemented, we would need some way to convince people to at least try the era we have now. If not, I fear it would die.