AmI the only person who has realized this? It seems that whenever there is a great text-based mafia game, there is another game. In many ways, the first game will be like the other. This one, however, will pale in comparison.

To name two:

MafiaMatrix/Injustice

Mafiareturns/.org

as this game began as a clone of the original mafia.org - that is why you see similarities. yet, over the years mafiareturns and mafia.org have both taken their own directions. one of the original administrators who was largely part of the success of mafia.org is IzzyCreamcheese. it is my opinion that it is his ability and leadership that makes this game worth playing - as well as the original founder and other coders who work incredibly hard. it is a great community, I am just saying Izzy gives this the edge - as he has a great reputation.

many other 'replica' text-based games were set-up by players that once played mafia.org:

dark-future is run by The_Eternal and Anc.

injustice is run by MorbidAngel.

Bob was also working on a game (I wonder what happened to him?)

it has been numerous years since I visited any of the above mentioned sites, so please correct me if I am wrong.

It was never meant as a "clone", but as a tribute to the 2003 version of Mafia Returns with a few twists. To say it was a clone is to infer that it was an exact copy. Also, Izzy was not involved in the creation of Mafia Returns... He became involved after its conception and release to the public. I love you Izzy... So glad I came to you on my knees. Mario is the original brain behind this beloved place we call home. (This is where you split the love between all of the coders and staff.)

InJustice is NOT run by Morbid and has not been for many years. After he gave up on it the reins were given to enkindle (who upon occasion helps here).

Other success stories including old .org players going forth with their own games include the two Bloodletting games owned and run in part by DickGozinya/FatherPatMcGroin.

Mafia.org and MafiaReturns are two totally different monsters now and always will be. The player bases are different and most of all the people that run them are different. The story lines parted ways many years ago.

There will always be alternatives, but no game is identical to another. What makes Mafia Returns what it is is.. Us. The people that make up the population and keep coming back.

thanks for the updated info, DirtyLittleSekrit. I didn't say Izzy created MR. I was around when everything happened and this began pretty much as a replica of the original .org (as it began to change...). I think it's difficult to agree with you that the player bases are drastically different, if there was a community survey I would believe it would be likely that the results would show many of the population still play both games (although, I am not one of these people).

DirtyLittleSekrit, I was saying that the games were very similar and that I just found little a little bit odd that they looked alike. Now I understand. Thanks. By the looks of things, .org was a very inspirational game, or at the least, famous.