ND Reads #1
I wanted to get these out last night, but had to watch the debate. I assigned it for HW, but whatever.
Players:
1. y2kjbk: Y2k has played a very townish game so far. He has come out the gate and hit hard across the board except at game start where I argue that he followed DL’s comments on TrPrado (more on this in the DL section). That oversight aside, he has questioned a wide range of players, but noticeably Balki who he pushes very hard. Y2k in the future separating your points, such as on 14, would be helpful because it appears as a wall of text. However, Y2k has not been afraid to defend players who he views as town such as Damian on 13 while making subsequent cases on players he views as scum such as yoyo on 15. TOWN.
2. ghug: Ghug comes into the game late with a partial read on page 4. I have had a few issues with Ghug this game over his attempt to shut down my lines of questioning about the early game: ““Are you fucking kidding with this Prado shit, ND? That's not a real argument you can make” (Ghug, 10) This in combination with some of his other statements such as (paraphrasing) can the vig shoot Guak, voting bo for being “pretty sure” he is scum does not strike a level of confidence that I have come to suspect from Ghug nor does his jokey statement about Guak inspire any sort of seriousness. In combination with his attacks on me for digging I think Ghug has some explaining to do. SLIGHT SCUM.
3. Hellenic Riot: Appears to the game late on Page 8 with a sizeable post. He follows this up by stating that TrPrado and Toemato voting was a joke which obviously was my first reaction to it as well since I too came into the game late, but upon questioning this was NOT the case. However HR never picks this statement back up after I proved he was wrong and his reaction to it while not as overtly dismissive as Ghug’s is something to note. Since then he has begun pressing as late as 18 which is pro-town in play. However I do have some issues with his earlier comments and would like a response. NULL for now.
4. Yoyoyozo: Has had an odd game so far. There have been definitive anchoring posts, lack of actual reads, but perhaps the most scummy thing he has done (which has been pointed out) was just coming in and dropping a vote on meme. Later in the game he clarified some of his statements from previous games, but doing so may have caught DL in another situation where DL did not read fully (more on this in DL section). For instances of anchoring, lack of actual game progressing posts, and clarifying his statements from previous games (which seems like a waste of time) I have Yoyo as SLIGHT SCUM.
5. ND
6. SaladinSmith: Saladin did not start the game with an absurd statement about D1 voting which set off a few bells in my head and this was mentioned by bo I believe during the game. I also thought that, but let’s examine what he has done. He refutes Balki’s VT fakeclaim PR point by saying “I think it’s a bad idea” (page 5), but thanks Balki for bringing it up (page 5). This seems like a contradictory statement. The rest of his page 5 post has already been panned by me as fluff. Then he tries to mischaracterize me on page 9: “ND says (p9) that I'm pointing out the obvious. If it's obvious to everyone that wjessop is playing anti-town, why aren't more people on his case?” Which I questioned him on, but have not seen a reply yet. If there is one point me to it. Then he begins his thoughts on policy lynching and votes Captain despite by his own acknowledgement this player was tied with two others, so how did he decide it, 13. Overall strange play and uncharacteristic of the SS we have seen since M11. SLIGHT SCUM.
7. OB_Gyn_Kenobi: Honestly I have not really seen enough to make a judgment and I know there is a train forming on him, but really is it a legitimate one? OB says he was traveling on, 12. Then posts some notes on page 16 which I didn’t really read as reads, but as notes. However this has attracted voters. OB can you clarify your 16 post and it’s intent? NULL.
8. DeathLlama9: Definitely a player to watch. DL begins by starting the TrPrado train which he later clarifies as getting the player names confused. How you can confuse TRPRADO with a tomato I don’t know. I still don’t buy this. Furthermore, he tries to mischaracterize my point on him and I later ask him to quote me in which he retracts (page 11/12). Additionally, and perhaps this is why yoyo made his big contribution post which I think is a waste of time DL may not even have read yoyo’s earlier game posts which he said he would do. I think we have an issue here with reading comprehension or making statements about reading and then not actually doing it which is anti-town and not helpful. Where are DL’s reads, all I could find was a partial from the beginning of the game which scumread a player not even playing the game! SCUM.
9. Balki Bartokomous: Reminds me of the same Balki I played with before. Balki usually starts with a fluff post as he did on page 1 with his “few notes” then he goes on to make six points one of which is about VT’s fakeclaiming which has been widely discredited as it gives the mafia an opportunity to fake claim then retract and claim they were VT, page 5. I have not seen something like that from him before. However, he has had an interesting back and forth with y2k for most of the game about his posts. His activity post on 10 is similar to the one he made last game and I went all out on it then and I was ignored. He is doing it again here. I think there is some merit to his play, but his play always strikes me as scummy and unhelpful to the town. He is an odd guy and it is hard for me to read him because I have criticized him before and built cases on him before only to be totally wrong. Still, we can’t dismiss the activity post (unhelpful) a partial scumread without town reads, and the fakeclaim suggestions. SLIGHT SCUM.
10. bo_sox48: Bo has not been as active this game as before, but he has made a series of mega posts with lines of questioning. This reminds me of his play from last game. He has also criticized D1 play like he usually does in regards to DO: “Also, how is Demon on a lot of radars right now? It's still page 5. Nobody is on a lot of radars. We don't have anything to go off of.” (page 5). Votes and makes a case on SS for not starting the game with something ridiculous, page 14. I don’t see anything that really strikes me as scummy except for the tacit defense of DO. His lines of questioning and posts make up for it. SLIGHT TOWN.
11. captainmeme: Says that his participation level will increase depending on how he feels about the game or if he feels like playing, page 2. He votes yoyo for the way he opened the game which I agree was not very pro-town. He also criticizes Balki for the fakeclaiming point. I need to see more from Captainmeme but I argue that his play has been more active, and more pro-town than not. SLIGHT TOWN.
12. Wjessop: Had a lot of earlier posts some of which were jokey, but this changed as he engaged with Damian forced Damian to retract his read on Wjessop to null then posted a useful set of notes and reads on 11 with a push on OB starting on 17 for his game start. I argue that WJessop’s play is pro-town and he is scumhunting, but I have been fooled by him before. For now though, TOWN.
13. Maniac: Starts the game with his horrible backwards rxn test which gives the poetry from last game a run for it’s money. I have pointed out the flaws with this rxn test already so I am not going to rehash. His main contribution since has been a push on yoyo. Despite the rxn test at the beginning and the backwards spelling I do think he has opened mid-game with a push. I need to see more from Maniac as the game develops though. NULL.
14: Espi: He is not engaging in this game so I am wondering why he signed up. He posts a seemingly helpful post at the beginning of the game which takes TrPrado out of play then vanishes after a well wishing to all players post on page 4. I have not seen anything since which is strange and uncharacteristic of him. SLIGHT SCUM.
15. Damian: Perhaps my most important read and my current vote.
Damian has been prone to back off when he takes a lot of heat and this does not strike me as a stalwart townie in pursuit of the truth, but as someone who doesn’t want to attract attention and knows when to slink away. Look at this exchange with about the so-called Balki MVP.
“Balki. While I appreciate the award. I worry that nominated a town mvp(s) for each day is basically giving the mafia list of people to kill. Also I'm really glad you're posting your thoughts on everyone. It helps allay some of my earlier worries about you.” (Damian, 10)
YET when questioned he says:
“@Y2K... hmm, you are right, I am wrong, the list is just a bunch of factual statements.” (Damian, 10)
When I question him about his reads he says:
“Yes, we haven't even made it 24 hours yet, I don't have strong opinions about everyone. I have no idea, I guess I forgot to include ghugs explanation, before moving on to the next person.” (Damian, 11)
When questioned by Wjessop he relents and AMENDS his read on Wjessop just after attracting a question or two.
“You might not be scum after all. Amend my read on Wjessop to null” (Damian, 11)
This shows a total lack of commitment in almost anything he posts and an effort to pacify anyone who questions him. This is characteristic of mafia play.
Ultimately I get him to go from denying he made a contradiction to: “@ND I'm not sure I agree I contradicted myself.” (Damian, 10).
Balki asks Damian to respond to Wjessop on Page 12 and Damian does point by point. Another effort to please.
My initial questioning of Damian on Page 4 then 9 revealed a contradiction on his TrPrado vote from page 2 one that he ardently tried to refute, luckily these forum posts are permanent and all it shows is that he can’t keep his story straight. Thus in closing the case is simple. We have an inexperienced mafia player here folks who a) can’t keep his story straight see the Page 9-10 contradiction/defense, someone who constantly caves to anyone who questions him, someone who won’t defend any case by calling his own cases weak, someone who has no actual commitment to his stances, but simply wants to avoid pressure. All in all very anti-town play, does nothing to further the scumhunt, and characteristic of a mafia man trying to back down under pressure/voting. SCUM.
16. Guak: Is actually making an effort to play the game and appears late on Page 5. He posts some one liners and votes yoyo. Then posts some general game views on Page 9. Says that we get nothing out of a policy lynch and will vote those who proposes it in addition. Guak has been more active, nothing he has said as of yet strikes me as scummy, and he has made an effort to scumhunt. This is all pro-town play. TOWN.
17. Toemato: Our new player. I have a question that has not been answered yet what does: “ok roleplay mode is on” (page 6) mean? Other than that I think this player is a straight up newb and I don’t know how to read it. I’ve read newbs as scum/town before (Espi in M11) and been totally wrong. For now and until I see more NULL.
18. DemonOverlord: DO has opened the game with a commitment to keep better track of the game by putting the pages into a word document and presumably take notes, 1. Yet as the game progresses she uses the words “bus” (3) in reference to Wjessop which implies that both DO and WJessop are scum. I thought this was strange and marked it when I read it. Later she retracts this (4) and says it was a joke “brainslip” (page 4). Since then she has reappeared and posted while pressing Balki, 15. Apart from the early game play which may have well been jokey she has made some presses and cases. I want to see more from her and for now NULL.
19. Uclabb: Hasn’t posted a whole lot, but what he has posted has been generally useful. He made a thoughts so far post on page 4 and then things that have stood out/minor reads on page 12. I have not seen a lot of lines of questioning or attempt to seriously scumhunt though so I am hesitant on this one and need to see more but for now SLIGHT TOWN.
The Art of Correspondence ... out in hardback
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