SAU 15 Signup thread

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Tarbo
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SAU 15 Signup thread

Post by Tarbo »

Hail, fellow underlings! :)

With CAU 1/SAU 14 coming to an end, I'm taking the opportunity to launch an idea I've been brooding on for the better half of a year. Why yes, it's a SAU; how did you know?

If you'd like to participate, leave a post in this thread saying so. If you have any questions about the game, its mechanics, or anything related that comes to mind, this thread is also the place to do so.

I'm aiming for at least 12 players, and should be able to accomodate up to 18 with everyone getting a role with special abilities.


What is a SAU?

SAU stands for Slaanesh Amongst Us. The name hails from the early days of SAU on Druchii.net, where Slaaneshi had infiltrated a group of Khainist Druchii and had to be rooted out. While the protagonists and villains change with every session, the fundamental concepts remain the same.

The game is about a number of players amongst whom are incognito infiltrators. Each Day, all players can vote by majority to execute one of their fellows in hopes of catching an infiltrator. Each Night, the infiltrators get a go at turning the tides in their favour again (by killing or recruiting loyalists, depending on the type of game).

If you want a better idea of what a SAU is like, feel free to peruse any of the earlier ones I've hosted:


What's different from last time? (For experienced players.)

Infiltrators no longer get a chance to kill players each Nightphase, but rather recruit them, converting them to their cause. This means that, rather than dwindling the numbers of their enemies, the infiltrators now silently grow their numbers to a majority.

Conversely, the Dayphase no longer ends automatically when a player is voted off by majority. If, and only if, the voted player is an infiltrator, the game kicks into another Dayphase. This allows loyalists to go on a 'killing spree' as long as they pick the right targets, and raises the stakes for the infiltrators. If, however, a loyalist is executed, the Day ends immediately, and Night starts (as in previous games).

This change in mechanics will probably alter the game flow radically, so I expect this game to act very differently from previous flavours.


What are the requirements to join?

You should be able to follow the game on a bi-daily basis. To keep the game flowing along at a steady pace, there are deadlines to every game phase. Typically, these phases are 48-72 hours, or possibly 72-96 hours, in length.

Experience teaches that phases longer than this tends to get the game 'stuck' and, because of the forum-nature of these games, SAUs are notoriously difficult to 'unstuck'.


How does the game work?

There are two main alternating phases to the game: the Day phase and the Night phase. As with the game name, the names for these phases are historical more than accurate--I'm considering renaming them in future games. To set the phases apart from actual day and night in the short stories, phases always carry an initial capital letter: Day, Night.

-- The Day phase --
This phase is the meat of the game; the majority of time spent playing the game is done in the Day phase. This is the phase were everyone talks, discusses, accuses and, ultimately, decides who is going to be executed.

During the Day, all players may vote against at most one other player. By voting, you declare a wish for that player's execution, which will reveal his identity and remove him from the game. Voting is how loyalists attempt to weed out the infiltrators. But beware: infiltrators are equally allowed to vote, and you can't set them apart from loyalists.

Normally, the Day ends when a player is executed. However, when the player was actually an infiltrator, the Day phase is extended and another round of voting is allowed. This can repeat itself until either all infiltrators are dead (resulting in loyalist victory) or a loyalist is executed.

The Day phase is special in that it has an activity deadline that the Night doesn't have. The activity deadline is a clearly set time by which everyone must have made at least one post in the game thread. The deadline is usually set to about 48-72 hours from the start of the Day. Players that haven't posted by then are removed from the game as inactive.

When the Day ends, Night starts.

-- The Night phase --
During the Night, abilities are used covertly in an attempt to influence the game. The Night phase is when the infiltrators are at their strongest: they can recruit other players to their cause, communicate silently with their comrades on their plan for the next day, and disrupt any special abilities loyalists may have.

Depending on what role you have, you may have several abilities. Abilities are secret actions you can take to further your cause. Abilities may allow you to protect others from harm, to reveal the allegiance of a fellow player, to cause them harm, or anything else it says you can do. (The different types of abilities will be explained later on.) You use an ability by sending me a private message saying how you want to use your ability.

Infiltrators have the special 'Subvert' ability, which allows them to convert a player to their cause. Converted players become infiltrators when the Day starts, and are full-fledged members with all benefits and drawbacks, just as if they had been an infiltrator from the start of the game. Once a player has been converted to an infiltrator, he can never be a loyalist again; the change is permanent.

Infiltrators, and other players with the explicit ability to do so, may use the Night to communicate covertly with their allies. No other players may contact each other.


How do abilities work?

There are three types of abilities: Active (default), Passive, and Automatic.

Active abilities need to be used explicitly and cost action points (AP) to use. Most abilities are active abilities. You can use an active ability by sending the host (me) a private message detailing how you wish to use it--the ability description will tell you what options you have. Active abilities can be countered by other abilities.

Automatic abilities do not need to be activated explicitly, but are otherwise identical to active abilities, so they cost action points and can be countered by other abilities. The ability description will tell you when and how it is activated.

Passive abilities do not need to be activated explicitly, can not be countered, and do not cost action points. Passive abilities are always in effect, and its benefits (or drawbacks!) cannot be taken away from you by other players.

Every role has good abilities and evil abilities. Loyalists always use good abilities, while infiltrators always use evil abilities. When a loyalist is converted to an infiltrator, his good abilities are removed and replaced with their evil counterparts.

At the start of each Night, everyone gains 1 action point (AP). Action points stack over following Nights, so if you choose not to use your action point immediately, you can store it for use on the next Night. But be careful: if you're converted, you lose all your action points!

If you haven't used an ability by the time Night ends (and thus Day starts), you count as not having used your ability: your action points are carried over to the next Night.


When do we start?

When we have enough players. :) But don't worry, we usually wait a few more days to give latecomers a chance to sign up before we kick off.


Anything else I should know?

The game may require you to 'switch teams' when picked by the infiltrator team, turning your previous allies into enemies and inverting your goals. If this is something you're not comfortable with, better sit this one out.
Last edited by Tarbo on Sat Mar 07, 2009 12:54 pm, edited 1 time in total.
51la5
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Post by 51la5 »

Woo, I have been waiting for this for age's. I am so in.
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Post by Kefka »

I would like to be in. I think I'm going to stick to playing as my recent failure in trying to lead a CAU has shamed me.
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Post by Sleekdd »

Ooh, a new SAU! Sign me up.

I'm curious about the new mechanics although I'm certain I'll miss the off-the-wall kills we've all come to love (and dread). Oh well, maybe someone else can wear my red shirt for me this time?
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Post by Khel »

Ready as always. :D Sign me up.
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Post by Kinslayer »

Never before have I attemted SAU, but there's a first for everything, right? I think I understand the game, I usually catch on quite quickly anyway - bring it on!
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Post by Tich »

As always I'm in.
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Post by Zardock »

I too would like to play, I've wanted to try this since I noticed the CAU but missed out on the join time.

Never tried something like this but I followed the CAU for abit and can pick up things quickly.

Definately sign me up.
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Post by Tarbo »

Welcome aboard, greenhorns and veterans! Glad to see so many people are looking forward to playing. Don't worry if it's your first time; we were all newbies once. :)

    Players
  1. 51la5
  2. Kefka
  3. SleekDD
  4. Khel
  5. Kinslayer
  6. Demendred
  7. Zardock

The top post was changed to contain information on how to play the game (under 'How does the game work' and 'How do abilities work'). To keep it from becoming larger than the starter post for the game, some things will be explained once they become relevant.

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Post by Deroth »

Yea im keen, was abit sad that the last cau died right before the finish line.

So sign me up :P
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Post by Lordanubis »

I'd like to play please. This sounds like an interesting little variation and your ones to date have been fun.
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Post by Drainial »

Good evening one and all (or indeed good morning, afternoon or night depending on where you are in the world and when you are reading this). Recently returned as I am from long absense I declare my self delighted to catch the begining of a new SAU, and run by the father of this establishment no less. So with no further ado and with no guilding of the lily what so ever I anounce my intention to partake in this latest evolution of a long established and treasured pass time.

To use plain english, sign me up.
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Post by Zzug »

In a slightly less eloquent way: I would also like to join up
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Post by Shadow dark »

Count me in.
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Post by Telrunya »

I'd certainly like to be in!
I fear, however, there is a week in April I'll probably not be able to post; if that's not an insurmountable problem, then I'd love to join.
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Post by Tarbo »

If you can foresee that you'll be inactive for a while, you'd be best to tell me beforehand so that I can take it into account when setting deadlines. In the extreme, your character may simply be unavailable for a while (but still be able to attract votes).

    Players
  1. 51la5
  2. Kefka
  3. SleekDD
  4. Khel
  5. Kinslayer
  6. Demendred
  7. Zardock
  8. Deroth
  9. LordAnubis
  10. Drainial
  11. zzug
  12. Shadow Dark
  13. Telrunya

We have more than the minimum of players. I'll leave the sign-up open while I prepare the final bits of the game, but I expect to launch the game in a couple of days.
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Post by Belial »

I think I'll join this one.
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Post by Zardock »

Can't wait for this to start, and with 14 players I think this will be enjoyable =D.

I assume this will become the OOC thread as happened with CAU??
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Post by Tarbo »

I'm aiming to start the game Monday/Tuesdayish. You'll get a private message with your role and abilities just before the game kicks off.

    Players
  1. 51la5
  2. Kefka
  3. SleekDD
  4. Khel
  5. Kinslayer
  6. Demendred
  7. Zardock
  8. Deroth
  9. LordAnubis
  10. Drainial
  11. zzug
  12. Shadow Dark
  13. Telrunya
  14. Belial

Unlike similar games, but like all my SAUs, the game starts in the Day phase rather than the Night phase. We will start with a single infiltrator (who can, of course, convert others at Night).

As Zardock mentioned, this thread will become the Out-of-Character (OOC) thread, where questions can be asked and announcements made.
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Post by Mel'reyna »

*signs up*
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Post by Tarbo »

The game's afoot! After you've ploughed through 35KiB worth of story intro, you can get on with the actual game. Just keep in mind: you may be reading it, but I actually wrote it.

Something that may surprise newcomers and veterans alike:

People cannot be voted before the activity deadline passes. Even if a majority is reached, votes can still be retracted before the activity deadline has passed. Once that deadline has passed, however, all bets are off, and a majority results in instant fatality-- I mean, exorcism.

A reminder that you should not edit posts after you've submitted them. If you see an embarrassing typo, resist the temptation. I know it's hard, but pink lightning really is just around the corner. ;)

This is now the OOC thread; keep an eye on it for announcements.
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Post by Zardock »

Sorry I edited my post before I came and read your comment here.

Sorry Tarbo I won't do it again =D.
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Post by Tarbo »

How to vote

During the Day phase, everyone gets to vote to have someone exorcised. When a player is exorcised, he/she is permanently removed from the game. However, if you manage to purge an infiltrator, you get a another free Day phase (meaning the infiltrators don't get to subvert anyone).

Voting is done in the following format: Vote: (Name). For instance, if you want to vote Tarbo, you write the following at the very bottom of your post: Vote: Tarbo.

The boldcase is important, and it's best to put it at the bottom of the post so that it really stands out and I do not accidentally miss it when tallying.

Retracting your vote is done in a similar way, but you write 'Unvote' instead of 'Vote': Unvote: Tarbo.

You can only vote for one player at a time. When you want to vote for another player, you don't have to unvote explicitly; unvoting is implicitly understood when you vote for another player.

Votes do not carry across Days. Every Day phase starts from a clean slate, so if you want to vote for someone you already voted for last Day, you need to repeat your vote.


Voting, Majorities and Deadlines

Exorcisms are performed only by majority vote. By definition, a majority is 50% of the players plus one, so for 15 players, a majority is 8 or more players; for 10 players, this would be 6. Because voting works by majority, there can never be a tie.

You can vote at any time during the Day phase. However, a player can only be exorcised after the first (activity) deadline has passed; this is to prevent someone from being exorcised before everyone has spoken. When a majority is reached before the first deadline passes, players can still retract their vote. As soon as the first deadline is hit, any majority results in an instant exorcism.

Players removed through inactivity do not count towards the number needed for majority. For instance, if there are 8 players left in the game, 5 constitute a majority. Suppose 4 of these players have voted for one other, and one has yet to post. When the activity deadline passes, the inactive player is removed, and the 4 votes placed suddenly amount to a majority, resulting in an immediate exorcism.


Infiltrator numbers

At the start of each Day, the number of infiltrators will be announced. It was considered that the game would be too hard if this number was kept secret.

The game starts with a single infiltrator.
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Post by 51la5 »

Stupid school internet errr. O well I guess ill just have to watch this one from the side lines.
Silas Group 24

Weapon Skill 3
Strength 2
Dexterity 5
Toughness 2
Intelligence 5

Skills: Basic Stealth.

Equipment:
short sword, repeater crossbow, Light green shade cloak, Fire lighter, Stealth armour, Map, 48 gold.
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Tarbo
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Trivia questions

Post by Tarbo »

Trivia questions

Trivia questions are an opportunity to put your knowledge of the game's story and events to the test. Each trivia question is about some part or concept in the story, and has four possible answers. Only one of the answers is entirely correct.

There is no real advantage to solving trivia questions, or a disadvantage to not solving them, or getting them wrong. Trivia questions are entirely optional and not an integral part of the game. Some players find them fun and challenging to solve, and to see how they measure up to their peers. There are statistics at the end of each round of trivia, though the actual scores of individual players are kept private.

Answers to trivia questions, should you wish to participate, should be PM'ed to me. You have time until I put up the next batch of trivia questions, which is at the end of the next Day phase. At the same time, I'll put up the answers in this thread, along with basic statistics about the scores.

There is no guessing penalty to getting answers wrong. If you guess, and you happen to guess the right one, that's just lucky for you. You don't 'lose' points for guessing wrong.

Good luck, and good guessing.
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