[Party Elephant]

Originally Posted by starseed

At this point, I think the best course is testing the Party Elephant and mrkaj link. A PE passenger flip does not let mrkaj off the hook (or vice versa if we lynch mrkaj), but I think it gives me more info at this point. I still feel like Diss is scum, but then I guess I always think that for some reason in these games. Diss's behaviour is more likely to be bad town than Party Elephant's voting patterns and shifts in focus are likely to be coming from a townie.

So (dis)honourable mentions to Dissent, Timbo (because it is tradition to have him on my list(plus other previously mentioned posts)), and Mrkaj, but:

Vote: Party Elephant

Starseed, from what you've posted today I'm sure you're very aware of this exchange that makes the "link" between me and mrkajz seem a little silly:

Originally Posted by mrkajz44

For me, thinking about some of the posts that came off as "different" early on, I have to say that Seb's strategy definitely caught my attention. It has some merit for sure, where there is simply too much noise with lots of posts. Sort of a direct shot against "the more information the better". It's a bit outside the box, but not a terrible idea.

However, what struck me as much more interesting was the way Party sort of latched onto that idea and ran with it. It seems like Seb thought out that strategy and wants to stick to it, but Party just grabbed a hold of the same idea and uses that to explain a very low post count, that has little to no content. Party also said they were new to Mafia, and I'm guessing drawing a Mafia card in their very first game would be very nerve racking and the fear of slipping up would be great, hence the low post count without much substance. Their instant vote sort of tears down that argument though, but maybe it was just heat of the moment?

So, I'm sticking to my idea of waiting until Monday to make a voting decision because posting is so infrequent on the weekends, but Party is at the top of my list for now. I'd like to hear a little more from them.

Originally Posted by Party Elephant

Alright then. Like I've said, I'm new to this mafia game. I'm a bit jealous that lots of you are posting analyses of posters based off "how they played the last game(s)" as I'm just starting from scratch with all of you. I noticed early on that a lot of you were saying that the people not posting a lot are suspicious, I guess only one mentioned me by name though.

I was trying to get in on the game when I read and agreed with Seb's post. I don't really have a lot to say and I'm still feeling out how the game works so the idea made sense. Some of you think it's suspicious, fine, but GGG voting for me based on that flimsy logic really irritated me.

Originally Posted by mrkajz44

I appreciate the response, Party. However, I still get that feeling where you are a new player and have no experience, so drawing a Mafia card in the first game would be intimidating and as a result you are just trying to avoid making waves.

Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but responding to my post so quickly just makes me feel like you are constantly monitoring the thread, but not really posting much unless you are specifically mentioned. This has happened twice now. First with GGGs vote against you, you were able to respond in just a few minutes, and then after my post last night, you were able to respond in about an hour. It just seems so lurky to me.

Vote: Party Elephant

Originally Posted by mrkajz44

3) As for the vote on Party - I did mention in earlier posts that I would likely wait until Monday to vote as the weekend is typically slow and I wanted as much talk as possible before voting. You did mention the Party theory where he is newby scum first, and when I re-read Party's posts I tended to agree. I expanded that thought a little more with his response times and voted after that.

At this point mrkajz is almost actively ignoring the obvious reason why I might be posting at odd times. It wasn't until this list post by hockeyguy a few pages later:

Originally Posted by Hockeyguy15

Party Elephant - One and done.

...that I beat the issue into the ground once and for all:

Originally Posted by Party Elephant

I feel like I'm beating a dead horse here. My posts are usually "one and done" because if I get home from work and post at 6pm, it's midnight in Calgary and there's no one to reply. Most of the activity has been taking place while I'm either asleep or at work. I guess I could leave a string of posts in a row like some others are doing?

At this point mrkajz removes his vote on me:

Originally Posted by mrkajz44

So I completely missed the fact that Party is, in fact, in NZ and therefore their odd posting schedule might be completely due to the time difference.

I looked back on when they tended to respond and it seemed to line up with the NZ time zone rather well. Therefore, my earlier conclusion that they were lurking and only responding in the thread when their name came up is pretty much shot; it was all just a coincidence. That was the main reason I had a hunch on them, so I don't feel right keeping the vote on them.

unvote

So, you seem like a pretty smart guy and the other people who have played in other mafia games with you are implying as much. I see this as one of two possibilities:
A. You haven't done your homework and are unaware/ignoring this exchange, which seems unlikely, or

B. You think it's staged. If mrkajz and I were both scum, he would be fully aware of why I was posting at odd times. The only explanation left for the exchange I quoted would be that we planned it out as a misdirection. Honestly, I'm a little flattered you think that.

So is it A or B?

I'm not ruling out that mrkajz could be scum by the way. Digging up these posts has got me thinking he could have been actively ignoring my location (it's right there every time I post after all) to pile on to the momentum I had accumulated at that point in day 1.