Mid-Range Game 60: Overexposure

[Conquestor]

No Mat!!! It was too soon! We had just united our flag of confusion to finally catch a member of the Polaroid gang! That begs the question... Who are Illwei's teammates... 

The first couple of people that come to mind are Devo, Stick, and Xino. There is a chance that Mark is Elim, but I'm happy to v lean him for now. 

Edit:

Also, there are at max, only two more members of the Polaroid gang, otherwise we would've lost. 

Edited October 16, 2022 by Conquestor
Afterthought

[Mark IV]

I guess the last minute train really caught the elims off guard, given that Illwei was an Odd Favoured, which means she could have protected herself if she had submitted the order. Which means that either she was just inactive toward the end of the cycle and submitted no orders or had both orders for looking for coins. Either way, last cycle's vote was realy informative, especially the way it swayed around. 

Devotary. Yours was the last vote on Illwei. Given that Illwei didn't put in her self-protect order on (odd) cycle 3, I assume Illwei wasn't online at the time. So, (and this is now hypothesis), an e!Devo decided to capitalise on it and voted for Illwei to gain some credibility once it was clear that the 3v1v1 VC wasn't going to flip again. If Illwei had finally come onine, she'd have had to submit a self-protect order anyway, regardless of your voting on her.

To me, an e!Devo + e!Illwei team seems possible. Illwei's random votes on you could have been a bold distancing tactic, possibly? The issue is that Illwei didn't really contribute much to discussion C1 and early C2. I'd have to reread C2/3 to see how you two have interacted though. 

My vote for now is somewhat incorporeal given I don't have concrete evidence linking you to Illwei, but, as mentioned, I intend to reread C2/3 and I'll leave my vote here until I do so, if for nothing but the sake of discussion. 

That aside, @_Stick_. Idk, just poking you again. Any comments on last cycle? I know it's a lot to catch up on, but we're at a crititcal cycle now. If there are in fact 2 more elims as Conq suggested, then we could possibly reach parity next cycle (though someone had mentioned that the elim win condition is to outnumber the villagers, not reach parity?). But, it'll be terribly hard to win if we are, in fact, at parity.

 

Also, the vote cancellation on Mat is interesting.

E: @Devotary of Spontaneity, because vote on you

Edited October 16, 2022 by Mark IV
Ping Devo

[Shining Silhouette]

Rest in Peace, Mat.

I'll reread in the near future. I'm sure we can find some Illwei e/e interactions.

[Mark IV]

8 hours ago, Mark IV said:

To me, an e!Devo + e!Illwei team seems possible. Illwei's random votes on you could have been a bold distancing tactic, possibly? The issue is that Illwei didn't really contribute much to discussion C1 and early C2. I'd have to reread C2/3 to see how you two have interacted though. 

Haven't reread C1/2 yet, but I just realised it was Xino who voted for you, not Illwei. I keep getting confused between the two for some reason. :/

Not much to say yet, but I thought I'd point it out. 

[Devotary of Spontaneity]

9 hours ago, Mark IV said:

Yours was the last vote on Illwei.

All four votes were within 30 minutes, and it took that long to write the post because I wasn't going to switch just because Conq said so. I voted Mat initially as a placeholder because Illwei was null and then switched since Illwei had more plausible teammates than Mat. Currently looking in the Xino/Stick/you pool, noting that you voted Xino over Illwei or Mat then switched to Mat and then Conq while Stick voted Mat early and didn't come back and Xino didn't vote at all.

[Conquestor]

7 hours ago, Devotary of Spontaneity said:

All four votes were within 30 minutes, and it took that long to write the post because I wasn't going to switch just because Conq said so. I voted Mat initially as a placeholder because Illwei was null and then switched since Illwei had more plausible teammates than Mat. Currently looking in the Xino/Stick/you pool, noting that you voted Xino over Illwei or Mat then switched to Mat and then Conq while Stick voted Mat early and didn't come back and Xino didn't vote at all.

That's fair, I wouldn't just swap a vote because someone told me to either, but because me and Mat pushed past our differences and swapped our votes, we got an elim. It's definitely not the best way to play, but it worked this time. 

Xino, you have been pretty quiet. Any reason you didn't vote last cycle and any new thoughts for us this cycle? @xinoehp512who do you think is e/e with Illwei? I need to really look back and see but I'll do that tomorrow. 

[Stick.]

Archer I love these write-ups xD

It seems like a lot happened at EoD huh xD I thought my country's timezone was bad but this is worse. Good job guys. Illwei's protect was odd-cycled which means she could have used it last cycle so if anybody roleblocked illwei it might be a good idea to claim not absolutely not in-thread (maybe claim to someone you trust in PMs so that you don't get RB'd/NK'd by elims).

Guess I'll ISO illwei:

C1

Spoiler

1.

Quote

I'm thinking the real strategy here is to send 49 messages and then never again

 

Or maybe 47 and let people think you're maxed out

Nothing much here - although it does remind me: if illwei PM'd you, please speak up if she said anything indicative of other teammates (anybody she defended/suspected). I don't know if I'm supposed to inherit Tani's PMs but there's nothing in my inbox sadge.  

The fact that illwei did not feel the need to cast a vote C1 tells me that maybe there wasn't a teammate at risk - I don't know if she came back online after this one post but at the time of the post, the VC was Mat(1), Devo(1), Danex(1). 2/3 of those players are conf village and also dead. Tiny point in Devo's favour though - having even a single vote on a C1 is dangerous for elims due to the fluidity of votes C1.

C2

Spoiler

1.

Quote

i ate 18 eggs this week

Um yeah nothing here. Post 2 is similarly OOG.

3.

Quote

Sorry I haven't been here, my Father found a little plot of land in seattle that is like 2000 sq ft and i have spent the past few days with trying to design a little house to fit on the land as a little hyperfixation

Also just got off one of the most exhausting Elim games of my life even though Idk if i can say that when i was only alive 3 days

Low info kills are generally made when an Elim is widely village read/is very present in the game, and either those village reading them are widely village read, or they have teammates that are the same @Conquestor.

I still like Mat and Shining,

Village reads on Mat and Shining to be noted. (Shining possible teammate?) Also replies to Conq's low info kill question - largely not indicative of anything imo. 

4.

Quote

Mat did post reads yesterday, and they were incredibly in tune with my thoughts at the time which is why I think he's village. You seem a little all over the place this game though, wiz.

Classic case of attempting to pocket a villager smh. 

5.

Quote

Im just rly trying to get across my point ig

or my internet rly hates me

Replies to Mark commenting on the duplicate-post. Don't see the interaction as particularly e/e nor e/v.

6.

Quote

to be clear I don't think it clears mat and I don't expect people to follow me on this read. I do think that it makes mat more likely village specifically to me, and therefore influences how i view the game from that.

Personally I don't see how voting in reaction to JNV's single post would be villagery, seeing as how I didn't really get anything bad off of it iirc

More suspicion thrown on Wiz - what's notable is that this is her second interaction with Mark. It probably should mean something - inclined to lean slight village on Mark.

7.

Quote

It probably means something about wiz, tbh.

Again, really insistent on getting wiz exed. Curious that she chose to abstain from voting this cycle too. At the point of this post, the vote count was:

Wizard(3): Danex, Mat, Shining

Devo(2): Conq, Xino

Shining(1): Devo

She could've easily joined the Wiz train and solidified that exe against village vote manip and the fact that she didn't implies she was comfortable enough with this state of votes to leave the thread. Perhaps the elims have vote manip? Makes devo/illwei e/e less likely in my opinion.

C3

Spoiler

1.

Quote

Devo not flipping onto wiz when they were tied is a good look unless devo and wiz are teamed.

I think the moving rollover time isn't as fun to play as i thought it'd be lfmao

Honestly don't understand what this post means - Wiz had flipped green at this point so obviously devo/wiz are not e/e in any case. Seems like she made this post in a hurry as an attempt to thread contribution - kind of out-of-touch. 

Looking at last cycle I feel good about Conq as he pretty much led the exe on illwei.

Before the shift to illwei, the VC was:

Mat (3): Stick, Conq, Devotary
Conq (3): Mat, Shining, Mark

After Conq suggested everyone move to illwei and Mat joined (2 mins after), the VC was:

Mat (2): Stick, Devotary
Conq (2): Shining, Mark
Illwei(2): Conq, Mat

This was a critical moment, and Shining's vote on illwei broke the tie. Ordinarily I would take this to mean Shining conf vil but illwei's role (and the fact that it was an Odd-numbered cycle too), makes me hesitate. If illwei was indeed RB'd, I could see bus potential here. 

That aside, I don't see any reasons to not vote xino or mark this cycle. I could maybe consider Devo, but illwei's abstinence to voting for wiz when Devo was pretty close to leading the exe gives me pause.

[Stick.]

Someone pls say something isn’t the cycle ending in possibly four hours

Xino 

double posting since it’s been ELEVEN hours
Goodnight

[Mark IV]

Sorry about my silence. I've had some OOG reasons I've not been able to look at the thread at all over the past 24 hours. 

I don't think I have the time to look at the thread this during what's left of this turn either. Rotten time to be caught up in affairs, but that's just how it is. 

I think part of the issue is that Illwei didn't really leave many obvious breadcrumbs to follow, either false or true.  Sticks analysis of Devi's posts seems helpful, at least. However, I have no read on Stick themself, so I don't know to what extent I should trust the points Stick's laying emphasis on and, more importantly, what they're omitting (talking specifically about the possibility of an e!Stick here).

Stick's analysis shines a more positive light on Devo, esp the vote tie. The only issue I see is that I don't see a Xino + Illwei team given their play styles this game. Sure, there could be a third person, but then that's one of Stick or Devo (given my reads on Conq and Shining). 

 

Regardless, I'm retracting my vote for now, but I will be coming online later to place it towards the end of the cycle. (Mostly because I don't have the time to analyse right now, unfortuantely).

 

Devo

Also, this kinda sticks out to me (no pun intended)

11 hours ago, _Stick_ said:

I don't know if I'm supposed to inherit Tani's PMs but there's nothing in my inbox sadge.  

Either this is a v!Stick expressing their woes or an e!Stick subtly hinting that they're Village, imo.

Not sure which though

[Conquestor]

Sorry, I meant to be more active this cycle than I was... Anyways, the reason for my vote on Xino, was to see if someone would try to defend Xino since I had no reads on them. Since no one even tried to defend Xino, I'm inclined to think that they are not elim. 

As for Stick's posts this cycle, I love the in depth analyzing that she is doing, but it seems to strongly favor Devo over anyone else, meaning it looks like she is trying to protect a teammate instead of actually trying to find e/e interactions. (Given Illwei's posts, however, I can't really blame anyone for not finding anything.) my biggest thing is that I feel like Stick is playing very similarly to her last game where she was an elim and attempted to protect her teammate to the end... And it worked! I'm still so impressed by that Stick! 

My impression of Devo from past games is that she is a win at any cost kind of elim, which means she's willing to bus a teammate and probably willing to get voted out if it means her teammates don't out themselves. If Tani really was an elim, then it would make sense why there weren't a lot of early on e/e interactions, and given that Stick has taken over Tani's role... Stick. 

If Stick and Devo are elims like I think, Stick's death will confirm it for me. 

Edit:

@_Stick_ @Mark IV @Shining Silhouette @xinoehp512 @Devotary of Spontaneity

What are your thoughts everyone else? Also, like Stick said, the cycle is ending soon. Also because I forgot to do this in the post... Xino. 

Edited October 17, 2022 by Conquestor
Atting People

[Devotary of Spontaneity]

27 minutes ago, Conquestor said:

What are your thoughts everyone else?

Stick voting for xino and signing off for the cycle suggests that they're not e/e. That leaves xino + Mark, Stick + Mark, or possibly even solo elim with a powerful role since Illwei theoretically had 1/2 an extra life. Mark is the safest option for assuming two remaining elims but isn't the most likely solo.

[Shining Silhouette]

Ahhh I have absolutely no time sorry everyone

Devo for now. 

I'll be back for the first half hour after the earliest possible rollover. It'll be tight. I hope it doesn't end before I get back.

OOG: Really really really busy today 

[xinoehp512]

15 hours ago, Conquestor said:

That's fair, I wouldn't just swap a vote because someone told me to either, but because me and Mat pushed past our differences and swapped our votes, we got an elim. It's definitely not the best way to play, but it worked this time. 

Xino, you have been pretty quiet. Any reason you didn't vote last cycle and any new thoughts for us this cycle? @xinoehp512who do you think is e/e with Illwei? I need to really look back and see but I'll do that tomorrow. 

Because mobile is a pain. 

I think Stick is a decent candidate for the exe from what I can see.

[Mark IV]

3 minutes ago, xinoehp512 said:

I think Stick is a decent candidate for the exe from what I can see.

But why?

 

44 minutes ago, Devotary of Spontaneity said:

Stick voting for xino and signing off for the cycle suggests that they're not e/e. That leaves xino + Mark, Stick + Mark, or possibly even solo elim with a powerful role since Illwei theoretically had 1/2 an extra life. Mark is the safest option for assuming two remaining elims but isn't the most likely solo.

Then who do you think is the most likely solo elim, if we consider that possibility for a second? Or do you strongly suspect that there are indeed 2 elims? And what's your rationale for saying I'm not likely to be an elim if there's just one left? 

 

If I perform the same analysis, Devo really is the only one that could be paired up with Xino or Stick in my opinion, and is also the likely elim if there's just one solo elim left. She's just the common denominator for me right now, as I see it. 

(I know what mine is, but I'd like to hear your rationale first, Devo). 

 

17 minutes ago, Shining Silhouette said:

OOG: Really really really busy today

Seems like the Monday Blues are hitting everyone hard today. XD

[Devotary of Spontaneity]

5 minutes ago, Mark IV said:

Then who do you think is the most likely solo elim, if we consider that possibility for a second? Or do you strongly suspect that there are indeed 2 elims? And what's your rationale for saying I'm not likely to be an elim if there's just one left? 

Likely Stick solo since xino didn't even vote yesterday, though neither did Illwei. More credence to the roleblocked theory.

Just because I had been v!reading you prior to this cycle. Your avoidance of voting Illwei yesterday and then voting for me today does make me think you + Stick is the most likely team. Voting for you covers the you + Xino option but Stick is an acceptable choice.

Stick (3): Conq, Xino, Devotary
Devotary (2): Shining, Mark
Xino (1): Stick

[Archer]

This cycle is over. Please stop PMing and posting while I work to get the next one up. 

[Archer]

Cycle Five: Print

“Do you mind if I hide a body in here?”

Jimmie Hesler nearly fell off their jail cell cot in shock. “Earring? How’d you get in here? And NO!”

“Thank you very much. You seriously haven’t tried escaping through the window yet? That lock didn’t even have security pins.”

“I’m innocent.”

“And yet they continue to detain you. Gave you that line about needing to check simulation variations, I’ll bet. Funny how often that happens.”

“Why do you have a body?”

“Couldn’t leave it at the restaurant.” Earring calmly unzipped the body bag and let the corpse of Tommy fall to the ground. Followed by a rather annoyed black cat.

“Bullet! You kept care of him for me?” Tunnel vision kicked in as the writer embraced his best friend.

“-know that dental care is provided by private practices subsidized by the government, which is unique in the universal healthcare model. This allows them to operate as for profit… are you paying attention?”

Jimmie shrugged, then paused. “Something’s wrong with Bullet.”

“Look, I don’t have much time. Since you’ve been here, how many officers have left for private sector jobs?”

“Uh, one who went to work in fast food. And one who wanted to clean teeth or something. Hey why’re Bullet’s teeth messed up?”

Earring swore. “Does its breath smell like chicken?”

“His gums are bleeding! Guards! I need help!”

“No! Please wait. They’re playing both sides and I’m so close to having proof.”

The cat started coughing, spitting up red-tinged phlegm. Jimmie cradled it, breaking into sobs. “You did this! Guards, guards, she’s one of them! Arrest this Polaroid Gang member!”

 Lights flickered on down the hallway while the light in Bullet’s eyes began to fade. Jimmie’s best friend, his glorious, wonderful companion, started spasming.

Fade to black.

***

Unrestricted Distracting Polaroid Gang Member Devotary of Spontaneity was caught! Odd Slanderous member of The Press Conquestor was their final victim. 

The votes were:

Devotary (3): Shining, Mark
Stick (3): Conq, Xino, Devotary
Xino (1): Stick

Players remaining:

Spoiler

1. Matrim's Dice as Marty Meeker, who holds a top column job despite having never lurnd to spel  Even Slanderous 

2. The Wandering Wizard, as Jimmie Hesler, a journalist who ends up writing about cats instead of important events  Odd Influential 

3. The Unknown Novel as Ethan "Echo" Elmer, a reporter with the Epic power to project his mind to hear and see anywhere he wishes Full Investigative 

4. Illwei as an uncredited ghostwriter. (No relation to Wilim) Odd Favored Gang Member!

5. Shining Silhouette as Sil, the illiterate exec who's really good at getting people to do their jobs. (Likely Marty's employer)

6. Stick/Tani as Wilim, the actual ghost who lives in the printer

7. Conquestor as Tommy, Son of Gun! Odd Slanderous

8. Xinoehp512 as Gun

9. JNV as Jenny Wise a new reporter trying to get a big score Full Informed

10. Dannnex as Peter Parker  Odd Influential 

11. Mark IV as Mark

12. Devotary of Spontaneity as as investigative journalist Earring, hoping to quell the wave of spurious arrests that the simulator encourages Full Distracting Gang Member!

This Cycle will end on Wednesday, October 19th between 4pm and 8pm EST. 

[xinoehp512]

Conq noooooo D:

[Shining Silhouette]

YES!

Okay so now the question is Stick or Xino. We need to decide whether or not Devo would bus her (potential) teammate Stick

For now I'll go Xino

Edited October 17, 2022 by Shining Silhouette
sorry Xino xD misspelled your name

[xinoehp512]

Alright guess I've actually got to do some analysis.

Shoot I was hoping this would be easier

OK Mark absolutely could have voted for me if he was elim, I'm feeling pretty good about him. 

Shining in C3 makes no sense to me as an elim, village read also.

So, Stick.

[Stick.]

Really not a decision for me - it can only be xino

[Shining Silhouette]

Xino

Stick

[Mark IV]

@_Stick_, your interactions with Devo seem designed to distance yourself from her, from memory. I wouldn't be surprised if Devo tried to bus another teammate last cycle, given she already kinda bussed Illwei. Which makes me think you, _Stick_ might be the last elim. 

Sorry I've not said a thing this cycle. I meant to post yesterday but just been busy. :/ 

[Archer]

This cycle is over, and so is the game. Please stand by for the aftermath. 

[Archer]

MR60 Aftermath: Frame

 

*

“This is getting ridiculous.”

“You should get off Twitter then. Mind if I join you?”

“You already have. Listen, there’s a full blown turf war on the streets right now between fast food workers. And the cops have been poisoning people in a convoluted round-about way of making money when they could just as easily divert some funds from their enormous annual budget!”

“That would be illegal.”

“So is poisoning people! And the payoff is what? A couple thousand per officer? It’s just not that feasible a scheme.”

“And yet, that’s what’s happening.”

“Is it though? This isn’t a plausible situation. Possible, sure, but not plausible. I don’t believe this is happening right now. I really… I’m in the Snapshot!”

“People in the Snapshot don’t know they’re in the Snapshot.”

“Evidently that’s a myth because this simulation isn’t even close to being accurate.”

“I disagree. There’s an internal logic to this all that is being followed. It’s a realistic world, Ms. Stand. Anyone who belonged here would believe it. They’d have no frame of reference that would lead them to question anything.”

“Nuh uh, I’ve figured this out. It’s not right, this isn’t real. I’m not real.”

“You’re partially correct. It’s not right – to you. But it’s realistic, and that’s what counts. There’s an Epic named Firefight in this universe now and she’s quite graciously allowed herself to be plugged into the machine. She’s very good at making alternate realities. Only those with meta-knowledge would spot the discrepancy.”

“I don’t understand. There’s a different Epic running the Snapshot?”

“We have benchmark tests to show there was no change in the simulation quality. This evidence will still be admissible. I would advise you to settle, but that’s the real real you’s prerogative.”

“So you admit I’m not real?”

“Close, Ms. Stand. You admitted you don’t belong here. If you were able to figure that out in a reasonable simulation, a judge should agree that you’d notice that outside of one too. The implication is actually that you’re very real. Too real to be in a fictitious world. My Client will be extremely pleased.”

“I still don’t understand.”

“Don’t worry about it too much. It’ll only confuse you for another three, two…”

SIMULATION ENDED

***

Even Informed Polaroid Gang Member Stick was arrested! Mark was attacked, but he survived! That means the members of The Press have won the game!

The votes were:

Stick (3): Mark, Xino, Shining

Xino (1): Stick

Players remaining:

Spoiler

1. Matrim's Dice as Marty Meeker, who holds a top column job despite having never lurnd to spel  Even Slanderous 

2. The Wandering Wizard, as Jimmie Hesler, a journalist who ends up writing about cats instead of important events  Odd Influential 

3. The Unknown Novel as Ethan "Echo" Elmer, a reporter with the Epic power to project his mind to hear and see anywhere he wishes Full Investigative 

4. Illwei as an uncredited ghostwriter. (No relation to Wilim) Odd Favored Gang Member!

5. Shining Silhouette as Sil, the illiterate exec who's really good at getting people to do their jobs. (Likely Marty's employer) Odd Selfless 

6. Stick/Tani as Wilim, the actual ghost who lives in the printer Even Informed Gang Member!

7. Conquestor as Tommy, Son of Gun! Odd Slanderous

8. Xinoehp512 as Gun Full Watchful

9. JNV as Jenny Wise a new reporter trying to get a big score Full Informed

10. Dannnex as Peter Parker  Odd Influential 

11. Mark IV as Mark Even Influential

12. Devotary of Spontaneity as as investigative journalist Earring, hoping to quell the wave of spurious arrests that the simulator encourages Full Distracting Gang Member!

Links:

-Elim doc: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ZLQwazXn8UKc2VwhRNaY4zWY4g0KfXfch1GYeACFRAk/edit?usp=sharing

-Dead doc: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QHwsN9-p0gDyIXPxe3ZoddJcstMtlAmvstKyTshh3HY/edit?usp=sharing

-GM spreadsheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1WG9SJcXF5IzaSGYNXQpYqZBoCQs9PoppJkXig-eVSvw/edit?usp=sharing 

Discussion Questions:

I'll post some GM thoughts later, but I'm excited to hear what you thought about the new mechanics used in the game. Were the roles fun? Was the balance okay? Would you play with variable rollover times again? 

My thanks to Araris for being the IM for this game. Many thanks to all the players and spectators as well, you made running the game an enjoyable experience.