On Working With Others

Original Lecture: On working with others

WARNING! MINI-LECTURE

This is a mini-lesson, basically lifted from a PM. Many players have sought my advice when it comes to curving frustration towards other players. And I figured I'd give some public notes on the subject.

One of the main reasons that my presence probably helps players is that I actively focus on getting to intimately know the people. This does help me get to know their alignment, however, that is not the true purpose of it. The other (much larger) part of it is that its main purpose is for me to understand the drive behind the player and work with them.

So when I'm in a game, because I'm damn-good at it, it has this infectious presence that spreads to others, influencing them. :P Regrettably, not even I fully understand that talent. It's something I just kinda...do. So I can't guarantee I'll be able to players understand it, when not even I know why I'm that charismatic. My main piece of advice, I guess, would basically be that players as town need to apply tactics that once were scum-exclusive to their towngame--a mild form of trickery. (Sounds crazy, but hear me out.)

By which, I mean...the best way to make someone think you're harmless is to ask for their help. (I forget the exact wording, but I'm borrowing it from a prank master who used this tactic to pull off a massive prank.) In mafia game terms, this means that the best way to make someone not scumread you is to ask for their help in scumhunting. It shows humbleness, it shows willingness to work with them, it shows team effort, trust, and support. For them to trust you, first you must trust them, and that gesture (no matter how trivial it may seem) helps a lot.

Talking personally to each player is much more effective than talking to a general audience. When I post, my words are almost always directed at a specific player, a specific person, rather than an appeal to the town in general, because I'm aiming to convince them, one at a time, about something. Or if not convince them, work with them and allow them to effectively convince me. (Depends on whether it's post-flip or pre-flip of my "switch", so-to-speak.)

Sorry that I'm giving off the appearance of neglecting the academy. As this response shows, I'm not. (I'll get to your reply, Jake, when I'm able to do so. This does partially apply to you, though, in that the main theme of this mini-lecture is that trust is a key aspect of town victories.)