Major Policy Changes for Hydras for Mafia Games

[zoraster]

New Policies For Hydras: Commitment

Over the years, the moderators have gotten a lot of complaints about hydras. They're unfair, they decrease participation, inevitably one head will post less than the other, they act differently, etc. We still think hydras have a role to play on Mafiascum, but we want to address some of the short fallings we often see from hydras. As such we're instituting the following changes:

1. Before entering into a hydra partnership, all players must go through mandatory pre-hydra counseling to ensure that everyone in the partnership enters in with the same goals and are able to achieve a unity of purpose.
2. When ready to become a hydra, the players involved must participate in a live commitment ceremony performed by a staff member.
3. Players' current accounts will be blocked from posting in mafia games (they will still be allowed in discussion).
4. Players are nominally prohibited from being in more than one hydra. However, hydras may enter into hydras with other hydras using the same standards previously discussed.

The hope here is that people take seriously their commitments to hydras, and as such both those who feel negatively toward hydras and those who want to participate in hydras can both appreciate their games. This change will take place in the coming weeks and old hydras (now referred to as oldras) will be grandfathered in only for existing games.

Thanks for your patience and welcome to the new era of hydras!

-Zor and the team

[PrivateI]

We know, in Large Social Games, players often connect and would like their alliance to be formalized within the game. In an upcoming LSG, we will be piloting a process allowing playerslots to combine within the game itself, assuming the requisite counseling has occurred. Stay tuned for further details, and we'd appreciate any feedback you may have.

[T-Bone]

Should probably say Zor, that Penguin, Isis, Monty, and I were working very hard to craft this new policy over the past two months. If you have questions or concerns you want to voice privately, send me a PM and I will either answer your question or take it back to the team.

preedit: like Monty there

[T-Bone]

Sorry Monty, I didn't realize you were also going to announce that right now.

[schadd_]

some clarifications / things i felt like adding (i should have brought these up so that they'd be in the OP, lol):

• individual game moderators are not able to waive these requirements, this is something that occurs >in advance of account creation<. we hope that game mods take this seriously and don't make games that are set up to skirt the requirement (e.g. having two players share a slot from separate accounts)
  
• these requirements come from a long time of observing successful hydras and listening to their lived experiences - we aim to be a healthy community for hydras to exist in and this seems to be the most sensitive way forward. if any of these requirements seem odd or unnecessary, we will aim to provide resources in the future to help you stay informed
  
• hydras will still not be allowed in the newbie and normal queues.

[Ban Hydras]

I guess it's

slightly

better than before but I'm still not happy about it.

[Cheetory6]

this is a great development thanks
-Keely

[D3f3nd3r]

What will these commitment ceremonies look like?

[PrivateI]

What will these commitment ceremonies look like?

We are in the process of preparing a video tutorial, but I can tell you that commitment ceremonies will take place publicly on the site's official Discord server!

[Ircher]

Will this change be applied to hydras in ongoing games?

#3 seems unclear; does that mean if you enter a hydra, you cannot play in any other games individually?

[schadd_]

What will these commitment ceremonies look like?

these will take place in discord! you can see that a new voice channel has been added.

what we'll have to do is have the prospective hydra members join the call with zor + the listmods and carry out something resembling a wedding ceremony. pretty straightforward - most of the planning just has to do with getting everyone scheduled. also it will be publically advertised in case anyone wants to join and voice objections.

pedit monty

[schadd_]

Will this change be applied to hydras in ongoing games?

#3 seems unclear; does that mean if you enter a hydra, you cannot play in any other games individually?

hydras in ongoing games may finish those games.

correct!

[Cheery Dog]

Can I get a hydra divorce after a game has finished?

[petapan]

make it real

[zoraster]

I get a hydra divorce after a game ha

Yes, but we haven't established how this conscious uncoupling will take place. We are open to ideas!

[Obvious Alt]

[MathBlade]

Oooh MS now supports multiple marriages and polyamorousness Yay

Get your commitment ceremonies while they’re hot!

Spoiler:

Obviously an April fool’s joke but I like it

[xofelf]

We promise to give more updates on this as soon as we have ironed our some final details. So watch this space!

[Cheery Dog]

I get a hydra divorce after a game ha

Yes, but we haven't established how this conscious uncoupling will take place. We are open to ideas!

Pity.

I was going to go form a hydra just to make sure I don't play any mafia games again. (based on rule 3 and schadds_ clarifications).

[SirCakez]

listmods are just gonna spend all their free time now performing ceremonies
do we need the Church of MS to officiate?

[schadd_]

I get a hydra divorce after a game ha

Yes, but we haven't established how this conscious uncoupling will take place. We are open to ideas!

Pity.

I was going to go form a hydra just to make sure I don't play any mafia games again. (based on rule 3 and schadds_ clarifications).

you can rest easy that divorces will not be as straightforward of a process!

[SirCakez]

do we need lawyers for divorce? who gets ownership of the account???

[PrivateI]

do we need lawyers for divorce? who gets ownership of the account???

Retaining a lawyer to assist you in your conscious uncouplings wouldn't be a bad idea. We'd also urge you to consider pre-commitment agreements with your potential hydra partners in the future, to resolve such disputes.

[Untrod Tripod]

2. When ready to become a hydra, the players involved must participate in a live commitment ceremony performed by a staff member.

I should mention that as Admiral of the Ocean Seas, I am legally allowed to perform commitment ceremonies if they are on water.

[Davsto]

*hydrae