Hello, everyone, I am proud to unveil our proposal for The Werewolf Ratings System! We hope this system would allow both more experienced and newer players to know what sort of game they are joining. It's not mandatory for hosts to use but it is recommended. Here is what we currently have set up for the ratings system:
Level 1- Traditional setup, vanilla game, no surprise mechanics, suitable for first time players.
Specs: Open game (role list public and explained), Some version of a civility pledge (no hostile environments), No unorthodox roles or unorthodox mechanics
Level 2 - Mostly traditional setup, some surprise mechanics may be present but limited, suitable for newer players.
Specs: Possible open game (not always required but advised), Some version of a civility pledge (no hostile environments), Limited unorthodox roles, no unorthodox mechanics
Level 3 - A good mix of traditional and unorthodox systems, some surprise mechanics may by present, suitable for experienced and newer players with a few games under their belt.
Specs: Possible closed game setup (role list hidden, not strictly required), Possible civility pledge (not required but advised), unorthodox roles present, limited unorthodox mechanics
Level 4 - More unorthodox systems present, surprise mechanics present, some mechanics may not be known to most players, suitable for players looking for a challenge.
Specs: Closed game setup, no civility pledge, unorthodox roles prevalent, limited unorthodox mechanics
Level 5 - A truly unorthodox game. Unorthodox systems and surprise mechanics present and prevalent. Some mechanics may not be known to any players. Overall, this aint your Grandma's WW. Suitable for experienced players only.
Specs: Closed game setup, no civility pledge, unorthodox roles prevalent, unorthodox mechanics prevalent, some mechanics unknown to all players
Our conception of how the system would work is that this chart would be made available to prospective hosts at their request and discretion. The specs are not strict requirements since most games are a bit more dynamic, but are guidelines for hosts to accurately grade their games (except Level 1, which must meet all the specs laid out). Basically, the host would try and grade their game to give a general vibe of what prospective players can expect from their game.
We'd also like to implement a program where hosts can lay out how many players the game was designed for so we can know how best to promote the game. Its strictly optional, of course, at the host's discretion.
I would also like to clarify that a version of a civility clause, of a lack thereof, should not be seen as a replacement of either the Werewolf Code Of Conduct or Wintreath Moderation, rather, as an addition on top of them both.
They may also, if they wish, ask for help rating their game from the Thane (who would then be excluded from participating in the game). The host would then rate their game accordingly, and make this rating known when they open sign ups. A line acknowledging the rating of the game somewhere visible would be recommended. For example:
Signups will last for 12 days and will end at example date on example time. If we do not have a minimum of 10 nominees by that time, signups will extend until we do so. Game Difficulty Rating: Level 3/5. For 10 or more players.
I hope you all like our current proposal, we do wish to hear any thoughts, criticisms or ideas everyone has and, if we all find the final proposal acceptable, I hope we will be able to implement this system after Werewolf 28. Thank you, and I hope y’all have a nice day :]