Dynamic 2021 (Mothblocks)

The Problem

Dynamic currently dumps as much threat as it can into round start threats. This means that rounds at ~50 threat can have an absurd amount of antagonists round start, while leaving very little threat for midround/latejoin antagonists. What inevitably happens is just one of those picked decides to murderbone, leading to the inevitable 20 minute shuttle call. Furthermore, once those antagonists are dead, Dynamic doesn't have any threat left to spend on new antagonists that keep the round flowing, promoting the mentality of "antags dead, I'm bored, let's leave".

Dynamic 2021's Solution

The proposed solution of Dynamic 2021 is to split threat level into two separate budgets, one for round start and one for midround/latejoin. This split, like threat level, will also be done on a lorentz curve–meaning that while most rounds will have them evenly split, there is still the possibility of chaotic high antagonist round start rounds, or the possibility of a midround onslaught. The associated costs and scaling costs of threats must be adjusted to this new system to prevent high round start threat rulesets (such as cult or nuke ops) from being impossible to obtain; funnily enough, this is already a problem with midround threats that require high cost, such as nuclear assault, which is seen extremely infrequently.

Unresolved Questions

• Skoglol has expressed concern that the Syndicate Sleeper Agent (converting non antagonists to traitor midround) is unhealthy for the game. The reasoning behind this is that it encourages players to gear up every round, as if they don't they will have a crummy traitor round. The reason this is undesirable is tacit. With the focus on allowing for more midround threats, it is possible that this behavior will be rewarded more, and the problem exacerbated. Should Syndicate Sleeper Agent be disabled?

Ooh, graphs

Any comparisons between the old system and Dynamic 2021 should understand the vast difference in sample sizes–Dynamic 2021 simulations are in the span of tens of thousands, while the old system, only being coded in DM, is extremely costly to run.

Budget left to spend on midrounds (frequency charts)

On the old system, a good chunk of rounds don't even have enough to buy a midround threat! Yikes!

Average number of antagonists with Dynamic 2021 at certain threat levels with 35 players

Average round start budget that can be given to midrounds (NOT including their assigned budget)

Frequency of rulesets under Dynamic 2021 vs the current system

One thing to note is the near halving of Wizard. While this is adjustable, I have opted for this as midround wizard exists, and is in my opinion more fun than roundstart wizards. Other rulesets have similar midround equivalents (nuclear emergency has nuclear assault, heretic has smuggler, revolution has provocateur), and will be observed through playtesting whether these are also more fun than their round start equivalents.

Playtesting Schedule

Checkbox refers to the current stage.

• Stage one - Test on one LRP server, and under constant watch by me for the entirety of its testing (and un-TM once I leave). The goal of this stage is for extremely obvious observations (uh oh, 80% of the crew is antags! That's not intentional!) and bugs.
• Stage two - Test on one LRP server, but no longer under constant watch; be prepared to un-TM it at any time in the case of failure. This stage is after Dynamic 2021 proves to be stable, and is primarily to gauge immediate player feedback. Round times will be compared against to other LRP servers running current Dynamic, as well as round start antags being rolled vs midrounds. Numbers for threats will be regularly adjusted.
• Stage three - Test on all LRP servers (though I think Sybil has a different config to Bagil/Terry currently?). More number adjustments, and make judgments based on the cultures of different servers.
• Stage four - Test on Manuel as well, ensuring that it is made compatible with the currently lower stress atmosphere. Gauge MRP player feedback, but decide whether it is something that should be solved on all configs or just on MRP. During this stage, I would like Manuel to run on 100% Dynamic 2021 until testing is over.
• Stage five - Merged on all servers. Manuel may revert back to 50/50 secret/dynamic if it is deemed ideal.

During playtesting (and especially the first two stages), a special "dynamic2021.json" configuration will be used in place of the normal "dynamic.json". This is to allow me total control over the playtests (with head admin permission, of course), and ensure that when it is un-testmerged that the old Dynamic numbers persist.