Casual Testing
- Do you want to use the Testing Grounds client for your role? Maybe for fun, or to further your understanding of hosting tests? Well - there are next to no stipulations, or rules regarding usage of the engine. It is an open resource/tool, that exists for improvement of game balance, with a little hint of fun maybe, and by extension for your usage! Anytime you’d like to use this resource, visit this link http://tostg.herokuapp.com/.
Lacking in people to test with you? Feel free to ask around on the forums, or stop by the Testing Ground Discord, where you can ask around, or maybe even apply to be a host! Where you’ll gain access to the game announcement channel, and host channel. There - you’ll be able to announce games, and talk to people who share your passion of testing. PM a RI Mod, or message one of them on Discord with your interests, to become a host.
PSA - our only stipulation regarding casual testing - would be, the Testing Grounds takes priority when official tests occur. Therefore, any user utilizing our game engine when we are going to officially test, will have to cease their casual testing, so we can do ours.
Lastly, if you’re hosting a test, or game on the client - you’d probably like to know how, right? This would after all yield the best and optimal results for both your own research, and/or fun. We’ve got you covered! Below you will find a guideline with procedures for hosting. ~ Happy testing!
Hosting Guide
- Being Host/Moderator - typically the first user in the client will automatically be the host. However, if you are not the host, request the current host type the following command:
- Code: Select all
/givemod [insert name]
This same command can subsequently be used to give another user host as well. - Game Automation - When testing, you obviously may need to manually do interactions and such, but there of course is the option for all actions automatic, requiring next to no involvement by you. Your options for automation, are accessed in the bottom right, by selecting AM. Your options are suggestions + automated, automatic, and manual. Select “suggestions + automated” for both, and by virtue the best experience.
- Rolelist Editting - There are ideal, for balance purposes, roles coded into the role list mechanic/generator. It is not necessary to keep this. You may edit the role list however you see fit, by selecting the small pencil icon next to the current role(s) in place. Typical procedure is as follows however:Town - replace a random town slot, with your role.
Mafia - replace a random mafia, with your role, unless it is a mafia head role, in which case, replace the current mafia head role.
Neutrals - replace the Neutral Evil, Neutral Killing, or Neutral Benign slot with your role, additionally, if a Neutral slot is not being provided, replace the Mafia that are, with your Neutral.
Notably - only rand roles, and consider interactions that are in the TG Role Cards thread! Just because coders have been lazy, and haven’t removed Milkman from the engine doesn’t mean it’s in TG! This is a general rule of thumb across the board, run the test as it is meant to be in accordance with current TG changes. - Assinging Roles - Obviously you cannot play Town of Salem, without a role. Once you’ve followed step three, and figured what roles will be in/play, transition to the ‘roles’ phase, which is easily done by selecting the roles panel next to modtime panel. During the ‘roles’ phase players can only confirm their role, they cannot send messages.
Then, select the dice option in the top of the rolelist display. This will both produce the roles in game, and select whom in game will have the roles. Once you’re satisfied with generated roles, and assignments, select the green check mark next to the dice to give the players the role, where they’ll be able to /confirm their role, once all players have confirmed their role, you may move onto the next step. - Giving Players Abilities - Unfortunately, when a player rands a role, barring several passives, they aren’t inherently given the abilities and attributes, no, this is left to you to do, you can thank Ralozey for that. You give players abilities and attributes. This is done by selecting the boxes/icon/ next to a player’s name. Below is a explanation on icons:Mafia Chat - black hat + red background
Jailor - keys
Medium - text bubble
Mayor - hair + mustache - Procedures/Commands - Be sure you’re aware of commands, and procedures. Also insure users are aware of the following commands:/help - provides a list of commands.
/msg [player name or number] - to respond to a player, or message them.
/mod [message] - to contact the moderator.
/role - to view their role.
/rolelist - to view role list.
/whisper [name] - to whisper.
/vote - to vote a player, usually unnecessary
/target [player(s)] - to target a player.
/ping - to view your ping. - Day/Night - Following all players confirming their slot, and being informed of basic commands, you can select the day 1 icon, next to modtime. The phases of the game will run on their own, and night phase will begin on its own. Refrain from sending messages, unless making announcements. At the end of the night cycle, you will be sent to modtime, (see 8), during this time in the far right, you should edit the day to the appropriate day, the night will reflect this.
- Modtime - This is easily the most time consuming, and '''''difficult''''' part of hosting. At the end of the night, you will recieve a list of suggested actions. Press all of the ones you believe are correct, and these will send text or perform actions. Be sure to kill someone before you say who they are killed by. Additionally, review what the special role does so you can send messages relating to the role's actions to everybody you need to, ignoring some of the suggestions if your special role gets in the way of this.
The command used to send feedback, and messages to players, would be /sys [name] “message”. Alternatively, there is a drop down next to the players’ name. This contain night feedback, select the most appropriate one. Before beginning the next day, kill any players that are killed, and make announcements as needed.
Also remember, when sending investigator/interviewer results, they may or may not be up to date in the engine - so it’s best to manually use /sys and copy paste from the TG Role Cards thread!
There are various other commands, such as /disguise for Disguiser. Or /clean for Janitor/other cleaning roles, but most of this can be found by using the /help command. Imagine you’re the Town of Salem game engine, essentially. Finally, if voting, or trials are disrupted due to game error, or a role, you can manually force trials, verdicts, etc... Be sure to kill the player that is lynched. - Repeat + Reset - repeat the above steps until a someone wins. After the game is decided in a winner, announce who won, and set the game to ‘pregame’, revive all players, remove their role, their abilities, and be sure to document the test! Just copy paste everything that happened, and put it on a google doc.
- Spectating/Interruptions - Due to the nature of testing - often times players will join the game in the middle of tests, which obviously is not ideal. Do to not panic however, upon someone joining, you have either the option of resetting, and following step 3/4, or alternatively mod-killing the player, and setting them to spectate, this is done with the command /ss [player name/number].
This will bar them from voting, interacting, and being in the game in general. Notably, they become omniscient. So be sure to disable their spectating permissions once they are in a game, by repeating the spectator command. - Fun - There are various commands any player can use for a lax and wholesome experience. Such as a /hug [player] and /me [insert action]. These are accessible only in pregame. Otherwise remember to have fun and avoid the gallows!
Have fun - hopefully this helped with your hosting/testing experience!
