Vendetta is a 200-player Mafia Simulation depicting the rise of Organized Crime from the 1920s to the 1970s. It's the only game of its kind on the Web. Vendetta is played online using just your web browser; no downloads or plug-ins are required. The latest, massively-expanded version of this award-winning game design is now nearing the end of in-house testing and we will shortly be launching a full, open Beta Test.
In this challenging computer-moderated game starting players assume the role of a minor Boss in the Prohibition underworld, controlling a small gang of strong-arm men, bootleggers and racketeers. During the course of the game you may expand your territory and rackets (from a choice of more than sixty different lucrative operations) and build up your influence, wealth, muscle and power. Eventually you may personally control as many as 50 named characters, each with their own individual skills, abilities and specialities, making each of these gang members a virtually unique personality.
The action takes place within a huge, sprawling metropolis of more than 2000 city blocks comprising up to 50,000 individually-detailed buildings. As your personal territory expands and you move into more lucrative rackets, so will you grant a part of your territory to a few loyal, lesser player-bosses ranked beneath you in the underworld hierarchy, granting these the right to operate minor rackets in your neighborhood. Your Organization and personal Boss Status will then expand even further when these, too, rise high enough in the underworld to have lesses Bosses beneath them, and so on.
The game features a detailed and intricate underworld hierarchy, with more than 30 Boss levels of progress. Each level introduces new elements of play, gradually immersing you in the deeper aspects of the game world rather than giving you a whole mass of rule complexities to grasp from the very beginning. This game should therefore prove relatively easy to learn, but also very hard to master!
Players may join together to form powerful Organizations and, later, respected Mafia Families. 30-40 players might eventually belong to each large Family, arranged in a formal structure with each rank receiving tribute from those below, and paying tribute to the Boss above. 'Reasoning' (inter-player diplomacy) with allies & enemies is a very major part of this simulation, and the game system has many features to make such communication extremely beneficial & valuable...
Vendetta is also very aptly named. This simulation features extensive, game-enforced 'codes of honor'. For instance, players will on occasion find it necessary to revenge themselves upon rival player-Bosses (who have in some way harmed or offended them) or suffer a loss of 'respect' -your very important 'Boss Status' - among the underworld for failing to do so in suitable fashion.
The game is played entirely Online using just your browser; partially in real-time (some orders having instant effect) and partially turn-based (some orders being processed at a set time each day). Orders may be issued in advance so it's not necessary to visit the game site every day, though you may do so if you wish. The game also features extensive email facilities, fully configurable, allowing you to receive all important information by email to keep you informed of events in the game. The game world itself runs for 24/7, but the system we use allows you to spend as much or as little time online as you like; albeit bloody gang wars themselves will require a little more concentration & more regular play for you to not be disadvantaged. It's also possible to 'freeze' your game position for a set time period when going on vacation, to ensure that it cannot be harmed while you're away (but neither does it expand, while frozen). Vacations do however need to be booked some weeks in advance, to prevent a 'freeze' being able to be used as a cheat tactic.
We are now accepting Beta Testers for this latest version of the game, for which we need 60-200 players. We will run additional playtest games if the first is over-subscribed. There are no costs involved and you are under no obligations, other than perhaps to give us your comments & suggestions to help improve the game and to report any bugs detected. You may cease playing any time you like. In addition, no experience of playing Web Games is required. We would actually prefer some players to have very little or even no experience at all, as we also need to test the theory that our game is very easy to learn! All you really need to play & enjoy this game is an interest in the subject matter.
If you would like to apply to join the list of beta-testers please visit our small pre-release site (more information about the game is available there) and complete the online Beta Test application form:
http://www.strategygamers.org/~vendetta
-Or else we'll send the boys round to have a quiet word... ;)
With respect,
John Sinacola
Project Leader, Vendetta Simulations.
Email: vendetta@strategygamers.org
IMPORTANT NOTE: Due to the nature of the subject matter certain aspects of this historically-accurate & very realistic simulation might be considered by some to be suitable only for adults. Please do not apply to join 'Vendetta' if you are easily offended by the harsh realities of the imperfect society in which we live.
