There's a recurring problem with the BMs we've been using for a while. Everyone knows about it - it's the amount of replacements and low late-game activity - but we haven't taken steps to try and solve the problem. Sure, there's a paragraph at the start that mentions the need for commitment, but it's fairly obvious now that nobody takes the warning seriously enough.
One of the biggest culprits is the length of a game. For many people that have come here, the standard long-format three, four week Mafia game is simply too much to bear. Longer days don't help but can exacerbate the problem: Interest will invariably wane over those days, but as there is an expectation that they need to stick around, they're able to do so because of the lower posting requirement, leading to uninterested lurkers that stick around because they have to. Obviously this doesn't apply to people who leave because of schoolwork/work/vacations/etc. but it should apply to many new players.
As a solution to this problem, I propose a new short-format Mafia game directed at new players to play before the current BM or alongside it. Call it Beginner's Mafia Sprint, or Mafia Trial Version or something. The purpose of this is to create a fun, intense session of Mafia that can be played on short notice and with little commitment, which should be perfect for the entering casual player with little patience. I'm trying to come up with one myself, but it's taking time.
Thoughts?