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Town of Salem is an online game created by BlankMediaGames, which is similar to the popular party games Mafia and Werewolf. It is the prequel to Town of Salem 2. Town of Salem is based on the concept of an informed minority and an uninformed majority. The game can be purchased and played through on Steam or through the mobile app on Apple and Google Play.

Gameplay

The game is set in Salem, Massachusetts and progresses in a day/night cycle. At the start of the game, each player will get one of the various roles in the game, which are split into multiple teams. The goal of each team, or faction, is to kill or lynch all members of all opposing teams. Each role may have abilities which are commonly used during the Night or attributes which have passive effects. The Town normally has the most team members with a great variety of roles, usually having the majority at the beginning of certain games, which can be used to their advantage. The Mafia, Coven, and Vampires have fewer members, but know their teammates and can speak with them at Night. Neutral Killing roles rarely have any teammates but are immune to regular attacks. Other Neutral roles may have special goals, allowing them to team up with anyone to win, or a select few roles. Depending on their role, a player may need persuasiveness, deception, intuition, logic or luck to win.

In the Classic version, the game can be played in nine different game modes:

  • Classic Mode has a specific set of roles with little variance (9 Town, 3 Mafia, 3 Neutrals). There is a single Random Town slot and a Town Killing slot. This makes for little claim space for evils and gives Town the advantage. This is done in order to give new players a better chance of understanding the game. 
  • Ranked Mode allows for competitive gameplay. The role list is more varied than Classic but still balanced (9 Town, 4 Mafia, 2 Neutrals). Playing this mode requires players to have finished at least 50 games with at least 10 of those being Ranked Practice. Once you have finished that, you must complete 10 Ranked Placement games, and then from there, you can start gathering Elo
  • Ranked Practice is very similar to Ranked; however, you must have 10 games played of it to play Ranked. The role list is the same (9 Town, 4 Mafia, 2 Neutrals), but winning or losing does not change your Elo. You may join the game using a party and will know the usernames of your fellow players before the game, unlike in Ranked. You cannot gather Elo Points in Ranked Practice
  • Custom Mode allows the host to set whichever roles they want to include in the game. You may repick the host by using the command "/repick" in the chat. 
  • Rapid Mode is the same as Custom Mode, but the Day/Night phases are much shorter. This allows less time to plan actions or discuss information and for the Jailor and other Night-talking roles to exchange or gather information. 
  • All Any Mode contains only Any slots in the role list, which is almost completely random.
  • Dracula's Palace is a lot like Classic, with a very strict role list with little variation. However, its variation is still significantly larger than Classic. Notably, the Mafia is also replaced by Vampires. Besides this difference, the composition remains similar to Ranked Practice (9 Town, 4 Vampires, and 2 other Neutrals).
  • Rainbow Mode has a fixed role list which looks like a rainbow. There are many fewer Town members than in other modes.
  • Town Traitor is a chaotic game mode with a Town versus Mafia setup, with one Witch in the mix as well. The twist however is one Townie has sided with the Mafia and will do so at the beginning of the game. The Traitor cannot be detected by the Sheriff nor can their visits be seen by the Spy.


In the Coven Expansion, there are 6 normal game modes and 3 alternating ones. The Coven Expansion must be bought by the player, as it is not for free. 

  • Coven Classic is essentially a very similar version to the original Classic Mode, with the Mafia replaced by Coven. It is meant for beginners trying to learn new roles. It has little variance. 
  • Coven Ranked requires the player to have played at least 10 games in Coven Ranked Practice. The role list is slightly different from the classic Ranked as the Mafia are replaced with Coven
  • Coven Ranked Practice is also very similar to Coven Ranked. You must also have 10 games played of it to play Coven Ranked. The role list is the same, (9 Town, 4 Coven, 2 Neutrals), but winning or losing does not change your Elo. You may join the game using a party and will know the usernames of your fellow players before the game, unlike in Ranked. You cannot gather Elo Points in Coven Ranked Practice
  • Mafia Returns is a game mode in the expansion that prioritizes the DLC-exclusive Mafia roles, which are Ambusher and Hypnotist. It has a Mafia vs. Town vs. Neutrals setup. 
  • Coven All Any and Coven Custom is essentially the Coven versions of their counterparts in Classic.
  • Lovers Mode is a rotating game mode with 8 Town roles and 7 evil roles. Players are randomly paired with other players as "Lovers", and must keep their lover alive in order to win. This allows evil roles to win with Town roles despite being separate factions. If one player's Lover dies, that player dies as well.
  • VIP Mode is a rotating game mode with a Town versus Coven setup, with a Pirate and Guardian Angel in the mix. One Townie is chosen to be the VIP, and all other Townies know who the VIP is. The Town must eliminate every Coven member to win, while the Coven must eliminate the VIP at all costs. If the VIP is killed in any way, shape, or form, the Town will always lose.
  • Coven Town Traitor is a rotating game mode with a Town versus Coven setup. Similar to its classic counterpart, one Townie has sided with the Coven and will do so at the beginning of the game. The Traitor cannot be detected by the Sheriff nor can their visits be seen by the Spy.

Editions

Town of Salem may be played in a few different ways.

The browser version costs $5.00, dubbed Web Premium (which can be purchased and played at www.blankmediagames.com/TownOfSalem), grants the player:

The Steam version costs $4.99 USD and comes with a few perks:

Version 1.5.10
  • 100% Bonus Merit Points forever
    • Players who have connected their account to the Steam version will always gain two times the number of Merit Points.
    • Players will always receive this bonus, even if playing on the browser version or mobile version.
    • If players have both the Steam version and Web Premium, the Merit Points bonus will stack for a 3x bonus.
    • If players have the Steam version, Web Premium, and Mobile Premium, the Merit Points will stack for a 4x bonus. This is the most of a bonus a player can receive.
  • Removal of third party advertisements
  • One-click login
  • Faster load times
  • Steam achievements
  • Ability to buy the Coven Expansion without Web Premium

The Mobile Version, released on October 14, 2018, and supporting devices on Android 4.1 and up and devices on iOS 8.0 and up, comes with a few perks as well:

  • Brand-new Unity interface
  • The option to upgrade to Mobile Premium, which grants:

Downloading the app is free, but the user will be promoted two choices upon attempting to play: whether to buy the Mobile Premium, which costs $5.00, or the Premium and the Coven Expansion, which costs $10.00. If the player already has an account, they can simply log in.

The Coven Expansion may be purchased on any platform in addition to the game itself for $5.00 USD.

Occasionally, the Public Test Realm server will be available, which includes new additions and changes to the game. Anyone with an account can play on this server when it's open at http://www.blankmediagames.com/TownOfSalem/PublicTestRealm. (Note: If you're having issues connecting to the PTR server, this is either due to it being down or set to staff-only.) 

Frequently Asked Questions

Gameplay

  • My in-game results came up incorrect. Why is this?
    This may be because a Framer had Framed your target, a Witch or Coven Leader had controlled you to visit a different player, an Arsonist previously Doused your target, a Hex Master Hexed your target, a Disguiser changed a Mafia member's results, or a Transporter had swapped your target with a different player.
  • My Night action did not go through and I was not role blocked. What happened?
    You may have selected your action too close to when the Night had ended and as a result, the server wasn't able to register your action. It is advised to select your target(s) with at least 8 seconds to spare in the Night, depending on your connection. If you switch between two targets too fast, the game will also sometimes fail to register a last second switch. Additionally, getting in a Pirate Duel counts as being role blocked.
  • I see some terms and abbreviations which I am not familiar with. What do they mean?
    A list of abbreviations may be found on the Glossary of Abbreviations page.
  • Why am I unable to use the < symbol?
    That symbol is used for code which can break the chat, so it is disabled.
    • Note: if you type in "<" in the chat, it shows up as "<". This can be done lowercase or uppercase, and it is currently unknown if it can break the chat.

General

  • I have a suggestion. Where may I share it?
    If it is a suggestion to change a role or if you have a role you would like to see in the game, you may post in the Role Ideas section in the forums. All other suggestions may simply go in the Suggestions section.
  • How can I change my username?
    You may log into the game and go to the "Shop". By selecting "Account", you are given the option to change your username for $4.99 USD.
  • I've forgotten my password. How do I retrieve that information?
    Please refer to this link: https://www.blankmediagames.com/help/requestpasswordreset.php
  • How can I change my password?
    Please refer to this link: https://www.blankmediagames.com/help/requestpasswordreset.php
  • How can I delete my account?
    Please refer to this link: https://www.blankmediagames.com/help/requestaccountdeletion.php
  • Is it against the rules to ask for attributes or abilities from a player?
    It is not against the rules to ask a player to read information off of a role card, though it is greatly frowned upon by the community and staff. It is also not against the rules to refuse to read off of a role card. This strategy is ineffective for experienced players and is unfair towards newer players. The common term players use for this strategy is known as "meta-gaming". More rules may be found on the Town of Salem Rules page.
    • As of Ver 2.0, role cards are easily visible via clicking on the names in the role list, making this strategy worthless.
  • Will there be more roles and cosmetics coming out?
    Yes, the Developers plan to continue releasing new content.
  • How can I become a Global Moderator for the game?
    Refer to this post. If you are not active on the forums, that would be the best place to start. Be active, helpful, approachable, and do not ask for a promotion.
  • How can I see reports made against my account?
    Refer to the TrialBot template for a thorough guide.
  • Why is the game no longer free to play?
    • Due to a substantial amount of botting and unsuccessful attempts at stopping the botting, BlankMediaGames made the game pay-to-play as of November 3rd of 2018. Some accounts were grandfathered in and as a result, do not have to pay. More information may be found here.
    • As of February 2019, mobile users may play for free, in exchange for watching an advertisement prior to playing in a match.

Technical Issues

  • I think I have found a bug. Where can I go to report this?
    If you are playing on the browser version, you may post in the Bug Reports section in the forums. If you are playing the Steam version, you may post in the Steam Bug Reports section. Lastly, if you are playing on a tablet, you may post in the Mobile Bug Reports section.
  • My game sometimes freezes/crashes. Why is this?
    This is often a result of the player losing connection. It is recommended to try stabilizing your internet connection by going closer to your router or by plugging in an ethernet cable if applicable. In addition to this, Flash can be unsteady. BMG is currently porting the game to Unity, which should help make the game more stable.
  • I am experiencing visual issues and I am seeing strange things on my game's screen. How do I fix this? (Example)
    You need to clear your cache. It is advisable to at least clear the browser's cache any time there is a new patch out. If that doesn't fix the issue, you may need to also clear your Flash's cache.
    Clearing Browser Cache: http://www.wikihow.com/Clear-Your-Browser's-Cache
    Clearing Flash Cache: https://forums.adobe.com/message/4278569
    Verifying Integrity of Game Cache for Steam Users: https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=2037-QEUH-3335
  • I have a friend who has referred me, but my count did not go up. Why?
    Your friend must make a real-life currency purchase in order to activate the count. (More information)
  • I have purchased the Steam version but did not receive my 2000 Town Points. How do I receive them?
    When logging in on the game you must do the following:
    • Click the 'Login with Steam' button.
    • Click the 'Link Account' button to link an existing TOWN OF SALEM account or click 'Create Account' to create a new account.
    • After logging in with the Steam button (using the information about your TOWN OF SALEM account, not your Steam account), you will be rewarded with your 2000 Town Points.
  • I play Ranked mode and I notice that my loss counter is incorrect. Why is this?
    The exact cause of this is not known, but BMG is aware of the issue.
  • What does "Server Restart" mean?
    The game will be unavailable for a short amount of time starting in a few minutes. This is occasionally done to perform maintenance.
    Server Restart

    Example of a server restart

Trivia

  • All of the names that are randomly selected for the player if no name is chosen were actual people from the real Salem witch trials of 1692.
  • For a short period of time in May 2016, it was possible to change usernames for $5.00 USD. This feature was temporarily removed, and then reinstated in the 1.5 updates.
  • Up until November 2018, Town of Salem was free to play; however, due to bots, BMG decided to make it pay to play. Any accounts that had played at least one game before the change were grandfathered and didn’t have to pay for an account.
    • Users with grandfathered accounts still need to buy premium in order to buy the Coven Expansion.
  • This game was featured in an episode of season 2 of Excellent Entities called "Town of Dismaylem".
  • The font used for most game text is Runcible, as seen here.

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