[me=Presto Ragu]feels the prodding guilt to post.[/me]
Right. I did mean to answer Holatuwol earlier than this... I did. But I had trouble putting my common usage of mafia into words. So I decided to think on it. Somewhere between then and now, I forgot about it. :S Sorry Holatuwol.
My primary usage of mafia... HMmm..
First, let me say that for a free, no frills game, KoL kicks major ass. It is a great game - the first 20 or so times that you see it. After that, it gets tedious to do even the most simple tasks. I am sure this is due in part to the language that KoL has to be programed in. I am, by no means, a HTML/XML/Javascript guru... But from my limited forays into that arena, I know it isn't as flexible as it should be for a project like KoL.
But I digress.
Mafia saved my interest in KoL. I stumbled upon it many, many months before ascension was rolled out. During a time when all there was to do was to level. It kept me around. In fact, it is likely the only reason I still stay with the game...
It is the scripting that holds my attention. I know, I haven't been posting many new scripts... But that is because what I need scripts to do at this point has become more complex than I can easily translate to either of the scripting languages.... In other words, Mafia lets me challenge myself as much as I want to. And that is a great little addition.
And I still haven't listed how I usually use Mafia... I guess I still can't put it into words...
Mostly I use it for everyday tasks. I use it almost exclusively. I only go through a browser when I have to work around a Mafia - KoL interface problem, or I am in a browser anyway, and just want to check one or two things.
A lot of the early content I do "by hand" through the mini browser, but once you get to about level 5, things start to get tedious... Spend 50 turns leveling up in the Treasury, to get the next quest, to finish it in 20 turns, to spend the next 70 turns leveling up in the friars gate...
That would be damn annoying without Mafia.
I also really enjoy the item crafting aspect of Mafia. The ability to have Mafia tell me what I can make with my given ingredients is very nice. Now all I need for it to do is to recommend the best food / booze item it can make given my ingredients, level, and class.
Beyond that, I use the chat window. The tabbed chatting is great. Not having to worry about the leading /r has greatly reduced the amount of misfires into the wrong chat pane.
Mafia still isn't "perfect." I mean, it can't save me from my own stupidity... I made a quick foray into the Tavern yesterday to get some lenses, and forgot about the 1 drunkenness I picked up while there. And then proceeded to overdrink... But weighed out to the multitude of times I would have overdrank due to lag, or accidental over-clickage... I still think Mafia is the best way to play KoL after you have "seen it all."