diff --git a/modules/common.py b/modules/common.py
index 94ef372..5b12ec2 100644
--- a/modules/common.py
+++ b/modules/common.py
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import imp
 from tools import logger
 
 log = logger("errors.log")
+alog = logger(None)
 
 def on_privmsg(cli, rawnick, chan, msg, notice = False):
     currmod = ld.MODULES[ld.CURRENT_MODULE]
@@ -73,7 +74,7 @@ def __unhandled__(cli, prefix, cmd, *args):
                     log(traceback.format_exc())
                     cli.msg(botconfig.CHANNEL, "An error has occurred and has been logged.")
     elif botconfig.VERBOSE_MODE or botconfig.DEBUG_MODE:
-        log('Unhandled command {0}({1})'.format(cmd, [arg.decode('utf_8') for arg in args if isinstance(arg, bytes)]), write=False)
+        alog('Unhandled command {0}({1})'.format(cmd, [arg.decode('utf_8') for arg in args if isinstance(arg, bytes)]))
 
     
 COMMANDS = {}
diff --git a/modules/wolfgame.py b/modules/wolfgame.py
index 2fe570f..82def5e 100644
--- a/modules/wolfgame.py
+++ b/modules/wolfgame.py
@@ -278,6 +278,7 @@ def mass_mode(cli, md):
 
 def pm(cli, target, message):  # message either privmsg or notice, depending on user settings
     if is_fake_nick(target) and botconfig.DEBUG_MODE:
+        debuglog("would message fake nick {0}: {1}".format(target, message))
         return
 
     if is_user_notice(target):
@@ -5416,6 +5417,7 @@ def start(cli, nick, chan, forced = False):
                 return
             else:
                 cli.msg(chan, "This role has been skipped for this game.")
+                var.ROLES[template] = []
                 continue
 
         var.ROLES[template] = random.sample(possible, len(var.ROLES[template]))
diff --git a/tools/__init__.py b/tools/__init__.py
index ee6a35b..bfc8047 100644
--- a/tools/__init__.py
+++ b/tools/__init__.py
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ def get_timestamp():
     return tmf.format(tzname=tz, tzoffset=offset).upper()
 
 def logger(file, write=True, display=True):
+    if file is not None:
+        open(file, "a").close() # create the file if it doesn't exist
     def log(*output, write=write, display=display):
         output = " ".join([str(x) for x in output])
         if botconfig.DEBUG_MODE: