March 15, 2004
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March 2004, Issue #16
Table of Contents
1 News
2 Murder Mystery Tips - Tips for Players
3 Review: The Last Gasp
4 Your Questions
1 News
New Murder Mystery for Serious Sleuths
Mysteries on the Net has just released Death Plays a Role, a murder mystery with Irish and theatrical themes. This murder mystery is ideal for both St Patrick's Day festivities and the dramatically inclined, and is for 8 to 40 people.
Click here to go to the Mysteries on the Net site and find out more.
2 Murder Mystery Tips
Some of the recent feedback I've received has suggested that some people have struggled with the concept of playing in an interactive murder mystery game. I am therefore starting to include tips on playing murder mystery games as well as hosting them.
If you are hosting an interactive murder mystery game for the first time (The Last Gasp, Death on the Gambia, Murder at the Four Deuces, etc), you may want to circulate these tips to your guests in advance.
Tips for Playing an Interactive Murder Mystery Games: Preparation
Before you arrive at an interactive murder mystery party you should receive enough details to provide yourself with some kind of costume. Usually you will know who you are playing, and many games provide costume tips. Costuming is usually optional, but it always helps everyone get into the right mood for the evening.
Normally you won’t need to bring along any props. Items in interactive murder mystery games are usually represented using slips of card or paper. Props can be useful however, and your host may ask that you bring something along. You should never (and I can’t stress this highly enough) use props for weapons. It’s just too dangerous – anyone passing may not realise that you’re only playing a game and may call the police. And the police don’t use props – they have real weapons. It’s not worth the risk. But other than that, props are fine.
When you arrive you will be given your detailed character background, the rules and anything else you need – such as items and money. Your character background will explain who you are and why you are present. It will also detail any secrets that you need to keep hidden and will provide you with some objectives – such as solve the murder, make lots of money or get revenge on someone. (Your character may have several different objectives - you should try to achieve them all.)
If the murder mystery game has rules, they should be pretty simple. If there’s something you don’t understand (or something that you want to do that doesn’t appear to be covered by the rules) go and talk to your host.
For some games you will receive your character's detailed background and goals in advance. If this is the case, you will have an opportunity to review your character in more detail, and provide more appropriate props. However, if you do have your information early, please don't discuss it with anyone else before the game starts. If you do so, you’re likely to give away certain secrets and spoil the game – mainly for yourself!
Please be prompt. There’s nothing worse than turning up late and not giving yourself enough time to settle in and read your detailed goals and background. Give yourself plenty of time and you’ll have a much more enjoyable evening.
Finally, if you have to cancel an interactive murder mystery game, please try to give your host as much warning as you can. The plots for an interactive game often revolve around key characters, and if you have been cast as one of those characters then cancelling at the very last minute can cause problems if the host doesn't have anyone else to step into the role.
Tips for Playing an Interactive Murder Mystery Games: How to Play an Interactive Murder Mystery Game
Interactive murder mystery games are completely different from other murder mystery games - and they are so different that some people do have difficulty playing them. In essence, in an interactive game you pretend to be someone else (your character) in a fictional setting. You interact with other characters and everyone will be trying to achieve their own goals. There's no script – it’s up to you to achieve your character’s goals.
Here, then, are some tips on how to play an interactive murder mystery game:
- Three basic attributes: Playing an interactive murder mystery game requires just three basic attributes - a sense of fun, an ability to strike up a conversation with another person, and the willingness to pretend to be someone else for an evening. If you can do that, you should have no trouble!
- Dress the part: If you're playing a rich aristocrat, wear a tuxedo. If you're playing a pauper, dress in rags. You should receive some information about your character before the event - use that to find an appropriate costume. A good costume can help you get into the spirit of the game, and also means that you will be in lots of photographs.
- Read your character sheet: Your character sheet explains who you are, who you know and what your objectives are for the evening. However, your character sheet describes what your character believes, but what they believe might not necessarily be true! (For example, you might be told that the secret agent known only as "007" is a man - but you might meet someone who believes that 007 is a woman. You will only find out who is right as the evening progresses.) Keep your character sheet handy as you may need to refer to it during the evening (I find I usually do).
- Read your character sheet again: This time, think about your objectives (more on those in the tip below). You should also take note of other characters - you will probably need to speak to them sooner rather than later.
- Introduce yourself: Once the game starts, you will need to talk to people whilst pretending to be your character. The easiest way is to walk up to someone and introduce yourself as your character. If you don't know anything about them you can ask who they are and why they are here. If you do know something already (you may have information on your character sheet, or someone else has already told you something about them) then you can ask them about that.
- Find your friends: Usually in an interactive murder mystery game there will be characters who will help you. It's important to find them - although to get them to help you, you may have to help them in return.
- Find your enemies: As well as allies, you may have enemies. These are usually characters whose goals oppose yours. It's useful to identify those as well, so you can keep an eye on them. It's not always obvious who your enemies are - so be careful.
- Act the part: Try to stay in character - don't start talking about football or movies or anything else that isn't part of the murder mystery. It's more fun if everyone tries to maintain the illusion that you're all in a 1920s speakeasy, a Victorian archaeological dig or an African riverboat.
- Read your character sheet yet again: If you find yourself at a loose end, find a quiet place to sit down and re-read your character sheet. I've always found that there are things I've forgotten and upon re-reading it I realise that there's someone I haven't spoken to yet, or something I need to do.
- Solve the murder: Solving the murder (if there is one - some interactive games have the murder part-way through) is a matter of talking to people and picking up the clues. Normally establishing a means, a motive and an opportunity will lead you to one of several suspects. You should find that clues are scattered amongst different people and it's only by trading information and talking to others that you are likely to solve the murder.
Finally, the most important thing to remember is to have a good time!
Tips for Playing an Interactive Murder Mystery Games: Goals and Objectives
The usual measure of success in a murder mystery party game is whether you solve the murder or not. Interactive murder mystery games are slightly different, as you will have a number of goals and your success can be measured by how well you achieve those. (Of course, the main indicator of the party's success is the amount of fun you had playing. If you failed all your goals but still had a fabulous time, then you shouldn’t think of the party as anything other than a success.)
You will usually have several different goals. These might include things like: "Find out who the murderer is - after all, you might be next!", "Find out who has the diamonds and try to buy them.", "Find your missing passport."
To achieve your goals you will normally need to get other people to help you. And that usually means negotiating with them because they will often want something in return. It’s often useful to find allies as soon as possible as they will help you. Of course, they will expect you to help them back, and provided that their goals don’t conflict with yours, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t.
Should you keep your goals secret? Well, it depends on the goal. Some goals can easily be shared: "I’ve lost my passport – can you help me recover it?" Goals that might reveal one of your terrible secrets are perhaps best left hidden: "I’ve lost my secret agent transmitter codes – oops, perhaps I shouldn’t have said that."
I often find that part way through a game I’ve forgotten at least one of my goals. I’ve been too busy concentrating on something else that it’s completely slipped my mind. So I find somewhere quiet to re-read my character sheet and discover what I’ve forgotten.
It’s unlikely that you’ll complete all your goals. But that doesn’t matter – as long as you try, there’s nothing wrong with failing. (Failing can sometimes be more fun than succeeding.)
P.S. Here’s something I probably shouldn’t say. If you need something from someone, and they ask you to pay for it, there’s a good chance that the price will only rise as the game proceeds. In the early stages of the murder mystery game, people won’t necessarily have figured out how much money is in circulation, and often underestimate the worth of some items. This doesn’t always work, but it often seems to be true.
3 Murder Mystery Game Review - The Last Gasp
It is New Year's Eve 1899 and George Sweet, the 5th Earl of Coddingham, plans to leave the country before his wicked and dissolute past catches up with him. Before he goes, he is holding one last party - "The Last Gasp." Invited to it are all the people who have suffered as a result of his appalling behaviour - he is determined to use his party to make up for past mistakes.
At least, that's the plan...
The Last Gasp is for 12 to 40 people, including the co-ordinator (who plays Sam Jenkins, the Earl's legal advisor) and is available from Murder Mystery Games Ltd.
The Last Gasp is an "interactive" or "freeform" murder mystery (much like All at Sea and The Auction). In an interactive murder mystery game everyone has a complete character with background, friends and objectives. Each guest decides how he or she will approach the party – and will need to talk and negotiate with the other guests to solve the murder and achieve their other objectives.
As usual, The Last Gasp brings with it all the normal blackmail and scheming that you'd expect from an interactive murder mystery game.
The cast of The Last Gasp includes:
- The Earl's family
- A cavalry officer
- A doctor
- A maid
- A writer
- A reporter
- Assorted aristocrats
- Queen Victoria (!)
- and many more
As with other interactive murder mystery games, The Last Gasp suits a buffet meal or finger food (rather than a sit-down meal) so that everyone can talk quietly with each other.
The person hosting The Last Gasp has to print everything out and "run" the game. However, as the name of the murderer is mentioned only in the solution (the murderer doesn’t know that they are the murderer), the host can still join in the fun as long as they don't read the solution before the party.
The Last Gasp is available for £29.99 from Murder Mystery Games Ltd.
4 Your Questions
Is it possible for two people to play the same character in an interactive murder mystery game?
It's certainly possible for two people to play one character - although you might want to make it easier for them by calling them Mr and Mrs Smith (or whatever) so that it's not too schizophrenic!
If you have lots of people you might also want to think about a co-host.
Click here for more information on how to add characters.
We are interested in playing All at Sea but we only have 16 people. The game needs 17 - 16 plus the host - is there any way around that? Could one of our children fill in as the murdered captain or the host?
Unfortunately, All at Sea does need 17 people - one person has to be the host. (And the murdered Captain - they get to play someone else). You could get one of your children to help, but the role requires a fair bit of organising so they may not be completely suitable. As for casting them in another role, that really depends on their age - older teenagers shouldn't have a problem but young teenagers might struggle, and I wouldn't recommend casting anyone younger still. Failing that there are other games for 16 people (including the host), including Murder at the Four Deuces or The Action.
I e-mailed you a couple of days ago with some questions and have not received a response.
There is so much spam (unsolicited email) and so many viruses around at the moment that it's possible that legitimate email is eaten by spamfilters or I mistook it for a virus.
I suggest two things. First, always use the contact form (on the website - click here) to contact me in the first instance. I never delete those emails!
Second, give yourself plenty of time. I do reply to every email I receive, but I can't always do it immediately. I do have vacations and holidays, and I'm not at the computer 24 hours a day. If you haven't received a reply within a couple of days, please do email me again, but please remember that I'm only human!
That's it for this time. Have a great party - and tell me all about it!
See you in May!
--steve
Comments? Ideas? Feedback? I'd love to hear from you. Just reply to this zine and tell me what you think!
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