Mario Boards CLUE - Gaining interest

Alex95

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Alex95
I got this idea earlier today and now I'm writing this at 9PM half-asleep so hopefully this is coherent

CLUE
Classic board game where someone goes missing and you have to accuse your fellow housemates and gain clues they all have to figure which one of them is the killer. I haven't seen anyone try an RP of it here on the Mario Boards before, so maybe this will be interesting. It should follow the standard set-up: everyone gets a handfull of clues as to who is the killer, whatever you have is not related to the murder. But you can't share those clues with anyone unless someone is making an accusation, and you happen to have something that makes that guess null and void.

But since this is a forum and not a physical board game, we're going to have to get creative.


IDEA
Taking a few cues from the local Killing Games, you move from room to room, searching for clues and eliminating what doesn't belong. You send in your actions to the host of the game (likely me) and you get results back once everyone is accounted for. These results, you can share or hide at your discretion, but a clue you give to others could result in them getting closer to solving the case before you do. The objective is to figure out who killed the probably-unnamed NPC victim before anyone else does.

Like in Killing Game, and uncommon in most Clue games, there will be board events that happen. One of the newer versions of the board game we personally own has a countdown; if too many clocks are found, the player who finds the last clock is removed from the game. So something mystical like that. Items could also be present, as well as special role powers. So I guess this will turn into a mixture of Killing Game and Clue :p


THE PLAYERS
Obviously, the players of this game are going to be you guys. However, unlike in Killing Game, you are not trying to actively kill each other. The purpose of Clue is to gather intel from the other players, and you can't do that if they are dead. Sure, you could go from room to room on your own, gathering clues little by little. But that's no fun, and you could end up not winning the game by doing that while the other players listen in on and sneak around each other to try and learn more. The objective of Clue is to solve the crime and misinform the others as best as you can. You wouldn't want someone else to take the glory, now would you?

You are supposed to work together, which means the roles will be created accordingly. One player can be good with technology, the other can be a forensic scientist. Use your communication skills wisely to cover any other skills you lack.


THE KILLER
While the players are not supposed to actively kill each other, there is one person that gave this victim an untimely end in the first place. And they are still at large! While most of the players are gathering intel, there is one player that is trying to get away with the crime... by any means necessary. This includes acting as a house guest, gathering information like the others... but could potentially remove any player from the game. This doesn't happen in Clue, no one in the regular game is capable of murder until they are revealed of doing so prior to the game actually starting, but even then, it's unknown even to the killer. The killer here will be notified of who they are, and must blend in as much as possible while still trying to get away with murder.

It is possible for a kill attempt to fail. This can be because no one ends up in the room you sent actions in for, a kill conflicts with yours or someone else's actions that makes it impossible to carry out, etc.

THE CLUES
I'm writing the below section, and I realized I didn't explain how clues work in this game ^^;

You all start off in the grand hallway, as per usual Clue games. But you are given certain intel that relates to some of the rooms. While Clue uses visual representation with cards ("Gun", "Mr. White", "Patio", etc.) to signify what happened, this instead will use explanations. Could range from "The candlestick in the living room has some blood on it.", "
No candlesticks have blood on them.", "Furniture on the patio looks like it was moved around.", "X Player looks a little queasy.", etc. These will revolve around whatever the case is build upon, as well as the roles that are handed out to match them.

Roles are not as restricted here as they are in Killing Game, you can freely share who you are and what your power is (because Clue allows this, so this might as well). Any information (roles, investigations, items, etc.) you choose to keep to yourself is entirely up to you, but what you hide or show could help or hinder yours or someone else's investigation.

Forbidden actions TBD?

There are no clues or meaningful things of interest in the main hallway at the start of the game, though in-game events could cause something to happen in the hallway.

Even if you find out who the killer is, you still have to figure out how the killer did it. You make your final accusation in the pool room at the center of the mansion. But be warned! If you make an incorrect accusation, the killer will be notified that someone has made an attempt (the actual game just eliminates you entirely, but that's no fun). It is also totally possible to just go in and win with a lucky guess at the start of the game, but that's a big risk.

GAME PLAY
So here's how it's going down:
  • Players sign up. Clue only allows six players, but we can bump that up.
  • Once the game begins, players will be assigned character roles, and one will also be assigned the killer. Like in Clue, the players will each be given different clues about their locations, which they can choose to share or keep secret as they investigate more.
  • Like in Killing Game, players send in their actions to the host, including the killer, privately (either through here or on Discord). They are then given their results back once everyone is accounted for. Unlike in Killing Game, there will be no investigation phase. Everything will be done privately, though players are capable of mingling in a Discord that will be made.
    • Minor investigations can still happen, however. These will be effected by roles or items the player holds ("You can investigate one area outside of your room", for example).
    • While you are waiting for your actions, you are confined to the room you are wanting to investigate and cannot communicate with anyone outside of that room, unless you have a role/item that says otherwise.
  • Items can be found by investigating, which can cause either the above examples, getting a hint, sharing a piece of information another player has, etc. You can also use your surroundings to your advantage. Role powers can also cause these events. Both will be one-time uses, though items can be found by multiple people and be replenished.
    • Some items will result in an action immediately upon use. This could include the clock example above in the "Idea" header, to getting poisoned and incapable of leaving the room, to revealing one of your clues to the other players, etc. Be careful while investigating.
  • It is possible for a player who is not the killer to kill another player. While this will eliminate another player you have to worry about, it will come with a penalty (along from losing whatever information they may have held). Of course, this will add another dead body to the house, possibly confusing the other players, but could also make you a target (that's not the penalty I mean).
To go along with the "player-vs-player" aspect...

ACCUSATIONS
A key point in Clue is accusing another player of doing the crime. After players receive their results, the game moves to the accusation phase. During this time, players can choose to bring another player to the room the accuser is currently in and ask them to reveal specific information. The accuser has to say what it is they want to know, and the accused has to present any one piece of relevant information they have. They cannot reveal more than one, and if they don't have anything, they don't have anything. Unlike in Clue, other players will not be able to share a piece of relevant information if they have it, unless there is a role/item that allows it. But like in Clue, the relevant information that is shared has to be done privately; unless they need a refresher, the host should already know what is being revealed. If there are only two people in the room, the accusation result can be posted in the actual Discord channel; future people brought in to the room will not be able to read message history.

Only one player can be accused at a time. If a player is investigating or communicating in a room, and they are brought out of it for an accusation, oh well, looks like you're done doing whatever it was you were doing in the original room. The number of accusations made during this phase can be discussed, but I'm thinking four. You also cannot make two accusations in one phase, unless a role/item says you can.

Only the killer can kill during an accusation phase. Players cannot accuse anyone in the grand hall, and as such, no kills can be made there.


DISCORD
A Discord will be made for this, but I picture it being more complex than usual. Each room will have a chat channel, and people will be brought in or kicked out as needed. As per accusations, you could be having a friendly chat with someone else or investigating in the room, but brought out of it at a moment's notice. The host(s) oversees all the rooms, but there will be a general non-game-related chat as well. Take care not to spoil your game play to everyone there!

The game ends when the killer is convicted of the crime... but if players become killers themselves, there's more cases to solve.

Thoughts or comments? I'll look back at this tomorrow morning, it's 11PM now ^^;
 
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Hey, this sounds really cool! I'd definitely be up for it.

I think the rules are clear enough, at least to someone who has played the original Clue. Only thing I'm wondering is...you would move directly from room to room, right? Not rolling dice and moving through corridors?
 
Only thing I'm wondering is...you would move directly from room to room, right? Not rolling dice and moving through corridors?

No dice are involved. Similar to Killing Game, you'd send in a series of actions as to what you want done. I'm not entirely sure how that should play out, however. While your actions in the regular Clue game are public, I'm trying to make this as if you were actually in the mansion, meaning players will only be aware of their immediate area. Maybe a limit should be you can only move to one room per phase, like in the actual game? Or you could just run around in the hall.
 
I don't think I'd be good at a chat version of this (attention wise), so not me, but, i like the idea, I'd play an actual board/video-game of this. Reminds me of the theft train mystery in TTYD.
Anyway, Have fun!
 
Wrote up more finalized rules, what are your thoughts? Anything too unbalanced or missing?

Key

Players = Everyone

Guests = Anyone who is not the killer

Killer=The bad guy

Ghosts=The dead players

Victim=The NPC John Doe who has been killed prior to the game, the one whose mystery you are trying to solve

Host(s)=The one(s) overseeing everything

Phase=A time period during a round where certain events can take place.

Round=The overall time period of the three phases.



Objective


*Guests: Solve the murder. Additional murders are added for each player kill that the others must solve.

*Killer: Be the last one standing.



Game play

*Ten (adjustable by discussion) players begin at different points in the hall.

*All players get a role card that gives them a character's skills, as well as a role power they can use once per game, which is given in private. Utilize each other's strengths to find an edge in the game.

*All players get one clue that helps with solving the murder, which is given in private.

*Any information a player gives out is entirely up to them, but too much information in the open could lead to a disadvantage.

Movement phase

*All players move to the available rooms simultaneously, which is determined by letting a host know where you want to go. The choice to move or stay in the hallway can be either public or private.

*You can only move to one room per phase. You can choose to not move out of the room you are in, but be aware you may be brought out of it during the Accusation phase.

*The hallway does count as a location that needs to be moved through. If you want to move from one end of the mansion to the other, you will have to stop in the hallway for one turn in order to cross.

Investigation phase

*Once in a room, players can investigate. They can let a host know what in the room they want to look at, either privately or publically, and the result of their search will be given in private. You cannot investigate in the hallway.

*An investigation can result in finding a clue, a helpful item, or a disability. Players cannot be killed from an investigation.

*You can only investigate once per phase, unless you have a role or item that says otherwise.

Accusation phase (guests)

*When you are in a room, you can call another player in to the room and accuse them of information. That player will be brought out the room they were in originally (through the magic of Discord teleportation) and are now placed in the room they are being accused in, unless they have a role or item that says otherwise. Players in the hallway cannot make an accusation, however players in the hallway can be brought into a room.

*The accuser then has to tell the accused how they think they pulled off the murder, by saying something like "I think you hit the victim with a candlestick in the kitchen!"

*If the accused has information that contradicts this, they have to present one piece of information that does so. If they have more than one piece that does, they can only choose one. If they don't have anything to disprove the accusation, then they don't have anything that disproves the accusation.

**You are looking to disprove, not prove. Don't give out any information that proves someone right. You don't want them to be the ones to figure out the crime.

*A guest can only make one accusation per phase, unless they have a role or item that says otherwise. When all players have made their accusation or decided against making one, the game loops back to the Movement phase.

*The killer cannot make an accusation about their own victim; they already know how the crime happened.

Killing phase

*As the killer, they are trying to get away with the murder they committed, even if it means killing more people. The killer is able to remove a guest from the living, effectively removing them from the game. The method of doing so has to be with something in the room, or something that was brought from another room. You cannot kill a guest with an item or role power. You cannot kill in the Hallway.

*Guests also can kill each other. However, the objective of the game is gathering information, so if you kill someone with information you need, you may have to find that info yourself. Along with that, the actual killer will immediately become aware of who killed another guest, but not the how.

**As an added penalty, the new killer will lose their role power if they have not already used it or if it's currently in use. Remove another guest in exchange for removing your power.

*No one has to die during a phase, and the killer will want to remain secret. Unless you can find a way to pull it off otherwise, a killer will likely want them and the new victim to be the only ones in the room.

*If a guest kills another player, that takes priority over their Accusation phase and they cannot make an accusation.

*Can the original killer be killed, you ask? The answer is no, they cannot. It would be pretty lame if the killer died before making their escape. However, if someone else dies, that immunity is removed.



Final Accusation

*In order to prove a murder, guests have to be in the Pool Room in the center of the mansion. Once there, you make your Final Accusation. The accusation can be for the initial victim at the start of the game or for a guest-caused victim. Once all unsolved murders are solved, the game ends and the winner is the one who solved the most crimes.

*In the actual Clue game, if a player gets an accusation wrong, they are removed from the game. Here, they can keep playing, but the murderer they tried to out will be alerted of who tried to solve their case (if they are still alive).

*Same rules as the Accusation phase apply here, with some exceptions: Accused players are not brought to the Pool Room, and the accused player cannot try to disprove the crime. Instead, accused players remain in the room they are in, and the host will tell the one making the Final Accusation if they are correct or not. If not, the host cannot give any further information.

*It is totally possible for guests to head to the Pool Room immediately at the start of the game and try a lucky guess.



Rooms

There are fifteen rooms in the mansion, along with the hallway. (Full map will be made later)

*Living Room: A room where people gather and talk, decorated with some couches and chairs, and some pictures and plants to liven the place up. A being with a die-shaped head and disembodied limbs watches over the room from the largest picture.

The Candlestick is found in this room.

*Kitchen: A room where food is prepared, with a dining table to eat the food on. Plenty of utensils can be found in this room. For some reason, the room smells vaguely of octopus and flour.

The Knife is found in this room.

*Bedroom: A pretty standard bedroom, complete with a single bed, nightstand with lamp, and bookcase. An empty bottle of fanta orange soda was left on the nightstand, and someone appears to have had fun with a painting easel in the corner of the room.

The Bat is found in this room.

*Weight Room: A room filled with dumbbells, treadmills, and punching bags.

The Dumbbell is found in this room.

*Garden: An outdoor area filled with plants of many varieties. Including dangerous Piranha Plants, watch your step!

The Ax is found in this room.

*Armory: A room filled with weaponry and suits of armor, ready for battle.

The Gun is found in this room.

*Computer Lab: A room lined with various plenty of computers and various types of technology. Computers might be password protected.

The Trophy is found in this room.

*Infirmary: A white room with various bottles of medications. There are some hospital beds here players can spend a whole round resting on to heal any injuries. Using any medication on yourself could be dangerous without the proper knowledge.

*Observatory: A mystical room with star charts and a telescope. Maybe if you stare at the stars long enough, you might see someone who can help…

The Rope is found in this room.

*Science Lab: A room filled with chemicals, vials, lab coats, and noxious fumes. It seems like something went off earlier, it may be dangerous to explore this room without the proper gear.

The Poison is found in this room.

*Bathroom: A room with a toilet, bathtub, and sink.

*Basement: A dark room under the mansion, with leaky pipes and possibly spiders. The light bulb has gone out.

*Pool Room: A large room with a large pool, this is where players go to make their Final Accusation and nothing more.

*Shop: Yep, the mansion comes with its own store. You can purchase items here. Accusations cannot be made here.

*Graveyard: An inaccessible area to everyone who is living. Accusations cannot be made here.



Items

These 25 items can be found during your investigations, at random. They do not appear if you are investigating something important, and are usually found in specific places. They disappear after use. Items use up a phase turn.

*Coins: Scattered throughout the mansion are golden trinkets that can be exchanged for items at the Shop.

*Super Mushroom (2 Coins): Use during the Movement Phase. Allows you to move through two rooms in the same phase.

*Super Leaf (2 Coins): Use during the Investigation Phase. Allows you to search the room twice during the same phase.

*Super Star (4 Coins): Use during the Accusation Phase. Allows you to make two different Accusations in the same room. Cannot use in the Hallway.

*Spiny Capsule (5 Coins): Use during the Movement Phase. Steal 10 Coins from another player.

*Strobulb (6 Coins): Use during the Movement Phase. Light up an area. Cannot use in the Hallway.

*Dark-Light Device (6 Coins): Use during the Movement Phase. Darken an area. Cannot use in the Hallway.

*Vanish Cap (6 Coins): Use during the Movement Phase. Walk through a wall to an adjacent room.

*Iron Boots (6 Coins): Use during the Accusation Phase, when being accused. Prevents you from being carried out of the room during someone's Accusation. They will have to choose another person to accuse.

*Golden Mushroom (6 Coins): Use after the Accusation Phase. Move to another adjacent room, and make another Accusation if you wish, if possible.

*Kamek Capsule (7 Coins): Use during the Accusation Phase. Another player must give you a piece of information.

*Plunder Chest (7 Coins): Use during the Movement Phase. Allows you to take an item from another player. They have to reveal to you what items they have to do so.

*Wing Cap (8 Coins): Use when being accused. Fly out to the Hallway to prevent having to reveal any information you may have.

*Skeleton Key (8 Coins): Use during the Movement Phase, while in the Hallway. Allows you to lock a door or open a locked door.

*Tweester Capsule (10 Coins): Use during the Movement Phase. All players exchange locations.

*Lakitu Capsule (10 Coins): Use during the Accusation Phase. Lakitu will relay information he hears when sent to another room.

*Warp Pipe (10 Coins): Use during the Movement Phase. Allows you to warp to another room anywhere in the mansion.

*Metal Cap (10 Coins): Use at the start of the Movement Phase. Prevents you from being killed during the round. You are also immune to any noxious fumes.

*Eye of Truth (10 Coins): Use during the Investigation Phase. Allows you to find something of interest in the room, if anything. Cannot use in the Hallway.

*1-Up Mushroom (20 Coins): Activates upon death. You don't die, and return to perfect health (even if killed by the timer)! Sadly, you can't use it on someone else…

*Poison Mushroom: Use upon finding. You cannot partake in the Movement Phase.

*Sleepy Bomb: Use upon finding. You cannot do anything for one round, however nothing can happen to you.

*Timer: Use upon finding. When five are found, whoever found the fifth timer is removed from the game. The timers are then reset.

*Coin Block: Use upon finding. Gain 10 Coins!

*Bowser Capsule: Use upon finding. Bowser appears, what will he do?



Roles

These are handed out to players at the start of the game. The role powers can only be used once if successful.

(Kept secret for now ;) )



Discord

The game will make heavy use of Discord. Players will be brought to the channel signifying what room they are in, which is done by either mentioning or DMing a host. Players will not be able to see message history prior to entering the room, except for when in the Hallway or the Pool Room. Investigations can only be posted in the channels under the rooms category.



If you'd like to see what I have of it so far, you can find the server here: https://discord.gg/yHAURMZ
 
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