Detective/Investigator type games??

[Ibn-Khaldun]

I was thinking about this recently.
Anyone interested playing a game where crime have already committed and Detectives need to solve it within a certain time limit?

I thought some basic rules for it. They are not completed but if people are interested then I'll finish them soon.

The idea is that Detective with 3-5 assistants need to solve a crime within 10 turns(1 turn ~24 hours) or so. If they can't then Criminal wins the game. Besides Detective and his assistants there will be 3-4 witnesses and 3-5 suspects(one of then is Criminal) who can be interrogated by detectives. They may or may not have some useful information. Detectives can also collect some items from the crime scene that could help investigation. If detectives arrest Criminal then their Chief will be happy(they win the game) but if they arrest a wrong person then their Chief is not that happy(players will have 1-2 turns less time to catch the real Criminal) and if they can't solve the crime then detectives will loose.

Hope this makes sense.

[Sasaki Kojiro]

Sounds fun, would be hard to make it right but it could be done.

[Ibn-Khaldun]

I have thought about this for some time now. It's kind of Mafia game without daily lynch and nightly kill.

This can be played with minimum of 9 people(1 Detective, 3 Assistants, 3 Suspects(including the Criminal), 2 Witnesses).

[Askthepizzaguy]

I came up with a very similar game, I'd like to send you all the ideas I came up with. I fear that I don't have the skills necessary to pull it off, but there's a lot of good ideas in there.

Do you want my notes?

[Ibn-Khaldun]

I would be happy if you could send them!
Everything that helps is welcomed!

[Askthepizzaguy]

Best if I can send it via email attachment. Please PM me your email addy.

[Sasaki Kojiro]

Well, it's not quite mafia so it needn't go on the queue. Start it whenever you're ready.

[Ibn-Khaldun]

Best if I can send it via email attachment. Please PM me your email addy.

Done it now.

Well, it's not quite mafia so it needn't go on the queue. Start it whenever you're ready.

Good to hear!

[Csargo]

I'd be interested.

[Caius]

If I get to know the rules, you can count me.

[Caius]

Why dont port Cluedo here?

[Askthepizzaguy]

GROOOAAARRR!!! Stop stealing my ideas! that I stole...

I already have a Clue-themed mafia mystery game planned. So don't worry about that. You can find it on Pizzaguy's Corner.

[Splitpersonality]

This sounds a lot like the Phoenix Wright (and Apollo Justice) series, except on a forum and with multiple people.

Sounds pretty cool! I'd liek to see you pull it off.

[Ibn-Khaldun]

This sounds a lot like the Phoenix Wright (and Apollo Justice) series, except on a forum and with multiple people.

Sounds pretty cool! I'd liek to see you pull it off.

You are not the only one!!

Anyway, I will post how I see this game later today.. Kind of a Guide..

[Ibn-Khaldun]

Here is how I think this game could be played.

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* Start of the Game
A write-up with the description of the Crime Scene and with the names of the Suspects will be posted by me. All evidences that Detectives can collect will be in Bold text.
* Turn 1(Day 1) - Location: Crime Scene
All Witnesses are present and they can share what ever information they have with Detectives.
All Detectives can collect 2 evidences that can be examined later in the Police Station. They can do this whenever they are on the Crime Scene.
In the End of the turn Senior Detective can choose between 2 locations(Crime Scene and Police Station) where people will be in the next turn.
He can also call one of the Suspects(or Witness) to the Police Station for questioning.
* Turn 2(Day 2) - Location: Senior Detectives choice
Crime Scene - If Senior Detective chose Crime Scene then it's much like turn 1. They can collect evidences but there will be no Witnesses who could help them anymore. Also, they can not question Suspects(or Witnesses) on crime scene.Finally, they should remember that Crime Scene Cleaners have visited CS and finding any clues will be a lot harder.
Police Station - Detectives can question their first Suspect. Senior Detective can give orders to other Detectives what evidences they could examine or whether they should do a Research on one of the Suspects. Skills of a detective will determine how detailed report they will receive from me when the next turn begins.
* Turn 3(Day 3) - Location: Senior Detectives choice
Same as turn 2 but Senior Detective have the ability to arrest whoever they think is the Criminal. He should post a motive and at least one evidence that could support that motive when he makes the arrest. If a wrong person is arrested then Detectives will loose and Criminal will win.
* Turn 4(Day 4) - Location: Senior Detectives choice
Same as turn 3..

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Roles:

-Senior Detective-
* Can choose the location for each turn.
* Can give orders to other detectives whether they should do a research or examine evidence.
* Can call Suspects/Witnesses to Police Station.
* On turn 3 and later he can arrest whoever he thinks is the Criminal.
WIN: When the Criminal is captured
LOOSE: When he fails to capture the Criminal

-Detective-
* Will receive a report from me whenever SD have ordered them to research someone or examine evidence.
WIN: When the Criminal is captured
LOOSE: When they fail to capture the Criminal

-Witness-
* On turn 1 they can help Detectives by sharing whatever information they have about the crime.
* Later they can research suspects. They can not reveal these results unless they are called to Police Station.
* They can post "messages" when ever they might have an idea who is the Criminal or they want to share the results of their research. Other than that they can not post in the game thread.
WIN: When the Criminal is captured
LOOSE: When they fail to capture the Criminal

-Suspect-
* It is in his best interest to help Detectives to find out who is the Criminal.
* Can collect one evidence per turn from the Crime scene and examine it only if Detectives are not there.
* They can post "messages" when ever they might have an idea who is the Criminal or they want to share the results of their research. Other than that they can not post in the game thread.
WIN: When the Criminal is captured
LOOSE: When he is arrested or they fail to capture the Criminal

-Criminal-
* Can research other Suspects or collect one evidence per turn from the Crime scene and examine it only if Detectives are not there.
* Before turn 1 he can plant evidences to the crime scene in order to frame other Suspects.
* He can post "messages" when ever he want to share the results of his research or he want to confuse detectives. Other than that he can not post in the game thread.
WIN: If he is not captured.
LOOSE: If he is captured.

[Caius]

Maybe a "Contact" role could work?

You know, a person that has an alibi about certain suspect.

And add a lot of players, of course.

[Ibn-Khaldun]

Those Suspects who are not guilty will have an alibi but only most skillful detective can find that out.
Their skill level(from1 to 5) will determine how good are they in certain area(research or lab work) but they can not reveal their level in public(or in a PM).

Must say that I didn't know that it is a difficult game to set up. Don't want the detectives to find out who is the criminal within first 3 turns.

If there is still interest then I'll try to start a small game next week.

[Caius]

You can count with me.

[Diana Abnoba]

This sounds so cool, I would be very interested in playing. I love this sort of game. We need CSI lab people also, or will we just get "results" from the lab. Let me know how it is going, and when you think this game will start. I will make sure I'm not in too many other game at the time, so I can play this one.

IN!!!

[Ibn-Khaldun]

This sounds so cool, I would be very interested in playing. I love this sort of game. We need CSI lab people also, or will we just get "results" from the lab. Let me know how it is going, and when you think this game will start. I will make sure I'm not in too many other game at the time, so I can play this one.

IN!!!

Good to hear!

You will get those 'results' from me. I'll PM them to detectives who have done a research or examined an evidence.

[Beefy187]

Looks promising, but I think I might watch first game instead of playing it.

[Diana Abnoba]

@ Ibn-Khaldun:

Here are some ideas I thought of:
(you can use them or not it is up to you, it is your game)

You can make this sorta a mafia game; maybe around 15 players
have detective, and his partner, a CSI that collects the evidence, maybe a regular beat cop that's 1st on scene, and someone else like maybe a profiler (whatever)-and these are your "pro-town" roles.

Next 5 more players that are also town, but regular townies, can make them witnesses or just have a "writeup" of the witnesses statements (you- as part of evidence) however you want to make them. If you have players that are only witnesses and can't "vote" or decide on any action taken place they might get board and not play, and just lurk. Instead of voting for a lynch, all the town can "voice" in thread what they want the detective to do next, or who they think is the murderer (whatever- needs some work), but detective has final say, maybe other "pro-town roles as well.

Then "mafia" are the 5 suspects, but only 1 is the killer. They can lie about their involvement, try and throw off the town...they will need their alibis checked (and that will take a round)...

To keep this going for a while, it takes 1 round to get results from fingerprints... but 2 rounds for DNA results, so town can't wait until last round to pick their "murderer". Town can only Pick 1 the whole game, their final suspect (and this will be the one that ends the game- if town is right they win, if they are wrong mafia wins) You will need a reason to try and obtain fingerprints, DNA... from suspect. Like probable cause.

So this would be more real life detective work/case. Does any of this make sense? Sorry I get to rambling at times. Any questions please ask in tread or PM me.

Thanks for listening (reading) all of this.

Best of Luck in putting this together!

Can't wait to play!

[Beskar]

Should make it like an Agetha Christie novel.

[Diana Abnoba]

No, a little less drama, more CSI.

[Beskar]

I never watch CSI, but love the likes of Poirot.

[Diana Abnoba]

I love the forensic science shows. CSI (all of them), and tru TV with real cases on forensic files, cold case...and ID TV with Extreme forensic, and anything with profiling serial killers...fascinating what science can do now to solve crimes.

[Beskar]

Indeed, that is true, but you can never forget the roots, the logical arguments and solid detective work by a cunning mind, solving cases where science can be no help to.

[Diana Abnoba]

This is true! I love it all. The people that really do that for a living, the cops, detectives, CSIs, lab techs... I admire greatly. I very hard, usually thankless, job. None of them make the money that they should.
Well along with, teachers, nurses, social workers...many more. It seems to me when a job involves helping others, and needs a special kind of person to fill that position, the pay is never enough.

[Splitpersonality]

First 48 is good too.

[Diana Abnoba]

Yeah, I like that one also.