Deception: Murder in Hong Kong/CS Files (Rules and OOC)

Started by Galactic Druid, December 17, 2015, 02:47:11 PM

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Galactic Druid

Welcome to Hong Kong!

Confirmed Players
looking for 5-10

1. Yugi006
2. Strangefate
3. Remiel
4. Assassini
5. Blythe
6. Madame P
7. BAMF
8. Verasaille
9. James Moriarty
10. persephone325
11. Der
12. Red Pheonix
With apologies, we are at max player count.

In deception, players take on the role of a team of investigators, trying to figure out who among them committed a murder by interpreting clues given to them by a forensic scientist as a team. Figuring out the culprit isn't enough on it's own, as the detectives also have to decipher how the murder was committed, and what key piece of evidence was left at the scene that ultimate got them caught.


At the beginning of the game, each player will receive a role, sent out randomly by the GM. The forensic scientist will be publicly revealed to the entire group, as their role is different than the other players. All other roles are kept hidden during the game. For the rest of the round, the only posts the forensic scientist can make is to reveal clue cards used, detailed below.

The remaining players will each receive 4 potential murder weapons (The 'means' cards, which was changed in murder weapon in the final translastion), as well as 4 pieces of 'key evidence' that potentially solved the case (originally just called clue cards, changed as well.). These cards as a whole represent the potential weapons and clues that could have been left behind, but only one of each is the actual evidence. Once this setup is complete, the game is ready to begin.

Step one; revealing the murder.
The GM will send out a group PM to the forensic scientist and murderer, asking the murder to select one of their weapons and one piece of key evidence from their own cards. The forensic scientist will learn this information, as well as the GM, as well as who the murderer is. This information is to be kept secret between them during the duration of the game.


Step two; Giving clues

The forensic scientist cannot openly communicate with the players. Instead, they have a series of clues they are able to give. They have one board (the pink one in the picture above) that shows how the victim died (Such as blood loss, severe injury, illness or poisoning, an accident. Many of these are vague by design.). The scientist picks one of those possibilities and declares that to be the clue they are giving. They also have 4 boards that show potential locations the crime took place. The scientist will pick one of those boards, and then announce one possibility from that board as their location clue. Once the first clue has been given, other players may begin to post and discuss their suspicions as well.

Example of play.

Scientist: The cause of death options are Suffocation, Severe Injury, Loss of Blood, Illness/Disease, Poisoning, and Accident. The victim died of Blood Loss.

Alice: Well, that rules out Mary's drowning card, but not much else.

Sam: It's too early to know much...

Scientist: The location board I'm putting into play has the Vacation House, Park, Supermarket, School, Woods, and Bank. This crime took place at the school.

Sam: Looks like I'm off the hook. I have a chainsaw, acid, axe, and blades. None of that fits in a school!

Alice: Nice try, Sam! Sulfuric Acid is super common in school labs.

Sam: But the victim died of Blood Loss! If it were acid, wouldn't Madame Professor told it was a severe injury, or maybe poisoning?

Alice: That's a good point... none of us has a weapon that would cause blood loss and fits in a school though....

Mary: Well, maybe the school is pointing to the key evidence rather than the weapon, like Sam's notebook....

Players are free to make as many posts as the like to discuss the game or their thoughts, though each player only gets one guess to solve the crime (explained later).

After the cause of death and location boards are player, the Forensic scientist is given 4 additional clue boards. Each board will contain a description of the type of clue, and 6 options to give players. Like ever other board, only one option may be picked. The scientist can play the 4 boards, one at a time, in any other they choose, allowing as much discussion as they like between each placed board.

Example:
Scientist: Noticed By Bystander - Sudden Sound, Prolonged Sound, Smell, Visual, Action, Nothing; The bystander noticed Nothing.

Alice: Well, that doesn't help us any.

Sam: Yeah...

Mary: Actually... what if there's a reason he noticed nothing. We're at the school, and the bystander didn't see anything, what if that's because they were wearing that drama mask card that Alice has? That certainly fits in a school...

In the interest of keeping the game moving, I will likely ask the scientist to play a new board every 48 to 72 hours, if necessary. This rule may change, I won't know the sweet spot for timing this game until we try it.

Making Guesses
At any time after the first clue is given, players can make a guess as to who they feel the criminal was, and how the crime was committed. If they are correct, the investigators win the game! If they are incorrect, game play continues. Each player gets only one guess. Once you have incorrectly guessed, you can not try to solve the murder again. This does not mean you are eliminated. Deception has no player elimination. Players who guessed incorrectly are still able to discuss and play through the round, they just cannot guess again. They can, however, try to convince another player to use their guess on another hunch. A player will only ever learn if they are correct or incorrect. They might have the right person, they might have the right weapon, but if they don't have all three, the only response they will get is incorrect. They will not know if they are partially correct. If at any time the players run out of guesses between them and the murderer is not found, the murderer wins.

Sam: Alright, I think we've got this figured out. It was Alice, who did it with the Razor Wire, and the key evidence is the drama mask.

GM: That is incorrect.

Sam: Dangit, I was so sure! Her only other possibility is the box cuter and mask, Mary, you wanna try that for me?

Mary: I dunno Sam, how do I know you're not just trying to waste everyone's guesses so you can win?

Redacting Information
After the first 4 clue boards are placed, the Forensic scientist will be given two more. They can use these clues to cover up one of the clue boards that was already put into play. It's a good idea to use this to 'cancel' information that has been sending the players down the wrong path.

Sam: The trace left at the scene was a fingerprint! Doesn't it make more sense that Mark's broken bottle was used? That carries a way cleaner print than an axe.

Scientist: I am covering up the 'Trace at the scene' board with "Evidence Left Behind - Natural, Artistic, Written, Synthetic, Personal, Unrelated". The Evidence left behind was written.

Alice: Well, that kills your argument, Sam. And about that notebook...

The final word!
If the crime is not solved and players still have guesses after all 8 clue boards have been placed (the original 6, followed by the replacement 2), then the final round begins. Each player will get to make one post making their case. At any time, players can make their guesses. After the last guess is spent, or after 72 hours from the declaration of the final word, if the murderer has still not been found, they automatically win!

Mary: I've already used my guess, but I really feel like it has to be Sam at this point. His blades are the only thing that fits since I already guessed the axe, and I'm really sure about that notebook, especially after the written clue we got last.

Alice: You know what? I agree, I'm going to use my guess that Sam did it with the Blade, and left the notebook behind.

GM: Correct! The investigators win!

A note on Private Messaging

First and foremost, the ability to receive PMs is required to play. Apologies to unapproved members, but you'll need approval before you can join. When it comes to PMs, especially in social gaming, I don't like to restrict players from chatting with one another, but I do ask that you keep anything that has to do with the current investigation public.

Social PMs are always okay!

"Hey, it's great to be playing a game together again! Are you having fun?"

"I've enjoyed getting to meet you in deception. Man, guy is such an awesome GM. Anyway, you seem really cool, do you have any time for an RP?"

"Jeez, this round is getting crazy. If you end up being the murderer, I'm never trusting you again!"

Please don't do this!

"I didn't wanna say this to the whole group and make Sam suspicious of me, but I think that last clue MP gave was about his notebook. What do you think. Should we guess him?"

"Hey, do you think acid would be more likely to be shown as poisoning or severe injury?"

"Pssst, hey Forensic Scientist. Can you give me a hint? At least which player to look at?" This is straight up cheating. Please don't get caught doing this.

tl;dr

The game is played by guessing who committed a crime by guessing which cards were used in a crime. Everybody gets one guess to solve the murder.

The murderer wins if everyone uses their guesses incorrectly.

The investigators win if, at any time, they correctly guess the cards used in the crime.

Original Post
So this is something I played recently at a gaming convention and absolutely fell in love with. Those of you that live in the eastern continents may have already played it as "CS Files", but I've got a reprint named Deception coming in on the 20th that I'm interested in running here on E.

Until I get my copy and make sure I have everything correct, I'm not going to post any rules, but the basics of the game go something like this; I believe it runs anywhere from 4-10 players. 1 player is always going to play as the forensic investigator, who knows everything that happened, but is unable to communicate other than giving specific clues by placing markers on a series of boards that are played. Some of the board's may suggest the nature of the death (if it looked like an accident, or if it was clearly an attack, where it took place, etc.). Every other player is going to have a set of four cards in front of them; 4 potential weapons, and 4 potential items that were found at the crime scene (whether as a calling card, accidentally dropped, part of the scene, etc.) one of these players is the murderer; he'll reveal to the forensic scientist which of their cards they used as the weapon, and what was found. The scientist then uses the clues he can give to help the players figure out who among them holds the true murder weapon and evidence.

I'll need to go over the rules when I get it and figure out a fair way to run/time the game on a forum, but if we've managed it with One Night and Resistance, I'm sure we can for Deception as well.

Anyway, I'd like to get a general interest lost for when I run the game. I'm looking for anywhere between 5 and 10 players.
A/As last updated 11/27 - Halfway past busy season!

Kythia

In theory interested, but it would kinda depend on the specifics.
242037

persephone325

This doesn't have to end in a fight, Buck.
It always ends in a fight.
You pulled me from the river. Why?
I don't know.
"Don't dwell on those who hold you down. Instead, cherish those who helped you up."

yugi006


Blythe

Quote from: Kythia on December 17, 2015, 02:48:56 PM
In theory interested, but it would kinda depend on the specifics.

^ This. I'm sorta kinda maybe interested, but need a bit more about the game before I can 100% say for sure.

Galactic Druid

Got my copy in today, so after going over the rules and figuring out the best way to translate them to a forum setting, I'll be putting up a more detailed version for your guys!
A/As last updated 11/27 - Halfway past busy season!

Madame Professor

Oh man.

Yes.

Just.... Yes.

This game is so amazing.

Would you be including the Witness and the Accomplice, or keep it simple for the first go?
The Professor's Research Notes (O/O)  Locked away in the Laboratory (A/A) 
Not currently available for new roleplays
Procaffeinating: (verb) The tendency to not start anything until you've had a cup of coffee.
Perkatory: (noun) The anguished, prolonged period spent waiting for a fresh pot of coffee to be ready.

Galactic Druid

For the first round, I want to keep it basic. I'll be adding in more after that, but it's nice to get the basics before introducing alternate win conditions.
A/As last updated 11/27 - Halfway past busy season!

Galactic Druid

Well, it's finally up! Took me a bit with the holiday rush and RL and whatnot, but I've got a good feeling about running this! Please let me know if you want to be added to the player list.
A/As last updated 11/27 - Halfway past busy season!

yugi006


Strangefate

*waves*

Hi everyone!  It looks fun, I'll definitely give it a try!  :-)
A/A/Misc
On/Offs

"Vanitas Vanitatum!  Which of us is happy in this world?  Which of us has his desire?  or, having it, is satisfied?" - George Makepeace Thackeray, Vanity Fair


Assassini


Blythe

Yeah, this looks good now that I've gotten a read-through of how it works. Count me in!  ;D

Madame Professor

The Professor's Research Notes (O/O)  Locked away in the Laboratory (A/A) 
Not currently available for new roleplays
Procaffeinating: (verb) The tendency to not start anything until you've had a cup of coffee.
Perkatory: (noun) The anguished, prolonged period spent waiting for a fresh pot of coffee to be ready.

Galactic Druid

Sweet, that's 6 right there, more than enough to give this a run!

Also, I just realized that there's really no conflicting information sharing that would stop the GM from being the forensic scientist, so if nobody minds, and since it's the only role I could fairly play, I might just go ahead and play the forensic the first round to ensure everything plays smoothly in an online setting. Yes, that's the excuse I'm going to use.  :P

Seriously though, anyone mind if I play the forensic this first round?
A/As last updated 11/27 - Halfway past busy season!

Galactic Druid

Since we have enough, and I want to keep the momentum going, I'll go ahead and start the game in a little less than 48 hours. The first round will begin Wednesday afternoon, January 6.
A/As last updated 11/27 - Halfway past busy season!

BAMF

HM. Even though I'm still fairly confused, I'm pretty sure I wanna play. So count me the hell in.
»O/O’s«»Ideas«»A/A's«
Great things are done
by a series of small things
brought together.

»Vincent Van Gogh«

Galactic Druid

I promise, one round and it will all make perfect sense. That's how I felt going through the original rulebook too.
A/As last updated 11/27 - Halfway past busy season!

persephone325

This doesn't have to end in a fight, Buck.
It always ends in a fight.
You pulled me from the river. Why?
I don't know.
"Don't dwell on those who hold you down. Instead, cherish those who helped you up."

James Moriarty


Galactic Druid

Well, shoot, that's 10 if you count me. I guess we'll go ahead and start tomorrow once I get off work. Before I begin, does anyone have an objection to me being the first forensic scientist?
A/As last updated 11/27 - Halfway past busy season!

Strangefate

I have no objection to you running the game however you like personally.  The forensic scientist seems fairly important to keeping the game running smoothly from what I understand, so probably best that it's someone a little familiar with the game IMO and not apt to accidentally spill the beans.   :-)
A/A/Misc
On/Offs

"Vanitas Vanitatum!  Which of us is happy in this world?  Which of us has his desire?  or, having it, is satisfied?" - George Makepeace Thackeray, Vanity Fair

BAMF

Yeah, also have no problem with this. Smoother it can run, the better, imo.
»O/O’s«»Ideas«»A/A's«
Great things are done
by a series of small things
brought together.

»Vincent Van Gogh«

Galactic Druid

My thoughts exactly. I mean, running ikt smoothly is a convenient reason that I get to play with you guys, sure, but it'll also give me a chance to show you guys one of the more key roles in action before turning it loose. That way, this round you guys can focus on accusing one another *snickers*.
A/As last updated 11/27 - Halfway past busy season!