FantasyFall Ideas Thread

[Galactic Druid]

What is SpyFall?

Many of you visiting this subforum are already familiar with Spyfall, having played in one of the rounds that I and others have run right here on E. For those unfamiliar, SpyFall is a slightly different hidden role game, in which the players are trying to deduce who among them in a spy.

Most of the players are given a role, which are different from one another, and a location, which is the same for every player. One player is simply informed that they are the spy. The players take turns asking one another questions or statements in an effort to deduce who they might be. Non-spy players know what the location is, but not who the spy could be. The spy doesn't know the location.

If a player answered yes to "Would you mind opening a window?", for example, and the location is a Space Station, it's a fairly safe guess this player might be a spy.

That sounds fun! So what is FantasyFall?

FantasyFall is an idea I got after a round where many of the players began to wonder if the location was a zombie apocalypse. A version of SpyFall that focused on classic sci-fi, fantasy, horror, and other classic RP/Story settings would be a blast, especially on E! The trick for the game would be balancing the locations and roles in a fair and fun way that would make things fun, balanced, and creative for everyone.

What makes SpyFall work as a game?

A variety of things. On it's surface, SpyFall seems rather light on mechanics, but when a friend of mine started making custom decks for it, it quickly became apparent there was more to it than I initially realized.

The original SpyFall features 27 locations, with 8 roles each, including the spy. What makes the game work is that each location is vague enough that a single question, comment, or reference often isn't enough to give away a round, yet specific enough that it can be deduced that a player knows were they are after a question or two.

Furthermore, many if the locations feature similar roles. The hotel, school, pirate ship, and several others all have a cook. The Bank, school, embassy, office, and so on all have a guard. There are several locations where it would not be safe to "open a window". When a player asks another player if they're ready to eat, it's not an immediate giveaway.

What I'm looking to do...

I'm trying to come up with a set (at least 20) of locations based of popular roleplaying genres, movies, books, and tabletop settings for the SpyFall game play setup. The locations can't be too specific, as they'd either be too easy or too frustrating for the spy. So while something like "a colony/military ship" would be perfectly fine, "The Death Star" or "The Enterprise", no matter how fun, likely would not be.

Rather than work on it alone, I thought I might bring my idea to E, and see if anyone was interested in making a group project out of it.

Locations would need to have similar roles to at least a few others, otherwise they'd be too easy to decipher. Genres alone are likely a bit too vague, something within a genre would like be best. I'm open to any ideas and suggestions, however.

Locations

I tried to pick the ones that were the most unique, and combined a few into singular options in an effort to make sure each location would be discernible from the others. Next up are roles!

Bold locations are finished, everything else needs work.

1. Zombie Survivor Colony
Zombie, Lookout, Cook, Helpless Survivor, supply hoarder, leader, caravan trader

2.  Bath House
Relaxed Patron, Bath attendant, Host, Peeping Tom, Tense Patron, Boiler Room Operator, Servant

3. The Local Tavern
Bard, Innkeeper, Cook, Patron, Adventurer, Gambler, Drunk

4. New World Colony
Engineer, Doctor, Horticulture Expert, Scientist, Colony Worker, Leader, Tourist

5. Pirate Cove
Drunken Sailor, Buxom Harlott, Prisoner, Harbormaster, Pirate Captain, Retired Pirate Tavernkeeper, Royal Navy Spy

6. Military Starcruiser
Captain, Helmsman, Fighter Pilot, Engineer, Medic, Navigator, Boarding/Surface Mission Crew (Red Shirt?)

7. The Castle
The King, Prince Charming, Groundskeeper, Master Chef, Jester, Servant, Knight Captain

8. Underwater City
Mermaid, Explorer from the surface, Archivist, Defender, Maintenance Crew, Leader, Scrap collector

9. Enchanted Forest
Adventurer, Dryad (tree person), Witch, Woodsman, Big Bad Wolf, Druid, Damsel

10. Battle Arena
Warrior, Spectator, Archer, Mage, King, Princess, Announcer

11. Crypt
Looter, Adventurer, Undead Thrall, Groundskeeper, Necromancer, Ghost, Priest

12. The Airship
Engineer, Captain, Gunner, Dapper Passenger, Stowaway, Cook, Helmsman

13. Ancient Ruins
Archaeologist, Looter, Ancient Native, Explorer, Protector, Ancient Construct, Rogue Archaeologist

14. Heaven
Angel,  Angel of Justice, St. Peter, Prudence, deity, redeemed soul, Angel of Faith

15. Party Campsite
Lookout, Hunter/Cook, Traveling Merchant, Quartermaster, Enemy Spy, Studying Wizard, Thief

16. Hell
Lucifer, Condemned Soul, Succubus, Sloth Demon, Pride Demon, Nightmare, Gluttony Demon

17. Dragon’s Lair
Dragon, Princess, Dragon Slayer, Knight, Brave Prince, Dragon Priest(ess), Mercenary

18. Mad Scientists' Lair
Mad Scientist, Minion, Unwilling Experiment, Lab Assistant, Government Spy, Captured Hero, Blackmailed Engineer

19. Wizard’s Tower
Wizard, Bound Demon Servant, Apprentice, Familiar, Adventurer, Guardian, Spirit

20. Flying City
Engineer, Mayor, Corporate CEO, Citizen, Pilot, Guardian

21. Haunted Mansion
Ghost, Poltergeist, New Homeowner, Frightened Damsel, Ghost Hunter, Priest, Skeptic

22. Wizard Academy
Teacher, Archmage, Dedicated Student, Familiar, Ghost, Uninterested Student, Groundskeeper

23. Dungeon Delve
Fighter, Wizard, Rogue, Cleric, Opportunist, Kobold, GM

24. Virtual Reality
Competitive User, Social User, NPC, Debug team member, Programmer, Artificial Intelligence, Hacker

[Ceralilly]

Oh yes.....you can count me in my dear, and most likely the hubster.

This looks SO fun!

xoxo

[Galactic Druid]

As of the moment, this is just a community brainstorming thread to come up with a decent set of locations. I have every intent of running it once there's a game to run, but alas, that's the tricky part. =p

[Ceralilly]

As of the moment, this is just a community brainstorming thread to come up with a decent set of locations. I have every intent of running it once there's a game to run, but alas, that's the tricky part. =p

What are you looking for exactly? Plot Bunnies for location? Specific ideas? Or just the fantasy based theme to broaden on in general?

Sorry I am new to these ones but I like them!

[Verasaille]

So you are looking for more of a generic type location rather than specific?

Like a Medieval castle, rather than Dracula's castle?

I can come up with a few I am sure. How about:

1. Medieval castle, (this would be no guns, modern plumbing, etc)

2. Steampunk city-(classic take on the Victorian city)

3. The Underworld-IE, Hades, Hell, The Place of eternal Torment

4. Lost City Underwater-(Might be too specific, as I am thinking Atlantis)

5. Catacombs-So many places this could be, including the ones under the Vatican, or some crypts in a fantasy story

6. We had Hell, why not Heaven?- Celestial gathering place of Angels?

[Blythe]

Couple of location ideas:

* An Ancient Mystical Forest

* Battle Arena/Coliseum

[Madame Professor]

Ancient ruins!

[Galactic Druid]

So you are looking for more of a generic type location rather than specific?

Like a Medieval castle, rather than Dracula's castle?

I can come up with a few I am sure. How about:

1. Medieval castle, (this would be no guns, modern plumbing, etc)

2. Steampunk city-(classic take on the Victorian city)

3. The Underworld-IE, Hades, Hell, The Place of eternal Torment

4. Lost City Underwater-(Might be too specific, as I am thinking Atlantis)

5. Catacombs-So many places this could be, including the ones under the Vatican, or some crypts in a fantasy story

6. We had Hell, why not Heaven?- Celestial gathering place of Angels?

Oh my god, why didn't I think of heaven and hell? We could even makes the roles things like Greed, Lust, Pride, etc. LOVE IT!

I think I'd change catacombs to Crypt, just to help differentiate it a little more from ruins or a dungeon.

Steampunk city could work, but an Airship would TOTALLY work.

Atlantis... I don't think that's too specific, just because it's SO well known it wouldn't be as hard to guess as, say, The Normandy. I can see that one working as is, or as 'Sunken City'

Steampunk city really makes me want to do Dystopian city as well... hmmmm...

Couple of location ideas:

* An Ancient Mystical Forest

* Battle Arena/Coliseum

Why didn't I think of that? That's like an RPG staple, especially in gaming!! That's so in!

Ancient ruins!

Gotta Happen.

I'm so glad I opened this to ideas, you guys are the best!

[Galactic Druid]

The more I think about it, the more I like the idea of making Ancient Ruins something like 'Lost Civilization Ruins/Remains", partially to help it stand out from other dungeon-y areas, partially as an excuse to have an Archaeologist as a role so people can Indiana Jones it up.

[Ryven]

Location ideas:

A labyrinth

A Dragon's lair

A Wizard tower

A Mad Scientist's Laboratory

A Temple to a deity (good or evil)

An elemental plane of existence

[Madame Professor]

A Mad Scientist's Laboratory

How did I seriously not think of that...? I'm a disappointment to Mad Scientists everywhere..

[Ryven]

How did I seriously not think of that...? I'm a disappointment to Mad Scientists everywhere..

Maybe you're so mad that the thought of it seems normal to you?

[Madame Professor]

Maybe you're so mad that the thought of it seems normal to you?

Yes, yes, of course. That must be it.

[Verasaille]

We should help by coming up with roles to go with our locations.

Heaven-Angel-Cherubim-Gatekeeper(Saint Peter?), Denied Soul, Happy Soul, The Deity, Guardian Angel, Record Keeper.

Hell-Devil, Imp, Pit Lord, Torturer, Incubus, Succubus, Hellhound(Cerebrus?), Mindflayer.

Medieval Castle-Captain of the Guard, Seneshal, cook, upstairs maid, downstairs maid, gardener, King, Queen (Lord or Lady of the castle), Guard

Catacombs or Labyrinth or Crypts could be pretty much the same idea- Guardian Spirit, Skeleton warrior, Skeleton Archer, Lich, carrion crawler, Goblin, Grave robber, Dragon(?), Adventurer.

Lost City Ruins-Archeologist, Anthropologist, student helper, Guide, camp cook, Environmentalist, tourist, Ghost

[Galactic Druid]

Each role should definitely have a fun few unique roles, but there should also be some 'staple' roles that are cross-location...

[Ryven]

There can be no labyrinth without either a minotaur or David Bowie

[Galactic Druid]

*snickers*

[Ryven]

I do think that there should be some roles that overlap locations though.  It would keep locations from having easily identifiable characters to make guesses from.

[Remiel]

Going a bit sci-fi:

A space station on a forbidden planet

A flying city in the clouds

A city on the bottom of the ocean (Rapture)

[Ceralilly]

The little girl in me wants a sleeping beauty one...lol...who will wake her up? But you only have one try and everyone has to be eliminated by logic and deduction as to which players aren't Prince or princess charming...lol

Ok no more pain pills for me...lol

[Galactic Druid]

I didn't know you were a gamer, Remi!

Hmmm, if we change Atlantis or sunken city to underwater city, people could play it either way, which would be really fun. Suddenly shifting to a conversation about "the great chain" from one about Atlantis could really throw off a spy...

[Strangefate]

Apologies if there’s overlap.  Or, if like, they all overlap.  Quite a few suggestions scattered through the comments.

A Haunted Mansion

Wizard School

Lost World (IE, the kind filled with dinosaurs and such)

Secret Lair (the Superhero or Supervillain type)

[Galactic Druid]

I should update the OP.

[Galactic Druid]

Locations and roles are coming in nicely, but as always, I'm open to suggestions, including tweaks to locations labeled as finished.

The locations I could use help the most are the Crypt, Labyrinth, Flying City, and Underwater City

Having the most trouble coming up with roles that wouldn't be dead giveaways for them...

[Verasaille]

I think maybe generic roles like Gardener, janitor, bartender, security, butler or maid, coffee barrista (isn't there a Starbucks just about anywhere?)