How might a Murder Mystery game even work on Forum?

[Twisted Crow]

Like a group with multiple players? The meta game thing would be a problem, I imagine.

Though, this isn’t exactly a Murder Mystery per se, but general the idea I am having uses the same concept. I just can’t figure out how it would work on a forum... 

[Twisted Crow]

The obstacle I am stumbling with is the meta game problem. When the “bad guy” would be obviously making bad guy posts. Other players could see that interaction and quickly point out who the bad guy is. 

[Twisted Crow]

You know, what could be kinda badass for the E upgrade (in theory) is a way to have an anonymous ‘Phantom’ account that any member could access for games like that. It wouldn’t have PM rights or anything but it would be specifically for a forum game. ‘The Murderer’ or ‘The Mysterious Hunter’ where they would play down the character identity and write their role play post normally.

But I can see where that might cause problems in various ways, too.

[The Green One]

You know, what could be kinda badass for the E upgrade (in theory) is a way to have an anonymous ‘Phantom’ account that any member could access for games like that. It wouldn’t have PM rights or anything but it would be specifically for a forum game. ‘The Murderer’ or ‘The Mysterious Hunter’ where they would play down the character identity and write their role play post normally.

But I can see where that might cause problems in various ways, too.

This sounds amazing!

I have a secrecy system in my group game, and so far the only solution I've found is to privately give a player/s the information they need, for them to share or not with the others in game.

So, instead of having the bad guy posting, I would have the players investigate, and give them the information they found.

[Oniya]

I know that a lot of Mafia-type/Werewolf games were being run for a while.

[Twisted Crow]

Watching Among Us lets plays have kinda kicked an old muse idea in gear... but I have the feeling that the fun and thrilling part would be lost when the ‘Predator’ player is easily doing their thing in the group posts.

My other idea is... well, Predator player could do their thing  in PMs with victim player characters. But again, this isn’t really quick ‘Kill Character or Instant “You Lose” posts. And the idea is that players other than GMs could potentially be the imposter/predator role. And some don’t like role play via PMs. And it disconnects from the group flow. So... that can’t work for what I have in mind. At least, I don’t imagine how. It’s tough, lol.

Even if a player took the wheel of the actual mysterious predator, players would easily point out that “Oh, It’s Dallas posting? Well, its obviously his character Doug that is the Hunter/Imposter/Predator”

I am really trying to put my thinking cap on for this to figure out how it could work in practice. And I just can’t visualize the flow and color within the lines. Huh...

I don’t feel like this is very tenable, tbh.

[The Green One]

It's a great concept though. I'm really into it and if you ever launch it, I think I'd like give it a try.

Have you thought about making a Discord server maybe? I use it as well. It's comfortable to make private channels within the server that only certain people can asses to. Still, I get you about the disconnecting part, sometimes my game feels a bit all over the place, although so far it's working.

[Twisted Crow]

I could probably use a Discord server to run things behind the scenes. Like help players, advise or organize. But I would prefer the game idea stick to forum for consistency and so that it could be organized easier.

The two ways this idea could work in my mind:

Solos; the GM just plays the other characters (including the baddies). That way, it is harder for the player to meta game and still have that thrill of the unknown. I feel like this could easily work best with one player at a time.

In a Group: Create a ratio element of some kind. Instead of one baddie, there are two or three predators to worry about and the others are duds that can still stay involved in the group. That way... it isn’t just one and done when a big move is made in post. Other ‘hunters’ could strategize together. 

[The Green One]

In a Group: Create a ratio element of some kind. Instead of one baddie, there are two or three predators to worry about and the others are duds that can still stay involved in the group. That way... it isn’t just one and done when a big move is made in post. Other ‘hunters’ could strategize together. 

I think this could be the right way to start!

[Sara Nilsson]

Have everyone PM their post to the Gm and do it by turns. so everyone posts at the same time?

so you get:

Dallas post!

Sara:

Isobell snoops around the kitchen and finds a stack of porn mags, she spends the rest of the evening reading those

Another player

Mark is... yada yada

and so on

Of course with better posts than that ^^

and then the GM can add:

Dallas:

Isobell finds among the magazines a bloody rag..../quote]

etc

[Oniya]

I mentioned this earlier, but found a link to the place where people were running them:  https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?board=440.0

I imagine any of the folks who ran them would be able to give you mechanics help.