FAQ's (Frequently asked questions)
The games are played in four rounds at the dinner table.
It is best played with a four course meal: Soup, Salad, Main course and Dessert. This is not to say that it can’t be adapted to other possibilities such as cocktails and finger foods, or an added introduction round etc.
The guests arrive in a costume suited to their role/character in the game. The costume can be elaborate or simple such as a single costume piece that represents their character, a pair of silly glasses, a crazy hat, a mustache. It depends on how elaborate the player wants to get. Bigger is always better!
Each player is supplied with a question and answer booklet and at least one accusation clue . Each round runs in perfect sequence around the table with questions, answers and accusations in the final round.
Everyone must be able to hear all of the questions and answers for each round and once a clue is revealed it is passed around for all to see.
The murderer is revealed only within the reading of the solution, giving everyone the opportunity to solve the mystery and guess who “done it”.
If the game comes with extra players, then these extra players are not suspects but detectives and may ask questions at the “end” of each round.
The games last approximately 2 hours. One half hour per round.
As the title of the site says, these are Murder Mystery “Dinner party” games,which are meant to be played during a dinner party. Many murder mystery games can be quite involved with elaborate scripts or special duties and goals for each player. While this is fine for a more involved event, my games are simpler, easy to assemble and lots of fun. You can adapt the games to your own evenings agenda but for us the best way to play the four rounds is: Round one with soup, Round two with salad, Round three with the main course and Round four with desert. I often move my guests to another room after dinner to read the solution and give out award certificates. But this again can be done at the table.
Alice is played at the Mad Hatters tea party, Titanic at the Captain's dinner table, Jane Austen at a dinner hosted by Lady Catherine de Burgh’s at her estate, the Fairytale game is held at a City Council Meeting and the Vampire murder mystery game is played at a dinner at the Blackwell’s, after the last Will and Testament of Count Blackwell has been read. The DaVinci game is played during a meal at a haunted Abbey, and the Pirate game at the Dirty Dog tavern or on the Sweet Revenge pirate ship.
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The download comes with printable invitations, character biographies and costume suggestions for each guest (also there are email version’s as well, saving on printing and mailing) that you send out to your guests a few weeks prior to the dinner party.
On the night of the dinner party each player will have a booklet placed next to their dinner plate, with questions and answers for each round that pertain to their character. They can read what’s written or improvise, it’s up to them, but EVERYONE must be able to hear each others questions and answers, and once a clue is revealed it is passed around. That is why it is best to play the game at a table, where everyone is together.
The games always begin with an opening speech or toast. The captain of the Titanic opens the game with his Toast. The Mad Hatter welcomes everyone with a quick welcome speech and lady Catherine begins the evening explaining the horror of the scandal. With the new Vampire Murder Mystery Game, Jonathan Harker begins by reading the Will of Count Blackwell. From there, the action begins, questions are asked, clues are revealed and the excitement builds.
After each round there is a break, until all four rounds have been played out. The host decides the pacing. The Murderer is only revealed within the solution, giving everyone a chance to guess “Who dunnit!”.
The download comes with complete, easy to understand detailed game instructions.
Absolutely, I have played both the host and at the same time played a role at my party (in this case the Hatter) with relative ease.
The trick was making the dinner simple and quick to serve between rounds (about 15 minutes) An easy to serve soup, salad, a crock pot meal or lasagna, and an easy serve desert. By doing this you can serve the meal quickly and play at the same table as your guests.
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Not really, but highly encouraged! All of the games were created with the concept of a round the table game play. Titanic of course is at the captains table, Alice is a game with a meal or at the Hatters Tea Party table etc.
We feel that the elegance and enjoyment of the game works best when everyone is seated around a table. We have found that people are more relaxed at a dinner setting as well. (You can also serve any meal of your choice, but the game does come with all the recipes and videos to create an amazing meal)
Also the dinner setting is the best way for everyone to hear the questions and answers given by the players. I have received a few emails where people have played the games sitting around a room and it seems to work well. The game play does not rely on a meal.
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I think with these games it is a personal preference whether you choose to play the game completely in character from beginning to end. For me, I let my guests just be themselves as they arrive and we talk about all kinds of things titanic related or not. We have fun taking photos, introducing our characters to each other and having a cocktail, but we don’t constantly remain in character.
Some players may naturally play it up all evening, while others are less outgoing, it’s all good. I always try and create a fun relaxed atmosphere without putting too much pressure on anyone.
When I play the games with my friends, we are all in character during the game play/rounds and are ourselves in between rounds. Just like a regular dinner party.
I found that this way people are relaxed and don’t feel they need to be “on” all evening. However, you may find that your guests are having fun remaining in character, then by all means that’s great, I wouldn’t discourage it, and say its up to them, whichever is the most fun for them.
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Unlike some murder mystery games, the murderer will not be revealed until the solution is read at the end of the evening, creating an equal playing field for everyone. Just don’t read the solution page prior to playing the game.
You win the game two ways.
1. By correctly guessing who the murderer is (including the possibility that it might be you).
2. If it is revealed that you are the murderer (as the solution is read) and no one has cast a single vote against you, you also win!
So deflect those accusations!
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The Alice in Wonderland game, and the Fairytale game and the Titanic game come with the advantage of adding up to 4 extra players. These players are not suspects, but detectives. They do not have a scripted part and can ask questions at the end of each round. They also read the round recaps out-loud to everyone. This is one way to make your party larger. These roles are better suited to players who are a little shy and want a less active role.
Some people simply add extra players who observe the game play and then read the recap for that round out loud (provided with the games) and ask a question of their own design, at the end of each round, and of course participate in guessing the killer. You can add as many extra gamers to your table, who observe the action and jump in when they feel like it, and ask a question. I have even heard some people who are a little shy prefer it this way! You can pick different characters from the various game themes (different from the game characters), send similar invitations and play it this way. Just make sure that your extra guests “Know” that they are playing in a limited capacity, and are not suspects, so no one is disappointed .
Some of the game’s comes with extra “Guessing cards” for these extra players to fill out at the end of the game (who did it).
Also another fun way to add extra players is to double up the characters. Some players have played the game in teams of 2, 2 Alice’s, 2 Queen’s etc. They share the rounds and work as a team, I hope this helps!
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