~Mewcon Panel~ CLUE: anime edition (time for panel posted! first post!)

[Washougal_Otaku]

Are you coming to the December meeting?  We could play then...

While I would totally be down with board gaming after a meeting, I didn't have plans to attend a con meeting in December, especially because I currently lack a car.  I could get a ride up there, but then my ride would want to leave after the meeting, which would most likely interfere with plans.  

   Okay, maybe another time...

[luvan1me]

lol

2) i was looking at the game again, and i thought that yea it is confusing, but i think what i meant was the "test run" game. >.< but that would only be like 3 min. lol *is starting to confuse herself* SO! i say just do it how the original CLUE does it, and see how it goes.

yea i know. now that i look back, too short isn't that bad, but it kinda bums me out.

sudden death isn't gonna be CLUE exactly. have you heard of "guess who?" lol well it's gonna be like that XD ima just bring the game "guess who" cuz it's pretty much the same as CLUE except w/o weapons and the whole rooms lol so what you think? i think it's a quick way to find the winner XD

and i think this would interest the ones that really want to win a prize. those that just want to come and play CLUE, can choose to just play for fun, or (if they win) choose to go to the final game and play "sudden death" to win a prize. so i will tell them right at the con, those who would love to win a prize, and i explain to them. cuz i just wanted this panel just for fun, but if ppl that win and want a prize then "here's a PRIZE! come and win it!" lol

bangbangneko IS the person who is practically running mew XD
along with her father, and the rest of the big crew X3

yes :3 attention spam (i tend to play with words. A Loot!)

i'm just setting those times, so we can at least keep track of each game. cuz it's good to have a schedule, rather than none. so after the first game at the con, we will go by that time, and then if we have like 30 min left, we will have the winners play the "sudden death" game we choose (which i really do want to choose "guess who") until we are left with 2 ppl and then 1 and they win. the runner up will get a consolation prize :3

4) it is popular, and APH merchandise is being sold here in america XD uwajimaya and other anime and game stores are now selling them :3 but most anime aren't that popular outside the otaku community because it IS anime. ugh i hate weebos <-<

5) yea it is old school XD but i guess what i mean is, not a lot of GOOD games have that theme. if they do, it's kinda blah to meh <.<

kh: well if kairi is a representation of Light and Love and Hope. So i mean it's kinda what she is XD she brings riku and sora together in the end, she hopes to wait for sora and her friends, she is the light in sora's heart (and what gives sora his power, his friends.)

lol okay dw. i won't spoil it

yes it is lol it's not suppose to be significant. i doubt any title other than birth by sleep and chain of memories was ever significant. and of course the title of the game (but now that i think about it, kh isn't what ppl really strive for. it's the Light and/or Darkness)

lolol yea i do say that but i say "STUPID RIKU!" instead of "you suck!" cuz i understand now why riku did that. he was filled with jealousy. and he was clouded by that and then the darkness took over, and xehanort took advantage of it. just like his master T__T they were both silly men. (so far the main heroines didn't fall for the darkness, another female touch lawls)

meh DS lites suck butt! i need to get the old brick, but since the 3DS is coming out, ima be buying that soon :3

yup :3 that's why i love KH so much. names mean a lot in japanese culture, so that's what i liked about these games they have meaning. friendship, love, hope, death, rebirth (lawl), and strength of heart and of course mystery. i just love this series <3~

CLUE: whiteboards are out lol so clipboards and i already was just gonna use regular 8x11" school paper cuz i have no time to do those fancy stuff. you can print it out if you like, have the weapons, and people blank. so yea that sounds good.

like i said i have no money, so notecards are gonna have to do
once the panel gets popular after this year, THEN i will save money and do that, and all the fancy stuff cuz before then, it's just not worth the hassle.

yup brainahstormin' XD thanks :3 and they will give me good stuff. i have 2 friends helping for sure, and my fiance, and i believe ashley is still gonna help me too :3 so i'm set with helpers >w<

[nekovamp13]

I guess I'm helping out with this...?
What are you wanting me to do/be again, Doe?

And I'll probably be Riku or Kaito.

[luvan1me]

pretty much just sit in the audience holding the case file XD and when a person wants to solve the case then you check the file and either say "objection!" or "the verdict is ___" . pretty much you're the keeper of the files is that okay?

and sweet :3

[nekovamp13]

Yep ^^
Sounds fun! Especially since I can add my own touches.
Totally need to handcuff myself to the case XD

[luvan1me]

YES! >w< perfect! lawlz

[Washougal_Otaku]

YAY, TEAMWORK!!!

[luvan1me]

lol speaking of teamwork! you guys have clipboards? if you do please do bring them to mewcon! we really do need them! i have maybe a few, cuz my parents are teachers, but i would love it if you could let me know if you do have some.

also kristi, if you're not busy one of these weekends, mind if you could help me make the cards and the blank sheets, and the world signs? thanks! let me know!

[Washougal_Otaku]

I've got one.

[nekovamp13]

We'll talk, Doe. For the most part I'm busy with meetups....But maybe we can have a sleepover to work on stuffs.

[luvan1me]

yea that's what i mean. any free time
we make that free time somehow XD

@washougal: sweet! then i'll just have to bring 5! but i'll bring 6 just in case! :3

[Radien]

(The numbers are starting to become obsolete, so I'ma just use headings)


== Clue Tutorial / Sudden Death ==

Okay, 3 minute test run?  Well, I think it's perfectly reasonable, but you'd wanna make it short, because people are gonna be like "we already know how to play Clue!!" even if they totally have it wrong.  So anyway, yeah, tutorials are great, just keep in mind anime fans at a panel are impatient. You might lose a few during the tutorial. As long as you have enough remaining people to play, don't sweat it.

Haha, "Guess Who." Yeah, I know how to play it, though I've never actually tried.  Again, if it goes quickly, I bet people will enjoy it.  Especially if you give it a catchy name, like "Suspect Lineup" or whatever.

(I think Guess Who is quite different from Clue, but it is thematically very compatible.  Much like Kill Dr. Lucky, which isn't a mystery or a deduction game, but it has the "murder in a mansion" theme going.)


== Prizes / Game Length ==

Don't overestimate how much people want a prize, though. Often, they just want to be able to say they won. It's exciting to win a tournament or a game at a convention!  Just ask me how my team did at Anime Family Feud last year. :3

Bangbangneko is "pretty much running" MEWcon now? What about Kri/Chri (I forget how she spells it), the one who started the con? In any case I know Bronte's been very involved.

Yes, it's good to estimate game length, just be ready for it to run over. They always do. XD Anyway, it sounds like you have a plan. You just have to be a nazi about panel length, something I'm terrible at.


== Whiteboards/Clipboards ==
Okay, totally go with the clipboards then. I'm sure there'll be people who have extras. You only need 6, right? Just try to secure them beforehand if possible, right?

I probably won't be there to supply the actual deduction sheets. So are you going to pen the grids yourself or would you like me to send you a file to print out?  I know you don't have much money, but you'd only need, what, 18 sheets or so (6 players times 3 games)? I could fit two deduction sheets to a page if you'd like to save on ink/paper. Then you could cut them in half with scissors or a large paper cutter.

Glad it's going well so far!  I think you have enough time to fine tune this panel before MEW.



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OFF-TOPIC
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Just thought I'd separate the off-topic stuff for convenience. So yeah.

== Hetalia ==
APH sounds like it's basically THE popular dark horse anime of this decade. Even in Japan, to be honest. Preferences aside, it's kinda exciting to see something gain so much popularity through the internet. Go interwebs!


== KH ==
Well yes, of course, whether it's old school or not, a quality game sticks out. Personally I find KH to be really cheesy, but still interesting and a lot of fun.

It's nice that Kairi played a part but it'd be nicer if she or some other KH girl got her own game in which to kick some ass.

Thanks to you I'm trying to resume playing π=MC² Days. Blah, I can't remember what exactly I was doing. The beginning is kinda slow. I hope before KH3 they realize that starting a KH game in Traverse Town is really boring.


== Riku and Why He Sucks ==
Aha! Yes, that's totally it, you see. Riku was jealous and a bit of a sucker, and bought everything they told him. Thus he sucks. I actually think he's smarter than Sora, but it doesn't do him any good because he doesn't think or try very hard to understand.

Bah, DS Lite doesn't suck butt. I used to insist that it was better to have an old DS Fat, but after I got a DS Lite I was perfectly happy with the change. I too want a 3DS, but I dunno where I'm gonna come up with that kind of money.

The kanji in Japanese names may have lots of history and meaning, but you'd be surprised how many Japanese people have no idea what their names mean. Westerners actually pay more attention to the significance of names, in my experience, even though they pretty much always have to look it up in a name book.

[luvan1me]

Clue stuff:

yes i think however much time we need for the tutorial or should i say "brain freshener" lol

and i will bring guess who ... if i can find it T_T
lol "suspect lineup" i like that XD

yes it is different, just a bit faster XD

prizes:

yea true. but others, i know just get into a contest TO win the prize *cough me cough*

bangbangneko is kris i believe o.o i can't remember her real name >.< *haz short term memory*

yea that's why i said 3 hours for game length instead of 2 >.<  LOL nazi panel leader XDDD

whiteboards:

yup whiteboards, and i think i got it covered.

i think what i would like you to do is just make the paper, and send it to me through email.
and i can easily print them out :3

i know i do, but i gotta say i have other things to do as well before the end of THIS month T_T and i haven't exactly gotten there. i'm doing 2 contests on deviantart, and i haven't exactly finished my drawings. so i gotta hurry with those 2 and then i can worry about the rest.

OFF topic:

aph: lol yea it really did get popular on the internet and now it's a popular anime and manga as well :3 i just love the first season <3~ haven't watched the rest of them though >.<

KH:

lol it IS cheesy, and i think that's why i love it so much XDDD it remind me OF what disney used to be ;~;

it sounds like, to me, you need to play BBS cuz that's EXACTLY what birth by sleep did =w=b

LOLOL kh2 STARTED in traverse town XDD and i STILL love it =w=b played it more times than kh1 and all the other games ;3

riku:
i wouldn't say he sucks. he just needs to grow up and think! >.< like terra <_< *kh terra* and i just wish men in this game weren't as stupid <.<

dslite sucks compared to the ole brick, cuz 1) sucky sound quality 2) easily breaks 3)doesn't last as long 4) incompatible with GBA ext2 port 5) the fact that the cartridge sticks out <-< 6)got rid of the backlight button! i mean srsly? i really needed that button. especially when i was in the car <-< on really long trips <-< and then the go into a tunnel and i can't see worth a crap cuz my light was off! DX
-end rant-

actually most japanese ppl know their name's meaning, because if they didn't, they wouldn't know how to write it, or distinguish between a different, person's name. it's easier for ppl here to forget their name's meaning, because you don't have to THINK about how it LOOKS like to know what it is. i just write "d-o-m-e-n-i-c-a" and there! that's my name. no meaning at all, they are just a bunch of letters put together, no picture, just a name. (but of course I know it means sunday) so it's kinda the same for when ppl write their chinese or japanese name. unless they don't HAVE a kanji first name but i know most do have kanji last name, so their family name is usually something they would know what it means. those that don't know, well call them lazy and uncaring for their family's history. <-<

and i usually find meaning in names, through history, or by actually looking up the language for example, i didn't know what my name meant until an old woman in a random store ask me my name... she was jewish, and she said it was italian XD and she said it meant "sunday: the path to god" heh interesting :3

[Radien]

== "Suspect Lineup" (or whatever) ==
It'd be fun if Guess Who were played with convention-appropriate characters.  Of course you probably wouldn't be able to use the original game's equipment, but various sheets with thumbnails of various "suspects" (anime/game characters) printed in rows and columns.

But again, you probably don't want to spring for that many color copies, so eh.


== Prizes ==
Okay, I guess I shouldn't speak for everybody. Personally I'm usually not too excited by the prizes, so if I compete for something, it's for fun.

The most I've ever won was actually outside a con. I got a $100 gift certificate in a Halloween costume contest (though it was anime themed, just not run by a con). Cons tend not to have very good prizes, I regret to say. It's a bit of a crap-shoot.

== MEW Con ==
I'm always confused about who I'm talking to when the username is "Bangbangneko." I thought it was the name of their group, not just one person.  I know Bronte and her dad, but that's mostly it.  I don't know how much they do behind the scenes, but they are very visible "public figures" at MEW Con.

A 3-hour panel sounds right for a full-length board game, even though it's long for a panel. I run Apples to Apples in 2 hours, but a single round of Apples to Apples is MUCH shorter than a game of Clue.


== Whiteboards / Clipboards ==
Great, I will whip something up in Excel and send it to you. I have some other questions, but they are minor, so I think I will PM you if that's all right.

Sounds like you've got your plate full. Don't overdo it!




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OFF-TOPIC
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== KH ==
It's okay to like cheesy. It's also called "romanticism." Where would we be without melodrama? There'd be no Moulin Rouge, for starters, and that'd suck.

I know KH2 started in Traverse Town!  And it had a frickin' long prologue!! 2 1/2 HOURS before the game's title was displayed!!! SOOOOOOOoooooo slow!!! Which sucked because I knew I was gonna love the rest of it (I did). They were trying to tie in everything that happened in Chain of Memories, and it took much more work than they'd expected. Bah. I love KH2, but I'd prefer to skip the playable prologue.

== Riku etc. ==

Sora's pretty clueless when it comes right down to it, but he's so gun-ho that ya can't help but love him anyway.  There was another character that was charming for the same reasons awhile ago: Justin from Grandia 1.


== DS Lite ==
1.) I don't notice any difference in sound quality. My DS Fat had crappy speakers, actually, but it was old, so.
2.) All Nintendo hardware is immortal!  DS Lite doesn't break easily as far as I know.
3.) Ditto above.
4.) Huh?  What's GBA ext2 port?  Is that the thing that plugs into the Gamecube?  If so, I thought DS Fat couldn't do that either.
EDIT: is it that thing that doubled as a place for the power plug? What else could you do with it? All I saw was a pair of specialized GBA headphones, which the DS doesn't need since it has a standard headphone port.
5.) Cartridge sticking out is a small price to pay for smaller size and GBA compatibility (which DSi lacks, as I'm sure you knew). But I don't know what you're talking about regarding the backlight. My DS Lite always has the backlight on, and it is MUCH brighter than the DS Fat. You can adjust the brightness at the boot-up system menu.


The thing about kanji is that while it carries meaning, the meaning is often rather obscure and conceptual, plus each kanji usually has anywhere from 2 to 10 (or more) readings, and multiple meanings in different contexts and combinations.

Additionally, the readings (pronunciations) for names are usually very archaic in comparison to the everyday words where they might use those same kanji.  When a Japanese person explains how to write out their name, they usually have to describe each kanji individually, like "(phonetic syllable), as in (common word that uses kanji), ..." etc.  Kanji has meaning, yes, but often the meaning is fragmented. It isn't nearly as pictographic as it was 1000 years ago.

Anyway, I'm mostly citing my own experience asking people what their names mean. So your mileage may vary.  Glad you know what yours means now.

[luvan1me]

"guess who" will just stay as the game. i think a little break from the game action is just fine.
and i have no time to make my own game. >.<

Prizes:

lol i still have to talk with bangbangneko about prizes >.<

mewcon:
lol same XD

hmz that sounds like a good length don't you think?
maybe 2 1/2 hours?

offtopic~~~

KH: lolol yes it did have a long prologue, but there are some movies that don't even have the title till the end <-< so i see it as a movie :3
and ah the romantics =w= (i hate the really sappy stuff though XD but i hatelove it i guess)

DS:

lol all the reasons i state are the reasons I hate the new ds lite.
it's only cuz i had my DS brick for about 2 years (before it got stolen) and it was working swell, i've only had my ds lite for less than a year and it was causing me problems (buttons are pushed in, can't keep up with the way the old DS did) and sure it has more power with less weight, and lighter screen, but overall, the longivity of this lite doesn't compare to the DS original.
and the button that was on the side to turn off and on the light was essential for car rides or if i was in a really dark place all of a suddeen and i don't want to go through the hazzle of turning off the game to be able to turn on the light, etc.

kanji:

i know all that it's just the fact that kanji (to me) is a drawing, a picture, and i find more significance in characters, cuz each radical means something. not like A it means nothing it only MEANS something when put together. radicals mean something on their own, but when put together, they can make up something even bigger.

[nekovamp13]

lol
I just realized that holding the answer key.... Riku is finally the KEY BARER!!!
XD

Anywho, back to serious business...

I'm too lazy to read EVERYTHING...So, you know when the panel is being? At least what day?

[Washougal_Otaku]

I'd like to know what day (and time if possible, too) as well.  I will be going as a KCon rep, so I'd like to know when this is so I can schedule my work time to be on the same day without conflicting with the event.

[luvan1me]

another kcon repo aye? XD

okay guys so! the time was just announced to me! a day or so ago! and i'm quite happy about the time.

panel room 1 & 2 (combined)
day: sunday
setup time: 3pm
panel time: 3:30-6:30pm

so if you guys got plans or anything at those times, u gotta do something quick, or let me know! thanks!

[Washougal_Otaku]

I believe that this will be fine for me.  Thanks for posting this as soon as you did!

[luvan1me]

yup np :3 and cool! hope it works out! x>.<x

[nekovamp13]

Hmmm...Well, since it's the last day, I may not be Riku. But, I guess it doesn't really matter who I be.

[luvan1me]

yea it doesn't really matter lol. and i'm actually cosplaying aqua the last day XD

[Radien]

So, since I wasn't able to make it to MEW... how'd Clue go?

[Washougal_Otaku]

It was fun.  I was the dead body and got violated by a pikachu!

[Radien]

It was fun.  I was the dead body and got violated by a pikachu!

Crap... Does that mean "Pikachu's naughty bits" was a weapon card?

[luvan1me]

it was very slow at first but it got better ^^

[Washougal_Otaku]

It was fun.  I was the dead body and got violated by a pikachu!

Crap... Does that mean "Pikachu's naughty bits" was a weapon card?

No, but it maybe should have been.

[luvan1me]

lol yea it woulda been pretty funny =w=

[Washougal_Otaku]

...maybe for next year, then?

[luvan1me]

yup

[nekovamp13]

lol
Damn, if I knew who you were, I would have talked to you....

I was the creepy Cheshire Cat that was walking around the area...

You made an.....interesting dead person XD

[luvan1me]

lolol XD yea i found out who he was when he gave me his clipboard before the game XD

[nekovamp13]

Ah....Well, I couldn't really talk anyways XP

But we should defiantly improve this and do it again sometime ^^

[luvan1me]

i actually wanted to do this at kcon...

[Radien]

Ah....Well, I couldn't really talk anyways XP

But we should defiantly improve this and do it again sometime ^^

Defiantly indeed! >:{

i actually wanted to do this at kcon...

Yes! Please do!

[luvan1me]

but we really need to sit down and talk what went wrong and how we can improve it cuz it was REALLY bad >.< well not terrible, but we lost a few ppl cuz of the retardeness of how everything seemed to take forever to come together -.- and the fact that i didn't have anyone to crash test dummy this game <.< so maybe this time we can do it maybe in the summer and talk about what we could do? i would love for you to help me

[nekovamp13]

We'll talk about it ^^

I know the Beaverton Library did a Clue thing years back where they had the different rooms with clues and such that people had to jot down to figure out the killer, weapon and place.

Obviously, we wouldn't be able to have tons of different rooms....

Another thing they did was similar but they used one room and had different sections and such. Like an actual crime scene and witnesses to interview and even sections that were the victim's room and such. That would actually be kinda fun to do.
Like an actual murder mystery where the audience can create groups and try to solve it.
And we could have prizes for the first to get it right, and such.

And I know last year my school did a murder mystery dinner and they're doing it again this year, so I can ask them what they did for that to get some ideas as well.

[Radien]

but we really need to sit down and talk what went wrong and how we can improve it cuz it was REALLY bad >.< well not terrible, but we lost a few ppl cuz of the retardeness of how everything seemed to take forever to come together -.- and the fact that i didn't have anyone to crash test dummy this game <.< so maybe this time we can do it maybe in the summer and talk about what we could do? i would love for you to help me

Well... there are some pitfalls you can expect in trying to run a live Clue panel. Clue itself is, by nature, a quiet, secretive, and occasionally long game. That's why I have a hard time getting people to play it, even though lots of people profess to liking Clue.

But maybe we can use your experiment and learn from it. I'd be happy to help you, but I'm not yet sure whether I'm going to Kumori Con. Regardless, are you going to Sakura Con? I'm thinking of doing a panel at Sakura, and this would make a good second panel.

We'll talk about it ^^

I know the Beaverton Library did a Clue thing years back where they had the different rooms with clues and such that people had to jot down to figure out the killer, weapon and place.

Obviously, we wouldn't be able to have tons of different rooms....

Another thing they did was similar but they used one room and had different sections and such. Like an actual crime scene and witnesses to interview and even sections that were the victim's room and such. That would actually be kinda fun to do.
Like an actual murder mystery where the audience can create groups and try to solve it.
And we could have prizes for the first to get it right, and such.

At first I was going to say "that's cool, but it's a bit different from actual 'Clue,' and yeah, we wouldn't have multiple rooms like that."

But... hold that thought. Dealing with actual evidence rather than cards could be GREAT for a panel.  And I have the rules to an old Clue-like computer game I played as a kid, which focused more on "searching the mansion" rather than trying to get your opponents to show cards.

What would you think of a live action mystery game where players hunt around the mansion, search for evidence, and are able to pick up evidence, move it, and even hide it?

The rules for the game even have keys that people can take with them and lock/unlock doors, but that *might* be a little too difficult to do in a panel.

[luvan1me]

OMAGA YES! i'm going to sakuracon! and if we do a panel for it BY ALL MEANS do it the way you just said up there! srsly! that sounds MUCH better! we would still have the room and all, but we would already have the clues to whomever killed mr.boddy >w<

we gotta sit down sometime and talk! OwO

[Washougal_Otaku]

lol
Damn, if I knew who you were, I would have talked to you....

I was the creepy Cheshire Cat that was walking around the area...

You made an.....interesting dead person XD

Aww... thank you.  Depending on how any further panels go, I'd be willing to do it again.

At first I was going to say "that's cool, but it's a bit different from actual 'Clue,' and yeah, we wouldn't have multiple rooms like that."

But... hold that thought. Dealing with actual evidence rather than cards could be GREAT for a panel.  And I have the rules to an old Clue-like computer game I played as a kid, which focused more on "searching the mansion" rather than trying to get your opponents to show cards.

What would you think of a live action mystery game where players hunt around the mansion, search for evidence, and are able to pick up evidence, move it, and even hide it?

The rules for the game even have keys that people can take with them and lock/unlock doors, but that *might* be a little too difficult to do in a panel.

I agree that this idea sounds good.  It's similar to the plans that I had for a Where at the Con is Carmen Sandiego? game.  (Not doing it, though; already got enough on my plate as it is).

[Radien]

I agree that this idea sounds good.  It's similar to the plans that I had for a Where at the Con is Carmen Sandiego? game.  (Not doing it, though; already got enough on my plate as it is).

Great, I'm glad you like the idea!  I'll post some more details in my reply below.

OMAGA YES! i'm going to sakuracon! and if we do a panel for it BY ALL MEANS do it the way you just said up there! srsly! that sounds MUCH better! we would still have the room and all, but we would already have the clues to whomever killed mr.boddy >w<

we gotta sit down sometime and talk! OwO

Haha, I really enjoy so much enthusiasm. Let me detail a little bit more about what that computer game was, and what ideas I have.


The original computer game:

So, the game I'm talking about is Mystery at Marple Manor. It's freakin' old. It's a text-based adventure/board game for the Commodore 64.  It was basically a Clue imitation, except instead of using a board, it played like a text adventure game where your surroundings were described. You know, "You are in the Library. The available exits are North, East, and Dennis." That sort of game.

Each player would get to move through one door per turn and perform one action.  Entering a room would give them full view of the evidence/items that were lying around, but not the hidden items/evidence. If they used up their turn's action, they could either:

1. search the room for hidden items.
2. pick up an item (players can only hold one at a time).
3. steal from a player in the room.
4. Lock/unlock a door, if they hold the key (this one probably won't be feasible for a panel).



Doing it as a Panel:

So... here's my idea for converting it into a panel, presented in bullet points.

• The panel is run a lot like a scavenger hunt. It will require multiple volunteers: a gamemaster, and one additional to guard each location ("room").
• At the start of the game, players get a certain number of "action tokens." After the game starts, they're free to run around and "spend" them.
• Players can simply walk to locations and see the unhidden evidence laid out on a table or whatnot.  If they want to search for hidden items, they give the volunteer at that location an action token and ask to "search."
• If you find an "evidence" item, you can check it off your list. It will disprove that weapon or suspect.
• Players can spend an action token to "hide" any number of visible items in a room. The volunteer will keep them hidden.
• There is one special piece of evidence, "The Body."  If you find this item, wherever you found it IS the murder location. It can't be removed from the location, but it can be "hidden."
• Players can accost OTHER players and give them an action token, then say "I'm stealing from you!  " The accosted gives up their item if they have one. The previous owner can't steal their item back until the next round.
• Optional: perhaps have a way to accost other players and just ask about what they know, rather than steal any items. This would have to be handled with care, though, for rule-related reasons.
• Every 5 minutes (or maybe 10?), a new "round" begins, and players can check back to the panel room to replenish their "action tokens." So basically you're allowed a certain number of actions within a time frame, even though players aren't taking "turns."

Further possibilities:

Rather than simple evidence that says "this suspect didn't do it" or whatever, the evidence cards could have deduction riddles on them, like, "if the murder took place in the Library, the weapon was NOT the candlestick or the revolver."  But that sort of riddlemaking would take some VERY careful planning ahead of time.  The upshot is that it'd require more deduction skills, rather than just running around.  But hey, running around the con is fun in and of itself.


So... as you can see, this idea may have some possibilities, but we'd need a good body of volunteers. Probably at least 7 or 8. (I would recommend having more weapons and fewer locations than the Clue board game.)  The volunteers wouldn't have to do much, but they'd need simple, printed instructions so they'd know how to perform their role without worrying about what everybody else is doing.  And in a way, it'd be half Clue, half scavenger hunt.  But the con scavenger hunt idea is pretty popular, so that's not necessarily a bad thing.

It'd also be fun if the murdered character "turned into a zombie" and wandered around the panel asking for brains, or something. But then, zombies ALWAYS amuse me.

[luvan1me]

i'll pass on the zombie

but srsly! that sounds cool, but it sounds much more complicated than i thought ._. hmz we'll talk about this a bit further in person like on the phone or something cuz i get terribly confused online >.<

[Radien]

i'll pass on the zombie

but srsly! that sounds cool, but it sounds much more complicated than i thought ._. hmz we'll talk about this a bit further in person like on the phone or something cuz i get terribly confused online >.<

Y'know, after looking at it again, I think we should scratch the parts about picking up items and stealing them from other players.  If players started moving items around it would get chaotic, especially at a con of Sakura's size.

I suppose it'd be possible to just hide the items out of reach without having volunteers supervise them, but then it'd become more of a regular scavenger hunt.

In any case, it can be simplified until it's doable. But yes, let's chat sometime on the phone.

[Washougal_Otaku]

So, the game I'm talking about is Mystery at Marple Manor. It's freakin' old. It's a text-based adventure/board game for the Commodore 64.

OMG!  I remember that game!

[Radien]

OMG!  I remember that game!

Whoah, I did NOT expect someone from the con to know that game. o.o It was first published either when I was a toddler or before I was born, and most people on these forums are younger than me.

In any case, it's only a loose inspiration, but I thought it'd give us some new creative freedoms.

[Washougal_Otaku]

I'm not sure how old you are; I am 28.

My family had a functioning Commodore until the mid 90's.  We also had a B. C. game, a Make-Your-Own-Garfield-comic program, and a Rocky Horror Picture Show game (which confused the snot out of me).

[luvan1me]

@radien: yes much talk on phone =w= i'll pm you my number
and yea i was thinking that stealing items or what not would be a bad idea cuz of the things you just mentioned. and yea sakura is pretty big @.@

@washougal: o.o they have a rocky horror picture show game?? wtf? XD

[JeffT]

a Make-Your-Own-Garfield-comic program

I remember this on the Apple II. It was called Create with Garfield. By sheer luck, I happened to play with this on an emulator about a week ago before you mentioned this. An interesting piece of history (both of comics and computers).

[Radien]

I'm not sure how old you are; I am 28.

Hey, I thought you were younger than all that. I'm 31.

My family had a functioning Commodore until the mid 90's.  We also had a B. C. game, a Make-Your-Own-Garfield-comic program, and a Rocky Horror Picture Show game (which confused the snot out of me).

Had no idea there was ever a Rocky Horror C64 game. Didn't have the Garfield one, but I had B.C. It was ridiculously hard (for me at the time) considering how simple it was. Also, it's funny how old games based on well-known licenses tended to be really... abstract.

[Washougal_Otaku]

@washougal: o.o they have a rocky horror picture show game?? wtf? XD

Yeah... it was crap.  If you got touched by anyone, you'd be naked and would HAVE to find your clothes.  Everyone would avoid you, except for the guy on the motorcycle.  If he touched you, you lost.

I remember this on the Apple II. It was called Create with Garfield. By sheer luck, I happened to play with this on an emulator about a week ago before you mentioned this. An interesting piece of history (both of comics and computers).

Nice!  That was for fun times!

I'm not sure how old you are; I am 28.

Hey, I thought you were younger than all that. I'm 31.

Not too far apart.

My family had a functioning Commodore until the mid 90's.  We also had a B. C. game, a Make-Your-Own-Garfield-comic program, and a Rocky Horror Picture Show game (which confused the snot out of me).

Had no idea there was ever a Rocky Horror C64 game. Didn't have the Garfield one, but I had B.C. It was ridiculously hard (for me at the time) considering how simple it was. Also, it's funny how old games based on well-known licenses tended to be really... abstract.

Yeah, that game was tough.  I used to play that game all the freakin' time; never beat it!