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2-FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
The game is played in four rounds at the dinner table.
It is best played with a four course meal: Soup, Salad, Main course and Desert. 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 . Depending on the game purchased, some rounds run in perfect sequence around the table with questions answers and accusations, while other rounds are considered random and more difficult where questions and answers are done naturally, out of order and at random. 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 “did 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 Captains dinner table, Jane Austen at a dinner hosted by Lady Catherine de Burgh’s 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.
This is not to say that people cannot adapt the games for their own party concepts and environments. Some will have a cocktail with an introduction round, and then move on to the dinner table for the rest of the game.
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.
Hello Gary,
I had a couple questions regarding the Alice in Wonderland murder mystery game.
1) Since I am the hostess, I would like to play but not necessarily take an active role. Is there one particular part over another that you would suggest besides the detectives? (I am assuming the add-on detectives are not a vital role)
2) I don’t want to know the outcome so is it possible to prepare everything without spoiling the ending?
3) Do you recommend mailing each guest their individual packet along with the invitation or do you wait to give it to them upon arrival?
4) Do we only have the option to open the file you send to us once or do we have unlimited access for a certain time frame? I ask because I would like to review once its paid for but we will be printing in a different location.
Looking fwd to playing this game!
Thanks for your time.
Lexie
Hi Lexie,
1 – As hostess the only role that is less active are the detective roles as they are not vital to the story line and only ask a question at the end of each round. Not all games have the detective rolls, so far just Alice, Titanic and the Fairytale game. The main roles are all the same in involvement in all games. I have played both 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.
2 – The outcome is only in the solution. So know one knows who the killer is until the solution is read, this way everyone has the same playing field. People can even guess for them selves if they think the evidence in strong enough. The solution is page 21 of the Clues.PDF file. So just don’t read this page when printing out!
3- I actually put the booklets for each player at their dinner plate. They should not get their booklets and clues early as part of the fun is the development of each round, if they know what will happen in rounds 3 and 4 lets say, it may change the way they answer questions in rounds 1 and 2. So just send them the invitations and character bios only. Not the booklets and clues.
4-The download is a zipped file. Which means once downloaded you will have the files. You can burn them to a dvd and save them. If you loose them just send me an email with the purchase email so I can find your order and I will resend the download link.
I hope these were the answers you were looking for.
Have a great party, I would love to hear how it goes! Please take lots of pictures.
Gary
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.
Hi Gary,
I have a quick question in regards to the eight players in the Titanic game. Do they all arrive in character and stay in character all night? Since I will be doing the serving of the meal in between rounds what do the players talk about. I would assume that everyone stays in character? Do they talk about their character? Do they talk about the Titanic? Should I have some interesting facts about the Titanic that they can read from when the game is not being played, as I have six courses but there are only four rounds to the mystery. Not sure what to do. Your advice would be appreciated.
Kind regards, Margaret
Hi Margaret,
I’ve never been asked this before and it is such a great question. 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.
It would be interesting to hear from people who have played the game with their guests in Character all night long and how it went. Have a great party Margaret, please let me know how it goes!
Gary
Where are the answers to the detectives’ questions?
I recently purchased the Alice in Wonderland Murder Mystery from your website, however, I just have one question: where are the answers to the detectives’ questions? Or should the characters just make up their own answers?
ANSWER:Thank you for the question. Yes the idea behind the detective questions is that this is an opportunity to force the other players to improvise. The non detective players have to come up with there own answers.
Also please note the detective questions are quite simple and most times they just ask the suspects to elaborate on something they already spoke of, giving the suspect the opportunity to improvise. However let your detectives know that they can make up there own questions if they find the supplied question is to simple. They can try and stump the suspect.
PS: Your detectives should also be the ones to read the recaps from each round.
No. 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!
Hi, we are having a family reunion and I was wondering if there was a way to add 8 more characters to the Alice in Wonderland Murder mystery game game? Joanne
Dear Joanne
Thank you for the question. 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. This is one way to make your party larger.
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!
Thanks,
Gary Laliberte
Gary,
I’m going to take your suggestion about two teams.
I will place the order. Have a great day.
Joanne
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In the few years since my games have been on the market, one question that I receive is “Can I add extra characters/players to the game?” My games are created for 8 to 10 players depending on the game. They are made for smaller groups of people, so that everyone can enjoy a Murder Mystery evening, which is not 40 or 50 people in size.
But many buyers have successfully added extra guests to their parties. The Titanic Game comes with an addition eight profiles. Basically as long as your extra players know that they are not a suspect in the game and will not be using a scripted part, but that they can ask questions at the end of each round and take a guess at who killed the victim, they are usually satisfied and enjoy the evening.
The same with the Alice in Wonderland Murder Mystery game, some buyers have doubled up the characters, having 2 Alice’s, 2 Hatter’s etc, each sharing the rounds, or they just added other Alice in Wonderland characters who are allowed to ask questions at the end of each round and take a guess at the killer. There are always people who are a little shy and are happy to participate in a less involved role.
I used to print everything at home. However printing costs have come down in the last few years and I have found that in some cases it was actually cheaper than using my own ink. So for the last few games, I have had the booklets and clues file’s uploaded to my local print shop and printed for about 15 dollars, and then I print the invitations, labels and any extras myself.
The games typically take about 50 sheets of paper for booklets and clues combined.
40 pages for the booklets (Titanic is less with 32 pages) and typically 10 to 12 pages for the games clues, opening speech or toast and the games solution.
The rest is up to you, and are considered extras, including wine labels and round recaps, which are not necessary to play the game. The download comes with both printable and email versions of the invitations, so you can choose to send your invitations via email, saving on the printing and postage.
As I mentioned you may find that having the game printed at your local print shop may be another way to go instead of using your own ink. Many shops now have an upload service as well. I also save on printing by sending the invitations by email, (as mentioned above) using the email files provided with the download.
Yes! We do recommend though that players should be at least 13 for Alice, and 15 or 16 for the others; Titanic, Austen, and the Vampire game, due to some adult themes within the games story line, and it may not be suitable for everyone.
There is no swearing in any of the games, and of course all players must be able to read! “However” both Titanic and Austen come with some replacement pages to soften the story lines, in case the game is being played by a youth group or benefit fund raiser or an educational institute.
Click “older posts” just below left to read all the questions!
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- best murder mystery Everyone said it was the best mystery that they had ever played (even the professional ones in hotels). I highly recommend these to EVERYONE. These games are better than any boxed game. Thank you so much for all the fun you gave us. I will be ordering every one of your mysteries. Janis
- So much laughter! We had a great pirate party, with your wonderful new game! We loved all the toasting in the rounds, and the singing of pirate songs. A great game, and funny language! Thanks again! Cannot wait for the next one :-) Rowinda
- awesome “The Fairytale Murder Mystery game was awesome and fun. It had a massive twist! We can’t wait for the next one” Keeley and Keisha aged 11 & 13
- plenty of laughter
- better than planned I have to tell you that our Alice in Wonderland party went even better than planned. It was held for my daughter who turned 15 and 9 of her friends. They had such a blast. We held the party in a 100 year old mansion which was a most suitable location.
I loved every aspect of the party set. All kids love a mystery and especially if you dress up! Thank you so much, Sincerely, Sandra
- love your games! Absolutely love your Murder Mystery games! We played Titanic, and now this weekend the Vampire one. Have Alice in Wonderland and Jane Austin. Still need to purchase the Fairytale Murders. Greetings from South Africa. Thanks, Ernest
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- More game reviews Thank you for sending over 800 reviews, pictures, comments and sharing with us the success of your parties. Congratulations on your exceptional creativity and your desire to create a spectacular party experience for your friends and families. Let's create something magical!
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