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Author Topic: Rules for gaming mysteries?  (Read 2226 times)

Offline Pattus Magnus

  • Scatterbrained Genius
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Rules for gaming mysteries?
« on: July 23, 2020, 05:58:39 PM »
I have recently become a fan of the tv version of Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot stories and I noticed that Pulp Figures does a version of the man himself. I am seriously tempted to dive into collecting figures for gaming murder mysteries, but I have no idea what rules would be suitable for such games, or even how I would game it, since the plots revolve around interacting with characters and clues and have virtually none of the ‘action’ focus that tabletop wargames usually focus on.

Has anyone done this kind of “non-combat wargaming”? If so, what rules do you suggest?

Offline DS615

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Re: Rules for gaming mysteries?
« Reply #1 on: July 23, 2020, 06:12:33 PM »
For this type of game I would use "The Department" by Four-Color Studios.

  It's billed as a bladerunner-esque police procedural, and it can be, but it's much more versatile than that.
Just don't use the replicants (robots).  They aren't integrated into the rules, so you can easily just not use them.

    I have been using them to play a 1970's police procedural game.  I've played four games, and only had one fight.  A lot of investigating, interrogations, a foot chase, and analyzing crime scenes though.
Some of my games can be seen  here

    The focus is on interacting with suspects and collecting evidence, not shooting whatever moves.  I enjoy it, and I think it would work well for what you're looking to play.

 
« Last Edit: July 23, 2020, 06:19:20 PM by DS615 »
- Scott

Offline Red Orc

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Re: Rules for gaming mysteries?
« Reply #2 on: July 23, 2020, 06:28:51 PM »
Cluedo... with miniatures?

The short answer is no, I don't have any good suggestions for rulesets.

Depends on how 'gamey' you want to make it I suppose, and how you envision the player set-up (two people competing? In which case is one the 'murderer team' and one the 'detective team'? Or a GM and a detective? Or two (or more) detectives against the setting, each other and/or the clock?)

You could collect clues (that could be actual clues - in a similar fashion to Cluedo) or maybe you could abstract the process and have 'clue points' (like a battle scenario where you collect supplies) and once you collect five 'clue points' you find out who the murderer is.

This works OK for something like country house murder (which is why it's the setting for Cluedo of course) or a sleeper train or a boat up the Nile - somewhere very contained that you can put on a table - but not so much for your Sam Spade-y type detectives. That tends to be more about a chain of events and locations so maybe better for a long-running 'campaign style' set up - first you visit the Speakeasy and get a clue from Joe the Barman, that leads you to an alley in Chinatown where you pick up another clue from Madame Wong, that leads you to the warehouse on Wharf 13 where you meet Old Silas the Nightwatchman who directs you to ... Again, you need to think about how the game could work - whether someone would need to be in control of this or if you could abstract/randomise it, whether you play 'crooks v investigators' or different teams of investigators against the setting. And of course what 'clue' means in any given context.

I have a feeling that something like GASLIGHT might be able to handle this latter sort of situation, using the 'To Be Continued by GASLIGHT' rules, but that's not a scientific opinion, just a hunch (I failed my 'search' roll and didn't find a clue at this location!)

It's a really good question!
« Last Edit: July 23, 2020, 07:59:06 PM by Red Orc »

Offline FramFramson

  • Elder God
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  • But maybe everything that dies, someday comes back
Re: Rules for gaming mysteries?
« Reply #3 on: July 23, 2020, 07:38:56 PM »
Pulp Alley has a few variations on non-combat games, though they still involve conflcts between players in a multiplayer scenario.

That said, you could probably combine that with PA's singleplayer rules and get something solo to work too.


I joined my gun with pirate swords, and sailed the seas of cyberspace.

Offline Squirrel

  • Student
  • Posts: 15
Re: Rules for gaming mysteries?
« Reply #4 on: July 23, 2020, 07:45:34 PM »
Sounds to me like you want a minitures based RPG, there’s a few good suggestions here:

https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/good-detective-rpgs.602061/

Cheers,

Kev
Such is life .......

Offline NickNascati

  • Scatterbrained Genius
  • Posts: 2187
Re: Rules for gaming mysteries?
« Reply #5 on: July 23, 2020, 10:11:20 PM »
I’ll second the recommendation for Pulp Alley.  You can make it completely non-combat.

Offline Pattus Magnus

  • Scatterbrained Genius
  • Posts: 2003
Re: Rules for gaming mysteries?
« Reply #6 on: July 23, 2020, 11:32:19 PM »
Thanks for all the suggestions! I never would have considered The Department, but it sounds very promising. (And the 1970s themed tables and games on your website look spectacular!) Pulp Alley also looks interesting so I picked up the free intro rules. This is a lot for me to consider!

Offline FifteensAway

  • Galactic Brain
  • Posts: 4608
Re: Rules for gaming mysteries?
« Reply #7 on: July 24, 2020, 05:51:30 AM »
Check out Howard Whitehouse's Astounding Tales - it might offer some ideas, too.  One of the early - and highly influential - pulp gaming rules sets.

Offline Pattus Magnus

  • Scatterbrained Genius
  • Posts: 2003
Re: Rules for gaming mysteries?
« Reply #8 on: July 24, 2020, 05:30:45 PM »
I just picked up the pdf of Astounding Tales, and lo and behold, it actually has game stats for Poirot and his assistants! Thanks for suggesting it!

I’m now wondering whether it could work to bolt on the police procedure rules from The Department to Pulp Alley or Astounding Tales- it seems like doing that could tick a lot of boxes.

Offline Mammoth miniatures

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 565
Re: Rules for gaming mysteries?
« Reply #9 on: July 24, 2020, 06:07:44 PM »
Perhaps have a look at some of the old inquisitor campaign books, like the cirian legacy or death of an angel (you can find PDFs online.) i believe it was possible to go the entire campaign without really killing anyone, and there was a fair bit of detective work involved.

But for the love of all that's holy don't actually play inquisitor.

Offline FifteensAway

  • Galactic Brain
  • Posts: 4608
Re: Rules for gaming mysteries?
« Reply #10 on: July 24, 2020, 11:13:40 PM »
I rather like that you are pursuing a non-violent game (though a result of pre-game violence perhaps).  Historical Miniatures Games do not require being limited to warfare - or shoot 'em ups (or spear 'em ups?). 

I have a game in the works for conventions that is just an African photo safari for kids and the ladies - earn points by getting photos of as many species as possible.  I think I'm up to 26 different species in my collection of physical models (more than a thousand all told - you't can say East African Plains with one zebra, one wildebeest, and one Cape Buffalo.  You need a large herd!).  I can also spice it up a bit and include wild animals as a great danger to the photographers. 

No one wins, no one loses - you just collect points and enjoy some nice scenery.  Easy to drop into the game, easy to drop out of the game.  Every convention needs such a game. 

And it seems I will have a lot of time to prepare before the next convention, alas.

Offline Vagabond

  • Mastermind
  • Posts: 1622
    • Vagabond's Wargaming Blog
Re: Rules for gaming mysteries?
« Reply #11 on: July 25, 2020, 08:11:47 AM »
I've done a similar thing as a solo game and used the board game Sherlock Homes to provide the clues to be solved.

Basically I set up a table with the same number of buildings as in the board game and linked each of my buildings to one in the board game to facilitate clue collection and solving.

[url]https://vagabondswargamingblog.blogspot.com/2020/01/a-detective-game-retrieving-grimoire-of.html/[url]

The link is to the game which was a cross between a detecting game and a traditional fantasy horror game. Well traditional on my blog at least.

I've also looked at the Department rules but not used them although I've discussed their use with some one who has, and they were quite enthusiastic about them. I could find a link to the game he posted if you are interested.

2 Hour Wargames do something similar 5010 New Hope City PI, it's futuristic but you could probably strip it back to just detecting. I've not got round to trying them yet but I'm a big fan of their rules.

Offline Easy E

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Re: Rules for gaming mysteries?
« Reply #12 on: July 27, 2020, 05:50:04 PM »
This is an interesting idea, and I had two initial thoughts for games.....

1. Pulp Alley - All ready covered
2. Strange Aeons- There are mechanics for gaining and acquiring Clues, but it is still a bit heavy on combat. 

Thanks to this thread I think I am going to look up The Department as that sounded great fun!
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Offline S J Donovan

  • Scientist
  • Posts: 354
Re: Rules for gaming mysteries?
« Reply #13 on: July 27, 2020, 10:57:00 PM »
You could look at KillerB Games rules Geezer's Shut It! 1960/70s British police procedural.

Offline Alcide Nikopol

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 508
Re: Rules for gaming mysteries?
« Reply #14 on: July 28, 2020, 04:21:40 AM »
Pulp Alley is great for something like this. We play loads of mystery based scenarios with Pulp Alley. Check out their Mystery at the Gallop scenario for starters. https://store.pulpalley.com/product-p/2018-09.htm
A.Nik-

 

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