Hosting Tips

This is a list of helpful hosting tips and lessos learned from hosting a large number of these games. These tips are geared towards the specific style of games here at UTHER. Hope this helps!

A Blueprint for the Party

Before the party starts, the host should get an idea of who is going to be at the game (the cast). At least a couple days before the party itself, the host should send out character sheets to all the players so they can get to know their character and the important info in their sheets.

The following blueprint is what I (Author) have worked out after hosting a lot of these. It has worked for the groups I have played with, but is only an offered structure.

Once all or almost all of your players have arrived, gather everyone in one space. You can give a brief recap of the situation (exposition/info for everyone sheet), and end with a call to action to solve the murder and get to the bottom of the mystery! The more you get into this opening speech, the better-- this is your best opportunity as host to set the tone for the night.

The gameplay itself should be fueled by the characters pursuing their individual goals. It might take 10-15 minutes for people to warm up into the game, but once they do, it should flow by itself. The gameplay itself usually looks like a number of small conversations around your space, often behind closed doors, with some people lingering around, waiting to talk with someone. Heated arguments are not uncommon. What is important to remember is that there are no real rules to the game, and the real constraints are the limits of your players' creativity, collaboration, inquisitiveness, and moxie.

Some games have events for you as host to facilitate, like evidence drops or climactic finales. When doing these, it is helpful to do a lap of the party about 5 minutes beforehand and give everyone a 5-minute warning (ex: "be in the living room in 5 minutes for the finale). In the event that your game has events like this, they should come with a suggested timeline, but definitely feel free to play the timing by ear based on how your group is doing/feeling.

Open Mic

A very fun option is to organize an Open Mic about halfway through the night. This is when everyone gathers in one room, often in a circle, and anyone has a chance to point fingers, air out theories and grievances, and interrogate their suspects in front of the whole party. These can last for 5-20 minutes and often function very well to stir up the pot of the game.

Wrapping Up, and The Vote

When it is time for the party to come to a close, be sure to give everyone explicit warnings (ex: "30 minutes left", or "Last open mic at 10:45!"). You'll want to gather everyone in a group again. This is often a good time to have another Open Mic opportunity, for anyone to share anything before the final vote. This is often people making final accusations. As host, you can ask people to make accusations about the murder, and for the accused to defend themselves publicly. When everyone has spoken their fill, it is time for a final vote.

There are a many ways to hold the final vote for the killer, if you even want to do it at all. One option is to go around in a circle asking "Raise your hand if you think Denny O'Mann did it?", and to keep track of each player's vote count. Players can either cast one vote each, or two each if you'd prefer. This works well in smaller more intimate games, but takes more time. Another option is to ask everyone to point to the person they think is the killer at once. This is dramatic and works well in groups too big to do a more official vote.

After the vote, you can ask the killer to reveal themselves and to explain their means and motive. This marks the end of the game and is a the best time for people to come forward and reveal all of their secrets. This debrief can be a very fun part of the game, and players may come away realizing how far they were from solving the murder, and how much was going on they had no clue about.

Send Invites Early, Get Firm Commitments

A big part of a MMDP is getting the whole cast there. Most of the games have a minimum number of players that are needed in order for the mystery to be solvable and for the fun game mechanics to work. Shuffling players around last minute is possible, but trusting your cast to show up is very helpful!

All games also have a number of "flex" characters, which can fold in seamlessly to the game, but aren't quite as central to the plots. These can be good roles for your more flaky friends. Only you as host will be able to see which characters are necessary and which are "flex", and it's good to keep it secret- it keeps everyone as a viable suspect!

Read Your Sheets

There is lots of useful information in the documents you'll receive. The Host Guide will tell you about any props you'll need or documents you'll need to print out.

Encouraging your players to read their sheets is very helpful. Nobody wants to get to the end and have the murderer's confession be something like, "Uhhh... I don't really know who I killed the guy... I didn't really read my sheet..." (true story...). While it might feel like a lot of reading, the better you and your players learn the information in the sheets, the more everyone will be able to enjoy the game. Pulling out your phone to re-read halfway through the party is totally fine, but it can easily become too much.

Set The Tone, Prop It Up!

As host, you set the tone for the night. If you share plans to make a sweet costume, others will likely follow. The same is likely true for accents, getting into character, and generally diving into the pretend play. These games are first and foremost intended to facilitate fun pretend play, and you as host can set the party on this track.

Props are a great way to set a fun tone. On-theme drinks, snacks, music, and decoration go a long way.

Encourage Secrecy

The information in the character sheets you'll receive are secret for a reason! The games are designed to be fun regardless of if anyone comes even close to solving the murder itself, but that doesn't mean that secrets are to be shared willy-nilly. A good way to frame this is that the currency of the game is information, and revealing your secrets means you're giving away all you have to trade. Sharing sheets/information/secrets before the game starts can not only spoil the game for that player. but for others, too.

Have no Expectations. Fun= Success

The goal of these games is for you and your friends to have fun playing together. This usually means that the game will go totally off the rails. This is great. If nobody comes close to solving the murder, that is totally fine. The goal is fun, not solving the murder (although solving the mystery is designed to be fun as well).

The games always take some time to get going. The first 10 minutes usually feel quite awkward, but then people get more and more into it as information comes to light and shady conversations are held behind closed doors

Caution Against More Murders

Some characters have weapons or means to kill other players. This is not to be taken lightly. When a character dies, the player can no longer take part in the night. This is a bummer for a few reasons. Firstly, that person can't play anymore and this is usually pretty sad for them. Additionally, any secrets that they may have been holding on to die with them. What if they held the one piece of information that would have helped you put everything together?

What To Do When Things Aren't Moving

It is perfectly normal for a game to take a while to get into gear. The first 10-15 minutes are often awkward while players are getting the ball rolling. Ideally, if the players have read their character sheets, they will begin to pursue the goals on their sheets. The process of pursuing these goals often reveals more information, scandals, and drama. Often, by the end of the night when you as host give the "15 minutes left" notice, players feel like they have to do lots of last minute scrambling to get stuff done.

If this goes on for more than 10-15 minutes, the host can step in. Some kits have "evidence drops" partway through the night with suggested for when to introduce different clues, and introducing these clues can get some action moving. If you as host have decided to read the game's plot, you can try to give some nudges or hints to a specific player that might be stuck. Often asking something like, "What are you working on right now", or "Who do you think did it?", is enough to get a player thinking and then moving. If they're on the wrong track, you could react skeptically or suggest they talk to a specific character, or you could subtly affirm their ideas if they're on the right track.

To Read or Not to Read, and Host Roles

As host, you have access to all the game materials, including all the character sheets and the explainer document, which outlines all the major plot threads of the entire game. It is your choice if you want to read any or all of this before the game. If you read it, you can host the game with a sort of omniscient perspective, and can give better hints and nudges to players. It can also be very fun to watch your friends figure out the puzzle that you know. Knowing some of the characters' personalities and backgrounds can also help you cast your friends in a less random way. However, if you choose to not read any of these materials, you as host can play a role yourself ad try your hand at the mystery. In most cases, it will probably be more fun to cast the game a little more randomly and to play a character yourself, but any approach should be fun. Some games have a specific role that the host must play.

Ideal Spaces

Ideal hosting spaces have a few private areas where people can go have secret conversations away from prying ears. A big space where the whole party can gather is useful, too. Outdoor spaces work great!

Extra Credit

These games are yours to make your own. They are meant to uplift and highlight your creativity. Some awesome and creative ideas folks have had about hosting: A karaoke machine where players can speak into a microphone to at the Open Mics.

A "confessional" recording setup, where players can go into a private space and confess their secrets and crimes to a camera, to be edited after (fun for social media, tag us uther.mystery.games on insta!). Another fun video idea is to have players introduce themselves along the lines of "I'm Denny O'Mann and I think Jimmy Bitz did the murder", at the beginning of the party, also fun for social media.

If you tag us in a great video or share about UTHER, we're happy to send you a free kit of your choosing! <3