Roleplayer Guild - Forum Roleplaying Games

I was just thinking about an idea for an RP since all of mine I am currently apart of seem to have slowed down. I blame the schools. Anyway, the general idea is that a serial murderer is killing people in a small town full of maybe two thousand people. The police will try to find the killer. The townspeople suspect something is up. It's basically just something for suspense, horror and a little romance. So, tell me what you think.

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"If life were a dream, you just made it a nightmare."

Mysteries are really hard to do in an RP setting. For starters, you either have to let everyone know the ending beforehand, or you have to act as a DM with supreme executive power over the plot. That, and if you haven't worked with certain players before, it can make things incredibly frustrating if you have no idea how to work around someone's particular writing style.

I'm not saying it can't be done, but just know what you're in for.

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Sometimes the fleeting memory of a dream is the only thing that comforts me.

I already know what I'm in for. I believe that I can pull it off. Just as long as everyone would adhere to the rules. Plus, if I let everyone know before the end then that would just ruin everything because someone would make a mistake and guess the name of the killer and then it would all be ruined. I plan to leave clues all throughout the RP. I may have to act as a RPM (Roleplay Master, kind of like a DM only with no dungeons) in order to keep the RP going. Mainly, it will be about everyday life in the town getting messed with by a killer. I believe it would be interesting.

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"If life were a dream, you just made it a nightmare."

Worked for Twin Peaks.

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Sometimes the fleeting memory of a dream is the only thing that comforts me.

I'd be up for it

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Can I get any more takers?

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"If life were a dream, you just made it a nightmare."

Sure, sign me up for the next murder. I'd love to participate. (<-- The statement you have read is assumed not to be taken too literally. XD)

Having been involved in live murder mysteries on stage and for general fund raising I am not sure that it could be made to work well on line. The things that make murder mystery work live is good acting and ad-lib skills, and with the best will in the world you can't write write those.

When playing them live you are given a character and told whether or not you are the murderer. You have to then act that character in all respects only the murderer can lie to obfuscate, and you are asked questions from the audience and since they can be any questions you need to really know the legend of your character. Without the ability to make small subtle facial expressions and gestures, a restriction with writing, you loose a lot of the chance to hide. If you write that you make a certain gesture or expression it will be noticed whereas if you perform the action it may or may not and there is where the mystery comes from.

If you try, I wish you well with it and I will be interested to find out how it works, but I have doubts that it will work the way you hope. Then again I may be allowing my live experience colour my view, it wouldn't be the first time.

Elder