Monday, June 21, 2010

The Werewolves of Millers Hollow

This is the game that I'm playing recently with my friends and colleagues. An interactive game that can support from 8 to 20 players. The game started by having each player to hold a character card, and he/she will only get to know his/her own identity, but not others, and the game starts with a background like this:

Deep in the countryside, the little town of Millers Hollow has recently been infiltrated by Werewolves.

Each night, murders are committed by the Townsfolk, who due to some mysterious phenomenon have become Werewolves.

It is now time to take control and eliminate this ancient evil, before the town loses its last few inhabitants.


Each night (when all players close their eyes), the Werewolves bite, kill and devour one Townsperson, the player is eliminated from the game. During the day (when all players are allow to open their eyes) the Werewolves try to conceal their identity and vile deeds from Townsfolk.

WerewolvesTownsfolk
Survivors of the night gather in the town square and try to discover who the Werewolves are. This is done by studying the other player's faces for hidden signs of lycanthropy.

After discussing and debating, the Townsfolk vote to lynch a suspect, who is then hanged, burned and eliminated from the game. It will be great if they successfully hanged a Werewolf, or else, it will be just an ordinary Townsperson.

Soon after someone was hanged, the game continues with another cycle of night and day where the Werewolves started to kill the Townsfolk again in the night, and then the Townsfolk will debate again in the day time on who would be the real Werewolves.

Sounds like Townsfolk is pretty hard to beat the Werewolves right, furthermore they are more than one of them to eliminate. Nevertheless, there are some Townsfolk carry special ability to help to take down those Werewolves.

The most important special character is the Fortune Teller, this character can see the true personality at any of the selected player even soon before the Werewolves can wake up and kill. However Fortune Teller need to be smart in convincing the Townsfolk upon debating to select the right person to hang, since too obvious indication may lead the Fortune Teller to be the next victim.


Next, we also have a Witch in the town. A special character that can revive a Werewolves' victim, even if it is the Witch herself, by using her healing potion. In additional, she may also take down any player with her poison. However, each healing potion and poison can only use once in a game. It can be both at the same time, or one at a time.


Then we have another powerful character called Little Girl, she is the one and only character that can peep at the Werewolves during the night time, however she will be killed if any of the Werewolves caught her in action, so play smart.


Above are the most commonly played characters in game, however there are few more special characters to introduce, although rarely played. Next we have the Hunter, a character that can select a player that he want to kill instantly if he being killed by Werewolves by the night, or lynch by Townsfolk by the day. In another word, he brings someone along with him if he is killed. Nasty huh.


Then, we have Cupido, a character that can select 2 players to become lovers. Once they are selected, they can't vote each other to be lynch, just because they are in love. Also, if one of them being killed in any way, the other lover will die along with. If the lovers are pairing by Werewolves and Townsfolk, since nothing can beat love, these couple mission is to kill everyone else in the round and they win the round if they are the last 2 survivors.


Next, we also have a Thief with us, a player with this character card on hand may trade his Thief card with one of another two extra character cards in the beginning of the game, and continue the round with his new identity. The Thief may not trade the card if he doesn't like it, but he must take it if both extra cards are Werewolves.


Last but not least, when all the players in place, one of them will be selected as the Sheriff, a Sheriff is not a character, but a special role, a person that carries two votes when come to the lynching process. However, one should bear in mind that a Werewolves can also being selected as a Sheriff, so players should ongoing monitor how the Sheriff act when comes to voting.


In order for this game to run, a Moderator is needed. Moderator is the person that call out the day and night, waking up the Werewolves, open up the card for Fortune Teller, and etc.

So, what can I learn by playing this game? If you are a:
Werewolves: You can learn to have teamwork among your pack, when selecting victim, when conceal yourself among other Townsfolk at the same time cover you buddy's a**.

Townsfolk: As a Townsfolk, you get to speak, analyze, and make decision a lot. Those who keep quiet will usually being take down pretty soon. So talk more and improve your communication skill.

Moderator: Crowd control, learn to be an event conductor, create tense environment when necessary.

As a result, after so many time playing this game, this is an extremely easy game to play, ideal for larger group of people, but be caution, this game can become very addictive!

7 comments:

  1. thank you very much! very helpful! :D

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  2. do you have a more clear version of the cards? i want to download them... :P

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  3. This is the best I can get. Perhaps you should get the real cards, more fun.

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  4. Is there an internet (online) version of this?
    Making the server being the mod?
    It would be fun playing a real time game with 100+ players.
    And every player could interact with others in a public or private way.

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  5. Yes, you can find one in IOS, called Curse of the Pandora

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