IDEAS
How to host a detective night
A plan, roles and small tricks that turn a shared investigation with friends or family into an evening people talk about for months.
A detective night with friends is one of those parties that need little preparation and give a lot back. You need a case, a screen, a few people and some brain power. Here is a plan that works with a game like Ostatni Odczyt.
1. Choose the line-up
A group of three to six works best. With two it goes faster but you lose the discussion. With more than six somebody always stays in the background, so split into two teams on two accounts. Pick people who like to talk and are not afraid to argue.
2. Plan the time
The case in Ostatni Odczyt takes 5-7 hours. You have two good routes:
- two evenings of 2-3 hours: calmer, with time to think between sessions,
- one long afternoon: with a break for lunch, for groups that want to finish in one day.
Progress saves itself on the account, so a break is not a problem.
3. Prepare the place
- A screen: the bigger the better. A computer connected to a TV or a projector works great because everybody sees the sheets and maps.
- A table: for paper, pencils and drinks. It helps to have free space to spread out your notes.
- Light and quiet: the game has its own music and sounds, but you can mute them with one tap.
4. Share out the roles
Roles do not have to be rigid, but they help to organise the work:
- The archivist keeps track of what lies where in the files and reminds everybody where something already appeared.
- The measurer handles the ruler and the 1:1 sheets.
- The chronicler keeps notes: times, names, distances.
- The devil's advocate challenges every claim until somebody shows the proof in the files.
- The reader reads statements aloud.
Swap roles after every act so that everybody tries every kind of work.
5. Agree on rules of working together
- We enter an answer only when somebody points to the place in the files that confirms it.
- We take a hint with the agreement of the whole team, and keep the third for last.
- We write doubts on paper instead of trying to remember them.
6. Finish the setting
You do not need costumes, but small things create the mood: tea and snacks, dimmed lights, notebooks marked "Files". If you are organising this for a birthday, see a detective game for birthdays, and if it is a present for someone, read about a detective game as a gift.
7. The ending
Leave time for a debrief. After you fill in the solution card, open the last envelope and compare who got it right and why. It is often the best part of the evening, because everybody tells the route they took to the answer.
Frequently asked questions
Does every guest need an account?
No. One account is enough and you can play at one screen. Anyone who wants to can sign in to the same account on their own device.
What if guests have different experience?
Roles work well: a newcomer can take notes or read statements while the experienced players focus on comparing evidence. Hints are in the game.
Is it good for a family?
Yes, as long as the players are at least 15. The game is about a person's death, but with no graphic images.
More about the play itself: how to play an online detective game. Pick a game: see the catalogue.
