q&a

[lostinthelightss]

if you have any questions for our lovely detectives, please ask them here! 

Edited February 12, 2023 by lostinthelightss

[Felpata_Lupin]

Hello, dear detectives! Is it too early to ask questions?

I just have one, really... will there be a space for individual free reviewing (like last year's "rising through the ranks") for those who would like to participate but don't have the energy to fully commit to the event (aka... me )?

Thank you!

[lostinthelightss]

5 minutes ago, Felpata_Lupin said:

Hello, dear detectives! Is it too early to ask questions?

I just have one, really... will there be a space for individual free reviewing (like last year's "rising through the ranks") for those who would like to participate but don't have the energy to fully commit to the event (aka... me )?

Thank you!

not too early at all! because the event is structured to be played individually (with some cooperation which will be evident when the mansion finally opens), there will be no dedicated area such as rising through the ranks. if you're looking for more low-key participation, you should absolutely be able to do so within the game, while still picking up points and potentially helping others as they fight to solve the mystery first!

(i hope that makes sense, and will hopefully make even more sense once game play rules have been posted / the first round begins)

[blackballet]

will the gondola close right before the first round?

[lostinthelightss]

1 hour ago, blackballet said:

will the gondola close right before the first round?

no! the gondola will be open until the very end of the event so no matter when you’d like to join, you will always be able to make your way up to the mansion!

[grumpy cat]

1. is there a minimum review length?

2. in the base camp thread it says "you can only be part of an iteration of a task once with one exception - if 24hrs after your last post, the task is still considered 'incomplete', you may post again" but then in the example given it says "in that example, since the task is completed, i could then also post another 2 reviews to start the next iteration of the task." - i guess this isn't a question as much as it's just clarification - doesn't the example given mean someone is participating in multiple iterations of the task after it's completed? sorry if the question is unclear, i'm not sure how to phrase it better

3. in case where one person participates in a task more than once, are they able to post more than just once after 24hrs pass after their first post? in the example given with 3 adventurers, if there's just 1 person in that room, they post once, 24hrs pass, no one makes a post, they post the second time, and can they post a third time after 24hrs if no one else does to complete the task?

Edited February 14, 2023 by grumpy cat

[lostinthelightss]

11 minutes ago, grumpy cat said:

1. is there a minimum review length?

2. in the base camp thread it says "you can only be part of an iteration of a task once with one exception - if 24hrs after your last post, the task is still considered 'incomplete', you may post again" but then in the example given it says "in that example, since the task is completed, i could then also post another 2 reviews to start the next iteration of the task." - i guess this isn't a question as much as it's just clarification - doesn't the example given mean someone is participating in multiple iterations of the task after it's completed? sorry if the question is unclear, i'm not sure how to phrase it better

1. there will not be a minimum review length but we do expect some substance in your reviews, so more than just a simple 'i like it!' (also more rules regarding reviews will be posted tomorrow when the mansion opens -> ao3 reviewing anyone? and stockpiling will be allowed! [just not over rest periods])

2. super clear question, this is one of the areas that was a little difficult to explain so here's an example:

Quote

ROOM A - 4 participants need to leave 3 reviews each (for 12 points each)

iteration 1

• madi leaves 3 reviews
• i leave 3 reviews
• kris leaves 3 reviews
• after 24hrs from her last post, madi can leave another 3 reviews

iteration 2

• i leave 3 reviews
• kris leaves 3 reviews
• after 24hrs, kris leaves 3 more reviews
• madi leaves 3 reviews

iteration 3

• since iteration 2 is over, madi can leave 3 reviews to start the next one
• i leave 3 reviews
• after 24hrs of my post, i can leave 3 more reviews
• after 24 hrs of that last post, i can leave 3 more reviews again to finish off that iteration

iteration 1 would give madi 24 points, me 12 points, and kris 12 points. iteration 2 would give me 12 points, kris 24 points, and madi 12 points. iteration 3 would give madi 12 points, and give me 36 points. (this isn't important to how it works, just want to be very clear on how the point system would work in case this is also a bit unclear)

so anyone can be part of as many 'iterations' as they want, but the idea is that you work with your competitors to finish tasks - we just don't want any stagnation on the game, so after 24hrs, you can submit more reviews to finish that iteration. once a new one starts, then everything resets. hopefully this makes sense?

another quick example would be that one person would start an iteration, wait 24hrs and post again, wait 24hrs and post again, wait 24hrs and post again, and then they would be the only one who helped complete that task and they would get all 48 points themselves

[grumpy cat]

4 minutes ago, lostinthelightss said:

once a new one starts, then everything resets. hopefully this makes sense?

yes, thanks! this answers my third/edited question as well

[Oregonian]

Can we buy our gondola ticket now (that is, are there advance ticket sales), or do we have to wait until February 15, 5:00 p.m. GMT?

[lostinthelightss]

7 minutes ago, Oregonian said:

Can we buy our gondola ticket now (that is, are there advance ticket sales), or do we have to wait until February 15, 5:00 p.m. GMT?

tickets are on sale and can be purchased whenever!

[grumpy cat]

are 'radio to base camp' and 'radio to hq' threads public/visible to everyone when someone makes a guess or a detective gives clues or confirms/denies something?

[lostinthelightss]

12 minutes ago, grumpy cat said:

are 'radio to base camp' and 'radio to hq' threads public/visible to everyone when someone makes a guess or a detective gives clues or confirms/denies something?

thanks for catching that! yes, both threads (along with the password guessing thread and all secret room threads just to cover our bases) will have replies auto-hidden, and detectives will be editing your replies in that thread instead of replying in their own post to ensure that all our private eyes are able to move around as secretly as they would like

[Felpata_Lupin]

Okay, another question (and sorry if it's a stupid one and/or the answer is already posted somewhere and I missed it...)

I'm assuming (also taking a peek at some of the topics in the mansion thread) that you can only move from a room to an adiacent one... but is there a specific room we are supposed to start from? (Again, apologies if this is already stated somewhere and I'm just terrible at reading rules )

[lostinthelightss]

1 minute ago, Felpata_Lupin said:

Okay, another question (and sorry if it's a stupid one and/or the answer is already posted somewhere and I missed it...)

I'm assuming (also taking a peek at some of the topics in the mansion thread) that you can only move from a room to an adiacent one... but is there a specific room we are supposed to start from? (Again, apologies if this is already stated somewhere and I'm just terrible at reading rules )

oooops yup that's our mistake  - please start in the silver oak foyer, we will announce that so make it excessively apparent

[grumpy cat]

since we're going room to room, should we note each time we do a task where we where/are going/something like that? like last year with fuel

[lostinthelightss]

2 minutes ago, grumpy cat said:

since we're going room to room, should we note each time we do a task where we where/are going/something like that? like last year with fuel

that won't be necessary, since movement can be spot checked individually! we do expect that all participants will be truthful about their movements (and if there is ever any confusion, feel free to ask), but if we notice a pattern of discrepancies in movements, we will handle it on an individual basis!  

[grumpy cat]

are secret rooms exceptions to the 24hr-until-you-can-post rule since each has a smaller time period listed before you can post again?

[lostinthelightss]

2 minutes ago, grumpy cat said:

are secret rooms exceptions to the 24hr-until-you-can-post rule since each has a smaller time period listed before you can post again?

yes! all secret rooms should have a note within that details how long you must wait before 'double posting' so go by that instead of the 24hr rule that is expected elsewhere! (all exceptions to the 24hr rule below)

Quote

the only exceptions to this are obviously hallways / stairwells, where tasks do not earn your points but instead earn you movement around the mansion, and are entirely individual, rooms where only 1 participant is required to finish the task, and secret rooms - you may 'double post' in these rooms more often than others because you will have no way of knowing if tasks have been completed, and the amount of time you must wait before doing so will be listed in each of these threads.

 

[GotNoJamsss]

I apologize for being thick, y'all have done a great job of thoroughly explaining the game and I'm just dense. Does this work like a co-op game? I know we all have individual points, but do we all work together through the house or just the rooms that have more than one participant? For example, ShazaLupin posted the required '1 participant 3 reviews for the foyer', so can everyone (who bought a ticket for the gondola) now pass through that room to the next or do I need to post my own reviews to that room to pass through it? 

[RonsGirlFriday]

I have a question about the 'you cannot move through a room without finishing the task there.' If, for example, a room requires 3 participants to each leave 2 reviews, does "finishing the task" for me mean just leaving my 2 reviews? Or does finishing the task mean all 6 reviews for that iteration must be left before any of us can leave the room? I was thinking it might be just the 2 individual reviews based on this example, but wasn't 100% sure:

Quote

in room A, 3 adventurers are required to post 2 reviews to win 6 points each. our lovely @magemadi posts 2 reviews, then i post 2 reviews. i can then go around the game board (finishing tasks as i go through), and if 24hrs after my last post in room A, a 3rd adventurer has yet to post, i can complete the task by posting 2 more reviews. madi would then receive 6 points, and i would receive 12 points.

in that example, since the task is completed, i could then also post another 2 reviews to start the next iteration of the task.

Also, based on that example, if we can move through a room after leaving our individual 2 reviews, if we want to leave the additional reviews after the 24 hours, do we have to physically move back to that room again in order to do so?

Moreover, do we have to leave additional reviews each time we want to move through a room again? E.g. if in all my sleuthing for some reason I want to keep moving through the centre of novelties back and forth to different wings (don't know why I would, but just hypothetically), do I need to leave a set of new reviews each time I want to get through the centre of novelties? (accounting for the iteration/ 24 hour rule of course)

Edited February 16, 2023 by RonsGirlFriday

[lostinthelightss]

2 hours ago, RogueSlytherin said:

I apologize for being thick, y'all have done a great job of thoroughly explaining the game and I'm just dense. Does this work like a co-op game? I know we all have individual points, but do we all work together through the house or just the rooms that have more than one participant? For example, ShazaLupin posted the required '1 participant 3 reviews for the foyer', so can everyone (who bought a ticket for the gondola) now pass through that room to the next or do I need to post my own reviews to that room to pass through it? 

not at all -> if anything is unclear, we would love to shed more light on it. it is both a co-op game and also not. you are all moving around the house separately! to get points, you will have to work together, but everyone will have different amounts of points and are fighting not only for the top 10 spots, but also because points = more clues = you can win the mystery faster and get more points!

writing this out i realized that wasn't touched on at all, and within 24hrs we will have a very detailed post explaining points a little more.

okay but although Shaza posted, that means only Shaza can get to one of the next rooms. y'all will have to follow / go your own paths, and work through the mansion yourselves. you can work together if you would like, but that would likely look like getting a group of 4 people if you will, and all agreeing to put reviews on one task, so that the task can be considered complete, you can get your points, and do it all over again, and again, for as long as you want! or you can go about it individually, and just cause chaos on your own time, which is also a very fun venture!

(a note that sharing clues that you have will be considered... not in the spirit of the game. if that changes for any reason, you will be informed, but the expectation is that you are all competing against each other to win first place / a spot in the top 10, and that collusion is not a vibe)

2 hours ago, RonsGirlFriday said:

I have a question about the 'you cannot move through a room without finishing the task there.' If, for example, a room requires 3 participants to each leave 2 reviews, does "finishing the task" for me mean just leaving my 2 reviews? Or does finishing the task mean all 6 reviews for that iteration must be left before any of us can leave the room? I was thinking it might be just the 2 individual reviews based on this example, but wasn't 100% sure:

Also, based on that example, if we can move through a room after leaving our individual 2 reviews, if we want to leave the additional reviews after the 24 hours, do we have to physically move back to that room again in order to do so?

Moreover, do we have to leave additional reviews each time we want to move through a room again? E.g. if in all my sleuthing for some reason I want to keep moving through the centre of novelties back and forth to different wings (don't know why I would, but just hypothetically), do I need to leave a set of new reviews each time I want to get through the centre of novelties? (accounting for the iteration/ 24 hour rule of course)

poor word choice there, sorry. once *your* part of the task is done, you can move on.

you have to physically in a room to leave reviews. your reviews are basically showing a path of where you've travelled in the mansion - that's why we aren't asking for you to keep track of where you went - i can do that by looking at your profile and mapping you through the mansion  look, i didn't say that my intrepid private eyes weren't under a little counter surveillance

and yes it does - you cannot go back through a room without leaving reviews - this is a review event after all! the only place i think you could get stuck at is either in the great centre of novelties or the secret rooms, but the secret rooms have a lower time limit, so you can get out of them sooner, and if either they or novelties are causing significant problems, they can be worked on.

 

i hope that all makes sense - and these are all good questions. more info on points, as well as a handy dandy faq will likely be posted tomorrow

[RonsGirlFriday]

TY so much!

Bringing this question here after I brought it up on discord too:

While sharing clues is not in the spirit of the game, is it okay to chat with other detectives (like on discord) to discuss strategies, get each other's opinions about how to approach the riddles (e.g. what the riddle answers are looking for -- ike do we think it's supposed to be a thing or the room's name or what), etc?

[magemadi]

3 minutes ago, RonsGirlFriday said:

TY so much!

Bringing this question here after I brought it up on discord too:

While sharing clues is not in the spirit of the game, is it okay to chat with other detectives (like on discord) to discuss strategies, get each other's opinions about how to approach the riddles (e.g. what the riddle answers are looking for -- ike do we think it's supposed to be a thing or the room's name or what), etc?

The riddles aren't meant to be super difficult to decipher, so the ruling on this is that you are absolutely free to discuss strategies to determining the answers to the riddles. However, your supervising detectives kindly ask that you not share the answers once you've discovered them to keep the spirit of the game going! Some clarifying language about what purpose the riddles serve has since been added to the intro post of the password guessing thread here+.

[blackballet]

For points-counting purposes, do we count up how many points we have when we complete a room for ourselves? Or should we wait until a mod adds a "checked to here" comment to add it to our individual tallies? 

[lostinthelightss]

5 minutes ago, blackballet said:

For points-counting purposes, do we count up how many points we have when we complete a room for ourselves? Or should we wait until a mod adds a "checked to here" comment to add it to our individual tallies? 

if you know you have enough points to cash in, you can do so whenever - just keep in mind that until a task in a room is considered fully complete (i.e. 4 participants x 3 reviews = all 12 reviews have been posted for that iteration), you only get points at 80%, so a good rule of thumb would be to keep track of how many points you should have once everything's complete, take 80% of that, and then you'll be sure to have enough to cash things in.

if we notice you don't have enough points to do so, we'll double check we've added all reviews to the spreadsheet, and if you still don't have enough, we'll let you know that you have to submit more reviews somewhere to make up for it.

and i promise, i'm workshopping a way that y'all can look up your point values secretly  

so tldr; feel free to count your points yourselves at any point! if anythings amiss, the detectives will troubleshoot, that won't be on you!