Strange browser-based game idea

[Jackolantern]

I don't even know where I got this idea from, but I don't think it has ever been done before. Here is the idea:

Players would go to a website for the game. It would appear to be a (fictional) social networking site. The game itself is single-player and relatively finite. When the player makes an account and logs in, they are greeted with a simulated social network account pre-populated with people, but the site acts as though the player has been on the site before, and this is their account. The player could upload an avatar and create a name to go by in the social network, and the site will tailor itself accordingly, but it is assumed that the player's "character" owns the social network account.

The player finds out one of their friends was murdered at a party the player did not attend that was attended by most of your circle of friends. The player then has to use private messages, their friends' posts, geolocation, pictures, and other staples of social networks to solve the murder. Events occur in a scripted manner from the server-side to simulate further activity from the player's friends.

That is the idea in a nutshell. The player takes the role of a concerned friend doing amateur sleuthing on a popular social networking site. Of course, multiple outcomes could be possible to cut down on spoilers, but the story would still have to be carefully crafted to be interesting no matter what the outcome is. What do you think?

[MikuzA]

That's a really good idea, that would actually have strength to have a movie made out of!

It also could be multiplayer, with a Cluedo-twist?
8 players, 1 murderer.. Everyone online at the same time and they have some list of 'memories' from a party they all or some of them attended.

[Jackolantern]

Interesting! I would really have to figure out a way to make the story flow if it was multiplayer. If it was a set story (and I think it really has to be, since the story is mostly what drives it), online players giving spoilers could be an issue. It would be awesome if everyone was really working well together, but it seems like there would be a lot of opportunity to cause grief or spoil it for others. Maybe the prime game could be single-player, but then offer a secondary story that is multiplayer, where players can specifically invite their friends to play with them. That way it is up to the player to ensure everyone is working towards the common good of the story and the game (if someone is spoiling it or messing it up on purpose, the player is to blame for inviting them). Maybe that is what you meant by "multiplayer" to begin with and I just jumped to the conclusion of all games being randomly filled lol.

Thanks for the feedback!

[MikuzA]

Perhaps randomize the story in multiplayer, as in,
1. Player 1 - <Random name here> - is murderer he sees 'these hints' of the yesterdays party in order to try lying himself through.
2. Player 2 - <Random name here> - is one of the 8 players who knows that he is not the murderer, however he has some random clues on who it could be.

Generally, clues would be.
'The murderer is Pregnant'
therefore (in a 'positive' world) we could assume that the murderer didn't drink alcoholic beverages on yesterdays party. And a 'random' set of questions can be placed to each player in one row.
Otherwise you can browse their 'facebook' or use some kind of Blog-search replica if there was something else happening during that night so people can play private eyes.

And note that every player would receive different clues, and every row would be Q/A player to player.

Q: Did you enjoy the party last night?

A1: Yes.
A2: Yeah, SHOOOTGUUUUN! WUUUUH..
A3: Not really.
A4: I like turtles

Wouldn't that be cool, oh and just another idea.. integrate that game into facebook, using their actual data and simulate that one friend is 'dead'. That might offend someone thou =I

[Callan S.]

It sounds engaging! But I kind of head in another direction - particularly the idea that your character already had an account.

I'd try some trippy fourth wall breaker where in the game you treat you, yourself, the player, as actually a game the character on the social network game is playing. Indeed people on the network will berate you for spending so much time playing it (ie, the time you were logged out). Ie, a story of increasing alienation of your real life self, as you try to play this game (which game am I refering to? Ambiguity!)

[Jackolantern]

It sounds engaging! But I kind of head in another direction - particularly the idea that your character already had an account.

I'd try some trippy fourth wall breaker where in the game you treat you, yourself, the player, as actually a game the character on the social network game is playing. Indeed people on the network will berate you for spending so much time playing it (ie, the time you were logged out). Ie, a story of increasing alienation of your real life self, as you try to play this game (which game am I refering to? Ambiguity!)

Interesting ideas! It definitely wouldn't have to be set in stone that the player has a named "character" they play as, and the player could be themself in the game. That is a cool idea about kind of weaving a story running about alienation and isolation that is directed at the player. Maybe that could be revealed as the story goes on, and would explain why the player wasn't at the social gathering where the crime was committed.

Perhaps randomize the story in multiplayer, as in,
1. Player 1 - <Random name here> - is murderer he sees 'these hints' of the yesterdays party in order to try lying himself through.
2. Player 2 - <Random name here> - is one of the 8 players who knows that he is not the murderer, however he has some random clues on who it could be.

Generally, clues would be.
'The murderer is Pregnant'
therefore (in a 'positive' world) we could assume that the murderer didn't drink alcoholic beverages on yesterdays party. And a 'random' set of questions can be placed to each player in one row.
Otherwise you can browse their 'facebook' or use some kind of Blog-search replica if there was something else happening during that night so people can play private eyes.

And note that every player would receive different clues, and every row would be Q/A player to player.

Very interesting stuff, although I think that may be going into something different from what I was thinking. That sounds like the basics of an entirely different game in its own right, that sounds pretty intriguing itself. Almost like a next-generation version of clue

Wouldn't that be cool, oh and just another idea.. integrate that game into facebook, using their actual data and simulate that one friend is 'dead'. That might offend someone thou =I

Sadly, as awesome as it would be to integrate this into Facebook as a FB game, I think I would be breaking the Facebook Terms of Service by simulating any FB-like functionality. I think they clamp down hard on devs to keep them from screwing people over by simulating Facebook. It could even be controversial with a different UI and could still be running the risk of being shut-down

[Xaos]

It does sound interesting. Very educational too, as I'm sure social networking is a huge part of crime solving nowadays.

[Xaos]

It does sound interesting. Very educational too, as I'm sure social networking is a huge part of crime solving nowadays. A good thing about not integrating it into FB is you can use "mock" sites and whatnot. Ie one character has a Facebook, twitter, Instagram and one other only has twitter. Maybe use that to increase difficulty !

[Mardonis]

CSI: Indie ?

[hallsofvallhalla]

haha i would so play this.