I'm definitely interested! Voted for one in July since I'll be in the process of getting ready to move/moving in August.

*emerges out of the shadows of time*

I voted for July. There is a very slim chance I might be off on vacation during that month, but it's looking like that won't happen.

I'm guessing this particular mystery mansion won't last for months and months, then?

It most definitely will not. At the moment, it looks like you can expect it to be a little more tabletop RPG style.

MY PASSWORD WORKED!

So first.... Yeah. What if? Oh shoot. I loved filling out character sheets so much. Who's putting together the plot line for this? I planned a mansion once... I think that I never finished it, though. Heh. Moderator fail.

I remember your plot, Sweeet, and actually a condensed version of that might make a good Mystery Mansion at some point. The plot is set up by the gamemaster(s), who then have NPCs (non-playing characters) to help along the players when they get stuck. Only the gamemaster(s) know the entirety of the plot: the players only know the setup and their own goals. Last year each character didn't have enough of their own personal goals, so we've revised it a bit so things can run smoother and faster.

At least one DT moderator is always a gamemaster. If someone comes up with a plot, and it gets used, they will also be a gamemaster, because they know the end game.

One of the major things that we pull from RPGs is that characters can only have a certain number of strengths, but must have some, and that risks and awards are assessed by a roll of the die. It's really much less complicated than it sounds, mainly because the gamemasters take care of all the rolls and etc.

How does it work exactly?

I voted mostly to fulfill the requirement that at least one 'no' vote is necessary for it to be a valid vote.

I likely would not participate and did not participate last year.

Have fun with it folks!

Cymru, it's a mystery.

Basically, think combination story and tabletop RPG like D&D. The person(s) who know the whole story has a non playing character to guide everyone if they get off track. Each person creates a character with a set of skills and personal goals (if you've played D&D or another RPG, it's the basic character building that you have there). In the story, the characters work to fulfill their goal(s), and if they achieve certain goals, they win the game. Characters can die, but it's prefered that they don't.

Oh! I just realized an illustration that would work better for you non-tabletop RPG people: Think a multiplayer Oregon Trail.

Also, Cymru, I was thinking that this might be something that your daughter might enjoy doing, since she's so inventive and, well, comes from your family.

I voted maybe as I'm not sure what my participation level will be no matter the timing. I miss Ditto Town, though, and writing here.

I'm another maybe - although it could be fun, I don't know whether I will have time for it.

I didn't participate last year, although I followed the story as it went along, so I don't know all there is to know about how it works. And I have never played in either tabletop RPGs or Oregon Trail

I put down "maybe." I would like to participate, but I am so ridiculously busy right now that it wouldn't be smart for me to commit to anything. Both July and August are going to be pretty full for me, so I'm not even going to try to choose between them, and I wouldn't want anyone to go to the trouble of trying to plan it around my crazy schedule anyway.

For those of us who've not done this sort of thing before, is there a link we could follow to an earlier one?

Please?

Last year's Mansion begins here, Auntie. That opening post includes a few notes on how this is different than usual RP threads.

We're hoping that this year's will be a bit more streamlined.