Scotland Yard - Mr X is in police custody.

[3iff]

In my efforts to think of a new game, I suddenly remembered an old board game called "Scotland Yard" that I suspect also went under the name "Mr. X".

This is basically a game where a criminal is using various means of transport in London to escape a group of detectives. The rules are available on the internet and I'd be using a stylised map...I must dig the game out.

Rules here http://globetrotter-games.com/index.htm?E&game/rules/eScotYd1.htm But they may need modifying...The map I'll sort out later, http://shinh.skr.jp/syard/data/default/map.png looks reasonable.

The game takes 6 players (one hiding and up to 5 chasing). Anyone interested? I'll be moderating.

Mr X
===
Undercover Monk

Detectives
========
The Great Crep'er
lexprod
Dented Ford
Jedo the Jedi
Courk

[Suspence]

Sounds so familiar...I swear I played this when I was a kid.
_________________
I hate people who try to write interesting things in their signature.

[lexprod]

I have no idea why I didn't sign up for this when it was posted, I've been wanting to play this game for a while now. /in if you still want to run it, though I'll understand if you'll wait until the quiz olympiad completes
_________________
I'll have a P please...

[Jedo the Jedi]

I might could do this. I'm not familiar with London, nor do I really want to be the criminal, but other than that, I'm game.
_________________
Paragon Tally: 18 mafia, 3 SKs (1 twice), 1 cultist, numerous chat scum...and counting.

[3iff]

Oh, ok. I'll have to get some of the other things out of my way first...and I'll need another player or two.

I'll give you a shout when I'm ready to do this.

Don't worry, I don't know London either...)

[Courk]

Ooh, I'll play!

[lexprod]

oh, and I'm game for being mr. x or a detective, either way.

and don't worry, London:Scotland Yard::Atlantic City:Monopoly
_________________
I'll have a P please...

[3iff]

Ok, I'll be starting a game soon...once the quiz is out of the way...so it'll be about a week.

Ideally we need 6 players but we can play with fewer if necessary.

[3iff]

Well, we just have 3 players signed up for this...

We could run with 1 Mister X and 2 players controlling 2 detectives each if you like.

Alternatively, we wait for others to join in. What do you want to do?

[Undercover Monk]

I will give it a go. /in
_________________
The Classic Blunders:
1. never get involved in a land war in Asia
2.Never go in against a Sicilian when DEATH is on the line
3. Never release Peyton Manning

[Dented Ford]

I will have absolutely no clue, but I'll play if you want me to

[Jedo the Jedi]

Now, if we could just get wordy in here, the game would be complete.
_________________
Paragon Tally: 18 mafia, 3 SKs (1 twice), 1 cultist, numerous chat scum...and counting.

[3iff]

Dented...it's pretty easy to play.

One more player required...or we can go with 4 detectives. I'll give it a few days.

[Scurra]

Honestly, I'd recommend you go with four detectives. I don't think I've ever seen Mr X escape with even just four...

I want to spectate. I know this game pretty well (as in "played it to death"), and it'll be fun to see how it works in an open forum. Just be sure that all the discussions between the detectives happen in the forum and not via private messages and I think it will pan out just fine.
_________________
_{still Quiz Olympiad champion. Must get a life.
New definitions: COFFEE - someone who is coughed upon}

[3iff]

Scurra, I like your signature!

Well, we can give this a go with 4 detectives. I'll get confirmations from early sign-ups and then randomly assign the Mr X role (not to Jedo though).

We can start the game Tuesday or Wednesday and if a 6th player appears before we start then that'll be fine.

For those unfamiliar with London, don't worry. It's essentially traversing around a grid (see the map in post 1). You really don't need to know any geographical features.

[The Great Crep'er]

I've been circling the game, and it seems a little scattered but just too interesting to let slip. I can't promise to be an Xpert so you'll never know what you'll Xpect.

/in if you'll have me. Now to mark a spot with X.

[3iff]

Right, we have 6 (just waiting for a confirm from Courk) but I'll start the game now. I'll allocate Mr X and starting spots and we'll be GO in an hour or so.

[3iff]

The flow of moves is as follows:

Mr X PM's me his move. I verify it's valid and publish the mode of transport to the new spot. If he has to reveal his position (turns 3,8,13,18) then I will include that info. Remember that Mr X has an ability to perform a couple of double moves and has an option to move via a boat. He also has some black tickets which conceal his mode of travel.

The detectives then make their moves. They should discuss their actions within this thread so spectators can see what's happening. Once I have all their instructions, I shall verify their moves are valid. Note: Detectives must move in a predetermined sequence. This prevents two detectives swapping places. Detectives MUST move somewhere if they can.

In the event a detective move is invalid, the detective players may reconsider all their moves for that turn if they wish.
Once all detectives have moved then it returns to Mr X to make his move (unless a detective has just captured him).

Play continues until either Mr X is captured or the detectives reach a situation where they cannot capture Mr X.

Any questions...ask me, via PM if necessary.

At the start, I suggest you specify your move order in the following format:

where you are now, how you will be travelling, destination.
ie 111, Bus to 124

Note that I've renamed Underground to Metro as it's shorter and fits better in the movement table...I hope this won't upset any purists. Roles and starting positions were determined randomly (of course).

[Undercover Monk]

sent. I was really hoping to be a detective. Trying to outthink these guys is a tall order especially since Jedo seems to know exactly how I think.
_________________
The Classic Blunders:
1. never get involved in a land war in Asia
2.Never go in against a Sicilian when DEATH is on the line
3. Never release Peyton Manning

[Jedo the Jedi]

I wouldn't worry about it. I'm sure I only think like you in regard to mafia, mainly because we have similar game theory. My bet is you'll catch me flat-footed here.
_________________
Paragon Tally: 18 mafia, 3 SKs (1 twice), 1 cultist, numerous chat scum...and counting.

[3iff]

If you had said, I could have offered the Mr X role to someone else...
Ah well, consider it a challenge.

[Jedo the Jedi]

With regard to the real game, I'm not really sure what kind of plan we can make. It seems we all started on taxi spaces, and we have to make about 2 moves each before arriving at a bus or metro station.

Is it option not to move on a given turn?

Maybe there is a way to block off a certain portion of the city, but that seems like a tall order and not very reasonable until we know where he is. I'll just take solace in the fact that Scurra said he's never seen Mr. X escape with this many detectives.
_________________
Paragon Tally: 18 mafia, 3 SKs (1 twice), 1 cultist, numerous chat scum...and counting.

[Undercover Monk]

[TGC*]

[3iff]

There are 18 (predetermined) start positions and each player gets one of them...at the whim of my 1D20 (re-rolling for 19+ or duplicates!)

All have taxi routes, 3 have bus stops and 1 has bus and metro.

UM pops into view after his 3rd turn.

...and yes, you MUST move if you have the ability.

[Jedo the Jedi]

See, Monk? I can't even read the rules very well, so you have nothing to fear. (Maybe somebody should hold my hand.)

I'll devote some thought to this later. I've got a Cannonball Run to finish.
_________________
Paragon Tally: 18 mafia, 3 SKs (1 twice), 1 cultist, numerous chat scum...and counting.

[Dented Ford]

Let me know if this helps. Or is even correct.

[lex*]

just off the top of my head, it seems me and DF have the best shot of spreading west to create more of a perimeter since SouthWest london is completely unprotected at the moment, and we both have metro lines instead of just taxies that could speed things up. I'd propose 140 for myself.

[lex*]

Im a dummy, I'm not AT a metro station, neither is DF X_x;;; Anyways, one of us should probably head west anyways

[Jedo the Jedi]

That's a good clarification: are those green places (142 or 135) bus only stations, or should we assume they are taxi also? I only ask because the metro stations are clearly marked as being everything, and sometimes the green and red lines run beneath other numbers. Some of the green markers could be construed that the taxi merely runs through that spot.
_________________
Paragon Tally: 18 mafia, 3 SKs (1 twice), 1 cultist, numerous chat scum...and counting.

[3iff]

DF: That's a better map than I have. Where is the original?

ALL points have a taxi link to nearby spots. Anything with a green bar/ring has a bus stop that connects to another green spot...ie 3 (bus) connects to 13 (bus) but NOT 12 as there's no green marker at 12.

Metro uses red markers and they behave the same way...red to red.

So to answer Jedo's question, those green places (142 or 135) are bus stops but you can't take a bus directy to the other...you would need a second turn (142>128>135) for example. Taxi journeys connect everywhere and always run to the next spot, never through a spot. Neither of those spots (142 or 135) support the metro.

[Dented Ford]

Er... I just followed your link at the top of this thread for the map, then photoshopped in the markers and labels.

If we're not going to say Underground, can we at least call it the Tube?

And so if we're looking to cover the west part, and me only being able to use a taxi at the moment, I should be headed to 186 in order to reach 185 then 184 next turns, you all think?

[3iff]

Ok, so I'm an idiot...
Tube! Yes, that's what I should call it. (I'm a double idiot)

Hopefully, that'll be all my mistakes for the day.

[Jedo the Jedi]

Well, looking at the map and wanting to give us the most maneuverability while still covering areas, I think what DF has proposed works for him, lex should move to 133 toward 140, TGC to a 102-115 route, myself a 69-86, and Courk toward the 67 tube station. Those are my thoughts.
_________________
Paragon Tally: 18 mafia, 3 SKs (1 twice), 1 cultist, numerous chat scum...and counting.

[lexprod]

I concur

Inspector Lexprod
141 -> 133 via taxi
_________________
I'll have a P please...

[Dented Ford]

If lex and I both head to the SW, are we going to end up leaving the SE uncovered? Maybe one or other of us should stay this side of the river? At least until turn 3 when we get an idea where the villain is?
Certainly Courk and TGC could/should fan out and Courk in particular head westwards. Everything else suggested sounds great for first round to me though. (As if I have a really do have a clue)

[Jedo the Jedi]

My thought for you might be that you stop at the tube so you can move quickly when we see him, but you're also protecting the path across the river. He moves before us, so you'll move twice and be on the tube station when he reveals himself.

The same will be true for lex. There is some overlap of where you guys can move (both to 128 or 153), but that just means somebody can move using the tube and the other can save their tube ticket for later by using another transport.

Courk going to the 67 tube station lets her easily get to the NW corner at 79.

TGC getting to 115 doesn't give him the best movement options, but he gets to protect the river escape.

For myself, I see I could also head to 41 as opposed to 86. That lets me spread out more and better cover the NE corner. If you feel that better prepares us for his sighting at the beginning of turn 3, I'm open to it.
_________________
Paragon Tally: 18 mafia, 3 SKs (1 twice), 1 cultist, numerous chat scum...and counting.

[The Great Crep'er]

*wishes at this point he had boat tickets for future use*

Protecting one of the river entrances at this point seems like it will be the most beneficial to the team (concerning my move). I can wait for more detectives to use their options though in the event someone else decides to cover that area. A few of us are fairly adjacent to one another.

[The Great Crep'er]

*has a heart attack over Custom Title he doesn't recognize*

Title fairrrrrriiieeeeessss!!!! *shakes fist*

[Courk]

DI Courk, in the taxi, from 50 to 67, with the ticket.