Introduction
Cluedo, one of the most popular board games ever created has been around since 1949. The game revolves around solving a criminal mystery in a fictional estate by gathering information and accusing suspects. Cluedo became an iconic family game that can be played in three different ways-Competitive Play, Detective Mode, and Cooperative Play. Aside from being the longtime best-selling detective-themed game, it was also adapted into multiple television shows, film adaptations, novelizations, and more than 50 different language versions.
Now if you’re looking to make your own version of this game, here’s a quick guide:
1. Create a board – You will need an oversized board with nine rooms (plus an entranceway) connected with doorways on all four sides and two corridors in the middle which intersects the rooms diagonally. Each doorway should also be labeled with its corresponding letter for each room such as D for Drawing Room and C for Conservatory.
2. Mark out spaces – On each corner of the board should be inscribed space with letters like P (for Passage), S (for Stairs) or K (for Kitchen). Other than that every room should have at least six spaces marked out with colored circles/ankh symbols called “lilypads” or “fountain tokens” to signal special objects or locations within the room itself.
3. Prepare weapons – Prior to printing up cards for players you will want to prepare clue pieces which represent features of your murder mystery scenario along with 21 clues that are divided between six categories ” people (six), locations (six), methods of murder (four), motives (three) possessions (two) and events/actions (a total of five overall). These must come up on their own cards prior to beginning play; however they will not become active until certain parts of gameplay are achieved i.e.; when someone is murdered they’ll need access to evidence then before going after any suspect(s).
4. Developing rulebook – Developing a set of rules is key when creating a new version of any existing game as well as providing clarity in understanding how turn order works during every round as well as what happens once someone accuses another player or has finished inspection etcetera; these must be detailed out beforehand so that it does not slow down things later on! Lastly we would suggest taking some extra time although recommended it doesn’t always have to ” including supplements like added storylines from themes such as butler replacing characters mid-gameplay might add spice into your murder mystery experience!
Gather Materials
Once you have all of your materials, lay them out on your work table.
Start with the game board by cutting the pictures for each character and weapon out and attaching them to their respective spots on the board. In addition, draw or paint strategically laid-out pathways throughout the board. Be sure that each player has plenty of space to move around in-between squares. Once you’re done with that, attach a “start” square somewhere at the bottom of the board so your players have a place where they can begin playing from.
Next is making the notepads for the game sheets – print out dozens of copies so that each player has one when they join in the game. Make sure to include spaces for writing down evidence, accusations, suspects and more !
You’ll need cards as well – create cards featuring suspects, weapons and locations which correspond to those included on your game board. Distribute 3 cards randomly among players at the beginning of every round as these are used to identify initial assumptions and then investigate these possibilities further as gameplay progresses. Don’t forget to use envelopes so these 3 cards remain secret until it’s time for an accusation.
Finally think about creating some dice or other devices or references needed for play! Each player should have their own dice or any randomizing tool for movement around the board as well as winning different mini games within Cluedo.
Once everything is ready it’s time to start playing! Gather up your friends and family, grab some snacks and drinks and enjoy hours of fun!
Design Your Game Board
The first step in creating your own Cluedo Board Game is to design your game board. Start by deciding on the physical measurements that will make up your game board, as well as allocating each square on the board a specific purpose. Next, draw out an overhead view of all the main elements of the game such as starting point, rooms, and pathways between them. Consider adding interesting details too like doorknobs, secret passages, and furniture. Finally sketch out the visual artwork that can be used for playing cards and figurines for each character.
Once you’ve finished designing your game board it’s time to find or create some game pieces. The six standard suspects make up a large part of the game so consider creating some unique characters such as poison experts or mathematicians”the possibilities are endless! Some people recommend purchasing simple figurines or tokens to use but you could also make your own miniatures with materials like clay or beads. It might even be fun to see who among your friends can come up with the best miniature designs!
Next comes creating cards that are used during gameplay which should include suspects, weapons and rooms (note: there should be one card for each suspect weapon and room). You may choose to buy pre-made cards or simply craft them yourself using colored markers, paper and standard index cards. The effort required here will depend on how ornate you want your design to be”so feel free to get creative!
No Cluedo Board Game would be complete without weapons! Create 6 unique objects from everyday items around your home such as paper towel rolls for pipes or cutlery for knives. Make sure these items serve a clear function during gameplay (such as being able to slide across surfaces) and can easily fit in player hands before gluing together permanently. Alternatively you may choose to draw illustrations instead of fabricating physical pieces if desired just ensure they are consistent with what is already drawn on either cards or static on the board itself.
Design Your Cards
Creating your own custom Cluedo (Clue in the US) board game can be a rewarding and fun experience. To start, you will need to design your cards and create several sets of them. You should have one set of cards for suspects or characters, one for weapons, one for rooms/locations, and one for events or other items of interest. On each card make sure that you clearly label it with what category it belongs to. Consider including graphics such as illustrations, symbols or photographs to further identify the cards. You may also list some background information on the cards to engage players during the game.
Create the Rules
When creating your own Cluedo Board game, one of the most important steps is to create the rules. Rules from the original Cluedo Board Game that can be added in to a custom game include:
1. Players must draw cards at the start of the game according to their character’s corresponding position on the character token cards.
2. Following a clockwise direction, players move around the board in turns and collect clues by entering rooms, making suggestions or by accusing other players of committing the crime.
3. Every time a player enters a room, they must use a Suggestion to name who committed the crime (including themselves) and with what weapon they used, or they may make an Accusation instead.
4. All other players must then disprove this suggestion by showing one of their cards. If nobody can do so using one of their cards, then the player may make an Accusation instead; if correct, they win the game; if incorrect, they are eliminated from it and lose automatically.
5. Throughout the course of the game all players should exchange information regarding known and suspected clues, ideally arriving at consensus based upon reasoning out loud in front of other players as opposed to secret communication or collusion between themselves or any other form of cheating.
Add Finishing Touches
You can make your Cluedo board game even more interesting by introducing some finishing touches. Consider adding custom elements to the game, aiming to give it a unique theme. For example, you could use different colors to represent each of the characters from the classic board game – red for the Mustard’s, green for the Scarlet’s and so on. Alternatively, you could feature unique graphics for all of the Suspects and Weapons cards which can add an unexpected element of fun when playing. You could also consider making up your own rules such as awarding bonus points if players guess correctly during their turn. All these creative touches will help your Cluedo board stand out from others and make playing it even more entertaining!
Conclusion
Hosting a game night with your friends is a great way to enjoy your custom Cluedo Board Game. To make it even more exciting, you could introduce some fun variations such as playing on teams or adding special rules (like free gifts for players when they solve a case). You can also have a tournament where the winner is the one who solves all of the cases first. Another option is playing detective-style by trying to figure out which room the murder took place in before the others do. This ensures that there’s an extra level of challenge and suspense. Finally, don’t forget to keep score and enjoy rewards like chocolate or other treats after each round!
I love playing all kinds of games – from classics like Monopoly to modern favourites like Ticket to Ride.
I created this blog as a way to share my love of board games with others, and provide information on the latest releases and news in the industry.
