How to create detective mystery games?

Spy and detective murder mystery games have been around for ages. Think for an instance about the first successful educational game “Where is Carmen Sandiego?” which got a great rerun on Google maps at the beginning of 2019.

With Loquiz you can build a similar outdoor or indoor detective escape game scenario where players have to crack puzzles step by step, by visiting different locations and characters to unravel the mystery.

Following the mystery game, an example is built using the scavenger game type, but this can be played out on Rogain, too.

In the game you have key locations which need to be cracked open. They have close and return, as well keep on the map until answered correctly enabled.
The key location can be about finding out the number like in this example:

Now, to open this key location you have to visit x number of other locations to gather info. You can give info just by simply no answer type of tasks with the character “speaking” in a text or video. Or alternatively, after the player completes the task, in the after answer comments.

In the example above the players will get info in the after answer comments from Nurse, FBI and Library locations

The nurse tells that: +I know the spy wears glasses
FBI shares: +I know the spy is a woman
In the library you hear: +All I know the spy has been spotted to visit a gym

So, the players will need to visit first the key location to learn about what kind of info they have to gather, secondly, visit relevant characters and locations, thirdly, write down the info.

PRO TIP: it makes always sense to tell the players what to do. You can stress important info by writing in caps WRITE DOWN: followed by crucial info.

In a scavenger activations page you have to set it up so that solving one key location will bring on the map next assignment pins. In the following example the game starts with pins 1-4 on the map. 4 is kept on the map until answered correctly.
The players have to visit locations 1-3 to answer 4 correctly. If they do so, locations 5-8 will appear on the map. Again to solve 8, the players have to gather clues from 5-7. Finally, after solving 8 it will bring on the map finish.

Indoor version

Cool thing is that you can create an indoor detective mystery games version similarly with a clue game type. In that case, you have a list of missions to complete. To open up tasks, you have to enter special clue codes. Alternative activations like QR codes or barcodes are activation options, too.

Try this 20-minute game out yourself, you can play it anywhere and additionally need only a pen and paper.
Download Loquiz app and enter
username: spyschool1
password: abc