A game for 6+ young adults
Here’s another one of those things I’ve been meaning to write up literally since the 80’s. (1988 to be exact).
When I was a young adult, I developed a new game to keep our friends group amused. This one had legs! After a few iterations, the rules had optimised to the “formalised” version I present here.
The name
This game went through a lot of names, “Xenomorph”, “Aliens” and finally “The Thing”. “Who Goes There?” is the name of the John W Campbell jr story that was the inspiration for the movie of “The Thing” so that’s the name I’m going with.
What’s the idea behind the game?
Thank you for asking! It’s a version of “Hide and Seek” with a few vicious tweaks. The majority of players who have tried it have found it quite enthralling.
The premise is that one of the group is a murderous shape shifter, and the group has to identify and eliminate the killer, before the killer kills them.
There’s a few flies in this ointment.
Firstly, the killer assumes the form of whoever it has killed. Secondly, it is monstrously strong. It takes two normal humans to be able to kill it.
What will we need to play?
it’s actually remarkably light on terms of needed items.
You’ll need a method of anonymously choosing the killers, and, optionally, a timer and a whistle. You’ll also need a large area with clear boundaries defined with plenty of good hiding spots. It’s more fun to play at night outside. For the choosing method, we tended to go with old fashioned pieces of paper, folded in half with either “Shapeshifter” or “Victim” written on them, drawn from a hat.
What are the rules?
The group gathers up and the shapeshifter is chosen randomly. People are then encouraged to head off into the play area.
if the Shapeshifter grabs (or simply touches someone) they notify their victim, and the person playing the Shapeshifter now drops to the floor dead. The victim is the new Shapeshifter. If two victims identify and successfully grab the current Shapeshifter, the victims are victorious. If the Shapeshifter kills everyone, the Shapeshifter wins.
Variants
There’s a lot of variants of the rules, usually developed due to rules lawyers.
Friendly fire
If the victims grab another victim accidentally, the grabbed victim is just dead. The Shapeshifter is that much closer to their goal.
If someone keeps doing this, point out to everyone else that they can simply “eliminate the threat” at the beginning of the game by all ganging up and straight up murdering the over enthusiastic participant. You’d be surprised how quickly people pull in line.
Hostile Fire
This is more suitable if the Shapeshifter is facing heavier odds. Simply if victims accidentally attack another victim, the attackers die rather than the target.
They hunt in packs
My absolute favourite variant when you have 12+ players. This skews heavily in favour of the Shapeshifter, or should I say Shapeshifters?
Simply, you add a second Shapeshifter. Shapeshifters cannot be killed by other Shapeshifters. The tactics for the Shapeshifters are simple. Identify each other. Get together and mow down the victims.
The victims need to eliminate all the Shapeshifters to win.
You have thirty minutes to reach a minimum safe distance
This keeps things lively. Set a timer. If things haven’t been sorted when the timer goes off, everyone loses. This keeps events moving, and puts pressure on everyone. Use a noisemaker like a whistle to let that time is up.
Hide the bodies
Another fun variant. If the Shapeshifter kills, the new Shapeshifter can “move the body” by moving with the old Shapeshifter to a place where the “body” can be hidden. You’d want the “body” to identify themselves as such. Simply putting their hands on their heads while being hidden is enough.
Introducing the GamesMaster
Having a responsible adult running this can help, especially with bigger, more robust groups. It helps to confirm decisions and timing.
Tactics that evolved
As we played this we quickly developed tactics at both sides.
For victims, travel in groups of at least three. Try and keep track of who was with who, so when you find bodies you have an idea who the new Shapeshifter is. Keep moving! You need to find the bodies before you can identify the Shapeshifter.
Alternatively find a hiding spot and just hide completely and watch.
As the Shapeshifter, timing is everything. If you’re in a group, convince everyone to split up. If there’s three of you, you can take out one person and the other person escapes. As the new Shapeshifter, work to discredit the escapee, or if you’re quick, grab the next victim before they catch on. If everyone is in the ball, the Shapeshifter can utterly decimate the victims as each new Shapeshifter catches the next victim before everyone can escape.
If there is more than one Shapeshifter, as soon as you meet, you can play the survivors of an attack, “regroup” with the rest of the survivors and then pick them off in ones or twos. Hilarity ensues.
This is released as Copyleft, CC-BY-NC-SA.