Would it be very uncountess like to chug a few beers?

Not for you, Countess Zadora.  I'm sure you chug your beer quite elegantly.

And you, Ordinary Seaman Murphy.  You're late!  There will be no mingling with the guests for our crew members.  And stop giving me that 'I have a criminal record' stare. I won't have it on my watch!

Please Note:
I've decided to make a slight change in the way this will be played.  Rather than choosing a killer and making a murder list up front.  I am going to allow the author of the scene to decide who gets murdered out of the remaining cast members. I think this will make things a bit more fun and a bit more unpredictable.  Ultimately the cast will determine the killer.  I will keep track of turns though and will give you additional instructions for the scene if necessary.

We are looking for at least 10 people (so far we have 6) in order to play but the more the merrier.

Quoted from mcornetto And you, Ordinary Seaman Murphy.

I can live with that, just thankful my name is not Staines I guess.

I get the feeling people still aren’t getting what this game of killer is about.   This is a SCREENWRITING exercise that will give you practice collaborating.  The end result is not expected to be a completely logical script but it will be lots of fun to both write and read.  

Here’s how it works:

A CAST is decided upon.   In our case people will sign up on this thread.  You can sign up on this thread until about a week before our start date.   One of these cast members will be the killer.

Each cast member will have two turns.  They will be notified that it is their turn via PM or email.  They will have no indication of when their turn is before that notification. During a turn a cast member will be expected to write a scene in screenplay format based on the instructions given.  The scene can be no longer than one post in a forum thread.

The first scene will be used to set up the cast member’s character.  How they interact with the other cast members. Since anyone of the cast members can be the murderer, this scene should establish why this particular cast member might want to murder everyone on the boat.

The second scene will always portray the murder of a remaining cast member.   Though the killer is never visible until the last murder, this scene should implicate another remaining cast member as the killer.

Eventually all the cast members will be murdered in the story.  By process of elimination the last man or woman standing is the killer.  Everyone gets to pick the killer by which cast member they choose to murder in their scene.  

A cast member still gets their writing turns even if they are murdered in the story.

Hope this helps.

Quoted from mcornetto Each cast member will have two turns.  They will be notified that it is their turn via PM or email.  They will have no indication of when their turn is before that notification. During a turn a cast member will be expected to write a scene in screenplay format based on the instructions given.  The scene can be no longer than one post in a forum thread.

Are we talking exact margins here Michael, or just roughly correct format? Sounds a laugh anyways.

My question is whether your "cast" members are going to be imaginary characters, or simply an extension of their on-board personna.

Is your cruise a gathering of SS members on a boat, or is Pia a visiting countess, and Murphy a ship's steward, and things of that nature?  Or are they simply the common, beer-swilling SS members we know them to be ( ) who happen to be taking the same cruise?

In a nutshell, are your writers writing as themselves, or as casted members of your ship's crew?

Hi Michael,

This does sound like an interesting project.  I wouldn't mind reading a few scripts before saying yes.  I've never heard of this game and have no idea as to the structure of the game.  I know you're trying to change the premise.  Maybe that's where the collaboration comes in?  For people like me.

I'll keep an eye out for the progress of this screenwriting excercise.

You can count me on board, Michael. Getting the complete gist of it, I'm sure will come like in any other game-- by playing it.

Sandra

Quoted from bert My question is whether your "cast" members are going to be imaginary characters, or simply an extension of their on-board personna. Is your cruise a gathering of SS members on a boat, or is Pia a visiting countess, and Murphy a ship's steward, and things of that nature?  Or are they simply the common, beer-swilling SS members we know them to be ( ) who happen to be taking the same cruise? In a nutshell, are your writers writing as themselves, or as casted members of your ship's crew?

The guests are imaginary but they will have the name of the author and may have some traits of the author.  They should capture the interest of those writing and reading. It's Halloween, you're supposed to dress up.  

I threw out some suggestions to have fun with some of the people joining and to give an idea of the variety I would like to see - but my suggestions aren't written in stone (I don't think we'd easily get the Countess to give up her title though).  

It is ultimately going to be up to the cast member themselves to determine their actual character, you will decide who you are going to be - you won't have complete control over it because some one may introduce you before you have a chance to write.  That's why we'll need a list of these characters before we begin the actual writing.

Quoted from jayrex Hi Michael, This does sound like an interesting project.  I wouldn't mind reading a few scripts before saying yes.  I've never heard of this game and have no idea as to the structure of the game.  I know you're trying to change the premise.  Maybe that's where the collaboration comes in?  For people like me. I'll keep an eye out for the progress of this screenwriting excercise.

There isn't going to be any scripts.  There is going to be approximately 20 scenes, each scene a separate post in a single thread.  There is no joining in after it starts.  You either need to be on board or you watch from the shore.  Personally, I would like to see you make this voyage.

Welcome aboard Madame Sandra.  It is an honor to have such an esteemed psychic detective on board.  How you manage to find all those missing murder victims is beyond me. -- Danger, you say, on the S.S. Craven?  

If there's room for another alcoholic passenger then I'm sure I can afford a ticket, as long as I have enough change left for a bottle of white spirits, glug ahh! Someone show me the way to my cabin, I don't feel so well.

Ah!   The postman cometh. Hopefully he won't goeth postal. Welcome aboard Alffy.

Just thought I would update you on the

Cast so far

Yohn Yohnson
Nik
me
Mr. Ripley
stebrown
GM
Sandra E
Alffy
Zombie Sean

Including me (mcornetto) we have just the bare minimum to play, so it looks like the game will be on.  It would be good if a few others would sign up in case anyone decides to drop out at the last minute.   So any of you wavering people out there sign up now.  

There will be blood! It will be fun!  

Oh! And I'm still waiting for that mysterious Captain Wes. He must have been delayed by a Nor-Easter or something.

Arrr...If thar be room for one more scurrilous seadog amongst this voyage of the damned...I offer me hook and me good eye if ye be free with the rum...and ye lassess..