GAMES OF JEST: WHAT TO EXPECT

 

Welcome!

So glad you’re interested in joining this year’s 2nd Annual Games of Jest: Society of Fools, a mutual aid scavenger hunt. This year proceeds to the hunt are going to help my community in Western North Carolina!

If you’ve never done a hunt before maybe read through some of these things and also look elsewhere on my website to get an idea of what you’re signing up to for!

Or just skip straight to the sign-up form!

Games of Jest: Society of Fools

“Your life as a collections assistant in a bustling natural history museum is turned upside down when an abrupt disappearance from the museum’s Gem Vault puts you at the center of an international web of thieves. Will you put your life on the line to follow clues from a mysterious stranger?

Only you can decide in Games of Jest: Society of Fools!”

THIS YEAR:

WHAT IT IS/WHAT IT AIN’T

WHAT IT IS:

  • This is meant to be a fun, silly Halloween time that overall is about raising funds to support people’s joy in Western North Carolina. 

  • This is a commitment- to community, joy, mystery, and your imagination! There are puzzles, there’s role playing, there’s reading a story out loud to your friends in funny voices- just go with it and have fun!

  • Because we’re all spread out, including me, this adventure is text-based and the deliverables are all digital It’s supposed to be fun, camp, cheesy just like a choose your own adventure. 

  • Suggested media to get you in the spirit: infocom games like Deadline or Zork, reading a choose your own adventure, doing a murder mystery dinner with friends!

WHAT IT AIN’T:

  • This isn’t like previous Halloween hunts so maybe lower your expectations. Those types of hunts with Unfine Arts take a whole year of planning and this is just a little “demo tape” guy I’ve been sitting with for awhile. There’s no venue outside the ones you choose, no props or paid actors or free booze. But there is fun and puzzles and maybe the scent of a prize somewhere. 

  • Speaking of prizes, this year isn’t a treasure hunt. The prize this year is having fun with your friends, solving a puzzle, and raising funds for my community in Western North Carolina.

  • Also, just for capacity and transparency: know that I’m also impacted by Hurricane Helene so would love a little grace thrown my way if there are any snags or additional questions.

QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT ASK

Where is it being held this year?

This year I’m making a hunt that can be done in any small town or big city, but not from inside your home or in one place. It will require some creative imagining and seeing where you live through a fantastical lens. There are physical stops you’ll need to go to that every town or city will have and as a team you’ll decide where to go based on a prompt. Imagine the prompt to be something like “Go somewhere with an outdoor patio.” but if you’re a try-hard you might wish to find specific places that back up the theme of th isquest. I.E. think dark academia, noir jazz-y nooks, or places where two people might be having a conversation in secret!

The game this year is a Typeform “Choose Your Own Adventure” that’s embedded with puzzles, code cracking, and silly challenges as usual. If you want to get an idea of what some puzzles and games have looked like in the past you can head over to this part of my website.

What’s the date/start time?

Because the hunt has a different format this year, there are two dates (Oct. 27th or Oct. 30th) to choose from when I’ll be available as the game’s “DM” if you will. You can choose a day that works best for your team, and registration closes on October 23rd.

How much does this cost?

This is on a sliding scale. How much each individual can give is determined by your own means. 

As a team, you’ll venmo @Shara-Crosby and then send me your receipt when you register, which I’ll then count as your team’s entry. In an ideal world, depending on the size of your team, it would be great if people could contribute $8 or more. 

I am using this hunt to support folks in Western North Carolina who have been impacted by Helene. The funds will go to Shara and we’ll use it to make “reverse trick or treat” kits for people on the ground.

How do I register myself or my team?

Registration is on my website and ends October 23rd. Once I get your team’s entry, I’ll send the leader will the invitation which marks the beginning of the hunt and an “RSVP” task. 

If you’ve done previous Halloween Scavenger Hunts you know that I sometimes like to use an “RSVP” task for my own purposes and don’t worry about it. Just do the task so you can get the real game on the date you’ve selected. 

Can I play alone? 

I would highly recommend playing with other people. Some of the challenges this year will have elements to them that would be improved by having other people on your team. There are 7-8 challenges in total so that’s also a lot to do on your own. 

Is there a cap on how many teams/people can participate?

Yes. The text-based format of this hunt has some challenges in it that would be difficult for me to oversee a big number of teams by myself. So I’m limiting the number of teams this year to 10 per each night. However, you can play with up to 8 people on your team so you could combine groups. 


How do I play and how do I win?

This year the game of jest is a “Choose Your Own Adventure” typeform. When you submit your RSVP task you’ll get a link to the typeform that you’ll start at the time you selected. This is a story that you’ll read through to solve puzzles as the story unfolds. There might be a few dead-ends which would require you to start over, and some spots with challenges that require approval before moving forward. 

You win by creating new memories with friends! Also by doing all the tasks and submitting good enough evidence that moves the story along for your team! The framework of this is a little like a Choose Your Own Adventure mixed with DND mixed with puzzling. Each “Chapter” of the story has you doing challenges that earn you points. How you respond and complete the tasks is how the story moves along.

What do I win?

We are doing a type of story scavenger hunt this year, not a treasure hunt like last year. There are clues to solve, drama elements, secrets to reveal. The winning prize this year is submitting good enough evidence to get something later, having a fun time with your friends, and helping raise money for my community in Western North Carolina. 

Help spread joy in this miserable world!

Is this a race? Am I competing against people?

This is not a race, you won’t win by being the first to complete it. If anything, moving quickly will make this boring! You’ll win by immersing yourself into the fun and by submitting evidence that moves the story along. 

Will there be food/will I need to eat beforehand?

This year I would suggest eating beforehand or finding a place to eat in the allotted time frame. I’m not sure what you’re going to get up to and there won’t be designated stops for food or snacks. Maybe plan to get dinner with your team before the hunt or something. 

What do I need to bring? Do I need transportation?

You are doing this quest as a team. You need to bring an imagination, a comfort level with risk, and a fully charged phone. I don’t know what you’ll get up to, but it's always a good idea to bring a wallet, your ID, etc.