FAQ | Deception Games Perth

Do we need to know how to play?
Not at all! No previous experience is needed. Your friendly Storyteller will teach you everything you need to know before the game begins and will be there to answer questions and guide you throughout the experience. All you need to do is decide who you can trust.

How many people can play?
Blood on the Clocktower can be played with 5–20 players. Whether you're gathering a small group of friends or an entire village, we'll tailor the game to suit your player count.

Can I join the game late or leave early?
Yes! Blood on the Clocktower is designed to be flexible. If someone is running late or needs to leave early, they can join the village as a Traveller. Travellers are special characters designed specifically to allow players to enter or leave a game without disrupting the experience for everyone else.

Are there any accessibility tools for players who are shy or require assistance?
Yes! Blood on the Clocktower has special rules called 'Fabled', where the game changes to better suit those who would like a helping hand in these types of games. Let us know what requirements you are after and we can advise which tools to introduce to make the game more fun, more involved, without losing its devious charm.

How long does a game take?
Game length varies depending on the number of players and how the game unfolds. As a general guide, smaller games usually take around 1–1.5 hours, while larger games can take approximately 2.5–3 hours. No two games are quite the same!

What do we need to provide?
Just the players and a suitable venue — we'll take care of the rest. Your Storyteller will bring the game and everything needed to create the Deception Games Perth experience, as well as set everything up and pack it away afterwards.

Can we play at home?
Absolutely. As long as there is enough space for everyone to comfortably sit in a circle and for your Storyteller to run the game, your home can become Ravenswood Bluff for the night. We'll arrange a site inspection before confirming the booking to make sure the space is suitable and the game can be set up and run safely.

Can you run the game outdoors?
Potentially. Outdoor games are dependent on suitable weather conditions and the location. If rain or unsafe weather is expected, we'll need access to suitable shelter or an alternative indoor area. If neither is available, the game may need to be postponed or cancelled.

What happens if someone dies early?
Death isn't the end in Ravenswood Bluff!

Dead players remain fully involved in the game. You'll still wake when required during the night, take part in conversations during the day, share information, bluff, accuse and help your team uncover the truth.

There are only two major differences: once dead, you can no longer nominate another player for execution, and you have just one vote remaining for the rest of the game — your Ghost Vote.

Use it wisely. Dead or alive, you still win or lose alongside your team.

What age is Blood on the Clocktower suitable for?
Blood on the Clocktower is recommended for players aged 14 and over. Younger players may be able to participate depending on the group and their familiarity with social deduction games.

What happens if our player numbers change?
That's usually no problem at all. Blood on the Clocktower is extremely flexible, so we can adjust the game to accommodate changes in player numbers.

If your final player count moves your booking into a different package, we'll work with you to find the best option. Depending on the circumstances, this could mean adjusting your booking, adding another game where time permits, or refunding the applicable difference.

Frequently Asked Questions

Blood on the Clocktower

Do we need to know how to play?
Not at all! No previous experience is needed. Your friendly Narrator will explain the rules, introduce the roles and guide everyone through each day and night.

We teach the rules. You just need to work out which of your friends are lying.

How many people can play?
Werewolf can be played with very large groups, but at Deception Games Perth we cap our games at 30 players.

We've chosen this limit to keep everyone involved, give players plenty of opportunity to accuse and defend themselves, and make sure games comfortably fit within your booked session.

Thirty players. A few Werewolves. A lot of suspicious friends.

How long does a game take?
Every village is different! The length of a game depends on the number of players and how quickly the village can uncover the Werewolves.

For a larger group, you can generally expect a game to take around one hour. Smaller games may finish considerably faster, allowing you to squeeze more games into your session.

Your booking is based on time rather than a set number of games, so we'll play as many complete games as your session allows.

What happens when I'm eliminated?
Unfortunately, when the village decides your time is up... you're out!

Once eliminated, you can no longer participate in the current game. But don't go revealing everyone's secrets — you can watch the chaos unfold and see whether the village manages to uncover the remaining Werewolves.

And with multiple games possible during your session, your next chance for revenge may not be far away.

Can we play at home?
Absolutely. As long as there is enough space for everyone to comfortably gather and for your Narrator to run the game, your home can become the village for the night.

We'll arrange a site inspection before confirming the booking to make sure the space is suitable and the game can be set up and run safely.

Can you run the game outdoors?
Potentially. Outdoor games depend on suitable weather conditions and the location.

If rain or unsafe weather is expected, we'll need access to suitable shelter or an alternative indoor area. If neither is available, the game may need to be postponed or cancelled.

What happens if our player numbers change?
No problem! As long as your group remains within our 30-player maximum, we'll adjust the roles and game setup to suit the number of people who arrive.

Whether there are 7 of you or 30, your Narrator will balance the village to give your group the best possible game.

Werewolf

Do we need to dress up?
Dressing up isn’t required, but it is definitely encouraged! Getting into costume is part of the fun and helps bring the characters, setting and atmosphere of the evening to life. Whether you go all-out Victorian or simply add a few touches to suit your character is entirely up to you.

Do we need acting experience?
Not at all. No acting experience is required to take part. You’ll receive everything you need to understand your character, and how far you choose to take the performance is completely up to you. Play it straight, embrace the drama or invent a questionable accent — just have fun with it.

How many people can play?
Murder Is on the Menu is designed for 6–20 players. The story and characters are adjusted to suit the size of your group, so everyone has a role to play in the mystery.

How long does the experience take?
Allow approximately 3–4 hours for the full evening.

The night begins with around 30 minutes to meet, mingle and settle into character before taking your seats for entrée. Each course forms a new chapter of the mystery, with approximately 30–45 minutes of gameplay between courses.

After dessert, allow around 30 minutes for final accusations, revelations and the truth to finally come out.

Do you provide the food?
No. Deception Games Perth provides the murder — dinner is up to you!

We’ll provide a suggested menu that you can use as inspiration to complement the theme of the evening. You’re welcome to prepare the meal yourself, but we recommend considering a catering service so the host can relax, stay in character and enjoy the mystery alongside everyone else.

Can dietary requirements be accommodated?
As Deception Games Perth does not provide catering, dietary requirements will need to be discussed with whoever is preparing or supplying your meal.

If you're using our suggested menu, you're welcome to adapt it to suit your guests' dietary needs.

Can we play at home?
Absolutely. A home can make a fantastic setting for Murder Is on the Menu, provided there is enough space to comfortably seat everyone for dinner and run the mystery safely.

For home bookings, Deception Games Perth may arrange a site inspection before confirming the event to make sure the space is suitable for the game.

Can we play at a restaurant or function venue?
Yes. Restaurants, private dining rooms and function venues can all work well.

You’ll need to confirm with the venue that they're happy for a hosted murder mystery to take place and that we’ll have enough time and space to run the experience without interfering with other guests or venue operations.

Do guests receive their characters beforehand?
Yes — and the mystery starts before they even arrive.

Approximately two weeks before your event, Deception Games Perth will send each guest their character invitation. This gives everyone time to learn a little about their character, organise a costume and perhaps start some suspicious banter with the other guests before the big night.

Just remember: some information is better kept to yourself.

What happens if someone cancels at the last minute?
Because every character has a part to play, we strongly recommend inviting guests you expect will be able to attend.

We understand that sometimes things happen. If someone has to pull out unexpectedly, Deception Games Perth will adapt the evening wherever possible so the remaining guests can still enjoy the mystery.

Can we add or remove players?
Yes, you can adjust your final player count up until two weeks before the event, provided the group remains between 6 and 20 players.

Once character invitations have been prepared and sent, the player list is locked so we can make sure the story, characters and clues all work together correctly.

Murder is on the Menu

Can we play at home?
Absolutely. We'll arrange a site inspection before confirming the booking to make sure the space is suitable and the game can be set up and run safely.

Can you run the game outdoors?
Potentially. Outdoor games are dependent on suitable weather conditions and the location. If rain or unsafe weather is expected, we'll need access to suitable shelter or an alternative indoor area. If neither is available, the game may need to be postponed or cancelled.

Can alcohol be involved?
Yes, guests are welcome to consume alcohol responsibly during the event. However, the person making the booking is responsible for the behaviour and wellbeing of their guests.

Deception Games Perth does not provide or serve alcohol or catering, and we reserve the right to pause or end an event if intoxication, behaviour or any other circumstance creates a safety concern for players, guests or your Storyteller.

What areas of Perth do you travel to?
We currently service locations within approximately one hour's travel from Balcatta. If you're unsure whether your venue falls within our service area, get in touch and we'll be happy to check.

How do I secure my booking?
A $100 deposit is required to secure your date and time. Your booking is not confirmed until the deposit has been received.
The deposit forms part of your total booking price, with the remaining balance due 14 days before your event.
Bookings made within 14 days of the event will need to be paid in full when the booking is confirmed.

What happens if I need to cancel?
We understand that sometimes plans change. Our cancellation policy is based on how much notice we're given:

More than 14 days before your event: Full refund, including your deposit.
7–14 days before your event: Your $100 booking deposit will be retained, with any remaining amount paid refunded.
Less than 7 days before your event: Unfortunately, no refund can be provided.

This allows us to keep dates exclusively reserved for confirmed bookings while still providing as much flexibility as possible when plans change.

Can I reschedule my booking?
Absolutely. If you need to move your event to another date, we'll do our best to find another available time that works for you.
With 7 days or more notice, your booking can be rescheduled at no additional charge, subject to availability.

With less than 7 days notice, a $100 rescheduling fee will be required to secure your new date and time.
Any new booking date will be subject to availability.

What happens if Deception Games Perth needs to cancel?In the unlikely event that Deception Games Perth needs to cancel your event, you'll be offered the choice of rescheduling to another available date or receiving a full refund of all amounts paid.

If circumstances outside our reasonable control make an event unsafe or impossible to run, we'll work with you to find the fairest solution, including rescheduling where possible.

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