“ It’s a quirky and complex puzzle.”

 In the sleepy town of Ravenswood Bluff, on the stroke of midnight during a hellish thunderstorm, you hear a scream. You all rushed to the town square to find that your beloved storyteller has been murdered! This is the work of a nefarious demon… a demon that kills by night and takes on human form by day.

Blood on the Clocktower is a game of lies and truth, team building and betrayal, and a game of secret identities. It is also, in our opinion, the best social deduction game in the world. Steven Medway, the creator of Blood on the Clocktower, joins us to talk about fine-tuning the balance of the game, the role of dead players, how the game experience changes depending on which country you’re playing in, and so much more.

What sets Blood on the Clocktower apart from other social deduction games is how well-balanced it feels as a player. Much of the information given and gathered by the “good team” works like a sort of logic puzzle, as the players piece together the truth in a variety of ways. However, the “evil team” is given many opportunities to spread misinformation, which really levels the playing field. There are also affordances made for “dead players” as well as people joining the game late or leaving early.

Steven shares insights about his design process when creating characters and mechanics for Blood on the Clocktower. He also answers questions from our listeners. I was particularly fascinated by the segment where he talks about how the gaming experience varies by country. Whether you’re a game designer interested in balancing strategy games or just a fan of Blood on the Clocktower, I highly recommend checking out this interview.

If you want to watch Peih-Gee playing Blood on the Clocktower with other Survivor contestants, check out the video below.

Thank You to Our Sponsors

We are immensely grateful to our sponsors this season: Weldwood Marketing, Buzzshot, and COGS. We truly appreciate your support of our mission to promote and improve the immersive gaming community.

Topics Discussed in this Episode

• 00:13 Sponsor Break: Cogs By Clockwork Dog, Interactive Show Controls
• 03:41 Basics of a Social Deduction Game
• 13:23 The Storyteller Role in “Blood on the Clocktower”
• 17:42 The Role of Dead Players
• 21:25 Sponsor Break: Weldwood Digital Marketing Agency
• 24:09 The Concept of Travelers
• 28:10 Questions from the Room Escape Artist Patreon Community
• 32:47 The Challenges of Designing a Software Version
• 35:53 Sponsor Break: Buzzshot, Escape Room Marketing Software
• 38:05  How the Game Experience Varies by Country
• 42:13 Unexpected Strategies Players Have Developed
• 47:33 Sponsor Break: Hive Puzzle Hunt, RECON, PG’S Playhouse
• 51:27 Designing for Luxury vs Functionality
• 54:19 Blood on the Clocktower Communities
• 59:52 What Comes Next?
• 01:03:14 Credits
• 01:06:06 Steven’s Role in Escape Rooms

Leave a Voicemail

Got a question or thought for the podcast? You can submit a voice recording by calling the Room Escape Artist not-so-hotline that always goes straight to voicemail (551-227-7273).

Resources Mentioned in this Episode

• Blood on the Clocktower Website
• Blood on the Clocktower Online App
• Peih-Gee & Survivors playing Blood on the Clocktower
  • Game 1 (with explanation of how to play)
  • Game 3

About Steven Medway

Instagram: @steven_medway, @bloodontheclocktower

Steven Medway is the game designer and art director for Blood On The Clocktower, the world’s number 1 rated social deduction game. He is also the CEO of the company, a rapscallion, and ne’er-do-well.

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