guardianmonkey
New Member
Heyo! I've been a huge fan of Clue since I was a child, mostly due to the film. I've been toying with designing a film version of the game since one has never been produced. Over the 12 months or so in anticipation of the 35th anniversary, I've been sketching and gluing and researching and loving all of the other people that have come up with versions of their own!
I ended up using the 70's design for the cards after initially trying out the 80's look. The 80's board is near and dear to my heart but after toying with the 70's look, I thought it fit with the film better. So far, I've got custom tokens, evidence cards, envelope, game box, card box, weapons box, pencils, evidence pad, instructions, and I'm adding in action cards as well. I did a ridiculous amount of research and screenshotting and test printing, as well as taking a lot of feedback from other Clue fans. RPF user Marc's custom design was a big point of inspiration and the guys at the The Art of Murder forums ended up giving me some fantastic ideas!
The text on the back (as well as "or Mystery at Tudor Close") comes directly from the original 1949 back-of-the-box, the version of the game that I figured would be in use in 1954, the setting of the movie.
For my version, I decided to include Yvette and Wadsworth as playable characters, as they feature prominently in the film.
The pawns were taken from the end credits. I couldn't find any version with a high enough resolution to work as character cards but I think they work quite smartly as pawns. Note that Yvette is on the clear stand, which hides her fishnet stockings underneath.
These were a bit of a pain, especially Colonel Mustard! I went through many different options and landed on those glamour shots everybody took, each brandishing a different weapon. There are HQ version of *all* the characters ... except for Mustard! I sourced the images as best I could, tracking down the Starlog magazine that I remembered from childhood. And wouldn't you know it, Mustard's is still the hardest to work with!
I ended up having two sets of suspect cards printed; one with the unaltered photos and one with spot coloring of the backgrounds. Once I saw them in person, there was no question the spot color ones pop so nicely for a board game.
For the longest time, I was trying to superimpose the weapons over an image of a black gift box with purple ribbon -- just like how they were received in the movie! But I proved too weak of a designer and couldn't make it work. I compromised with myself by choosing shots of each weapon being taken out of the box, then I had a custom box (simply glossy black with a purple ribbon) printed for the weapons.
For the room cards, I simply tried to find a solid, representational image of each room but as empty as possible. I loved the what the 70's version did with the room cards (a simple texture from a wallpaper or textile in the room) and I'm been toying with my own board design. I've looked at enough stills from the film that I can pick out the damask wallpaper from the lounge!
I don't remember quite where I saw "action" cards but, once I did, I knew I needed them for my game. How better to feature all the great quotes from the movie! For my version, each player starts with 3 action cards and may play any 1 card during their turn, in lieu of moving/accusing. The player and the player on their left must recite the quotes before the action takes place.
I took the card backs from the end credits. Instead of "Parker Brothers," I replaced that with the specific murders from the movie, in order, and including each ending. "YVETTE WITH THE CANDLESTICK IN THE HALL • MISS SCARLET WITH THE WRENCH IN THE LOUNGE", etc. The blue back is for the action cards, while the red one with the thumb print (also from the credits) will be for the evidence cards.
I needed a box for the cards in and, again, tried to pull as much from the actual movie as possible. I decided on the alligator case that Mr. Boddy carries with him. Unfortunately, mine was misprinted but I've got a replacement on the way (that will hopefully be a lot less dark so you can make out the pattern!).
After reading that the original game used a black envelope, I immediately knew what to do for my version!
The evidence pad was a big head-scratcher. I played with a lot of different ideas before seeing that a particular version {Clue: Discover the Secrets (2008)} used a dinner napkin. PERFECT! Cantonese monkeys' brains can be messy, am I right? This one needs further work -- they never say "knife" in the film, only "dagger."
Thanks to Miss Scarlet and her ugly habit, I've got a unique use of writing utensils. These are prototypes, as I need better decal paper for final use, but the cigarette case is perfect.
My rules work as a trifold, being held in the manila envelope that Wadsworth opens. The letter that each of the suspects received (or at least my version thereof) acts as the "intro" panel to the whole thing. I based the rules off of the retro edition, incorporated in the tweaks of the film version and added a house rule or two. Also in the envelope but not prictured: a color-coded cover for each of the players, modeled after the invitation each suspect received.
The Art of Murder forums gave me a great idea for the die, though my custom printed version is lost somewhere in postage ...
I'll be throwing a small soirée tomorrow evening to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the film's release. I didn't get everything finished like I hoped but, hell, I think things have turned out pretty swell by this point! I've now given myself a new deadline -- five years until the 40th anniversary! By that point, I hope to have 1) refined all my cards to my complete satisfaction, 2) found the right decals for the cigarette/pencils (or have custom printed pencils), 3) tweak the box design, 4) perfected a custom board design, and 5) have a billion dollars in the bank. Keep hope alive!
I ended up using the 70's design for the cards after initially trying out the 80's look. The 80's board is near and dear to my heart but after toying with the 70's look, I thought it fit with the film better. So far, I've got custom tokens, evidence cards, envelope, game box, card box, weapons box, pencils, evidence pad, instructions, and I'm adding in action cards as well. I did a ridiculous amount of research and screenshotting and test printing, as well as taking a lot of feedback from other Clue fans. RPF user Marc's custom design was a big point of inspiration and the guys at the The Art of Murder forums ended up giving me some fantastic ideas!
The text on the back (as well as "or Mystery at Tudor Close") comes directly from the original 1949 back-of-the-box, the version of the game that I figured would be in use in 1954, the setting of the movie.
For my version, I decided to include Yvette and Wadsworth as playable characters, as they feature prominently in the film.
The pawns were taken from the end credits. I couldn't find any version with a high enough resolution to work as character cards but I think they work quite smartly as pawns. Note that Yvette is on the clear stand, which hides her fishnet stockings underneath.
These were a bit of a pain, especially Colonel Mustard! I went through many different options and landed on those glamour shots everybody took, each brandishing a different weapon. There are HQ version of *all* the characters ... except for Mustard! I sourced the images as best I could, tracking down the Starlog magazine that I remembered from childhood. And wouldn't you know it, Mustard's is still the hardest to work with!
I ended up having two sets of suspect cards printed; one with the unaltered photos and one with spot coloring of the backgrounds. Once I saw them in person, there was no question the spot color ones pop so nicely for a board game.
For the longest time, I was trying to superimpose the weapons over an image of a black gift box with purple ribbon -- just like how they were received in the movie! But I proved too weak of a designer and couldn't make it work. I compromised with myself by choosing shots of each weapon being taken out of the box, then I had a custom box (simply glossy black with a purple ribbon) printed for the weapons.
For the room cards, I simply tried to find a solid, representational image of each room but as empty as possible. I loved the what the 70's version did with the room cards (a simple texture from a wallpaper or textile in the room) and I'm been toying with my own board design. I've looked at enough stills from the film that I can pick out the damask wallpaper from the lounge!
I don't remember quite where I saw "action" cards but, once I did, I knew I needed them for my game. How better to feature all the great quotes from the movie! For my version, each player starts with 3 action cards and may play any 1 card during their turn, in lieu of moving/accusing. The player and the player on their left must recite the quotes before the action takes place.
I took the card backs from the end credits. Instead of "Parker Brothers," I replaced that with the specific murders from the movie, in order, and including each ending. "YVETTE WITH THE CANDLESTICK IN THE HALL • MISS SCARLET WITH THE WRENCH IN THE LOUNGE", etc. The blue back is for the action cards, while the red one with the thumb print (also from the credits) will be for the evidence cards.
I needed a box for the cards in and, again, tried to pull as much from the actual movie as possible. I decided on the alligator case that Mr. Boddy carries with him. Unfortunately, mine was misprinted but I've got a replacement on the way (that will hopefully be a lot less dark so you can make out the pattern!).
After reading that the original game used a black envelope, I immediately knew what to do for my version!
The evidence pad was a big head-scratcher. I played with a lot of different ideas before seeing that a particular version {Clue: Discover the Secrets (2008)} used a dinner napkin. PERFECT! Cantonese monkeys' brains can be messy, am I right? This one needs further work -- they never say "knife" in the film, only "dagger."
Thanks to Miss Scarlet and her ugly habit, I've got a unique use of writing utensils. These are prototypes, as I need better decal paper for final use, but the cigarette case is perfect.
My rules work as a trifold, being held in the manila envelope that Wadsworth opens. The letter that each of the suspects received (or at least my version thereof) acts as the "intro" panel to the whole thing. I based the rules off of the retro edition, incorporated in the tweaks of the film version and added a house rule or two. Also in the envelope but not prictured: a color-coded cover for each of the players, modeled after the invitation each suspect received.
The Art of Murder forums gave me a great idea for the die, though my custom printed version is lost somewhere in postage ...
I'll be throwing a small soirée tomorrow evening to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the film's release. I didn't get everything finished like I hoped but, hell, I think things have turned out pretty swell by this point! I've now given myself a new deadline -- five years until the 40th anniversary! By that point, I hope to have 1) refined all my cards to my complete satisfaction, 2) found the right decals for the cigarette/pencils (or have custom printed pencils), 3) tweak the box design, 4) perfected a custom board design, and 5) have a billion dollars in the bank. Keep hope alive!
