MicroMacro: Crime City Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
• Game Setup
• Setup
  • Off we go!
• Symbols
• The Cases
• Tips
• Advanced Version
• Solved All the Cases?
• Credits

Components

• 1 City map
• 120 Case cards
• 16 Envelopes
• 1 Magnifying glass (+Sticker)

Game Setup

• Put the included sticker onto the magnifying glass.

• There are 16 different criminal cases. Each case consists of a deck of case cards. Each of these cards is marked in the top right corner with the case icon along with the card number. Sort the cards of each case into an envelope in the correct order.

If possible, try to avoid looking too closely at the cards.

Setup

Spread the city map open in a suitable place. A large table is best. You can also play on the floor or hang the city map on the wall. The following should be noted:

• All players should have a good view of the city map. The table should be in a position so that all players can move around it freely and view the map from all sides.

• Make sure to have good lighting! You will need a bright lamp or daylight. The game is often about noticing small details which is made more difficult in poor lighting!

• The entire city map should always be completely visible. It may be best to keep drinks etc. off to the side. The case cards should always be next to the map and not on top of it. Otherwise you may inadvertently cover the exact scene you are searching for.

• Again: bright light is extremely important! If it seems that the details on the map are too small and the characters are too difficult to differentiate, most often it is because it is too dark.

Off we go!

To understand the principle of the game, we recommend starting with the introductory case, "The Top Hat". You can start the case right now while reading the rules!

• Designate a player to take on the role of Lead Investigator. He or she leads the investigation and is responsible for reading the text on the cards.

• Take the deck of case cards named "The Top Hat" from its envelope and place the deck next to the map.

• The top card is always the start card of a case. It gives an overview of the crime to be solved and shows a picture of the main character. The Lead Investigator now reveals the start card and reads the text on the back aloud.

All text on cards must always be read out loud and clear, because they often contain important information! Likewise, the illustrations on cards should be looked at by all players.

• The front of the second card, now the top card of the deck, describes the first task that you must solve on a black background. The Lead Investigator now reads this task aloud without turning the card over.

• The solution to a task is always a specific scene on the city map. Now find the matching scene. If you think you have found the solution, the Lead Investigator turns the card over and checks whether the coordinates and the scene shown on the back of the card match your findings.

You can't just take a guess! You must always find a scene on the city map that confirms your solution.

• If your solution is correct, the Lead Investigator reads the text on the back of the card aloud and shows the other players the illustration.

• If your solution is wrong, the Lead Investigator immediately puts the card back without reading the card text. They tell the other players that they are incorrect and need to investigate further. Now that the Lead Investigator knows the answer, they are no longer allowed to work on solving this task (unless of course, the group is on the wrong track then they can give a little hint).

• When a card is resolved, it is put aside. A new card is now on top of the deck - this is your next task!

• Now solve all four tasks of the introductory case one after the other.

• Now you have learned how to play the game and can solve more complicated cases!

If you want to look at individual scenes in detail, use the enclosed magnifying glass!

Symbols

Clue icon: This icon found in the text of a card indicates that this is a clue that may prove useful in solving a future task in this case.

Parallel task icon: (Move this card next to the deck so that the question below can also be seen!) If you read this instruction on the front of a case card, it should be followed. You now have two tasks that you can work on simultaneously. If the same prompt appears on the next card, do the same again - sometimes three or four questions may be visible at the same time.

The Cases

We recommend playing the first five cases in the order listed if you are new to the game. The stars give an approximation of the difficulty and duration of the game.

• The Top Hat (Introductory Case)
• The Car Accident
• The Bank Heist
• Leo Moustache
• Dead Cat
• Sweet and Sour
• Death from Above
• Disappeared Without a Trace
• Big Betty
• Hairy Tales
• Dangerous Hobby
• Love Song
• Nature Kills
• The Masked Avenger
• The Sunday Stroll
• Carnival

If you do well in the investigations, then try your hand at the advanced version (see below)!

Tips

• It can help to mark relevant scenes with coins, bottle caps, etc.

• As with all cooperative games: It can be very easy for some players to take charge and dominate discussion so be sure to allow everyone equal opportunity to get involved and participate in the investigation.

Advanced Version

If you have already played a few cases and are doing well, then we recommend the following variant: You look for the case cards of a case and read the start card. Now you try to solve the entire case WITHOUT using the case cards.

The solution texts and follow-up question cards often act as hints so without using them, the game becomes significantly more difficult. Only once you think you have seen everything; you can answer all the questions in the sequence in one try.

If you get stuck at one point or are unsure, you can uncover the questions that have been solved so far and perhaps get a hint or discover a mistake in your theory.

Solved All the Cases?

We recommend hanging the city map on the wall in your home as a poster. When you have guests visiting, you can play a quick case with them.

If you have a little patience and recommend our game to others, then we're sure more cases and new cities will be released soon!

Until then, you can pass the time by finding and solving a few additional puzzles that are hidden in the city, for example:

• Why is a man being pushed into the water on the riverside?

• A baby was reported to be missing. What happened to the baby?

• At the café in the south, a man reports to the police that his handbag was stolen. Where is it?

The answers to these questions and other hidden puzzles can be found on the website: www.micromacro-game.com

Credits

• Distribution: Pegasus Spiele GmbH, Am Straßbach 3, 61169 Friedberg, Germany
• Publication: Edition Spielwiese © 2020, Simon-Dach-Straße 21, 10245 Berlin, Germany
• Game Design, Artwork & Layout: HARD BOILED Games — Johannes Sich, Daniel Goll, Tobias Jochinke