Noises at Night
Noises at Night Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Objective of the Game
To have the most points at the end of the game.
How to Score Points
There are three ways to score points. One way to score is by placing clues with your character's symbol in any room. Two, score points by placing cards in a room where your character is located. Finally, guessing another player's identity in the guessing phase will score you points instantly. More details on the next page.
What Does a Player Turn Look Like?
Turn rules are simple. Play two of your four clue cards into a location of your choice. Then draw back up to four.
Overview of Game
In this game, each player will receive a secret identity which will have a custom scoring symbol. Players will compete by carefully laying down clues for community points. In the guessing phase, players can earn even more points if they can correctly guess the identity of another player. On your turn you may play two cards, in any location. Playing cards face up are good for scoring straight points and some even have abilities. Face down cards are good at hiding your identity. But keep in mind, face down cards do not flip over at the end of the game.
Symbol Scoring
In the clue phase, place two of your clue cards, one at a time, face up or face down in ANY location to score 1 point per symbol that is associated with your character. Face down cards don't score symbol points. The symbols on the clue cards match certain characters, so it doesn't matter which location you place your clues in, symbols score anywhere. Symbols also act as community points. Meaning that another player may have the same symbol and can benefit from your clue cards. These symbols will be scored at the end of the game.
Location Scoring
In the clue phase, any cards placed in your character's location, will score 1 point per card. So if your character was in the kitchen, and at the end of the game, there are 10 cards in that location, you score 10 points. Note that after playing cards in a location, you will trigger a room effect. Some room effects require both of your cards to trigger the effect which is indicated by this symbol (a card icon). Also note that if you play a clue card with an effect, the card effect resolves first. In this game, a location is the same as a room.
Guessing
The guessing phase starts at the end of each round. A round means that every player has had one turn. The player with the first player token may then guess another player for points. The amount of points that can be earned is the same amount that is on the timer. Incorrect guessess will have a drawback, the player you are guessing will get the points instead. Therefore, players can choose to not guess. Once every player has had a chance to guess once, pass the first player token to the next person (counter clockwise), reduce the timer by one, and draw an event card. Event cards give a short story, and affect all the players. So read it out loud and follow what it says.
Setting Up
Components: 1 Identity cards, 2 Location cards, 3 Player tokens, 4 Example setup, 5 Clue cards, 6 Event cards, 7 Starting hand, 8 Reference sheet, 9 Timer card, 10 Timer handle, 11 First player token, 12 Victory points.
- Find all the identity cards. Shuffle and deal each player a random identity. Players can look at their own identity, but can't show other players.
- On your identity card you should be able to see your scoring symbol, which you will keep secret from others.
- Find the location cards. Layout the bathroom and randomly choose four more location cards.
- Find the player tokens and place two player tokens randomly in each location except the bathroom. Players with the same symbol cannot be in the same room, if this occurs, swap them out with another player.
- Shuffle the clue cards, and put them aside in a pile.
- Shuffle the event cards and set them aside in a different pile.
- Deal each player a starting hand of 4 clue cards from the shuffled clue deck, and 1 victory point.
- Deal each player a reference sheet.
- Find the timer card and put the timer handle on top of the timer card. Set the timer to 7 for 2 players, 6 for 3 players and 5 for 4 players.
- Decide who goes first. And give that player the first player token.
Phases
Clue Phase
Players will take turns to place down two clue cards, one by one, in different, or the same, location. Players may also place their clues face up or face down in any configuration you want. At the end of your turn, draw back up to four cards. Note: when playing a clue card with an ability, the card ability triggers first, then the room effect.
Guessing Phase
At the end of each round, when all players has had a turn, the player with the first player token will choose to guess another players identity or pass. Then, in the same round, other players will also get a chance to guess or pass. You must reveal your identity if the accusation is correct, (Note: you are not eliminated from the game). Correct guesses, will instantly score the number of points on the timer. Incorrect guesses have a penalty; the player who was wrongfully accused will get the points shown on the timer. Once all players has had a turn, move the timer down by one, pass the first player token counter clockwise, and flip over an event card. If any of this instruction sounds confusing, please refer to back of the reference card.
Flow of the Game
Deal a random identity card to each player. Each player will then get to look at their own identity but will not show other players. Find the timer card, and set the timer to the correct time based on the number of players (see setup). Find the location cards, and place down the locations. Next, find the character tokens, place down character tokens on top of each location. Two random characters are placed in each location except the bathroom.
Deal each player four clue cards, and decide who goes first. Give the starting player the first player token. There are two phases in this game. Players begin phase one, the clue phase. In this phase, players take turns putting down two of their four clue cards, face up or face down, in any side of the room they are placing it in. Depending on the card you played, you may trigger a card ability, a room abilitiy, or perhaps both. After every player has had their turn, the round ends. Phase 2 then occurs, the guessing phase. The player with the first player token will have a choice to guess another player or pass.
If any player guesses correctly, they will obtain points equivalent to the current number shown on the timer. If the guess was wrong, the player they guessed will get those points instead. After every player has went, reduce the timer by one and draw an event card for everyone to listen to. The event card will affect all players, and may also contain a small story. Finally, pass the first player token counter clockwise and begin the clue phase again. Repeat the clue phase and the guessing phase, until the timer reaches 0.
FAQ
Do I score the face down card's symbol points at the end of the game? Only face up cards get their symbol points scored.
Can you guess on yourself? Don't even think about it! You can't.
Do my symbols have to be in my location to score? No, symbols gets scored in any location they are placed.
Does placing down an action card count as one of the two clue cards you play? Yes. An action card is essentially a clue card.
Do cards instantly activate when you move them or when they get flipped? Action cards only take effect when you initially play them from your hand.
What happens if I only have three cards do I still draw two cards at the end of my turn? You only draw one card, players draw back up to four at the end of their turn.
Do I discard extra cards if I have more than four cards by the end of my turn? No, you keep those cards.
Do I draw cards if I have more than four cards? No, you draw back up only if you have less than four.
What happens if you get the guess wrong? The player you attempted to guess will get the points equivalent to the number on the timer.
We tied at the end? Who wins? The winner is the one with the most symbols in their location.
Are event cards permanent? Event cards are temporary, and every time a round ends a new event card replaces the existing event card.
When does the game end? When the timer reaches 0.
My identity got revealed am I out of the game? No, the objective of the game is to score victory points.
Where is the discard pile? If not specified on the card, discards go to the bottom of the clue deck.
Which takes priorty when an action card is played in a room? The action card resolves first, then the room effect.
We ran out of clue cards in the clue pile, what now? You play the rest of your hand. Keep in mind that you dont draw more clue cards if you have four or more cards. Also there is no discard pile, you always discard to the bottom of the clue deck.
How does the coin card work? The coin card will double only the clue card above it. The coin card does not multiply the entire row.
Do abilities happen when an action card is revealed or moved? Abilities only happen when you initially play the card out of your hand.
Does an event happen before the game starts? No, a new event only gets revealed at the end of each round.
Why are there no characters in the bathroom? Everyone goes to the bathroom, so no one is stationed there.
What is a mystery object? A clue card with a header that contains the word mystery.
Why do some of the rooms have this symbol? (a card icon) This means you must play both your cards in that room to trigger the room effect.