The Shining: Escape from the Overlook Hotel
The Shining: Escape from the Overlook Hotel Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Contents
4 Journals, 4 Room Tiles, 44 Clue Cards, 2 Character Standees, 11 Secret Envelopes, 1 Hotel Guest Guide
Setup
- Hand out the Journals between as many different players as possible so that more people can participate in looking up results.
- Place the stack of Room Tiles face-down.
- Place the deck of Clue Cards face-down in numerical order next to the Room Tiles.
- Place the Character Standees for Wendy and Danny and the Secret Envelopes off to the side.
Setup diagram notes: (1) Share Journals and participation among all players. Even mix up who reads what as the anticipation progresses. Allow enough space for the hotel and clues to be revealed as the mystery unfolds. (2 & 3) Do not shuffle or look at the front side! (4) Standees ready, envelopes sealed.
How to Play
Mapping the Overlook Hotel
- Throughout the game you will be placing Room Tiles on the table that represent areas of the Overlook Hotel. As you explore the hotel, you'll add more rooms to the Overlook. Each Room Tile can only fit in one specific location. You will always be told which tile to place and where to place it in relation to cards you have already discovered. The colored doorways will help you connect the rooms correctly.
- As you progress through the game, you may gain or lose access to characters. Like the Room Tiles, you will be instructed where to place characters as you locate them. You can move any character into any room that they can access through unlocked doors. It is important to cooperate to complete this game - no individual player has total control of any specific character. For example, any player at the table can control Wendy, and her actions should be determined by the group reaching an agreement.
Using the Characters
Each character has 2 unique abilities:
- Wendy: LOOK (1) and USE (2)
- Danny: LOOK (3) and SHINE (4)
To find clues and put abilities to use, slide an available Character Standee so that the look or shine ability number on the base of the standee is lined up at the beginning of a number on a Room Tile or Clue Card. This will create a 4-digit code that you will use to look up a clue in the respective Journal.
Example: One of Wendy's abilities is to LOOK, so to look at the items on the kitchen counter, place Wendy's Character Standee, notated with a 1, next to the black box on the kitchen counter, which reads 101. Put those 4 digits together and look up entry 1101 in the respective Journal, where you will find more information about the items.
Have the characters interact with anything and everything! You will not be penalized for looking, using or shining unless you are solving a puzzle.
USE works slightly differently. You will never USE a 3-digit number that already exists.
To USE you must always combine two items together. One item must have a 1-digit code on it and the other must have a 2-digit code on it. You will put them both together to create a 3-digit number. The easiest way to create the 3-digit number is to think about using X (1-digit) with or on Y (2-digits). Once you've combined the two items, put the number associated with USE (2) in front of the 3-digit code you just created and look up the entry in the respective Journal.
Example: Wendy wants to use a hammer, which has an 8 on it, to break open the Key Return box that has the number 53 on it. She combines the two together to make the 3-digit number 853 and then places the 2 in front of it to make the code 2853. Remember that the USE number (2) must always be the first number in any code.
Solving Puzzles
All puzzles in this game can be solved without knowledge from outside the game.
When you solve a puzzle, you may be asked to remove or reveal Clue Cards, add Room Tiles, and open Secret Envelopes. Please follow the directions carefully!
There may be times when you're asked to reveal or remove cards that you've already revealed or removed. You may even be asked to remove a card that you've never even seen. This is okay! It means you've solved the puzzle quicker - you're just that amazing!
Sidebar: "Use our diary to tell you the order ... Alexa with a grin." • Flip over 1 Jack Card. Carefully follow directives!
Hints
To use a hint, use the chart on page 8 of this guide and find the room you are stuck in. Then look up the code in the respective Journal. Tony will point you in the right direction and the Grady girls are dying to help you! Use the hints in order to avoid spoiling future puzzles. Note that there may be penalties (see below) to use some of the hints.
Hints are used in order. If you already know the information in a hint, you do not need to flip a penalty card. See the Hints Chart below.
Unscripted Endings
It is possible in this game for the story to end before it should have. This does not mean the game is over. When you are attempting to solve a puzzle (such as opening a locked door) and you enter the wrong code, the Journal will instruct you to mark a box on the Unscripted Endings track on this Hotel Guest Guide (page 8). This will affect your score at the end of the game (see End Game Score).
Once you have marked the track, go back to the last decision you made and make a different one!
Unscripted endings and scoring are the way to measure your success in completing this Coded Chronicles adventure, so you do not need a timer. However, to help plan your experience, each act takes approximately 90 minutes to complete.
You Are Now Ready to Start Your Adventure!
Turn to Entry 1000 in the Wendy's Journal and read the entry aloud to all the players.
End Game Score
Once you have completed the game, use the chart below to measure your achievement level.
| Number of Unscripted Endings | Achievement Level |
|---|---|
| 0 | One With The Shining - King and Kubrick would be proud! |
| 1-2 | Mental Master - Treat yourself to a drink in the Gold Room! |
| 3-5 | Psychic Survivor - You seem destined to be mediocre forever...and ever… and ever... |
| 6-8 | Faded Friend - You need to listen to that little person that lives in your mouth. |
| 9+ | Dull Boy - Maybe you should have worked more and played less. |
Chapter Break
The Shining: Escape from the Overlook Hotel can play out in two acts. You may choose to play the game in one sitting and escape the hotel with Wendy and Danny. If you prefer to pause and return to the game in another sitting, there will be direction at the end of Act 1 on how to pack it up and play Act 2 at a later time.
Hints Chart
Use the hints in order. If you already know the information in a hint, you do not need to flip a penalty card.
| Room | Hint 1 | Hint 2 | Hint 3 | Hint 4 | Solution |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Danny's Room Puzzle 1 | 1150 | 1450 | 5350 | ||
| Danny's Room Puzzle 2 | 2250 | 2550 | 2950 | 6650 | |
| Switchboard Room Puzzle 1 | 2350 | 3750 | 4050 | 8250 | |
| Switchboard Room Puzzle 2 | 3950 | 4250 | 4650 | 6950 |
Unscripted Endings Track
The Unscripted Endings track is printed on this Hotel Guest Guide (page 8): two rows of boxes, to be marked as instructed by the Journal.
Note: While the game can be reset to be enjoyed with a different group, the story - like the movie version of The Shining - remains the same! For repacking instructions, visit TheOp.games.