Case Study: Designing Murder at the Museum

Murder at the Museum (MaM) is an experimental audio game featuring a multi-linear crime story that turns the museum’s exhibits into witnesses and suspects. Players take on the role of a grumpy detective and help him solve a murder case: they decide which suspects they want to question by choosing a path through the museum and, ultimately, which one they want to accuse as the prime suspect. With MaM we tried to overcome a common issue of many museum games which tend to shift the visitor’s attention to the game app and away from the museum itself. Therefore, we developed the game as an audio-only experience that barely requires any screen interactions. In this case study we will discuss the design process with a special focus on the narrative design and game experience. In particular, we will show how the use of open-world games helped us deal with the unpredictable movement of players in the museum.