# 🕯️ Hearthside Secrets — Design & Development Plan

## Overview

Hearthside Secrets is a modular, replayable social deduction game system built within *The Gathering Stone* addon. It allows guilds to host interactive mystery-style events inside World of Warcraft using housing-inspired layouts and role-based storytelling.

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# 🎭 Core Gameplay Loop

1. Host creates a session
2. Players join as participants
3. Each player receives:

   * A role
   * A secret
   * Clues or partial information
4. Game progresses through phases:

   * Gathering
   * Investigation
   * Accusation
   * Reveal
5. Outcome is determined and story is revealed

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# 🧱 Core Systems

## 1. Session System

* Host selects scenario
* Defines player count
* Players join session via UI

## 2. Role Assignment System

Each player is assigned:

* Character identity (optional flavor)
* Secret objective
* Knowledge/clues

## 3. Location System

* Each room represents a location node
* Players can move between locations
* Locations may contain clues or trigger events

## 4. Clue System

Types of clues:

* Public
* Private
* Conditional

## 5. Accusation System

Players can accuse:

* Another player
* A location
* (Future) items/weapons

## 6. Reveal System

* True scenario outcome displayed
* All secrets revealed
* Winners determined

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# 🎲 Scenario System (Modular)

## Example Scenario: The Missing Brew

Theme: Light / Fun

* A rare keg has gone missing before a festival
* Everyone has a motive

## Example Scenario: Murder at Moonshade Manor

Theme: Classic mystery

* Victim, location, and timeline-based clues

## Example Scenario: The Stolen Relic

Theme: Heist

* Focus on possession and deception

## Example Scenario: The Disappearing Recruit

Theme: Investigation

* Determine outcome rather than culprit

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# 🎭 Role Types

## Neutral Roles

* Solve the mystery

## Guilty Role

* Knows the truth
* Must avoid detection

## Hidden Agenda Roles

* Not guilty but hiding information

## Special Roles (Future)

* Reveal clues
* Block actions
* Manipulate information

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# 🧠 UI / UX Flow

## Host Interface

* Select scenario
* Configure session
* Start game

## Player Interface

* Join session
* View role, secrets, clues

## Phase Controls

* Investigation timer
* Actions:

  * Move
  * Share clue
  * Accuse

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# 🕯️ Flavor Text System

## Examples

Game Start:
"The fire burns low. Something is not right tonight..."

Accusation:
"A finger is pointed. The room grows tense..."

Reveal:
"The truth comes to light..."

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# 🏠 Housing / Board Design

* Each room = gameplay node
* Physical movement or UI-based selection
* Rooms contain clues or triggers

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# 🔧 Development Roadmap

## Phase 1: Foundation

* Session system
* Basic UI
* Role assignment

## Phase 2: Core Gameplay

* Clue system
* Movement system
* Accusation + reveal

## Phase 3: First Scenario

* Implement "The Missing Brew"
* Test multiplayer flow

## Phase 4: Expansion

* Add additional scenarios
* Add special roles
* Improve UI/UX

## Phase 5: Polish

* Add flavor text
* Add animations and immersion
* Optimize performance

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# 🎯 Goals

* Create a replayable social system
* Encourage guild interaction
* Support multiple game types
* Keep UI simple and intuitive

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# 🔮 Future Ideas

* Dynamic scenario generator
* Persistent player stats
* Seasonal events
* Integration with other Gathering Stone systems

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# 🏆 Summary

Hearthside Secrets is designed to be:

* Flexible
* Social-first
* Expandable
* Immersive

It serves as a flagship game mode within The Gathering Stone, turning guild downtime into interactive storytelling experiences.
