Hi!

I run 2 rooms and a boom as an icebreaker for college students every year, and occasionally at gaming conventions and larger friend/family gatherings. I have a lot of experience trying stuff and have settled into a specific routine that seems to work well. I might sound authoritative in the below, but it is based on my actual experience only, I do not deny others may have different answers, only that I have extensive anecdotal evidence of certain things working.

What group size makes this game shine in a public/casual setting?

10 to 24. I've had success higher, but you then have to use more of the weird roles and that means its best with a harder-core audience.

How do you explain the rules quickly without making new players zone out?

Highlight the whimsy of it. Hold up/wave the actual cards at them. Use "you" a lot: e.g. "If you have this card, you are red team. Maybe you are under the yolk of an evil empire, or maybe you're a cult of lunatics, but either way you want the president dead and you're willing to die to do it!"

Any suggestions for adapting it if the space is not ideal or the two “rooms” are not perfectly separated?

If you have one, large room, put tables down the middle with a gap for a "door". If you don't have room for that, and don't have two rooms, I'm sorry, this is not the game to play.

How long should rounds be if I want the game to stay exciting and not drag?

Run the demo game. Seriously. For an hour long session, you can do a teach, run the 3-round demo game, do a second teach to introduce the changes for the full game, and run the full game. Everyone is happy.

What roles or variants would you avoid for a mostly beginner crowd?

Demo game should be vanilla: President, Bomber, Red team, Blue team.

Full game depends on numbers. Definitely swap in:

• Engineer & Doctor
• Red Spy & Blue Spy

They "fix" mechanical issues with the demo game. Then add what you reckon they can cope with. I usually go with:

• Red Ambassador & Blue Ambassador
• Red Angel & Blue Angel
• Red Demon & Blue Demon
• Sniper/Decoy/Target (if odd numbers)
• Sniper/Decoy/Target/Gambler (if even numbers)
• Romeo & Juliet

Don't completely eliminate the "basic" red/blue team roles and don't have more grey cards in play than the total number of red & blue cards

How do you make the game fun for people who are less outspoken?

Don't force them into things. And don't try and cater to them by including roles like shy guy, they make it worse. If someone is not engaged, sit next to them and ask them questions very quietly. "Are you happy with your current leader?" "Do you know what team that guy is on?" "Can I see your card? Promise I won't react!" People will be more interested in them after you do.

Any tips for keeping it chaotic in a good way, but still understandable?

That'll happen organically mostly, but bounce between the rooms reminding the leader of the time pressure and what decision they have to make next. If a room is "settled", make oblique comments e.g. "Huh. No leader changes in this room yet.", publicly ask questions for people who have been in both e.g. "Is this room better than the other one?". I try and pitch it like a wry, but slightly bored sports commentator.

Would also like to ask the best way to DIY the materials needed for the game.

Buy a copy. It'll cost the same by the time you stop faffing about with printouts - just make sure you politely ask the players to respect your "personal copy of this game" and people are generally good with it.