Codenames Pictures Beginners Guide Tutorial

Codenames Pictures Beginners Guide Tutorial

Hey there! Welcome to the Codenames Pictures Beginners Guide. I’m here to help you understand the game and get started on your secret agent journey.

In this thrilling game, there are two spymasters who know the location of all the agents, innocent bystanders, and even an assassin on a map. It’s exciting, isn’t it? The goal is for each spymaster to communicate the locations of their own team’s agents to their field operatives, so they can have clandestine meetings and successfully complete their missions!

Now, how do they do this? Well, each spymaster sends a secret message to their field operatives. It’s like a code. The field operatives need to decode the message correctly to find the agents. But be careful! If they make a mistake, they might end up being ambushed by an opposition agent or worse, the assassin!

Getting Started

So, you want to know how to set up your own video game streaming channel? Well, you’ve come to the right place! I’ve got you covered with all the information you need to get started.

Equipment

Camera: First things first, you’re going to need a camera. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy – just a simple webcam will do. This will allow your viewers to see your face as you play games and interact with them.

Microphone: Next up, you’ll need a good quality microphone. Clear audio is essential for a successful streaming channel, so invest in a decent microphone to ensure your voice comes through loud and clear.

Computer: Of course, you’ll also need a reliable computer to handle the demands of streaming. Make sure it has a fast processor, plenty of RAM, and a good graphics card to ensure smooth gameplay and streaming.

Software

Streaming Platform: When it comes to streaming your gameplay, you’ll need a reliable streaming platform. There are many options to choose from, including Twitch and YouTube Gaming. Do some research to find the platform that best suits your needs.

Broadcasting Software: In addition to a streaming platform, you’ll need broadcasting software. This software allows you to capture your gameplay and audio, and stream it to your chosen platform. Popular options include OBS (Open Broadcaster Software) and XSplit.

Preparation

Internet Connection: Before you start streaming, make sure you have a stable and fast internet connection. Streaming requires a lot of bandwidth, so a slow connection could result in laggy or pixelated video. Consider upgrading your internet plan if necessary.

Channel Branding: It’s also a good idea to establish a consistent branding for your channel. Choose a catchy channel name, create a logo or banner, and design overlays for your stream. This will help you stand out and establish a unique identity.

Go Live!

With all the preparations out of the way, it’s time to go live! Start by promoting your channel on social media and gaming forums to attract viewers. Interact with your audience, respond to their comments, and make them feel like an important part of your community. With consistency, passion, and a bit of luck, you’ll soon have a thriving video game streaming channel!

• Let’s split the players into two equal teams, Red and Blue. We need at least 4 players to play Codenames: Pictures (also Variant Rules for 2P and 3P).
• Each team needs to choose a Spymaster. The Spymasters sit together at the head of the table, while the rest of their team sits across from them.
• We have to shuffle the Picture Cards. Then, we place 20 Picture Cards in a 5×4 grid, facing the Field Operatives. This grid is called the Map. Each picture represents a location where an Agent could be found. Make sure the little arrows on the cards point towards the top left corners from the Field Operatives’ perspective, if the pictures are placed correctly.

When I play the game called Codenames, there are a few important steps that I need to take into account. First, one of the Spymasters shuffles the Key Deck and draws a card. This card, known as the Key Card, shows the positions of the red and blue Agents, as well as the Assassin and Innocent Bystanders on the game map.

To determine which team starts, the Key Card has lights on the side that indicate either the red or blue team. The team that goes first will have to guess an extra Agent.

Next, the Red and Blue Spymasters each prepare their piles of 7 Agents in their respective colors. The Spymaster of the team going first takes the Double Agent Tile and adds it to their pile. This tile represents the extra Agent they must guess.

Both Spymasters then place the stack of 4 Innocent Bystanders and the 1 Assassin between themselves.

By following these steps, the game can begin, with each team trying to guess the positions of their Agents correctly while avoiding the Assassin. So, are you ready to play?

The Exciting Game of Spies

Hey there! Let me tell you all about this awesome game called Spies. Trust me, you’re gonna love it!

How to Play

Alright, let’s dive right into the game play. First things first, we have two teams – the good guys, known as the Spies, and the bad guys called the Assassins. It’s the Spies against the Assassins, and the ultimate goal is to find all the Spies without touching the Assassins. Sounds thrilling, right?

So, each team has a Spymaster who takes turns giving clues to their fellow teammates, known as Field Operatives. The Spymaster gives a single word clue that represents the location of their Agents on a map. The Operatives then have to guess where the Agents are hiding. Exciting, isn’t it? The game continues until one team finds all their Agents or someone accidentally stumbles upon the Assassin’s space and loses. Yikes!

Your Team’s Turn

Alright, now it’s time to talk about your team’s turn. As the Spymaster, you get to give a clue to your Operatives. You start by saying a single word that connects a bunch of location pictures that have your Agents. Then, you follow it up with a number. This number represents how many locations the clue applies to. Easy, right?

Now, here’s a pro tip for you – as the Spymaster, you want to be clever and only give clues for locations that have your own Agents. It’s all about strategy, my friend!

Alright, now that you know the basics, it’s time to gather your team, put on your spy hats, and get ready for an exciting game of Spies. Good luck, Agent!

Imagine you’re the Spymaster, and your goal is to give a Clue that will lead your team to victory. You want to choose a Clue that covers as many locations as possible, but also one that will help your team identify the right ones!

Here are the rules for valid Clues:

• Your Clue must consist of a single word. No multiple words, abbreviations, or compound words allowed. However, your group can agree to relax this rule if everyone is on board.
• You’re allowed to use word-play. For example, you can choose a word with multiple meanings. But remember, your team can only guess one meaning!
• If needed, you can spell out your Clue word to clarify when there are two words with different meanings that sound the same.
• If your team asks you to, you must spell out your Clue word.
• Your Clue must pertain to the picture on the location card, not to where the card is located in the grid.
• When giving a clue, you can’t use words that are related to the letters in the picture’s name or its color.
• You can’t sing, use funny accents, or give clues in foreign languages (unless your group agrees to it).
• Your group can make additional rules about describing the pictures if they want.

Expert Clues

If you use the word “unlimited” after your clue, your team can make unlimited guesses without knowing how many items are related to that clue or the ones they missed in previous turns. However, they still have to follow the other rules of guessing.

Zero – You get to use the number 0 as a Clue to indicate that none of your Agents are related to it. It works the same way as “unlimited,” allowing your team to make as many guesses as they want, as long as they keep guessing correctly.

Once you receive the Clue, you and your team of Field Operatives discuss among yourselves what you think the Clue means. You try to figure out which locations it refers to. Remember, the Spymaster can’t say anything or show any expressions to indicate if you’re right or wrong. When you’re ready to make an official guess, just tap on the picture that you believe matches the Clue.

The Spymaster then uses the Key Card to determine the outcome of your guess:

• When I touch a space with an Agent of my team’s color, my Spymaster will put an Agent tile on that space. I can keep guessing locations based on the original Clue.
• If I touch a space that has an Innocent Bystander, my Spymaster will put an Innocent Bystander tile on that space. That ends my turn.
• If I touch a space with an Agent of the opposing team’s color, my Spymaster will put an Agent tile of their color on that space. That ends my turn and helps the other team!
• If I touch a space with the Assassin, my Spymaster will put an Assassin tile on that space. The game immediately ends and my team loses!

Turn Over

Every turn is made up of only one Clue and a string of guesses. When my team guesses correctly (a member of our team), we can keep on guessing until:

• If you make a wrong guess (like revealing an opposing Agent, an Innocent Bystander, or the Assassin), you lose your turn.
• If you’re not confident in your guesses anymore, you can choose to stop guessing.
• If you’ve made (N + 1) guesses, where N is the number given in the Clue, you can make one final catch-up guess to try and get back on track.

End of the Game

The game ends when one team finds all its Agents. But you need to be careful because if you reveal the wrong Agent, the other team might win by accident.

The game can also end if you reveal the Assassin.

Preparation for the next game: Each team needs a new Spymaster. Flip all the picture cards to the back. Get a new Key Card and you’re ready to play again!

Variant Rules

Assassin Ending

Just like in a game of Pool, teams aim to find all their Agents and then locate the Assassin. Play the game normally, but with a twist – the team must find the Assassin last, after they’ve found all their Agents. If an agent guesses the assassin and their team still has pictures left to guess, it becomes a thrilling “sudden death” situation.

Your team won’t receive any more clues. You’ll keep guessing, trying to uncover all the remaining pictures. You can make as many guesses as you need, regardless of the number suggested by the spymaster’s clue. If you successfully guess all the remaining pictures, you win! However, be cautious – any incorrect guess (of an Innocent Bystander or an opponent’s Agent) ends your turn and leads to defeat.

2 Players or “Non-confrontational” Game

If you’re playing Codenames with only two players or a big group that doesn’t want a competitive atmosphere, here’s a variation for you. The setup is the same as usual, but there will only be one Spymaster (everyone else is a Field Operative), and you’ll be playing against a “dummy” team. Choose a key card that designates the starting team’s color.

Play the game like you normally would, making sure to avoid revealing opposition Agents, innocent bystanders, and the assassin. The Spymaster will act as the opposing team by adding one of their Agents to the board each time it would be their turn. If the dummy team reveals all of their Agents before you do, you lose. If your team reveals the assassins, you lose. However, if you manage to reveal all of your Agents first, you’ll score points based on the number of cards that are still left in the dummy team’s stack. You can check your rating in the rulebook!

Game with Three Players

Let’s talk about playing Codenames Duet, a fun twist on the original game. When you’re setting up, everything stays pretty much the same, except for one important change: there’s only one field operative, who works for both Spymasters. So, you have to do a good job for both of them, which adds an extra challenge to the game.

Mixing with Codenames base game

If you want to mix things up even more, you can combine Codenames: Pictures with the original Codenames game. You have two options here. You can use a 5×4 grid and include the Agent Cards and Key Cards from the Pictures edition. Or, you can go for a 5×5 grid and include the Agent Cards and Key Cards from the original game. And if you’re feeling really adventurous, you can mix words and pictures together for even more fun!