I run a weekly forum trivia game on my community, and I'm always looking for new formats. The standard Q&A format gets old after a while. What are some creative forum trivia games you've seen?
Also, I love forum riddle games but they can be tricky to run. Some riddles are too easy, some are impossible. Does anyone have experience with forum riddle games that actually engaged people?
I'm particularly interested in forum trivia games that encourage research or learning, not just random knowledge. And forum riddle games that make people think but don't frustrate them to the point of giving up.
For forum trivia games, I've found that theme weeks" work well. Like "space week" where all questions are space-related, or "history week," "animal week," etc. It gives people time to get into the theme.
Another format: "trivia tournament" with brackets. People compete head-to-head in forum vote games where others vote on who answered better. Forum trivia games with competitive elements can be really engaging.
For forum riddle games, I prefer logical puzzles over wordplay. Things like "you see a boat filled with people, yet there isn't a single person on board. How is that possible?" (Answer: All the people are married.)
Progressive trivia" is a fun forum trivia game format. I post an easy question first. The person who answers correctly gets to ask the next question (slightly harder), and so on. It keeps the thread moving and involves the community in creating content.
For forum riddle games, I like "riddle chains" where solving one riddle reveals the next. It creates a sense of progression. The riddles should get progressively harder but always solvable with logic.
Another idea: "trivia from fiction" - questions about books, movies, games that fans would know but might stump others.
Visual trivia" combines forum trivia games with forum picture games. I post a cropped or zoomed-in photo of something famous, and people guess what it is. The closer the crop, the harder it is.
Another format: "trivia research race" - I post a question that requires looking up, and the first person to post the correct answer with a credible source wins. Forum trivia games that encourage learning are the best.
For forum riddle games, I avoid ones that rely on puns or wordplay that doesn't translate well. Logical or mathematical riddles work better for international communities.
Trivia categories" works like the Jeopardy format. I post categories with point values, and people choose which question to answer. Higher point values = harder questions. It adds strategy to forum trivia games.
For forum riddle games, I like "cooperative riddles" where the riddle requires input from multiple people to solve. Like a puzzle where each person has one piece of information. Forum collaborative story games but for riddles.
Another idea: "trivia from this year in history" - questions about events that happened on this date in past years.
Beginner-friendly trivia" threads are important. I label them clearly so experts don't dominate. Questions like "name three countries in Europe" or "what's the capital of France?" seem simple but get new members participating in forum trivia games.
For forum riddle games, I sometimes do "riddle of the day" with the answer posted the next day. Gives everyone time to think. The riddles should be challenging but fair - the "aha!" moment should feel earned.
Another format: "personal trivia" where questions are about forum members themselves (with their permission). Like "What's UserX's favorite movie?"