Playing Private Group Games - Adventures with Friends

Last updated 6 months ago

Private group games are aiga_ most intimate storytelling experience, designed for close friends, family, or small teams who want to create shared adventures together.

What Makes Private Games Special

Invitation-Only Access: Only people you specifically invite can participate, creating a controlled, familiar environment.

Full Control: As the game owner, you have complete control over who participates, voting rules, and game management.

Intimate Storytelling: With smaller groups (up to 8 players), every participant's voice matters and decision-making feels more personal.

Inviting Your Friends

Simple Email Invitations:

  1. Create your private game

  2. Access Player Management from the Game Book

  3. Enter friends' email addresses

  4. Add optional display names for easier identification

  5. System sends invitation emails automatically

Friend-Friendly Process: Invitees receive clear email invitations with direct links to join the game. If they don't have AIGA accounts, they can sign up directly through the invitation.

7-Day Expiration: Invitations expire after one week, encouraging timely responses while preventing indefinite pending invites.

No Limits on Timing: Send all invites at once or add friends gradually as your game progresses.

Voting Configuration for Friend Groups

Flexible Time Limits: Set voting periods that work for your group's schedules (5 minutes to 24 hours). Perfect for accommodating different time zones or busy schedules.

Smart Vote Limits: End voting early when enough friends have participated (1-1000 votes). Great for responsive groups who don't want to wait for time limits.

Minimum Participation: Require a minimum number of votes before progressing, ensuring important decisions have adequate group input.

Owner Fallback: Unique to private games - you can make fallback choices if no one votes within the time limit, preventing games from stalling indefinitely.

Player Management Features

Live Participant Tracking: See which friends are actively engaged and when they last participated.

Invitation Control:

  • Send new invites to additional friends

  • Cancel pending invitations that won't be accepted

  • Remove inactive participants who are no longer engaged

Role Equality: All invited friends have equal voting power and story access - no hierarchy beyond your role as game owner.

Flexible Group Size: Adjust maximum player limits based on your friend group size.

The Friends-Only Experience

Shared Investment: Because everyone knows each other, there's typically more discussion and investment in decisions outside the game platform.

Consistent Participation: Friends are more likely to stay engaged throughout longer adventures.

Personal Stakes: Decisions feel more meaningful when you know you'll be discussing them with friends later.

Trusted Environment: No concerns about unknown players making disruptive choices or abandoning the game.

Managing Friend Group Dynamics

Accommodate Schedules: Set longer time limits for busy friend groups, or shorter limits for highly active ones.

Handle Absences: Use the pause feature when key friends are unavailable, or configure owner fallback for temporary absences.

Add Late Joiners: Invite additional friends even after the adventure has started - they'll catch up on the story and join future voting.

Perfect for Friend Groups Because

Private games create the digital equivalent of sitting around a table with friends, collectively deciding the direction of an interactive story. The AI becomes your group's personal storyteller, responding to your collective choices while maintaining narrative coherence. It's collaborative entertainment that strengthens friendships through shared decision-making and experiencing consequences together.