What is HTSTR?

HTSTR is designed as a flexible, easily expandable Music Game System. At its core, it is a tool to select theme-based "Decks" and draw random (Music) "Cards" from that deck. You can play the Song directly in your browser or optionally scan a QR Code that opens the Song in Spotify. The Answer, including Meta-Information about the Song is viewable on every Card page.
HTSTR has no strict rules - HTSTR is a Music Game System. Feel free to adapt, mix, or invent your own House Rules.

Feedback & Requests

If you have feedback, ideas for new Decks or Special Editions, or run into Bugs/Issues, use the Feedback/Contact form in the footer of the website. Everything helps improve HTSTR and shape future updates.

How do you play HTSTR?

Core Roles & Terms (used in all modes)

Moderator: Controls HTSTR, plays Songs, reveals Answers.
Players: Compete against each other. (Note: HTSTR was designed that the Moderator can also be an active Player at the same time).
Deck: A themed set of Cards (typically, 100+ Cards per Deck).
Card: Contains a Song and includes information about it in the Answer section.
Answer: Artist, Title, Year, Album, etc.
Round: One played Card equals one Round.

Game Controls

Deck Selection Screen - Here you can Select a Deck simply by clicking on its Artwork.
"NEW - SAME DECK" Button - Draw a random Card from the currently selected Deck.
"NEW - ALL DECKS" Button - Draw a random Card from all availabled Decks, unless they were excluded from Random selection (e. g. for specialized Discography style Decks).
"SELECT DECK" Button - Goes back to Deck Selection Screen.
"QR CODE" Button - Optional - Opens a QR code that leads to the current Song in Spotify (useful if playing with dedicated Moderator or you need to connect with other device for music playback, etc.).
"ANSWER" Button - Expands the Answer section of the Card and displays information on the Song required for scoring. Will usually at least include Artist, Title, Year, Album but also has the ability to display info on Producer, Composer, Solo-Artist? (yes/no) if this information has been included in database (for now, only in the "HTSTR of the Beast" Deck).
"DECK ARTWORK" (Clickable) - Click on the Artwork to get further information about the Deck (including info on how many Cards are in Deck, etc.).

HTSTR is intentionally flexible. You can:
- Combine multiple Game Modes.
- Adjust scoring systems.
- Use teams instead of solo players.
- Add time limits or penalties.
- Focus only on specific metadata (e.g. only Year or only Artist).

Product Recommendations

Some Game Modes might require some writing. Here are some Product Recommendations (Amazon PartnerNet Links; won't cost you more, but I'll earn a small percentage on purchases):

- Apostrophe Games Dry Erase Playing Cards
- maxtek Whiteboard Marker

Here are just some ideas you might want to try:

Game Mode 1: Classic Guess & Score

Setup:

- Choose one Deck.
- Decide number of Rounds (e.g. 10 - 20).

How it works:

1. Moderator plays a Song from a Card.
2. Players write down their guesses (Artist / Title / Year - define beforehand).
3. After the playing the Song, or when all Players are ready, the Moderator reveals the Answer.
4. Points are awarded for correct guesses.

Scoring Example:

- Correct ARTIST = 1 point
- Correct TITLE = 1 point
- Correct YEAR (Optional: with +- few years tolerance) = 1 point
- Correct ALBUM = 1 point

==> The Player with the most points wins the Game!

Game Mode 2: Timeline Challenge

Setup:

- Each Player needs a pen and small sheets of paper (or cards) to build a Timeline.
- Each Player begins their Timeline with a (randomly) determined YEAR and writes it down on a sheet of paper (be creative in how to determine the starting point... you could let the Moderator decide, or the other Player to the left, or use a Random Card from a Deck, etc.

How it works:

1. The Moderator draws a Card and plays a Song that A SPECIFIC PLAYER must guess the Year of its Release and point out where he'd position his Answer in chronological order in his Timeline, relative to the other Answers (or starting point - left = older, right = newer).
2. The current Player must speak out his guess loudly so everybody hears it and he must point to the position (or gap) in his timeline where he'd place it.
3. The Moderator reveals the Answer and checks if the Players (previously stated) Answer is correct.
4a). If the Answer was incorrect, proceed the next Round with the next Player (clockwise). The current Player doesn't score and can't place an Answer in his Timeline.
4b). If the Answer order was correct, the current Player writes down his correct guess on paper and places it in the correct chronological order (based on Year of release), relative to the other (left = older, right = newer.)
4c). OPTIONAL variation - If the Answer was not only chronologically correct, but even the EXACT YEAR was correctly guessed, then the current Player may play another Round before the next Players Round begins.

==> The first Player that has 10 entries in his Timeline wins the Game!

Game Mode 3: Bingo (Deck Mix)

Setup:

- Use multiple Decks as different Categories and color-code them
- Players try to fill lines on a Bingo sheet (e. g. 5x5 grid).
- Use the "Random Deck" Feature for this mode or use another way of determining the category (e. g. spin the bottle; take turns and let Players decide after eachother, etc.).

How it works:

1. Moderator plays Tracks from different Decks.
2. Players write down their answer based on pre-defined criteria (e. g. Artist/Title, Year, etc.).
3. Players mark fields if they correctly wrote the answer.

==> First Player to complete a row / column / full board wins the Game!

Game Mode 4: Fastest Finger

Setup:

- No writing for Players - pure reaction Game.
- Predefine how many Rounds to Play and which Decks to use.
- Moderator keeps track of Scoring.

How it works:

1. Moderator plays a Songs from a Card (either from random Deck or predefined Deck).
2. Players shout or use buzzer, etc. as soon as they recognize the Song.
3. First Player with the correct Answer wins the point.

Variations:

- Wrong answer = Player is blocked for next round
- Use a timer for pressure