So writing the nano scenario Two Ravens and a Pile of Corpses for the Fastaval nano anthology In the Deep, Dark, Weird Forest has apparently given my blood on the tooth for more (a Danish expression, so much better than: have spurred me on). So the other day I made a very short nano scenario. Now I can’t take all the credited for it as it’s inspired by one of the settings from the game: Before and After Silence from the book: Larps from the Factory.
Anyhow, here it is, and I would very much appreciate it, if it could get some feedback. Or just at least write how you understand it. Pointing out spelling mistakes and the like, is also very welcome:
Remember? – A role playing game for one
Find a quiet spot in a busy place, like a train station * Find some melancholic music, listen to one number with closed eyes, then start * You are no longer your self, but play the soul of someone who has died * You have forgotten who you were, and you can’t move on until you remember * Everyone around you represents your memories * Their appearances, movements and interactions tells you stories from your past * Use these fragments of your life to remember who you were * When you remember you can move on
That is it, I’m beginning to like this format, all feedback is very welcome. And why are both my nano scenarios about life after death? Is my imagination trying to tell me something?
Simons scenarie sludder 
That nano-game format is great, right? To think you can make a tight roleplaying game design in 30 mins…
I dig the game, it’s cool. I don’t think I have any issue understanding how to play the game. It’s a quite ambiguous HOW “their movements and interactions” tells stories, whether the people should represent NPCs, scene concepts or emotions or whatever, but I’m guessing that’s on purpose. To be interpreted as one will. Being pretty fond of busy/quiet places, I might try it out.
My main critique would be that I’m not sure the central “observation” mechanic is ‘enough’. Without having tried it, I think the idea of observing other people and using them as inspiration for your inner fiction is pretty neat, but it’s not enough to carry most of the game. I would think the movement and actions of most people in public spaces won’t be acting in particularly inspiring ways: pacing, staring into space or chatting with a friend or on the phone. I don’t think there’s too much fiction to cook of that bone. I think I would be tempted to use people’s appearance more than their action (“Oh, that guy in the suit. He was my boss at my job”). I would like the game to provide more, some creative restraints or more mechanics. Like, assigning particular memories (“Find a person on your left: That person represents a bad memory”), or bringing in objects also. I think a particular tag of graffiti could have just as much story in it as some absent-minded guy coming back from work. But, I dunno. I could be surprised by how interesting people are if you look closely.
By: Mads Egedal Kirchhoff on marts 31, 2014
at 3:46 pm
I’ve added the word appearances to the text. As for more mechanics, yes that would give more meat, but I see no room for it. Remember it has to fit on a Business card. But I wouldn’t use half an hour on it, maybe 10 min.
By: Simon James Pettitt on april 1, 2014
at 2:29 pm