[Shady Grove] Worst Game Idea Ever, because Alzheimers isn't FUN. Help!
Mathalus:
Yeah. We'd love to give it a shot. We could record it and it would be like you were right there. In a room. With some dudes talking about Alzheimer's.
Sp4m:
This is a lot more support than I was expecting to get for an idea that isn't necessarily fun. Thank you.
Shady Grove, as I understand it, peaks as a discussion focused exploration of a difficult subject. The game has its own merits and would be quite at home prior to an abnormal psychology study session. Some problems in the design is that the game has limited replay, since at present, the only FUN of the game comes from trying to figure out WHY you are playing. This proved to be a bad choice, since play tests revealed that most play groups are quite happy to go on auto-pilot, and even when prompted, didn't have enough information to start a rational theory.
That being said, your offers to play my game are quite generous, and I feel honored.
a few days back I brain stormed other ideas, and I came up with another game with elements I always wanted to combine, but never could.
It's social, and player driven (like mafia). This is a weird concept, so what I mean is the play is more about HOW the player does it than WHAT the player does. The game being "sold" to the players is a simple, semi-cooperative puzzle game. The real game is interpreting the web of alliances that lies beneath the surface.
The game is sold to players as being very different from what it actually is: like with Mafia, player roles are handed out before play, and players believe there is a minority of "spies" (started as coyotes, but narratively it must be spies). Spies are allowed to cheat, but getting caught means scoring will not be kind to you.
The reality is: all players (except the one who brought the game) are spies, and everyone is cheating and pretending (mimic!) to be a doctor.
Last night's play test was very successful, with players improvising clever cheats right at the table, and shredding the cooperative puzzle game I'd written for it. More details to come.
dmkdesigns:
Quote from: Sp4m on April 12, 2012, 04:11:16 PM
Those are very encouraging words. Thank you.
I think the game does have a fit with the right kind of audience, and somewhere in there, is a balanced play set that would be fun.
Maybe rather than players sharing their own memories, they should tell a story about the Host's life, that is inspired by theirs?
That could keep people focused on the Host, but opens the door to discussion. "That's interesting, what actually happened?"
I like the idea of a game being used in a way as therapy. If not for the person with the disease, but for others who have to cope with it.
You know, what if this could be made into a framework that connects memories in a person to others. Just for this example, four players -- no GM. Here's a quick idea.
There is a person full of experiences stated as memories, "I remember when I was 50," says the character trying to remember. The next person says, "And I had my family over for a surprise birthday party." The next person describes the party in voice of the remembering character. The next person brings up a specific detail in character. Then goes back to the rememberer and that person states how meaningful it was. This memory is written down in shorthand by the rememberer and discarded. This continues for 4 turns, which go from Elderly, Adult, Teen, Child to generate 4 fleshed out memories. Then take a break and return. Everyone but the rememberer player character takes a card from the memory deck (randomly). And they play a character associated with the remembering character at that time (Elderly, Adult, Teen, or Child) and respond in a kind of short monologue as to how they remember the spotlight character. Continue until all of the memories have been shared. Rotate the rememberer to another player and continue.
-David-
Sp4m:
Shady Grove is playable, and may have a noble future. For the sake of this thread I think it would be incomplete without a link.
the game is a .docx instead of a .PDF, because I want people to print and edit as needed. If anyone finds this game useful please let me know.
https://sites.google.com/site/goodideagames/family-blog/shadygroveaterribleideabecausealzheimersisntfun/Shady%20Grove_blogpub.docx
Since these forums are retiring soon I'll link to my site, where you'll be able to find any updates to this game, if I make them
http://www.goodideagames.com/
Thank you for your Support.
My primary for Game Chef is [ A Delicate Operation ] but if I'm allowed two, this did take up fully half my time.
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[*] Previous page