Entry: Generations

[shehee]

I'm stuck really. My only idea started as a 3 sessions of 3 hours game, where each session would be a generation of a specific group (I was going with committee at the time). In the second session you would play the offspring of your character from the first session. In the third, the offspring from your second session character.

In addition, you could adopt traits from other PCs to pass on to your offspring, in the hopes of someday (end of the third session) being chosen among the committee to lead. Or something.

My main problem is, the only way of getting traits that's inherently logical to me, is by mating/breeding with the other PC, which is all kinds of creepy.

My other solutions (apprenticeship, reincarnation, etc.) don't capture the thing I wanted, which, unfortunately I can't explain exactly. Anyway, it leads me to this settlement:

--Robots--
Time: 3 sessions of 3 hours each
Ingredients: Law, Steel, Team (Package Two)

You play a robot, who roleplays through each session in order to gain certain traits. Then you adopt traits from other robots, and create your successor, version 2. And again, until version 3. Then, you vie for something at the end of the third session.

Your traits would be LAWS, stated by the players. Like Asimov's. The goal is to sort of build a "illogic-proof" metal man. (Like when we'd sit around and try to word that Wish spell perfectly, so we didn't get screwed by the GM.)

Your robots, then would be made of STEEL.

Some sort of rule would encourage TEAM play. I simply play too many of these indie games where your trust in the other players is questionable. Argh.

OK, done. Anyone got anything for me? In the end, should I stick with it?

Ryan

[Doug Ruff]

Hi Ryan,

The breeding only has to be creepy, if you let it.

For example: if the game's in the future, it could all be test-tubes anyway. Also, in a closed environment, the PC's may be the only good choice for each other. Combine the two, and you might get, say, an inter-generationl colony ship, travelling to a distant world. This also explains the time-limit: when the game's over, you land!

Basically, if you recue the exchange of DNA to a mechanical exchange, it's entirely up to the players how the exchange takes place. Hell, just give everyone coloured chips to represent their genetic markers, and exchange them in play to represent the mating. I'd be all over that.

[shehee]

Thanks for the input Doug. My first thought was a generational colony ship (), but I wasn't really inspired by the roleplaying of the possibility. The scenario was that you play the first Act as the last generation who will live on the ship, the second Act would be the generation who makes planetfall, and the third generation would be those who must make the planet their home. Heh, maybe as a board game.

I might be using it as a side thing for a western game I'm trying to think up though. Thoughts?

Ryan

[shehee]

I'm still trying to submit something. I'm just not as clever as Decade or Daddy, Joey and the Ancient Gods of Death or any of the others.

I've got many ideas that would be great as board games, but everything I've got goes against being considered intuitively an RPG (rule 9).

It's hard to even flesh out my latest gem: 1x2, using package 2 (Law, Steel, Team)

You play a team of Pittsburgh lawyers defending one Mr. Rogers of murder charges. See, the twist is, you "win" if he fries, and all the narrativist crap you make up is supposed to be make things worse while sounding better.

Give me my award.

:|

Ryan

[Quixotic]

That's another great idea, I really liked the western generations idea. I thought it worked and was more original than a lot of the games on the board. The mr. rogers thing is also very creative and original, i think using chips as the tool in this one would make sense, maybe something to make you think you're rich and playing with money while someones life is on the line.

[kenjib]

The basic concept here of three successive generations, each one acquiring traits from the previous, is a really strong use of the time constraints and a really interesting twist on character generation. I like it a lot. Robots, western, colony ship, those are all interesting. Now stop with the self-deprecation, settle on one of your thematic frames, and get to developing! It's a great idea and I really want to see how you implement it.

The Mr. Rogers idea sounds good too, if you decide to go in that direction.

How about throwing out some more concrete ideas here for implementation so we can comment on them?