The Instrument

THE INSTRUMENT

Storytelling as art

The second experiment deals with the combination of game design and storytelling, by producing a game whose main goal is to help its players generate stories.

The important distinction here is that it is the game's goal, but not its purpose. It is not merely a machinery supporting the “real” artist's process (like, for example, an author's writing programme would be); the difference lays in providing not only inspiration, but also fun in the gameplay. One might play this game simply for the sake of play, not wanting to do anything with or even keep the stories that emerge during.

There's no going around it, the author of a story (be it captured in a lasting medium or simply passed on verbally) is an artist.

So is the designer that came up with the mechanics for this game, meeting even my criterium of having to spark more creativity.

Does that make the game an artistic product or an artist's tool?

The answer: both, at the same time.

The handyman carefully carving out wood and matching it together to build an instrument can be considered an artist just as much as the musician playing on the finished work.

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A game for (up to) four players

Maybe Yes No Twist

❤ ♦ ❤ ♤ ♧

♧ ♤ ♧ ♦ ❤

♤ ♧ ♤ ❤ ♦

♦ ❤ ♦ ♧ ♤

Drawing cards during the game:

7 – your character does something unbelievably stupid

8 – your character suddenly has the ultimate solution at hand

9 – your character screams:___

10 – your character realizes:___

J – someone unexpected comes along

Q – ret-con time!

K – revelation

A – develop a new skill

Character creation:

4 cards

7 – piece of equipment

8 – food item

9 – potion

10 – small weapon

J – a trait you have in real life as well

Q – something you have on your person right now

K – a skill that starts with your initial

A – an object that starts with the last letter of your name

Setting:

5 cards

1.

suit: evil

value: power

2.

suit: surroundings (heart = sea; diamond = forest; spde = desert; club = city)

value: number of X in the surrounding

3.

suit: political situation (heart = very good/utopian; diamond = ok/normal; spade = war; club = dystopian/postapocalyptic)

value: time period (7 = medieval; 8 = 1600-1899; 9 = 1900s; 10 = close past; B = now; D = close future; K = distant future; A = very distant future)

4.

suit: condition of player party (heart = party; diamond = vacation; spade = everyday life; club = work)

value: time of day (7/9 am; 8/10 pm; B = 4 am; D = 12 pm; K = 4 pm; A = midnight)

5.

suit: person

value: initiating event (7 = scream; 8 = discovery; 9 = idea; 10 = betrayal; J = meeting; Q = love affair; K = command; A = attack)

These categories can of course be adjusted to fit a certain genre.

The use of the principle of "Mabe - Yes - No - Twist" refers back to interpretation and suggestions made by Gregory Pellechi.

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