200 Word RPG Challenge 2017 - My Favorite Finalists
04 May 2017For those of you who are unaware of what this is, every year since 2015 my friend David has orchestrated a “small” contest where people write and submit role playing systems consisting of only 200 words. This follows the principle of “constraints breed creativity” and has resulted in some beautiful nuggets of gameplay and design.
The 2017 challenge finalists have just been announced, and I thought I’d take time to talk about my favorites, in alphabetical order.
1. Memoriam Ignis
I have come across the idea before of madness as a limiting factor in a magical world - an explanation of why everyone doesn’t do everything with magic. However, I don’t think I’ve ever seen it so well encapsulated in mechanics as in this game.
2. Might Makes Right
A fantastic original idea for resolving conflicts. The only thing that’s more hilarious than arm wrestling your MM to decide the outcome of a conflict is doing it in order to “rescue a space gym from the Evil Beancounter Alliance.” The only problem I can see is that the MM might tire of arm wrestling much more quickly than the players, given that the MM has to take them all on.
3. Nightblind
Oh. My. Goodness. I must confess a penchant for games that let you lie to the other players, even if I may not be that good at them. Somehow, Nightblind manages to flawlessly put that mechanic next to some rich theming and storytelling hooks, all in 200 words. This is the game I want to play IRL the most.
4. The Human World
One player is a child exploring the (post-apocalyptic) world for the first time, the others are obsessive androids tasked with teaching the child about the world, but limited by their own personality traits, which eclipse all else for them. A powerful way to look at reductio ad absurdum in the context of a game. Also would be great to play on a road trip with friends.
5. VOICE
I disagree with the judge’s reading on this. To me it doesn’t look so focused on privilege. True, It can only experience the things the gods allow It to, but the gods themselves can only experience the world through Its sensations. The gods, though the ones in control of gifts, are as dependent on It as It is on them. Regardless of interpretation, however, VOICE is a masterclass of storytelling.
…oh, yeah, and I’m a finalist as well. Check it out!