BLIND was an idea I had for a while, but with no deadline sat in the nether regions of my brain. In 2016 one day I just decided to get to work. In my head I was calling this new experience "The Game With No Name". Below is the first preview of what was going on:
Monday, September 26, 2016:
IMAGINE sitting down, character in hand and starting an adventure with no knowledge of what genre you're in.
Maybe you’re Orphan Black watching herself jump off a train platform. Or Agent Cooper dreaming your first visit from the Giant. Or John McClane stepping out of the room to change your clothes on Christmas Eve. In the beginning they had no idea what kind of story they were in. And neither will you. Your story could be like any (or none) of these and just like them you won’t know what game you're in. Conspiracy? Magic? Espionage? Pulp? Adventure? Sci-Fi? Super Hero? Cthulian? Thriller? Super Science? Time Travel? Horror? Something New? My lips are sealed.
Are you up for a challenge? This will be the most interesting game you will ever play.
Welcome to The Game With No Name...
The Game With No Name debuts next March at Gary Con IX. Once I reveal the setting and play commences it’s up to the players to figure out what they're up against. Can they prevail?
The print version will be released during Gary Con and will include the game system and three unique game experiences. Each is designed for a group of 6 and will play out in 2-4 game sessions. (Note, the G-Con version will be run as a 6 hour tournament styled event).
UPDATE #1: Stat-less Characters for The Game With No Name
These are prototypes, basically a test run of the layout and form factor. One of the concepts of this game experience is the rules are kept hidden from the players. As such, character information will be presented in this format using text descriptions instead of stats and percentages. The colored chips indicate how character damage will be represented. Players will need to rely on the referee's descriptions to decide just how wounded they are. The rules part of the game is shaping up nicely, but to insure secrecy I have no other comments on that matter.
I am in the process of writing a number of modules, these will also be getting a similar card treatment. There are a number of advantages. A key one is that because they are not being presented in a linear narrative, it will be easier to rearrange them, thus increasing player agency.
The Game With No Name debuts in a few short months at Gary Con and in print.
UPDATE #2: Here is a look at the six player characters of the game:
Rules and EX1 ("Experience 1" or module if you will) all coming along well. Posting updates on this will be interesting, because it's all SECRET. Shhhhh...
UPDATE #3 (Dec 1st): The nice people at Gary Con have approved my event. This game will be run there for the first time. A lot of sweat is going into it, but revealing any of the module or rules here defeats the purpose. I can however keep you updated on the characters, this might give you an inkling of where it may be headed:
These are still rough descriptions, but the images are all done. I decided on this format because I wanted to provide the players with a lot of information, but not in the form of stats. I hope the sketches will create a sort of defined void for the player to decide how to "be" this character. I redrew Opal a number of times (the one up on the far right) :
It was at this point that I realized how important the image was. I'll be play-testing soon. I think this is going to be the most interesting game I have ever run.