Geoff ([info]nuclear_powered) wrote,
@ 2006-11-15 16:52:00
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Current mood:creative
Entry tags:fotb

Finger on the Button
So, I was having lunch in the pub with Steph today (I'm 'working' from home today) when I had a bit of a thought for a new game. It's all still very fuzzy and undefined in my head but I wanted to get things down here before I forgot them.

Basically it will be called Finger on the Button. It will be a GM-less game where players take the roles of various characters stuck inside a secure bunker, all contact with the outside world cut off. Prior to losing contact the characters will have received information about potential nuclear strikes incoming from [enemy country] and all hell seeming to break loose in the world at large, against a setting backdrop where things are bad, really bad. Numerous countries have obtained nukes, small wars break out in world hotspots at the drop of a hat, the big powers bicker and argue, a new cold war is well underway between USA/EU/China. The twist? The players are locked inside of the bunker containing THE BUTTON. You know the one, the one which, if pushed (after the correct access codes have been input of course) will lanuch all of [your countires] nukes at their designated targets with no way of stopping them. The players will take on roles both for and against launching based on prejudices, biases and judicious amounts of self-interest, paranoia and righteousness. One player will (secretly at first) have the LAUNCH CODE. The idea is that the players try and convince everyone else of their characters viewpoint, launch or don't launch, forming alliances with their enemies and back-stabbing their friends until the endgame comes when the player with the LAUNCH CODE decides to either hand them over or not, probably triggered by some specific circumstance. I think each character should have some piece of equipment that can change hands through play. The Launch Codes would be one, a gun would be another, not sure what else right now. Anyway, that's what I have in my head right now.




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[info]https://getopenid.com/oliverhenshaw/
2006-11-15 05:52 pm UTC (link)
It occurs to me that somewhere deep under Menwith Hill, a warning light is glowing an angry shade of red.

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[info]littlestkobold
2006-11-15 05:57 pm UTC (link)
Hehe, very fun! Like Crimson Tide, but underground. You could have a couple of launch codes, but only one actually working :-)

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[info]nuclear_powered
2006-11-15 06:33 pm UTC (link)
Hmmm, I like it!

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[info]nuclear_powered
2006-11-15 11:08 pm UTC (link)
Oh, on a semi-related note: Are there any good games design LJ communities that I should look at joining?

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[info]littlestkobold
2006-11-16 08:29 am UTC (link)
Sadly not, at least not any I've found! There are a few but they're dead. Take your pick of my friends page though - most are games designers.

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[info]https://getopenid.com/oliverhenshaw/
2006-11-15 06:26 pm UTC (link)
Did I forget to mention that it's a cool idea? It gives me a vibe that I can't quite put my finger on, but could perhaps be described as the "Baron Munchausen" game turned inside out.

Is it coincidence that I read about Stanislav Petrov (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanislav_Petrov) a couple of days ago? I can't remember how I arrived there, maybe you stumbled across it too?

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[info]nuclear_powered
2006-11-15 06:33 pm UTC (link)
I didn't but I shall check the link after Cameron has gone to bed (he's currently raising his own unique, innocent brand of hell :o) )

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[info]littlestkobold
2006-11-16 08:36 am UTC (link)
Of course you do realise this would make a fantastic LARP?

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[info]nuclear_powered
2006-11-16 10:59 am UTC (link)
I had thought that it might work very well as either a LARP or a concept for a board/card game actually. Like I say it's all quite fuzzy right now, I've just had this neat idea and I don't know where it's going to go. I'll think about it!

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[info]littlestkobold
2006-11-16 11:11 am UTC (link)
Aah, you're experiencing the Curse of the Muse then. It's guaranteed that no sooner does your mind settle to working one thing, the Muse will strike with another great idea! The trick is to manage all those good ideas so that yuo actually finish things.When you learn what the trick is, let me know ;-)

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[info]nuclear_powered
2006-11-16 11:52 am UTC (link)
Heh, the muse is a bitch ;o) . I'm getting somewhere (mechanically) with Anarchy, I don't need other cool ideas getting in the way; not with my attention span!

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[info]littlestkobold
2006-11-16 12:05 pm UTC (link)
Get used to it! If the muse wasn't about, YT would have been finished years ago. Everything that's got in the way since has been her fault!

Are you at work today? I sent you a big long rambling email ...

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[info]nuclear_powered
2006-11-16 12:47 pm UTC (link)
I am, and I see the email! I may get time to answer but not until the afternoon. I have an EAN (Engineering Advice Note) to get written as a matter of urgency (I'm just finishing lunch now, hence my LJ slacking.)

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[info]littlestkobold
2006-11-16 12:48 pm UTC (link)
Well I'm at work all afternoon, so I'm relying on you to entertain me :-p

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