So, Day 23 is Perfect Game for Me on #RPGaDAY2015.
I’ve been paying attention as I’ve been writing, and common themes come up:
- Player investment and ownership in what happens at the table, outside of just reacting to the setting and story.
- A fast-playing system for what goes on under the hood. Something interesting to interact with but not so elaborate that it detracts from the story formed at the game table.
- A game system that informs the game’s players ((Remember that the GM — or whatever term you use for that facilitator role — is also playing the game.)) what the game is designed for.
- A low prep time for the game’s facilitator.
Three games instantly spring to mind: Inspectres, Lady Blackbird, and Primetime Adventures.
InSpectres really shines with the Confessional bit ((Although the “once per game” or whatever limitation the Confessional Scenes has in the game is fun-limiting. Just go to Confessional whenever the players want.)) where characters reveal that the game is a reality tv show and they can introduce elements into the “now” that weren’t shown on screen earlier. It’s also a fast system with very little prep from the Ghost Master (or whatever the GM is called in that game). Get it now for $10! ((InSpectres is available in PDF only through that link. I am not sure where you can get a physical copy.))
Lady Blackbird does a similar thing that InSpectre’s Confessional Scenes do with the refreshement scenes — especially the scenes that are done as flashbacks. Both games’ scenes increase the player’s investment into the game and let the players dictate how some of the story is going. And a bonus: neither game needs any prep. Get it now for free!
Primetime Adventures doesn’t need any prep, either. Just show up and run. Plus, the game is set up to have the players create a great deal of the story, force the GM to focus on all characters equally over the course of a series, gets the players to reward each other for entertaining everyone at the table ((Which will probably come up again in Day 24’s “Favorite House Rule” post)) , and there’s also the Audience Participation rules that lets everyone play the game. Get it now for $10! ((It is a $25+ for a physical copy of PTA, depending on where your mail box lives.))
Did I mention there’s no prep for these games? I really don’t have much time to prepare for a game; these three games are literal time-savers. InSpectres is great for (Ghostbusters-flavored) comedy, Lady Blackbird is great for action, Primetime Adventures is great for drama.
Edit: You know, I’m going to add Apocalypse World to that list. It hits everything, except for generating the fronts after character generation. But once that’s done, it’s smooth sailing from then on. AW also has my favorite game system, but you can read more about that on an earlier day’s entry.