[Breaking The Ice] Garbage Man dates the Spoiled Rich Chic

[Bryan Hansel]

I had a chance to play Breaking the Ice with my girlfriend.  She's only played one other RPG before and that was with me.  She wasn't very comfortable with playing, but she said she would try to play again.  So, I ordered her a copy of Breaking the Ice for one of her Valentine's Day gifts.  We played the game over three nights with each night a different date.

She found playing Breaking the Ice easier than the last game we played because it was easier for her describe the action and setting.  She said it was much closer to home and she could relate to the characters better.  She said that she still felt a little awkward about role-playing, but at the end of the game, she said that she would play this game again.  She has no problems with board games and war games.

While playing we learned that the game goes much easier if you try and get the Attraction Dice and Bonus Dice quickly by using very compact narration at the start of each turn.  It took a long time in the first date to score dice, but in the second date, we made an effort to get the dice quickly.  This about halved the time needed to play each turn, and the pace made the game more exciting.

The other problem we had was very bad luck during the first date.  We scored every die we could and every reroll, but never rolled enough successes to gain even one attraction.  It was very discouraging, but highlighted how attraction builds quickly once you score one.  This happened in the 2nd and 3rd date.  We ended up with 2 Compatibilities and 2 permanent Attractions.

For the game, we set it in Duluth, MN taken over by hip Hollywood stars, like Paris Hilton.  I played Kate and used Pink to generate a rich partying, limo owning, jobless daddy's girl who is friends with Paris.  Ilena played Bode and used Brown to generate a sloppy dressing tall clumsy garbage man who was an outdoor type.  Kate's conflict was Spoiled, she likes to get her way, and Bode's was Wants to Prove Himself.

They met each other when Bode rear ended her limo.  The first date was on a picnic.  Bode lost his keys, she got sick from the food.  They went to the lake and a fisherman hooked Bode's arm.  They went skinny dipping and ran into his X. Then he lost her phone number when he dropped her off.

The second date happened when she saw him on the street.  They went to a club, they couldn't get in.  They went to a different not so cool club.  Bode got into a fight.  They went to the waterfront and she threw a fit when a couple on the beach wouldn't change the music. Bode fell into the lake.  They change clothing and go to dinner.  Her father shows up, disapproves with her dating a garbage man.  They leave, the limo gets a flat.  Date ends with one Compatibility:  Enjoys Fine Dinning and in order to reroll Attractions four complications are taken.  Gain two Attractions.

The third date, he rents a charter fishing boat, she catches a bigger fish than he, so he has to prove himself, they're late for heading back to shore.  They do a front of the boat titanic deal.  Her father flies over in a helicopter, she falls over, knocks the fish over.  They get off the charter boat and head to a dinner cruise, his reservations aren't there, he proves himself by spending all his money bribing to get on, and then they eat.  After dinner they go up to the roof to watch the Northern Lights.  The waiter brings the wrong wine, she throws a spoiled fit, and the captain locks them in quarters until the cruise is over.  After they're off the boat, they meet up with Jason Lee and Paris Hilton (used as reroll, BTW), go clubbing, head out to lover's leap.  She almost falls off, he saves her, and they call the date over.

In the end, we decided that they just didn't hit it off, and they don't see each other again.  I thought it was a pretty fun game.  I liked that it was simple to learn, quick to play, and designed for two players.  I wish there were more RPGs designed specifically for two players.  Any suggestions?

Bryan

[Graham W]

Bryan,

Nice stuff. Could I ask you the question that Jason asked me about my Breaking the Ice game? What did your girlfriend find easy or difficult?

And you say she wasn't very comfortable with playing, but she'd try to play again. Did she seem to get more comfortable as the game went on? Which bits flowed the smoothest?

Graham

[Bryan Hansel]

Hi Graham,

I enjoyed reading your post about your Breaking the Ice game. After I read it, I figured I should put mine up. 

Ilena said that she just doesn't like pretending to be someone else.  She didn't like having to create all the narration.  So, it was all difficult for her.  She also had a hard time with the rules -- she read them first -- until I explained them and we played.  The concept of RPGing is very alien to her, and one of the reasons, I think, is that she grew up in a very religious family when the big RPGs are evil fade was going on.  We've talked about this. 

She wasn't any more comfortable at the end of the game then at the beginning of the game, but she knows that I want to play RPGs, and because of where we live now, it's very doubtful I'll be able to play any without driving two hours, so she's being very nice to me.  There are strings attached though.  I have to play games she likes that I don't care for.

Thinking back, the selection of the setting and creation of characters went the smoothest.  Gaining Bonus Dice went smoothly for her, but the getting the initial Attraction dice was difficult.  Also, coming up with re-rolls was also difficult for her to narrate.  We also played over three different nights, so that may have hurt the flow of the game.  For the next game, we're going to play it in one sitting.

On a side, I had a great time, and realized that it was actually one of the few times that I've been a player instead of a GM or DM.  Because no one in my group wanted to GM, I was missing out on a ton of fun by having to always GM.

Bryan

[Emily Care]

Hi Bryan,

Thanks so much for writing this up, and also for sticking with it despite the semi-disatrous first date for Bode and Kate.  Please also thank Ilena for giving it a go despite her hesitations--it's awesome that she was willing to try it out despite the cultural baggage rpg has for her, and the newness of the whole activity.

Thinking back, the selection of the setting and creation of characters went the smoothest.  Gaining Bonus Dice went smoothly for her, but the getting the initial Attraction dice was difficult.  Also, coming up with re-rolls was also difficult for her to narrate.  We also played over three different nights, so that may have hurt the flow of the game.  For the next game, we're going to play it in one sitting.

Did the ability to gain dice for using suggestions help ease her through parts that were harder for her, like narrating for re-rolls?  I'm very glad you found a groove with the mechanics after a while that let you pick up the pace & flow more easily.

The third date, he rents a charter fishing boat, she catches a bigger fish than he, so he has to prove himself, they're late for heading back to shore.  They do a front of the boat titanic deal.  Her father flies over in a helicopter, she falls over, knocks the fish over...

For some reason, I can totally envision this as a romantic movie starring Adam Sandler & Drew Barrymore. The rich girl meets garbageman is just the kind of off-kilter romance I can see being the plot in one of their flicks.  I love the Titanic quote too--completely funny. Especially followed up by ever-so-gracefully falling into the fish.  Beautiful screwball. 

I'm glad you got to get the feeling of "playing" again, too, Bryan.  Did you find it strange to slip back & forth between roles? Though I don't know how much being the Guide really feels like being a gm, either.

all the best,
Emily

[Bryan Hansel]

Hi Emily,

Did the ability to gain dice for using suggestions help ease her through parts that were harder for her, like narrating for re-rolls?

Yes and no.  She took a few suggestions, but she didn't like it when I made suggestions.  I think I took more of her suggestions than she took of mine.  She pretty strong willed and independent, so I wouldn't be suprised if it was hard for her to take my suggestions because of that.

For some reason, I can totally envision this as a romantic movie starring Adam Sandler & Drew Barrymore.

LOL!  Ilena said she pictured Cameron Diaz as Kate after I mentioned this to her.  We figured that Will Ferrell needs to be in there somehow also.  Maybe a camo during the fist fighting scene.

Did you find it strange to slip back & forth between roles?

It seemed very natural to me.  It almost felt like as the active player, I was both player and gm, because I was creating my own conflicts.  The way we played the Guide's role was more as a helper when the active player got stuck.  Sometimes, the active player would even narrate the other player's character's actions -- Ilena did this more than I.

Ilena says thanks for making the game and me too.

Bryan