[Sudden Light] Pre-Alpha Release for Download and Gen Con Beer

[Paul S]

Hello All,

After a year of setting it aside, I've been inspired by the Ashcan Project to return to Sudden Light (if your search-fu is strong, you can find my old posts on the topic). You can download the (very rough) PDF version of it here: http://www.angelfire.com/rpg/ethics/Sudden_Light.001.pdf  In basic form, this is what I submitted for my Improv and Creative Writing class mentioned in the original threads (I got an A, BTW!)

Again, it is very rough. Please understand that it has not been playtested in any way shape or form. If anyone here wants to give it a go with two other friends and report back, I'd be eternally grateful. There would be beer at Gen Con involved. Copious amounts.

However, as I realize this is a big commitment to ask at such a preliminary stage, I'd ask that you simply spend a few minutes looking it over. Any feedback would be incredibly helpful; I realize I should avoid this generality, so here are a few things I'm looking for:

-In your opinion, do the mechanics reinforce the theme?
-What assumptions do you think are at work in the text that I haven't explicitly addressed?
-Is the text convoluted? Can you understand what I'm trying to express in broad strokes?
-Any grammar or syntax problems?  Are there any stylistic changes that you would make?
-What about the examples of play? Did they help to illustrate game principles? How might they be improved?
-After a quick glance, might you be interested in giving the game a shot? If not, how could I reel you in?
-What needs to be cut or what sections might you want to see expanded?
-Might you have alternative names for elements of gameplay that would be more evocative than mine?
-In your own brutal estimation, do you think this embryonic text has potential for enjoyable gameplay?

Any other comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciation. Critiques are especially welcomed.

Thanks,

Zach

[vertigo25]

I've only perused the first few pages, but man...

This is one *deep* concept for a game.

[northerain]

Hi Zach
I read the .pdf, didn't playtest it though. It's a really interesting idea and although I can't say for sure if it actually works, it looks very well thought out. Some playtesting will easily work out the kinks.

-In your opinion, do the mechanics reinforce the theme?
Yeah I'd say the mechanics are geared towards what you're trying to achieve. Alot of the stuff can easily be used for any other game as well, with wonderful results(character generation for example).

-What about the examples of play? Did they help to illustrate game principles? How might they be improved?
They were really helpful and had a natural feel. Kudos.

-After a quick glance, might you be interested in giving the game a shot? If not, how could I reel you in?
I'd definitely be up to it. My only worry would be that it might be a bit too advanced to introduce to my gaming group.

-Might you have alternative names for elements of gameplay that would be more evocative than mine?
I'm pretty traditional, but would it be too cliche to reprent the sublime and mundane guides as good/evil self or something like that?

-In your own brutal estimation, do you think this embryonic text has potential for enjoyable gameplay?
Definitely. I think you have something really good here and even if I never play your game I'll still use some of the stuff presented here with my gaming group. It's actually strange, I've been thinking lately if it's possible to have a sucesful game were there is only one protagonist and this answers my question.

[Paul S]

-Might you have alternative names for elements of gameplay that would be more evocative than mine?
I'm pretty traditional, but would it be too cliche to reprent the sublime and mundane guides as good/evil self or something like that?

Yeah, good and evil would be a natural split and it could easily be done. Like if you were trying to run the Matrix, Agents and other elements of the artificial reality would represent elements of the Mundane, while Zion, Trinity, and the Oracle (maybe not on that last one, depending what you thought about the sequels) would be the forces of the Sublime, trying to get a person trapped in a false reality to WAKE UP! to the truth of the world around him. The easy interpretation of the Matrix would be that the Agents and Machines are evil while the other folks opposing the Matrix are good. An easy and non-controversial position. But, there is a certain logic of survival in the actions of the Machine that might be seen as justifiable. The Machines want the status quo because it benefits them and their survival depends on it. Many folks in the system of the Matrix (like Cypher for example) want the status quo because it is comfortable and easy and the Matrix helps to support them in this belief.

I hope what I'm trying to evoke through the game mechanics is the idea that in nearly every situation there are forces working to keep the status quo strong, keep us tied down to normal ways of being/acting, and stopping us from realizing our full potential as human beings. Is that Evil necessarily or just "practicality"? I'm not sure.  I don't think television is evil, but it certainly can distract us from doing and acting in truly meaningful ways. When folks are watching up to eight hours of television a day, they certainly are neglecting enjoying family members, contemplating questions about ethics and justice, enjoying nature, etc. Is gambling evil?  Again, I don't think so, but it can certainly tie some folks down and make their like hell, when they were meant to be doing other activities to have a lasting contributions to the world. In some games, depending on the established Truth, Lie, and Machine, the Mundane Guild might very well represent these very banal constraints keeping the Protagonist from a transcendent life or epiphany.

And yeah, these are incredibly deep philosophic questions that I don't have the answer to. However, I hope that this game will help people to articulate the questions and come up with their own answers. Ideally, the conversations between players to establish the Truth, the Lie, and the Machine before play would accomplish this critical goal.