Universalis - The World's Biggest Theme Park, session 1

[Nev the Deranged]

Finally got to run/play Uni at my FLGS. Wee! Playing are myself, Shannon, and Todd, a recent graduate of the 8th grade.

Tenet Phase:

1. Worlds Biggest Theme Park
2. "Mascots" are all deformed like circus freaks under the costumes.
3. The park is a sovereign state, like the Vatican is.
4. All the mascots wear the same costume.
5. The park rules are strictly and brutally enforced.
6. Mascot freaks are "factory rejects" from the park's staff cloning program.
7. One freak has eye sockets that bleed constantly.
8. The park is sealed off due to the war raging in the oustide world.
9. The park is housed under a single mammoth dome.
10. The  freaks are much smarter than everyone else.

I cut the tenets phase off at 10, since we had limited time to play. There was quite a bit of negotiation and challenges during the tenets phase, two way and three way, which all worked out dandily. I found it intriguing how the freaks are the only staff with any individuality (since the staff are presumably all clones), yet they are forced to hide it under identical costumes (which we don't have a description of yet).

Todd won the bid for Scene 1:

Six A.M.
At the foot of a hollowed-out-tree that contains a dwelling.
A mascot is guarding the tree. This mascot's name is Sub (so named for the Subway wrapper Todd had in front of him), and he is a former prison inmate. Also present is another mascot guard.

Todd chose to end his turn here, at which point I explained the narration and Interruption mechanics. There followed a frenzy of back and forth interruptions, some of which involved large bids and counterbids, along with lots of challenges and negotiation. Most of the results are detailed herein. as best I can remember them:

I declared "Mascot" to be a Master Component, with the traits A. Freak, B. Rejected Clone, C. Really Smart, and Todd wanted to give them bats with barbed wire wrappings, and then scythes, but we managed to negotiate them down to tazer wands. So, D. Carry tazer wands. We pretty much agreed that the mascots doubled as the security/enforcement for the park, although it wasn't added as a tenet.

In the process of the above, Shannon questioned why I had to pay again for facts already stated in the Tenets, and we agreed on a Rule: You may add existing facts to a Master Component for free, just paying 1 for the MC and 1 for any new traits.

Shannon decided that Guard Mascot #2 was dead. Somewhere along the line we also named him Bean.

At this point I started explaining Conflict, and Todd wanted to do that, so he brought in two more mascots to the scene, which were originally defined as Mascot A and Mascot B, who ask "What have you done to Bean?". Sub, of course, denies any wrongdoing.

Unfortunately Todd's ride showed up and he had to leave just then. So Shannon and I purchased his Components, she took Sub while I took Mascots A and B. We decided the Complication was whether or not A and B suspected Sub of foul play or not.

My side:
* 1 die for Sub's prison record, adding to their suspicion.
* 1 die for the fact that Sub has been caught standing over the body.
* 1 die for Bean being a close friend of Mascot A (which I purchased on the spot).
Total of 3 dice.

Shannon's side:
* 1 die for Sub.
* 1 die because they are all Really Smart and might not be inclined to jump to conclusions.
Total of 2 dice.

She tried to get a die saying that someone standing over a body is only circumstantial evidence, but I argued that I had already claimed "standing over the body"; and thinking back this is pretty much included in the "not jumping to conclusions" thing too.

So we rolled off, I won with 2 victories and gained 4 pips (we were using glass beads); while she got 2 for her dice.

I first gave Mascot A a name: Log. Log checked the prostrate form of Bean and exclaimed "He's dead, Jim!" At which point I named Mascot B Jim. And finally I decided that Sub is firmly under suspicion.

Shannon played her 2 pips to say that Sub is filled with fear and makes a break for it, escaping into Refugee Area L2 (whatever that may turn out to be).

Here we agreed the Scene ended, and we were both tired so we called it a night. But we're looking forward to returning to the Worlds Biggest Theme Park and finding out what fate holds in store for poor Sub!

It was a pretty good run for what was basically me trying to teach a couple new players based on my single Uni experience (although it was with Ralph, so I'd say it counts for double, right?). It went pretty smoothly, with all the mechanics doing what they're meant to; including the creation of rulings on the fly, multiplayer Challenges, and bidding wars for interruption rights. All in all it was a groovy experience I hope to repeat again soon.

[Christopher Weeks]

How long did the whole thing take?  The setting is interesting and it will be interesting to see how drama evolves.  Do your fellows know that they can continue to add more tenets during play?  Your interpretation on adding the tenet/traits to the master is how I've always played too.

And as a funny note, when you wrote about Todd's ride coming, I was thinking like spinning teacups and rolller-coasters and had to sort of shake my head to figure out that Todd was the real player and a ride was something else.  :-)

Chris

[Vaxalon]

You guys got me jonesin' for real honest Director stance, damn.

[Valamir]

Hey Nev, have you seen Tim Burton's Big Fish?

If not you ought to.

[Nev the Deranged]

How long did the whole thing take?  The setting is interesting and it will be interesting to see how drama evolves.  Do your fellows know that they can continue to add more tenets during play?  Your interpretation on adding the tenet/traits to the master is how I've always played too.

And as a funny note, when you wrote about Todd's ride coming, I was thinking like spinning teacups and rolller-coasters and had to sort of shake my head to figure out that Todd was the real player and a ride was something else.  :-)

Chris

It took about 2 hours, give or take, for various minor interruptions and pauses to explain stuff. I think the setting is really neat too, but I've yet to see a lame set of Uni tenets. I let them know they could suggest pretty much anything at any time, whether it be story elements, rules, or whatever. No, as far as I know Todd's mom picked him up in a minivan, not on the Tilt-o-Whirl, heh.

Hey Nev, have you seen Tim Burton's Big Fish?

If not you ought to.

Hm.. no, but I was looking at a review of it the other day and it looked interesting. I don't watch a lot of movies or tv but it's one I'll probably get around to eventually. Thanks for the tip ^_^

Hopefully I'll have more to add to this one soon.