[The Garden] Scribbles on a Napkin...

[paulkdad]

Paul Kimmel here. I titled this, "Scribbles on a Napkin" because I am still very much in the R&D phase of game design. However, I am committed to my metaphorical concept, and wanted to present it here. Any and all comments are welcome, but please realize that questions like: "What kind of mechanic do you use?" can't be answered yet. What I am presenting here are the connections I have made between the metaphor and the system:

The Garden is a game built around the garden metaphor. Here are some of the key ways in which that metaphor governs the game:
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[*]The components of each character include multiple Roots (connections, history), one Stem (central theme), multiple Branches (aspects, traits), and multiple Leaves (specific means by which the Branches affect the world--as yet undefined).
[*]The game/story is called "The Path", and may be thought of as a stone path winding through the garden. The players themselves are visitors to the garden (not plants--those are characters).
[*]The GM is called "The Gardener" and her/his goal is twofold: s/he attends to the growth of all the plants/characters in the garden, and s/he builds, maintains and guides the visitors on the path.
[*]Currency in the game comes in two forms: Seeds and Stones. Seeds are much easier to come by than Stones. Seeds are the currency that may be used to affect a player's own character (whether spent to have a minor impact in the game, or saved and spent on character growth). Stones are the currency that may be spent to have an impact on the path itself (i.e., an effect beyond the scope of the individual character--even establishing things in the SIS).
[/list:o]
Right now, the game consists of many scribbles on many napkins. But what I am presenting here is the stuff I regard as solid. The game also includes a setting, and one in which plants play a major role. As an artist, however, I am developing the setting visually (drawing by drawing). Suffice to say that the core concept is a speculative world in which the forests are sentient and visually it is reminiscent of the paintings of Roger Dean.

I realize this is sparse, and I don't know what (if any) feedback would be helpful. Perhaps significant metaphorical connections I may have missed? At any rate, this is where I am.

[Ben Lehman]

Hi!  I like your concept.

I'm going to take you to task for a specific bit of it.

Seeds are the currency that may be used to affect a player's own character (whether spent to have a minor impact in the game, or saved and spent on character growth).

Is your intention that players will universally save their Seeds for character improvement?  Because, in practice, a character improvement is way more practical, in terms of player ability to have an effect on a game, than a one-time use with "minor impact."

yrs--
--Ben

[Andrew Morris]

Hey Paul, I'm glad to see some info on your game.

Now, what's the core of coolness to the game? What's it about? Does walking through the garden serve as a metaphor for something else? Is walking through the garden a framework for recalling stories? Does walking on the path allow the characters to do something they wouldn't normally be able to? Is it an adventure to walk the garden path? Why do the characters do it?

[paulkdad]

Thanks, Ben. "Minor" was a poor choice of words, because what was in my head was minor in relation to the effects of Stones. I should have stated it that way, rather than expect you to read my mind. The published example that I can think of offhand is the use of bonus dice in Over the Edge.

[paulkdad]

Andrew, I'm not sure what to do with the word "coolness", but I'll answer as best I can.

In relation to the setting: It's about the survival of your community in a speculative world in which Nature is winning the Humans vs. Nature war. Humankind is part of Nature, in many ways opposed to Nature, and certainly dependent upon Nature for its survival. The character's Roots relate to Home, which is central to their existence. Exploration is focused upon gathering resources for Home, and upon discovering the keys to survival in a world where Nature is both fantastically beautiful and at the same time deadly.

Does that help?

[Andrew Morris]

Yep, that's what I was looking for. I was just looking for the core "why" of your game, and I think I've got it now.