[UtB] Sell me, dude

[Joshua A.C. Newman]

Can you describe the format of UtB a bit more, for those of us who haven't seen a copy for ourselves?

Sure. It's a deck of cards, about 2.75" x 5.5", with an instruction book the same size. It comes shrinkwrapped with the book on the front. There are 42 cards, I think. They're glossy black and white.

[Joshua A.C. Newman]

I remember this game! Way back in its early development. I can't remember the name though... I got really excited over it (I wanted to play it with my old childhood stuffed animals and action figures, making them jump around the room and stuff). I guess its time to get excited again! Unless I'm really confused and am thinking of a totally different game, which would really suck because it looked cool. Also, I'd look like an ass, but I am an ass, so it doesn't really matter.

Either way, you've sold me.

Excellent!

This game's been in development since February 2004, when I posted an early sketch, totally unlike where it wound up.

I hope you enjoy the game. You can can obtain the it by burying a bag containing $16, out by the old tree - you know the one? Yeah, that one. Bury it under there. I'll come pick it up and put the game in the hole, sealed in the skin of a rabbit. Or you can get it from the glyphpress site. Whichever one's easiest.

[Kirk Mitchell]

<looks in the mirror> Well, now that I've opened my mouth, I guess I'll have to admit it looks like an ass to me. The one I was thinking of was back in early 03, if I remember correctly. Similar concept, only there was no emphasis on the toys being shards of the child's psyche. Instead they were the "real" defenders of the child from the bad things in the night. Still, as I said, you've sold me, and I don't get un-sold. Also the game being totally awesome looking. I actually like your idea better.

I think I'll go for the online purchase. Unless you want to come to the old tree over here in Australia. Yeah, that one... Didn't think so.

Kirk

[MichaelCurry]

Can you describe the format of UtB a bit more, for those of us who haven't seen a copy for ourselves?

Sure. It's a deck of cards, about 2.75" x 5.5", with an instruction book the same size. It comes shrinkwrapped with the book on the front. There are 42 cards, I think. They're glossy black and white.

That sounds pretty cool, and, combined with the many good things I've read about the game, it's enough
to get me to place me order....

[Joshua A.C. Newman]

<looks in the mirror> Well, now that I've opened my mouth, I guess I'll have to admit it looks like an ass to me. The one I was thinking of was back in early 03, if I remember correctly. Similar concept, only there was no emphasis on the toys being shards of the child's psyche. Instead they were the "real" defenders of the child from the bad things in the night. Still, as I said, you've sold me, and I don't get un-sold. Also the game being totally awesome looking. I actually like your idea better.

You maaay be thinking of Little Fears, mentioned elsewhere in this forum. It's a different game, to be sure.

I think I'll go for the online purchase. Unless you want to come to the old tree over here in Australia. Yeah, that one... Didn't think so.

That's not the one I meant.

That sounds pretty cool, and, combined with the many good things I've read about the game, it's enough
to get me to place me order....

Thank you for your purchase!

Also, as a warning to anyone else following this thread, my shipping cost will go up a bit later today, so order now if you want the old shipping price!

Why couldn't the game have been popular in, I dunno, Kentucky? Why Finland, Denmark, England, Japan, and Australia? Those places are expensive to ship to!

[Kirk Mitchell]

No, not Little Fears. Totally different. But that isn't the point. The point is now I have to go and buy your damn game!

Kirk

[Chanticrow]

I picked up UtB at GenCon along with MLWM and kill puppies for Satan.  Each one has totally turned my brain around and provided new perspectives on gaming.

UtB is the only one I've had a chance to play so far.  I didn't do a demo.  One of the guys at the booth (Tony, maybe?) started describing the game to me, and I was immediately sold.  I'm happy to report that it lives up my expectations.

My group of six played a Stephen King flavored game that moved very quickly once we got the hang of it.  We played by narrating both the toys and the child when appropriate, allowing the rolls to determine who proceeded with the next section of narration in the current scene.  UtB worked very well for us.  It set up a framework for the storytelling, provided an interesting challenge resolution that no one found unfair, and let the game run without getting in the way.

At one point my opposition was the child's own rumbling stomach.  What's not to like?

[Kirk Mitchell]

As I understand Under the Bed, Stephen King style stories would be absolutely perfect. Particularly ones like The Body or It. The stories about being a child, the power of imagination and Growing Up.

Kirk

[Joshua A.C. Newman]

I don't know It well at all, but The Body is just the kind of thing I thought about when designing UtB.

I'm glad you like it! Did I meet you at the con? Who are you?

[Chanticrow]

I'm glad you like it! Did I meet you at the con? Who are you?

Sorry, no, we didn't meet, which I now find unfortunate.  I'm Edward, a game designer/freelancer with Laughing Pan Productions, and I do mostly card and board game design.  During one of my brief chances to wander the hall at GenCon I ran across the Indie RPG booth.  That was my first introduction to the Indie RPG group and their related products, though I'd heard about The Forge not long before.  I'm so glad I happened to stop in at the booth, and sad I didn't get a chance to hang out a while.

I immediately gravitated to the description of UtB because my girlfriend and I are both just big kids.  We love stuff like Little Fears, and I'm not ashamed to say I still get teary-eyed when I read the end of Peter Pan. UtB was a natural attraction. 

The Stephen King themed game did work out really well.  I would also like to try something along the lines of Thief of Always.  I have some friends that love to play darkly dramatic Changeling, usually with minimal dice and character sheet use, and I'm looking forward to introducing them to UtB and MLWM.  I'll report on how UtB goes over.

Thanks for the great game.  I'm looking forward to seeing how Shock turns out.

[Joshua A.C. Newman]

Then welcome to the Forge, then!

I'd love to see your Actual Play report. Let us know how the Thief of Always - style game goes, too.

[motherlessgoose]

Sure. It's a deck of cards, about 2.75" x 5.5", with an instruction book the same size. It comes shrinkwrapped with the book on the front. There are 42 cards, I think. They're glossy black and white.

So are the cards used for resolution?  What are on the cards?  Can you describe the resolution mechanics?

Is the game collaborative in any way, like Pool or Universalis?

[Joshua A.C. Newman]

The cards are your character sheet. They are the personality traits your toy embodies. They equal dice when your toy is confronting a Conflict.

The collaboration is dramatically different from that in Universalis, but collaboration, it is. I've never playe The Pool, so I can't really comment on that.

Resolution's a complex thing, which is why there are cues in the game: so you don't have to keep it all in your head. It pits the Favoritism of one toy against the Characteristics of another. The player narrating the Conflict rolls one die for each Favorite token, with a Characteristic named for each one. The Protagonist toy of the moment narrates how each of their Characteristics is being used to confront the Conlfict, then rolls them all at once. Highest die wins, giving a +1 on the next roll or resolving the conflict if there is no next roll.

That's the sum. More detail would require writing the book here in this forum, and I want to do other things instead.

There's a place you can get the answers in detail[/a], though!