Using the book in the system

[Adam Kleizer]

Hey all!

Ok, we all know that games (and game systems) come in the form of books. And we all know games use a lot of physical objects like dice, cards, tokens, character sheets, poker chips etc.

But what is the most obvious physical object every party playing the game has? The printed book with the games rules in it! So is there a reason not to use this physical object in the system?

What you can do with it: have it open, have it closed, give it to a player, hand it over to another player, lay it on the table, lay it down face upwards or downwards, hold it up above your head etc. (Please feel free to continue this list!)

To be more concrete: I'm designing the game Mafia Story (latest online version, playtest report) where the player with the most Authority points is the group leader. He can give one order from the Godfather during his time as group leader. So when someone becomes the group leader, he would get the book handed over by the former group leader. Showing the cover to the other players (with a nice illustration of an easily recognizable Godfather character) would mean he's now giving the order. Handing over the book would be a little ritual and having the book by yourself would mean real authority (only you can look at the rules).

The obvious disadvantage is that people who bought the electronic version will have a hard time with rules like these. They could be compensated with lower pdf prices. (Counter-examples are welcome!)

Now to questions:

• Do you know of any games that use the actual game book in their system? I'm not here to state the obvious, if there are plenty of systems like this then I must learn from them. (There sure are some where it is explicitly in the rules that only the GM has access to the book. I even know of a homemade system where the GM has the right to beat anyone with the book if they're talking bullshit.)
• What are the advantages/disadvantages of using the book like this?
• Would love to hear about actual play where you used the book this way.

Thanks in advance,
Adam

[baron samedi]

Hi Adam,

In my youth, Fighting Fantasy books from the "Sorcery" sub-genre by Steve Jackson had dice printed on every page of the pocketbook. When a number was needed, you picked a page at random.

Samely, Lone Wolf books had a 1 to 10 table in the book you closed your eyes and "threw" a pencil into to pick a number.

Both were pocked-sized books.

Regards,

Erick

[Adam Kleizer]

Thanks Erick!

That "dice on every page" idea sounds really good. No need to carry your 146-piece dice collection with yourself.

I knew someone should have thought about this before. This just confirms it's a good idea.

I wonder if there were games which used the more traditional aspects of a book? You know, like I mentioned before, having it open or closed and that kind of stuff. Anyone?

[Nathan P.]

Heya Adam,

I don't personally know of anything along those lines. But incorporating the physical artifact into play is definitly something I've been thinking about recently. So this post is basically blind encouragement for the idea.

Maybe there's something on the back cover that only the players can see when the book is set up in front of the Godfather?

[Castlin]

If the rules were small enough that it was easy for players to economically print a new copy of the pdf each game, alterations could be made within the book itself by whoever was in charge of it, possibly changing the rules of the game as it went along.

[David Artman]

If the rules were small enough that it was easy for players to economically print a new copy of the pdf each game, alterations could be made within the book itself by whoever was in charge of it, possibly changing the rules of the game as it went along.

Editing the book rules as a mechanic of system... mind... reeling....

Actually, that reminds me of Nomic. Summary: the game starts with only rules-for-making-rules, and play involves steering the overall rules set towards one's particular (private?) agenda.
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As for the idea I thought of to offer: Could changing the book orientation change the "mode" of play? For instance, what if even (back) pages were upside down relative to odd (front) pages; and some system element said "rotate the book" or "read from the back" or whatever? (This would be PERFECT for a game in which the characters frequently step between two different "worlds" or "dimensions" or what-not!)

Or... What if the rules became somehow different, more complex, or more "oomphed" as one turns pages? Start in the first chapter, with the "basic" or "beginning" rules, and then as systemic elements trigger it, turn to later pages and use those rules instead. Though, this may only be a form of evolving rules--like a highly proscribed turn-based board game--and not actually leveraging the book as a system element.

Or... Artwork as a resolution mechanic, a la Everway? Include several pages (color plates?) of nice, evocative, symbol-laden images; and the system occasionally triggers a randomizer (or mathematically yields a result) which tells which page to consult for the art-driven resolution.
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Other things one can do to a book:
Display a page, like the kid who holds open a Bible for a priest's liturgy.
Fan oneself or someone else with it.
Slam it shut, possibly using the breeze generated to move other resolution objects, like slips of paper.
Stand it on edge, open (or closed, if a thick hardcover).
Riffle to a random page, like the aforementioned "dice in the margins" found in many game books. Or like a doodle animation... Hmmm....
Fold pages in half, hiding their content... Hmmm.....
Tear out a page.
Put a bookmark in it.
Rubber-band several pages to the cover, making them all unreadable.
Add scrapbooking elements to pages.
Hollow out most of the pages, to make a hiding place... or a storage box for other game components. (Text could still be legible by being formatted around the cut-outs.)

...and I'm spent for now.
HTH;
David

[Adam Kleizer]

Nathan:
That's a good idea with the back cover, I'm gonna think about it. Thanks for the encouragement!


Castlin:
Do you mean creating new rules, changing the rules or both?


David:
The "rotating book" would be really cool with a setting-rules system around good vs. evil (or other contrary qualities). Could be a masterpiece.

Tear out a page.

Ouch! That's a crime against civilization! Would be a challenge to make a system around this though.

[Castlin]

Potentially both creating new rules or editing existing rules. Or even removing rules. Also, potentially changing the setting by editing descriptions and/or stats of people, places, and organizations. This would be a good thing for the current "Godfather" to do: "No, I assure you, Mr. Jones no longer works at that insurance agency."

Ripping the book up would be interesting if it was a printed pdf; after that I think the game might get cost prohibitive!

Another odd thought; if the game is a printout, what if it is in a 3-ring binder? Then perhaps the order of the pages (and their orientation) could be made important somehow?