[Beloved] [Solo RPG] Textual revisions

[Ben Lehman]

So based on some playtesting feedback, I have made textual revisions to Beloved, which I'm hoping the get some feedback on. In particular, to those who saw the Beloved as a list of traits, does this make it more clear not to handle things that way?

Imagine your beloved. She is, to you, perfect in every way. Think on it. Take the time to know her as a person. (It could be that your beloved is a he, or something else entirely. That's okay, just keep it in mind and proceed appropriately.)

Your beloved has been kidnapped by a pack of horrible monsters.

You, the hero, are the only one who can rescue her.

On the center of a piece of paper, of a size that you can carry folded in your pocket, draw a small picture of your beloved. Draw the walls of a prison around her.

Outside, draw a horrible monster. Now, write down why that horrible monster is undefeatable.

Think about the monster. Think about how it is undefeatable, exactly. Fold up the piece of paper and carry it in your pocket, but continue to think about it. Play out your battles in your mind, over and over, trying new devices and strategies.

At some point, you will discover a way that the monster can be defeated. Don't cheat and think of this ahead of time! Make the monster as unbeatable as you can.

The best way is that you find a way to circumvent or invert the monster's invincibility. This has to do with the exact nature of it, and when you do it you will realize it was there all along.

The other way to do it is that you discover that the monster has a secret weakness, and come up with a plan to exploit it. Don't just make it up! Discover it in your battles and battles with the monster.

Once you have defeated the monster, cross it out. You have rescued your beloved!

But it isn't really her. It's some other girl that the monsters kidnapped. She is like your beloved somehow, and that confused you.

Take the time to get to know her as a person. Is she good enough? Do you give up and live and love with her?

If so, you live ever after together.

If not, get a new piece of paper. Draw a picture -- a better picture! -- of your beloved. Draw the prison walls around her. Draw two monsters and for each write down a reason why it is undefeatable.

You must defeat both monsters to reach your beloved.

But it isn't really her. It's some other girl that the monsters kidnapped. She is even more like your beloved somehow, and that confused you.

Take the time to get to know her as a person. Is she good enough? Do you give up and live and love with her?

If so you live ever after together.

If not, get a new piece of paper. Draw a picture of your beloved in the center, then the walls, then three monsters, each with a reason why it is undefeatable. When you have defeated all these monsters, you reach your beloved. But it isn't her! She is just yet more alike to your beloved.

Continue in this manner until you decide to stay with her.