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Story and Boardgames

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silasmolino
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Joined: 02/01/2013

I have written a deep back story to the game I am creating: Far from Home.

My plan is to ship a booklet with each game that will immediately develop a relationship between the players and the game. The back story will also serve as a prologue to the battle that will ensue by introducing the Capital Ships, their captains, their location, and the severity of their circumstances.

Below is the link to the prologue:

http://farfromhomeboardgame.weebly.com/back-story.html

Tell me what you think.

Is it appropriate?
Has it effectivly been done outside of role playing games?

RGaffney
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I've played games with

I've played games with backstories before, the thing with non RP backstories is, they don't effect game play. And that means most of the players will never read the story. you are free to include it. but even if the person who buys the game reads it, its very unlikely that he will share that info with the friends that come over to play with him.

iandioch
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Re: Back Story

I really like that back story. You're a great writer.

But:
"Of course with the bay doors open to outer space no man would be able to get in without a space suite"
It should be 'suit', not 'suite'.

Anywho, I'm not sure about how effective a backstory could be in a non-RP game, but it definitely won't work if all you do is include it in a booklet with the game. I've been sitting here reading it for a long time; players would be too busy wanting to play and wouldn't bother. A few ideas off the top of my head:
- Have it playing as an audiobook during the game. That could create a really cool atmosphere. Even an audiobook would be more approachable than a big wall of text.
- If you could somehow put it on cards or something. Each turn, a new card is drawn with a few more lines to add to the story.
- Even just a line of text at the bottom of all the cards to give a sense of setting. But that's been done a lot before.
- If it was written around the outside of a gameboard. Each player takes a turn reading a line. That would be much more approachable than one person sitting there for fifteen minutes reading out of a booklet while everyone else falls asleep.

As great as your dialogue is, and it really is great, it is still far too intimidating for 99% of players as it is. There needs to be some reason for players to read it. I'm sure you can figure something out! In any case, it was a fantastic read, and got really exciting at the end. I think I'd like this game...

silasmolino
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Intent

The story was tacked on a two weeks ago as a method of fleshing out a backstory to the game. The story will not affect the gameplay whatsoever, and is not inteded to.

What the story is designed to do is broaden the experience for the player. As an artist I look at board games as an experience. You create stories you can share with each other. The story I created will cement your story as a player by providing accessability, names, and locations,and circumstances which set up the game. This is expecially signifigant because the expansions will follow the protagonist. I also feel that this will add dimension and depth to the game.

I look at the story as a sort of companion to the game, not a part of the game itself. The artist and I were thinking of a short graphic novel, but time is a huge factor in that not happening at the moment. The story will do.

The booklet is sort of "added value" to buying the game; something the owner of the game can do when he has down time. It will be seperate from the rule book and game itself but provide more of an experience for the user.

pelle
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Based on my personal

Based on my personal experiences, included back-stories that are not woven in to the game will be ignored much like computer game cut-scenes or intro movies.

I would go for as little back-story as possible. If a game works in a historic setting, or historic setting with some minor twist (can be explained in a short paragraph) that is probably ok. Standard cliched fantasy/sf worlds that players instantly recognize is likely to work as well. If there is a long story, better work it into the game, or make it into a separate game that players can become familiar with first and then you can make a sequel set in the same world. I would not expect players to bother with reading the back-story "just to play a game" (if I may say so) since I know I wouldn't.

silasmolino
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"I would not expect players

"I would not expect players to bother with reading the back-story "just to play a game" (if I may say so) since I know I wouldn't."

So would adding the story to the game as "added value" be irrelevant?
What if it was branded as a "free short story" instead? Perhaps it could be accessed online (as it is now) to generate interest in the game. the story is not required reading to play the game, just more to enjoy out of the box.

Perhaps adding a short story is over reaching when the purchaser just wants the game.

Thoughts?

If I received a free short story with Resistance, for example, It would be more for my money (Resistance is fun just on its own BTW) and I would get to know more about its world, why there is a resistance in the first place, and perhaps more about the expansions.

Stormyknight1976
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Backstories or non backstories?

I haven't read your story yet Sil, but I wanted to say that I am also including a novel chapters with the game I and my team have been working on. The story will tie into the game, but the players also have the option to read the chapters provided with to also familiarize themselves the characters that are included with the game. So I say add your story to your game system. Its the experience you want for the players to understand where everyone and everything is for game and storyline.

pelle
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"Free" short story will

"Free" short story will probably work, if it does not add too much to the price of the game.

RGaffney
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I like the viral marketing

I like the viral marketing idea. Sell the game, Include the story with the rules or on the back of the box, and keep the story available online, along with follow up stories for expansions, and anything else creative you want to do in your universe.

I mean, why not?

silasmolino
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In short...

The end of the short story is where the players pick up and play. The story ends with both ships ready to fight. The results of the game will decide which side wins and which side loses, thus wrapping up the story.

A participant of my monthly wrokgroup said that the "tragedy" aspect of the story may turn players off from playing. If you've read the story, what do you think? Would you refrain from playing (especially the red ship Andromeda) because of what happend to the crew of the ship?

Stormyknight1976
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I like the story.

That was very cool. I would definitely play this game. For the read and to see the outcome. But what ever happens, I would suggest to add expansions and new chapters.

McTeddy
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I am another person who

I am another person who wouldn't read your story unless it was very short... or relevant to the game. If it's just added bonus material, I won't read it. I buy games to PLAY games... the story only matters to me if it was an amazing game with a setting that I want to learn more about. Sadly, those games can be counted on one hand.*

My recommendation would be to not waste the effort writing the full story. But since you seem to WANT to write the story, I'll simply caution you that it probably won't be enough to change peoples opinion of the game. It probably won't substantially increase your audience, or even influence the audience you have.

As a labor of love, feel free to write and distribute the story. I wouldn't expect it to have any real payoff.

*Fine... I can't think of ANY that I cared that much. But I'm sure they must exist.

questccg
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I think...

If your story is SHORT and is sufficiently condensed that it fits into ONE PAGE in a game booklet, then I would make that 1st page of my game booklet that short story.

Some people will skip it and get to the rules, BUT some will read it before moving on to the rules of your game. My guess this is the BEST bet for your story...

Alternatively there is another location where your story might fare well. That is on the BACK on a game's packaging (box). BUT the rules for the story are more restrictive, you need for your story to be at most 3/4 a page (a little shorter). If the story is GOOD, it might encourage players to buy the game. But it has to be brief, shorter than a page in your game booklet... Like 1 to 2 paragraphs (probably more in the 1 paragraph).

Then you have to sell the game on the rest of the space (talk about the game itself)... And have things like play duration, number of players, etc.

NOTE: I have clicked on the link of the story - and I must say it is too long. When I saw the length, I did not want to read if because it is so long... BUT your story is sort of interesting (I have read bits and pieces here and there). However you would need to really condense it for like the 1st page of your booklet and maybe just say something like: "The game is about the battle between the Mayflower and the Andromeda..."

So something like: "Take on the role of Captain Ford, captain of the Mayflower. Prepare to defend your ship from the mysterious Andromeda..."

NOTE 2: IF your story is sufficiently interesting (condensed version), you could maybe get away with 2 pages (both sides of one paper) at the beginning of your game booklet. Then you could have the Table of content on page 3...

NOTE 3: Also there might be MORE spelling errors. But I caught one: "and he had no body to celebrate it with." Should be *nobody* (without the space)... Another: "He remembers his commendation, awards, metals,..." Should be *medals*.

NOTE 4: I did read the ENTIRE prologue... My ideas of how to condense it would be to leave out the section dedicated to the Andromeda and it's crew. If you cut that out and *leave it a mystery* (it would seem about 1/2 the story) what is going on with the Andromeda (more suspense, more theories - Alien invasion, etc.) Just my thoughts on how to condense the story. Having 2 main characters (Ford and Beverly) makes it harder to assimilate the story. Your story could work with just the first part and the last part (and cut quite a bit by removing everything about Beverly and the Andromeda).

KrisW
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The Game As A Story

I think having a story as a part of the game is appropriate, and you should keep at it.

I’m trying to do much the same thing with the game I’m developing. Here’s the current story rules set I’m using for my work. Most of this is based on RPG writing, but some may carry over.

1. Offer many stories, fragmented and short -
I think the story needs to be fragmented so that each player gets to put it together as they play. This feeling of active accomplishment is what differentiates a game story from other forms.

2. The story should inform game mechanics -
Subtle game strategies and rules can be communicated to the player through examples. Some of these can be bad examples, i.e. they show the player what NOT to do.

3. Game mechanics should inform the story -
As players come to learn the game, the mechanics will give them insight into why characters in a story made the sometimes horrible choices they made. A degree of sympathy can arise from the reader understanding the situation a character is in and the impossible choices they may have to cope with.

4. Parts of the story must be ambiguous and conflicted -
Because each player comes to the stories in a different order they build up slightly different emotions about events and characters. Player choices based on differing viewpoints ought to add an interesting dimension to the game.

5. Pieces of the story must to fit together -
The cool twist and cliff hanger common in a novel don’t work for me here. In longer stories the reader has invested a lot of emotion by the time the main character is threatened. Small misdirections can be forgiven. But in a game story the pieces are small and the players are making the most of even the tiniest detail. Instead of building suspense these writerly games just pisses players off.

By the way, I like your phrase “Deep Back Story” for the game genre. Can I use it?

- KrisW

silasmolino
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Majority

It seems fairly mixed. A few of you would be ok with having a short 5000 word story to create a prologue to the fight and others just want to get straight to the action.

Here is a new question:

Is the mixing of two mediums ( board games and books) novel or taboo and why?

RGaffney
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If its a book book. Bound and

If its a book book. Bound and edited, printed on a press, that's a bad idea. Game publishers and book publishers are not the same people, and they don't want to bundle someone else's product within theirs unless they are certain its a winner.

If you want to write a book book, I would do that stand alone, and a game stand alone, and let people realize they go together like an easter egg.

silasmolino
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Thanks guys

Thanks for all the ideas. I will be shortening it to a page/page and a half based on some recommendations by a few of you.

I am still enamoured by the story and enjoyed writing the characters. The story will remain intact on line and I will be submitting the booklet to the publishers as background.

This game has allowed me to really get into creating a new universe and the potential for that universe is very exciting.

Check out the website www.farfromhomeboardgame.weebly.com for more information, artwork, the story, and photos of the game. An old draft of the rule book can also be found there.

McTeddy
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silasmolino wrote: Is the

silasmolino wrote:
Is the mixing of two mediums ( board games and books) novel or taboo and why?

I wouldn't say it's taboo.

My thinking:
- Writing a book is a lot of work and it won't satisfy my need to game.
- Making a game is a lot of work and it won't satisfy my need for characters and story.

You would be DOUBLING the amount of work you do without bringing much to the table for the average player. This seems like an inefficient process that is more likely to wear you out than make you successful. By focusing on one or the other you can pinpoint my experience on either side and make it fantastic.

A half page introduction is usually a good way to give me the flavor of your world. It will help me understand what you were going for. I like that solution.

But for a full novel, It's a separate product and should be marketed as such. (Unless of course it's a paragraph book that directly influences the game)

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