With everything all loosey-goosey and me being out of the country and the Game Chef site some kind of mysterious four-column hash, I have no idea what you all are up to. The only people I am following are the Screaming Cats.

So what's up? What format and restrictions have you chosen, what's your game about in two sentences or less, and has anybody finished and submitted a game? I'm behind the eight-ball! Catch me up and brag a little.

This is my first Game Chef, and I have never designed a complete game. I had wavered between ideas for a long time, and then real life interfered, so I have not yet submitted something. Recently, I decided to ditch the ingredients and design what I want, without any restrictions.

Right now, I have some conflict resolution mechanics based on the game Liar's Dice that I am pretty jazzed about. Once I can think of a decent premise, and some sort of reward cycle, I should be in business.

Congratulations on completing yours, Raffaele!

I just read through John K's entry today. Gorgeous job, and a very intriguing game. I like how you switch between different types of conflicts. Reminds me of the Danish Joust scenario game.

I thought I read here somewhere that Daydream Discotheque was getting some playtesting. Brennan Reece has done some fun stuff with his Haunted House game. I've enjoyed watching Of Sea and Sky coming together. And it's been great to see some games like Tony's Seabird and Stella, and Jennifer's Caribbean Secrets complete.

I wish the blog names had a reference to the game name as well once there is one--I've found it hard to find folks again to follow up on their development. My poor old noggin can't keep up. :)

Mostly it's going slowly and quietly, which is fine.

I'm using Intrigue as a theme, but none of the other ingredients. I'm also making a three-player game.

My game is about political demagogues vying for power and tearing one another down. The main thing is playing in contemporary U.S., but there will be options to play in other settings/situations (i.e., the politicking of the Roman Catholic Church in the 13-14th centuries).

Inspirations: "The War Room", documentary by D.A Pennebaker. Primary Colors (novel), All the King's Men (novel). I'm planning on diving a lot more into political fiction and films, but these are the basis.

Posted By: Dan Maruschak I'm working on a game called Trilogy, which is a GM-less no-prep game designed to create stories in the Epic Fantasy genre.

Interesting. I just finished a game of the same name (Trilogy available here) for Jake's awesome fantasy contest that finished up a few weeks ago. Our concepts seem pretty different though, as mine is GM run fast paced challenge based play as opposed to being more narrative like yours.

Posted By: Jonathan WaltonI do think the lack of really hard deadlines has made there be less pressure for folks to finish, perhaps, and that some games may peter out of momentum, but I think that's always been true of Game Chef, to certain extent.

I was concerned about this phenomenon for myself, when I didn't make the 14 day deadline; but it hasn't been the case. Though I think that if I don't force myself to finish my first draft for the 30 day deadline, my enthusiasm will wane.

The lack of hard constraints has been a boon for me this time around though, because it's allowed me to make a game whose concept I'm really fired up about, without the pressure of having to integrate that ingredients that weaken the concept.

This is probably the first Game Chef in which I've participated that I felt I really had a game with viable prospects for eventual publishing.

Game Chef is going poorly due to good things in life jumping in the way, but I refuse to give up.

Woebegon Inbetween is a game of street kids building a family, building a home, and finding happiness in helping others. It will also bear a touch of sadness, a reminder of how little stands between life on the streets and tragedy.

I'm building a stock roleplaying game, but with some props as chosen and provided by the players. I have nothing to show people yet, and am still wrestling with so many themes, but I can't help shake the feeling that this time I'll be able to do the concept some justice, though it may take the full year to do so. That's okay. It was years between first thinking of the concept and finally being inspired by this year's Game Chef to take it the first few steps beyond that.

This is another game that will never see publication as the subject matter is too delicate. As a film it has worked many times, as a book it would be fine, but as a game...I dont' think it would find a market. Still, I cannot help but be driven by the concept, the sense that there's something important in there that can be better explored through a roleplaying game than in any other medium.

This was my first Game Chef. I loved the loose format of the contest, but I still kind of wish the games were being judged. There's something to be said for the "we're all winners" thing, but there's also something to be said for "holy fuck, everyone should be playing that game!"

My entry is Dead Running, a game about zombies running from the rogue psychics that are trying to eat their zombie brains. It's crazy cool conceptually and I hope to playtest it in a week or two. I feel really good about this one, so it'll definitely have an official 'release'. Whatever form that may be...

Posted By: madunkiegThis is another game that will never see publication as the subject matter is too delicate. As a film it has worked many times, as a book it would be fine, but as a game...I dont' think it would find a market. Still, I cannot help but be driven by the concept, the sense that there's something important in there that can be better explored through a roleplaying game than in any other medium.

I agree with Hans. "Publication", as in "getting your game out there in a very polished state for people to play", is a worthy aim you should be pursuing, despite not having the prospect of blockbuster sales. ^__^