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    •  
      CommentAuthorjackson tegu
    • CommentTimeJun 20th 2008 edited
     # 81
    HouseBreaker

    Prep
    for 2 players who don't live together
    a watch or mobile timepiece for each player
    the player's houses

    it is insinuated that the houses will have land-line telephones.
    the poem will last for 13 minutes, tracked independently by the 2 players.

    Prelude
    read the following prose before playing. Don't refer to it during the poem, just take what you remember and go with that.
    The two players are out of their houses, ideally together, somewhere. They enjoy themselves (again, ideally) and before parting ways to return home they decide on three things- 1) what time to begin play, 2) what time to make a phone call, ideally 7-9 minutes after play begins, and 3) which of them will be the caller.
    Then the players synchronize their watches and go home.


    The Poem
    Play will begin when you are outside of your home and somewhere out there your fellow player is outside of their home. You stand outside, a little ways off. You keep glancing at your watch. When the selected minute turns over and play begins, you transform. You become the poetic ideal of a thief, methodical, cautious, infallible; carefully wearing the perfect disguise. You look exactly like a person who lives in this building here, this building you are about to break into.

    Hang around for a few more minutes, out on the street, making sure no one is watching; try to move like the person you're disguised as. When it's clear, go up to the door, take out the copies of keys that you've made and keep trying until you find the one that works.

    Then walk on in.

    Try to quickly get a feel for the layout of the house. So this is the living room, there, down the hall- is that the bathroom? And regard the objects with your measured gaze. All of these things, from the furniture down to the pen beside the telephone, all of it was brought here by someone, selected among others of its kind using some particular criteria. Can you fathom that criteria? And does your quarry live with others? You don't know. Are there themes among the objects which would insinuate multiple dwellers, insinuate multiple decorators?

    No time to lose. Remind yourself of your goal, and begin searching. Explore, and sweep the rooms with an appraising eye. you are not here for DVDs, nor jewelery, nor laptop computers; though these things may tempt you. Seeking understanding, move from room to room. The bathroom, the kitchen. Seek to understand. If there are multiple bedchambers, quickly rule out the ones which have a discrepancy in them. Your quarry does not pretend to be other than they are, unlike yourself. Select one and go in. Look around. Time is getting on and so you must find the place in the house which most strongly represents your quarry. Go there.

    Stand in the middle and look carefully, touching nothing. Someone actually lives like this. All of these objects were selected and brought here, and arranged by those hands. Why is that thing sitting there, when it so obviously belongs somewhere else? Hazard a guess. Make it up. There's no way to know for sure.

    So somewhere here, maybe hidden from view but soon to be revealed is the object most like your quarry, the single thing which represents them completely and exactly. Begin your search gently, then move with more passion. You must find it!

    But keep an eye on your watch! You're expecting a call, or you must make one. In either case, get to the phone early. Hang around, making sure the line won't be in use. Apologise if someone wants to use it, be firm. This is important. If you're answering, pick it up on the first ring.

    Here is the script for the conversation:

    Caller: Have you found it yet?

    Answerer: Not yet, but i'm close. You?

    Caller: The same.

    Answerer: We should hurry, there's not much time.

    Caller: There'll be enough.

    It is important that the script is held to exactly. The thieves may stay on the line, listening to one another breathing, but no more may be said.

    And then you hang up.


    [continued below]
    •  
      CommentAuthorjackson tegu
    • CommentTimeJun 20th 2008 edited
     # 82
    [continued from above]


    Immediately get back to it. You seek to understand. What CD is in the player? What books are jumbled haphazardly? What clothes are where? What knick-knacks are displayed? Is there personal correspondence lying around? No time to read it, but scan it over. Quickly, quickly! time is running short, oh, you have to go!
    And just-
    Just as you really must go-
    Ah.
    There it is.
    You pick it up, gingerly.
    You almost can't believe it, but yes.
    Here it is.

    Pocket it, smiling, take one last look around. Get the hell out of there.

    Out on the street, moving quickly, light hearted. Produce it from your pocket and study it as you go. What a strange and wondrous thing, so simple, meaning so much.

    Check your watch. With one minute remaining on the clock, attempt to put it back in your pocket but accidentally drop it. Fail to notice that you've dropped it and walk on for five steps. At this point the thief walks out of your life forever, spin around in place and return to your skin. The character is gone and you are walking home and-

    What is that, ahead of you on the street? Isn't this thing yours? You bend to see and yes, why yes it is. How curious that it has come to be out here! Perhaps you look around, perhaps you hold it in your hand the rest of the way home. And when the time ticks all away the poem is over and you have returned to your home. You go inside to the familiar surroundings, breathe in the familiar scents. You put your things where you usually put them, pausing only a moment over the strange discrepancy of your wandering possession. And then you go on with your life.



    Credits
    This role playing poem was written by Jackson Tegu.
    The form of the RPP was created by Tomas HV Mørkrid.
    This particular piece gratefully thanks Scott Hermes and his neo-futurist play "Try This At Home", and Matthijs Holter and his role playing poem "Fifteen Minutes With Something Greater" for the inspiration which got the pen pressing to the paper.
    •  
      CommentAuthorjackson tegu
    • CommentTimeJun 20th 2008 edited
     # 83
    The Wealthy Literary Connoisseur Has Stepped Out Of The Room While You

    and the three or four or five
    others are left with the ice cubes in your drinks, melting,
    the finery all around and the daunting shelf
    packed with volumes old and new, packed with
    every celebration and misery you've put to the page-
    and the three or four or five
    all looking at the shelf, at their past
    glories and transgressions on the art
    of lifting a pen-

    you can stare at a volume on the shelf,
    you can pick it and feel its weight in your hand.
    you can speak its name, loud or quiet.
    and speak too the name of its author, who is
    standing awkward in the parlor
    cursing your host for leaving you all here together.

    one of your companions you know to be a genius,
    and you will defend his good name and good works; and one
    is a plagiarist, coldly stealing manuscripts-
    can you accuse, knowing the bounty of your failures?
    would you not do the same, were you bolder?

    and what will come to be, should you raise your voice?
    should you lift a book above your head,
    should you cast it out to crash along the wooden floors
    should your spittle decorate the cheek
    of a fellow author?

    and haven't you always wanted to say
    just what you thought of this book?
    and haven't you always wanted to tear
    its seventh chapter out?

    and when the connoisseur returns
    in a quarter of an hour,
    you authors stop and, shocked, behold
    the literary slaughter.



    [This is a role playing poem.
    The poem outlines a scene to play out, with friends.
    All the players (4 to 6 is optimal) portray celebrated
    authors who have been invited to a gathering at the home
    of a very wealthy fan. At the start of the scene, the
    fan leaves the authors alone with a bookshelf containing
    all the books that each of them have ever produced, which
    is quite a lot. All of the players can make up book titles
    and pick which in the group wrote that book, and that book
    will be there on the book shelf for all to comment upon.
    Each person picks one other author whom they love the work of,
    and a different one whom they think is a terrible thief who
    doesn't even write their own books. As the scene moves along,
    it is natural for the authors to begin annoying one another.
    Since the scene is fifteen minutes long, this can escalate a
    fair bit.

    To play the scene you'll need
    a) some friends who want to play too
    b) some way to tell when fifteen minutes has passed
    c) some books which you don't mind getting thrown around
    or perhaps even torn up a little.

    At the end of the scene, the wealthy fan comes back and
    is horrified by what the celebrated authors have done to
    each other and their wonderful books. The authors can all
    see themselves through the fan's eyes and are shocked and
    stunned. The moral of the poem is: People who write books
    are actually desperate monsters.]


    [this rpp was made up by jackson tegu.
    the form of rpp was made up by tomas h.v. mørkrid. obvious inspiration came from
    reading t.s. eliot years ago and being cripplingly self-critical. the concept of
    "escalation" was introduced by d. vincent baker in his excellent rpg "the dogs of
    the vineyard."]
    • CommentAuthorCaesar_X
    • CommentTimeJun 20th 2008
     # 84
    jackson, I tried to make you your own D&D supplement. But I succeeded only in creating what looks like a gay porn dvd slipcover.

    •  
      CommentAuthorjackson tegu
    • CommentTimeJun 20th 2008 edited
     # 85
    commencement of graduation

    to set up the room for this role playing poem one must acquire twice as many chairs as there are participants, and set them up facing one direction with an AISLE down the center. there should be an equal number of chairs on each side of the AISLE. one or two rows would be best, but three would be ok too. the part of the room which the chairs are facing will be called the STAGE and the part behind the chairs will be called the AUDIENCE. everyone present who is not participating should arrange themselves in the AUDIENCE section and remain quiet throughout the poem. to perform this poem with more than ten participants you will have to devise some clever variations, i should think six participants would be an excellent number.



    there is some music somehow, live or recorded, that begins as each participant takes a card reading the following-

    Welcome and Congratulations to Your Graduation Ceremony

    A. What section of your life is now coming to a close?
    B. Tell us three previous sections of your life.
    C. What have you learned from this section of your life?
    D. Say something optimistic about the future.

    as the music plays, the participants will walk in a circle, slowly and deliberately, around the entire grouping of chairs. they look at their cards and think about their responses to the prompts. as the music ends after a few minutes, all the participants make their way to the chairs on the AUDIENCE's right. each participant, starting with the participant in the chair closest to the STAGE and the AISLE stands alone on the STAGE and addresses all in attendance. perhaps they thank a few people for being there, or thank others who are only there in spirit. they can try and make a joke. they tell all those in attendance their responses to the prompts on the card, in the order they feel is most fitting. after speaking, each participant finds a seat among the chairs to the AUDIENCE's left. they can sit anywhere they please. the participants will have to be careful not to take an inappropriate amount of time with their speech.

    once the last of the participants has spoken and found their new seat, all participants stand and walk to the stage together. the music will start again and participants may throw their hats in the air, bow, embrace, laugh, or otherwise express their emotions. some may choose to dance to the music. all those in the AUDIENCE should clap uproariously.

    the poem ends here, but it should be noted that this is a fine transition to a dance party.

    ------------------
    written by jackson tegu. the rpp form was created by tomas h.v. mørkrid and this piece owes thanks to tomas' rpp "one foot in the wild". changes were made late in the design thanks to chris bennett's rpp "the believers".
  1.  # 86
    chris...

    omg...

    i am totally trying to pretend to be a real professional here...

    like...

    i just can't believe...

    that you would snipe my train of awesome rpps like that...

    i...


    oh, chris... yes...


    -excerpt from the Tegu-Bennett "fantasy campaign setting"
    • CommentAuthorTomasHVM
    • CommentTimeJun 20th 2008 edited
     # 87
    "HouseBreaker" is a fantastic game! Jackson Tegu: your design really impress me! Fun to read, and exciting to imagine how it will affect my perception of my own home. Great!
    • CommentAuthorTomasHVM
    • CommentTimeJun 20th 2008
     # 88
    THE BELIEVERS - by Chris Bennett is a nice little game. I like the theme, and the simple way it evolves, connecting the initial stories to the actual aliens, and how it ends. Personally I'd like to be abducted, I think.
    • CommentAuthorscottdunphy
    • CommentTimeJun 20th 2008 edited
     # 89
    Here's my entry and it's before midnight in my very own timezone (Mountain)!

    If someone would play it as intended (i.e. without reading ahead) I would be eternally grateful.
  2.  # 90
    well, that cleans out the americas, minus alaska.

    some folks still have a few hours left, though.
    •  
      CommentAuthorMatthijs
    • CommentTimeJun 21st 2008
     # 91
    I think, by now, we can safely say that the competition has ended. I want to thank everyone for participating - the interest has been huge, much more than I anticipated! I'll get the jurors started, and it'll be very interesting to see what they have to say.
    • CommentAuthorTomasHVM
    • CommentTimeJun 23rd 2008 edited
     # 92
    OK! I miss some post from the jury, telling us all this will take some time (possibly a week?) or something ...
    •  
      CommentAuthorMatthijs
    • CommentTimeJun 23rd 2008
     # 93
    I've contacted Erlend and Erling - the matter is now entirely in their hands :)
  3.  # 94
    Is anyone interested in forming feedback/playtest groups for this ala Game Chef? I've got some local events coming up (hopefully) where I can probably convince some people to give some of these a try.
    • CommentAuthorCaesar_X
    • CommentTimeJun 28th 2008
     # 95
    Posted By: scottdunphyIs anyone interested in forming feedback/playtest groups for this ala Game Chef?

    Oh definitely! I think there are some great little games here. And I would love any feedback/AP on The Believers.

    Go with it!
    • CommentAuthorTomasHVM
    • CommentTimeJun 29th 2008 edited
     # 96
    The role-playing poem ONE FOOT IN THE WILD was played outside in the sun at Arcon this weekend (convention in Oslo). I did not participate, but had a group of six people play it. Their experiences seemed to range from "a bit clumsy" to "very nice and interesting". Making relations trough comments on footwear seemed to be the most "clumsy" part of the game.

    The feedback from the players was most useful.
    • CommentAuthorTomasHVM
    • CommentTimeJul 4th 2008
     # 97
    Hmm ... how does the jury fare? Have they gone out to test the games, never to return???
  4.  # 98
    maybe they all chose to go with the aliens?
    • CommentAuthorerlend
    • CommentTimeJul 5th 2008
     # 99
    The verdict will be announced pretty soon. It's just that I've spent my summer days gaming and not judging :) The Firkløver will find its way to a lucky and skillful winner in due time.
    • CommentAuthorErling
    • CommentTimeJul 11th 2008 edited
     # 100
    The Role-playing Poem Challenge

    RESULTS

    Adjudicating the Role-playing Poem Challenge proved to be a challenging task in itself. There are many entries, most of which are very good poems, and the jury did not agree completely at first. Some entries are simply solid pieces of work, although not quite original enough to warrant a Firkløver. Others are extremely innovative, but seem somewhat lacking in playability and fun-factor. We have, as instructed, based our judgements on the requirements of fun, originality and adherence to form.

    We have interpreted fun and playability in a wide sense. Interesting, emotionally evocative, thought-provoking, beautiful, and personally challenging are all herein treated as synonyms of fun. In judging playability we have had a particular eye for strong, simple method, clear instructions and realistic timing. Some poems, we believe, stretch out certain moments of interaction beyond what will prove to be fun in actual play.

    Originality has been an important deciding factor. We have looked for new method, innovative presentation and striking concepts. Innovative use of well-known method also counts as originality in our view.

    Adherence to form is necessarily the criterion most open to interpretation, as the form is recently developed and its boundaries are still being explored. As we see it, the here-and-now experience of moods, situations and relationships lies at the heart of role-playing poems. Too strong focus on developing narrative is usually a weakness of design, in our view, because the limited time-frame constrains the development of the story too much. In role-playing poems, narrative usually works best when it serves the experiential aspect of the poem, rather than being an end in itself. Tight, focused design with a specific (although not necessarily describable) experience in mind is another core quality of role-playing poems, as we see it.

    We have selected a winner, and two runners-up. Many more deserve mention; those not among the top three may rest assured that the margins were rather small. The quality is generally very high, and we hope many of these excellent poems see a lot of play.

    First runner up:

    THE BELIEVERS by Chris Bennett
    This poem is an excellent example of using narrative to support experience. In form it lies closer to traditional verbal role-playing than many other role-playing poems, while maintaining a very tight focus. It employs the same soft, suggestive direction of play that has proven highly effective in M. Jakobssons "Until we sink". The ending is pointed and touching. A solid design all in all, that scores a lot on fun and playability.

    Second runner up:

    BOREDOM by Lasse Lundin
    This poem is drily funny right from the start ("choose the most boring person to read the rules. This is boring."), while building up its mood at the same time. It employs a strong, simple method (taking turns in suggesting an activity) which supports the main experiential goal of being bored together. It scores a lot on playability and adherence to form. It is not original enough, however, to win.

    Winner of the Firkløver bar:

    HOUSEBREAKER by Jackson Tegu
    A poem that both adheres very well to the form as well as expanding it in a new direction. The poem masterfully balances originality with playability. The use of prose to explain the game works very well. The use of synchronised timing and a phone call maintains a vital measure of interaction, and represents a new design tool that may see further use. The clever use of frantic searching helps maintain the desired state of mind. Most importantly, this poem gives the players a wonderful opportunity to interact with their own everyday lives, and to relate to it from a new angle. Housebreaker is a prime example of role-playing poetry, and a deserving winner among many other excellent poems.
    •  
      CommentAuthorMatthijs
    • CommentTimeJul 11th 2008
     # 101
    Wow. Congratulations, Jackson! And Lasse and Chris! And everyone else who participated!

    I've been awaiting the judges' decision as eagerly as anyone :)

    Jackson, whisper me your address and I'll send you the Firkløver!
    •  
      CommentAuthorMatthijs
    • CommentTimeJul 11th 2008
     # 102
    ...and thanks to the judges! Great job, Erling and Erlend!
  5.  # 103
    Congratulations, guys! Well done, and well deserved.
    •  
      CommentAuthorMatthijs
    • CommentTimeJul 11th 2008
     # 104
    Jackson, I just read your poem for the very first time, and f**k, it's art.
    • CommentAuthorreinecke
    • CommentTimeJul 11th 2008
     # 105
    yup. Congratiulation to the winner!
    Very beautiful game. but i'm missing a second player. Anyone interested?

    and the believers... i will try it as soon as possible too!
    • CommentAuthorCaesar_X
    • CommentTimeJul 11th 2008
     # 106
    Congrats to Jackson and Lasse! Woohoo!! Both really cool games!

    And Jackson, I humbly cede the Firkløver to you:)
    • CommentAuthorTomasHVM
    • CommentTimeJul 11th 2008 edited
     # 107
    Huzzah!!! The winner is worthy of the firklöver! Huzzah!!!

    And grats to the two runner ups too! And to the rest of the field; those bold designers who made this thread into something special! Thank you very much and congratulations!
    • CommentAuthorBryan
    • CommentTimeJul 11th 2008
     # 108
    Congrats to the winners and thanks to the judges for putting in the hard work of judging. Fun game this was!
    •  
      CommentAuthorjackson tegu
    • CommentTimeJul 11th 2008 edited
     # 109
    OH WOW!!!!

    Hey Cool!! my partner and i were just making dinner and she said "hey, whoever won that firklover, anyway? it's been a couple of weeks now." and i replied that i didn't know, and left the potatoes under her able hand. and look! the internet gives up her sweet prizes, i feel like a latter-day mariner adrift on a digital sea, hauling up my nets...

    and let me say that i am very grateful for the judge's decision, and i can see that it was hard- every poem is amazing; for my part i will be putting together a round of "lost wedding ring" as soon as i can find a good spot (because it has to be perfect, i'm not going to just go over to the soccer field at the middle school) and my room mate keeps hounding me to play "child monks". and i'm stoked to play "the believers" the weekend after next, and i'm excited to go back through the list- i found a perfect little wooden thing for "orcology" like a week ago.

    thanks again, and thanks times ten if anyone wants to post about their actual play.

    i just feel so wonderful right now.

    if you can rush the firklover, we can share it for dessert.
    actually, second thought, there's a whole pack of people around so just send it nice and slow.
    • CommentAuthorCaesar_X
    • CommentTimeJul 29th 2008
     # 110
    And here Jackson Tegu is at HarperCon 08 last weekend in Seattle...uncovering the Firklover!!

    • CommentAuthorolepeder
    • CommentTimeJul 30th 2008
     # 111
    Haha! Cool. Did it melt in translation, or did it survive?

    I'm looking forward to playtest some of these poems in the fall.

    Best regards from the Norwegian Indian Summer.
  6.  # 112
    Posted By: Colin_FredericksI've been playing a lot of Arkham Horror recently, which explains this deviation from my usual genres. I'm not sure if this one fits under the time limit, as I've done zero playtesting.

    The Thousand Dark Young


    I playtested this on Saturday! We had a good time, but it ran about 30 minutes and some of the mechanics weren't clear. I recorded the game and I'm going to air it as a podcast episode (I'll post a link when it's up).

    I was (and still am) hoping to playtest more of these, but this is the only one we played Saturday with the group. They asked for "something horror" and I wipped this out. I might have another opportunity this Saturday to play so more RPPs, but no promises!
    •  
      CommentAuthorMatthijs
    • CommentTimeJul 30th 2008
     # 113
    (The firkløver, by the way, is not actually a lover of firks. The word means four-leaf clover).
    • CommentAuthorCaesar_X
    • CommentTimeJul 30th 2008
     # 114
    Posted By: olepederDid it melt in translation, or did it survive?

    It survived...but it was a close one!

  7.  # 115
    ... and there's Alan's arm in the background, he'd just finished being my just-reunited cutpurse half-brother Hazard.


    what an arm.

    thanks for the great shots, Chris!
    much love to all my homies; the academy...
    The USPS for not munching my snacks.
    • CommentAuthorTomasHVM
    • CommentTimeApr 15th 2010 edited
     # 116
    "Gizmet" doing something he names "game poems" HERE.

    And by the way; have some of you played some/all/any of these games?