[Delve] 12 word RPG Jam Reviews
I give you 12 small reviews about 12 small games, and as many potential directions to make your next RPG.
After sharing my own entries for the 12 word Jam in the last post, I’m now delving into the numerous submissions. Parsing through (very) small games is extremely pleasing, jumping from one concept to another, You instantly see a big picture and can choose from there whether you want to dig into the details, the ramification. I would definitely encourage everyone to try and do some delving on their own. Just Go to this page, sort by “random,” and you’re all set.
Still, you may like to start first with a curated selection, so here’s the finding I bring back to the surface. For the ones with less time or a gamble habit, you’ve got a list of 12 bellows (had to stick to the theme), so go along or roll a D12.
But first…
Jam Flavors of the Month
Postcards from the Front (Ongoing until April 1st)
It must fit on a 5" x 7" postcard (front and back) and be a Wargame. I’m especially keen on the format to be honest, it’s probably the cheapest physical game that can be sent around to your relatives. Now making a wargame that would interest my mom… sounds like a compelling challenge!
Indiepocalypse Issue #40 (Ongoing until April 6th)
Make a one-page game on anything, and you may be included in an anthology the host is making. I like when there are stakes, and some prize too ($20 for the selected + 5% of the sales). Also, worth noting, you keep full ownership of your game.
One Game a Month #21 (Ongoing until March 30th)
At the opposite end of the spectrum, this Jam only has a theme: “Noir” … and it is optional anyway. If you are just looking for a due date and a bunch of other creators to discuss with, that might be a better fit.
Me, myself and I (Ongoing until March 30th)
This Jam is focused on solo TTRPGs. Even if that category of game is fairly new to me, I discovered some great examples some weeks ago and shared my thought on this substack. Whether you go on the journaling format, or something closer to “traditional RPGs,” you have ground to explore.
Of fears
It seems I’m not the one going for the black and red diagram. For those who recall, I said in my previous entry how difficult it has been to make it look decent… Well, I feel the gape even more now. Good news is that my visual analysis is more precise than before (two typography, play with symmetry, image with low alpha, …). So, hopefully next time, my process will be faster and more inspired.
This RPG is also a compilation, and my favorite has to be numbered 4: “In Your Bones.” I can picture a puny old hermit sitting cross-legged. He’s sliding erratically is finger from one apparent bone of his to another… His eyes were twitching but suddenly stopped. He lost the count… You just have 7 years to go…
Endless Walk
I like the concept of linking the game to a physical action, but would have pushed it further. The balance is probably off right now, since you would be rolling a die every 5 seconds along the way and resting a lot. Just multiply the roll by 200 meters, and suddenly there are stakes on each of them.
I can see a whole range of variation emerging by proposing a “direction” (literary and/or figuratively). Instead of resting, you might be :
Tracking something through the forest.
Exploring unknown territories
Running away from your fears…
The lazy cartographer's guide
12 words for a not longer than 12 seconds procedure that gives you a map. The most important is probably that the tool is fun to use, but it is also heavily combinable. You could plug random tables on each die and tweak the context for different settings.
Another idea is to zoom in (the shape representing a biome or a city), and zoom out (each die becoming a planet instead). Last but not least, I like the presentation, minimalist, clean and functional: the die in perspective gives its perspective to the map.
Sensory Landscapes
This one is more abstract, vignettes, each focused on a different sense. Meditative in a way, isolating body functions have always appeased me. It’s also intriguing how you can bring memories linked to specific sense without actually using it. Let it grow and spread until you have a complete scene in mind. Reading “music” and seeing this tape went all the way through my brain to form an old radio tune playing in a 60s living room.
Twelve RPGs, Twelve words each
The author proposes several systemless small settings, which is interesting because 12 words is probably not enough to do both. Most of mine start with “introduction” or “context” left for the player to define. Here, you would have to do the opposite: you get the hints on the situation, then have to figure out or combine a system to play with it.
It’s a thought experiment at this point, I’m not sure it how usable it would be at a table. At the very least, this game is combinable and got me thinking that in addition to my series of small rulesets, a series of nano-settings would go a long way. The formatting could be improved, however, playing with bullet list instead of commas and colons, for example.
Fourseer
This one is probably my favorite of the entries with a very literal approach to the exercise. It sticks to the 12 words constraint to provide a great synthesis of the common tools we use in RPGs:
The dice roll
Random tables
Blank text to be completed
Nano pack
Jam is always a fertile ground for innovation, but there are many aspects to RPG and some get more attention than others. Most are focusing on systems, some on setting and tools, although, that’s one of the very few that emphasis formats. I will say that I have a hard time wrapping my head around the games themselves, but the exploration of the forms and styles is very inspiring.
Personally, I tried to figure out a formula for the Jam, a template I could reuse. This entry is more like a burst of creativity going in many directions at once, and in a way it’s probably more in the spirit of a Jam. If I have to pick a favorite, it would be the bookmark. I’m sure there is a potential to make a quick game that uses the spread you are at, renewing the context every time you progress in your reading.
Must eat Brains
I’m clearly not getting the reference... Yet, the concept of writing secret actions in advance sounds like a great core mechanic for an RPG. I could see a one scene game where after a quick introduction, everyone writes some actions, and we resolve them in turn. Making a playable “cadavre exquis” in a way.
Once Upon A Sticker Journal Zine
Fun concept with a style that meets the theme. It could see the story go both ways: wholesome or unsettling. I like that a twist is built in the structure (“the end”). It’s probably a niche game, but my partner happens to have stickers… Like a lot of them!
I saw other games leveraging surroundings as a main component of the system, but I think it is the one where I got the impact of it. Do you have concert or brand stickers, or a bunch of cute Christmas themed ones? A compilation of actual play might look pretty cool... and very eclectic.
The Oldest Game
Duel game in a suggested epic context. Although, it would work in many other contexts. What about a rhetoric contest between two politicians, or a mind game between a cop and a killer? I love the “silence is judge,” suggesting that the pacing is defining who’s winning. Can’t find a compelling counter? Maybe it’s time to conclude.
Write With Neighbors
Great procedure to write and play gamebooks-style narrative on the go. Since you participate to several stories in parallel, there is no downtime, and a good chance that connections start emerging to generate a larger picture. I have to say that the visual could have a bit more attention, but it is very functional.
You could easily add more players, with various rules framing the swapping of stories. What if you have several characters and, depending on which one the choices focus on, you hand it to a specific player? You could also add randomness into the mix with multiple outcomes per choice. A last idea that comes to mind is to apply it to lore instead of a narrative arc, defining the background collaboratively before playing in it.
Scandal!
Photography is one of my favorite hobbies because it changes your perspective on things. You take a moment to register beauty in detail you wouldn’t notice otherwise. It makes it a great starting point for stories, too. You could imagine the life of anyone in the street and extrapolate narrative from them.
The game proposes several directions, here’s another one that came to mind: what if your picture reveals the clues that would elucidate an upcoming murder?
Thank you for the reviews and compilation. This is public service!!! :D