Threeforged Design Challenge
Entry #15133
Working Title: If At First You Don’t Succeed

08:00 Introduction

This game explores how a series of choices and actions build a story – and how that story might change if we could go back and act differently. How many times would you have to try again before you got it right?

07:00 Inspirations

The game takes inspiration from the films Run Lola Run and Groundhog Day. The mechanics are inspired by Protocol. 

06:00 What You Need

·  3-6 players
·  Scenario printouts
·  Deck of 54 poker cards including two jokers
·  Small pad of sticky notes
·  Pens

05:00 Setup

Select a scenario from section 00:00. This influences the type of story you’ll tell, and the characters and actions in it. Outline your story setting, using the questions in the ‘Setting Description’ list as a starting point.

The hand size for each player is equal to the number of players plus 2 – one character card, one card for the first telling of the story, and one card for each retelling. 

One player deals. Set aside one joker from the deck, then shuffle the remaining cards. Take one hand of cards from the top of the deck, add the reserved joker, and shuffle them. Place these cards back on top of the deck - this ensures at least one joker is randomly dealt.

Deal each player one card at a time, continuing around the table until everyone holds a full hand. Set aside the remaining cards - they are not required for the game.

Keep some sticky notes and pens handy. As cards are played write important details on them with a sticky note to make it easier to remember.

04:00 Character Selection

One player holding a joker should place it on the table in front of them, to represent the story’s protagonist. Describe your protagonist, using the questions in the ‘Protagonist Description’ scenario section as a starting point. 

Each other player chooses one card to represent another story character - use the corresponding nouns and adjectives from the scenario table to select one you think will be interesting to play. Answer the questions in the ‘Character Description’ scenario section. Keep their character card in front of you to roleplay during the first telling of the story. 

03:00 Starting Your Story

Read the scenario goal – your story is about the protagonist striving towards this goal. At the end of the initial telling of the story, and all but the final retelling, your protagonist will not achieve the goal. The protagonist only succeeds in the final retelling.

The player with the protagonist card starts the story by establishing a scene, describing where it takes place and which characters are involved. They begin the scene with an action, represented by a card placed on the table - use the corresponding verbs and adverbs from the scenario table to select one you think will be interesting to play. The players roleplay each character involved as the scene unfolds. End the scene when it feels finished, or when the outcome of the action has been resolved.

Continuing clockwise each player establishes a new scene and a new protagonist action, with the group roleplaying the scene to resolution. Place each action card one after another on the table to form the timeline of your story:
□ □ □ □ □

These timeline cards always represent actions taken by the protagonist. The player roleplaying the protagonist always acts out these actions – this is the protagonist’s story.  Other players have authority over their character’s actions in a scene.

Each player establishes one scene per telling of the story. In the final scene describe how the protagonist fails to meet the scenario goal. When this scene ends this telling of the story is complete. You now have a story timeline of scenes and protagonist actions represented by the row of cards on the table. You will explore alternative timelines in further story retellings.

02:00 Retelling Your Story

Each player passes their character card to the player to the left. Rotating the cards allows everyone to play the protagonist, as well as finish a telling of the story.  

The new protagonist selects a scene from the original story timeline to change - any scene that hasn’t already been changed. Summarize the original story up to this point, then begin the chosen scene with a different protagonist action. Place the new action card adjacent to the original, creating a new fork in the story timeline:
					□
□ □ □ □ □

Continue as before, roleplaying the new scene to resolution. Moving clockwise, each player establishes a new scene based on an action they add to the new timeline:  

					□
					□
□ □ □ □ □

Explore how this version of the timeline is different as a result of the new actions played. Reuse elements of the story in different ways, adding color and building on previously established facts. In the last scene the protagonist still fails to meet the scenario goal.

Keep retelling your story this way until each player holds one card and only one scene in the original timeline remains unchanged:

					□ □ □  □
					□ □ □  □
					□ □ □  □
					□ □ □  □
					□ □ □  □
(Original Timeline)	□ □ □ □ □

01:00 Final Retelling

Play the final retelling like before, with one important difference – this time, your protagonist succeeds! Resolve your story. Pull out all the stops, go big, and be epic!

00:00 Scenarios

Zombie Apocalypse

Setting Description: 
• Does your story take place in the past, present, or future?
• How did the Zombie Apocalypse start?  When?  Who survived?
• Where are you?  
• What supplies do you have?

Protagonist Description: 
• What is your name?
• What do you look like? 
• What’s your backstory?
• What cherished item from your past do you carry?

Character Description: 
• What is your name?
• What do you look like?
• What’s your backstory? 
• Are you related to, or associated with, the protagonist or other characters?  
• What do you need most right now?

Goal: Survive 

Characters	Actions	
Hearts: helpful 
Diamonds: endangered
Spades: infected 
Clubs: devious 

Ace: redneck 
King: politician 
Queen: teacher 
Jack: celebrity 
10: orphan 
9: biker 
8: ex-soldier
7: addict 
6: thug 
5: cop 
4: doctor 
3: scientist 
2: ex-convict 
1: priest  
Joker: rival 	Hearts: noble 
Diamonds: costly
Spades: risky 
Clubs: violent 

Ace: kill 
King: defend 
Queen: move 
Jack: sacrifice 
10: attack 
9: plan 
8: talk 
7: take 
6: give 
5: escape 
4: hide 
3: consume 
2: explore 
1: give 
Joker: lie