Ribbon Drive at 10

[w00hoo]

After the success of Ribbon Drive at Conception I note it was one of the 'to run' games I'd considered for Concrete Cow. So...

Is there a single game sized room at the Cow (I have a recollection there is I've just never played in it.) Ribbon Drive has a CD playing constantly during the game so isn't really suited to play in a room with other games. Table isn't necessary, sofas and general chilled atmosphere is a bonus and there does need to be access to a power point to run a CD player of some description (I'll provide something). Max number of participants would be 5, if that makes a difference organisationally.

Would anyone who is going be up for some very Indie, story telling gaming using a system with no conflict mechanic? I can say, the first time I ran participated in it, it was very successful.

[Graham W]

You'd probably want the room down the end for that.

It's a great game. I enjoyed it a lot at Conception. I'll give someone else a go, this time.

Graham

[w00hoo]

I'll see if it gets a nibble at all before the event and offer it up if it does. I'm aware it's quite a way from most peoples wish list so wouldn't really want to push it if it's going to get no players. In that case, I'd just run something a touch more trad

[James Mullen]

I'd be up for that, if I'm not press ganged into running something else.

Any thoughts on what slot you'd run it in?

[w00hoo]

I think it would work happily in the afternoon slot. Failing that the morning one. Not sure I'd like to play it just before a long drive home in the evening.

[Rich Stokes]

Convince me to play. I am intrigued, but what I've heard makes it sound gimmicky. Convince me I'm wrong.

[w00hoo]

Convince me to play. I am intrigued, but what I've heard makes it sound gimmicky. Convince me I'm wrong.

It's a GMless game that has a solid mechanic in it for avoiding the savage cut scene to cut scene jumps that can happen in other similar games. You generate each character with two futures and they are all you are supposed to talk about with regards to the future during the game (so 4 players, 8 futures). It means that you play a game with no plot and you get a plot because everyone is pulling in similar directions rather than just doing what's cool in their heads. In play while I sometimes felt we weren't tight on this future or that, I don't think we strayed enough to flag it up as a problem.

The game is all about creating the story of the road trip, there's no conflict mechanism, the trip either keeps going smoothly, or something you can't (or choose not to) avoid knocks it off of course. Again, in play we didn't really feel the need to throw in big detours, the story was suitably engrossing as it was but I can see less gentle stories being much more roller coaster affairs.

OK, it has a gimmick, you use songs to generate the mood of the game and one of the character stats at the beginning. You play loosely themed mix CD's through the game to theoretically direct the scene narration, often it fades in to the background and you ignore it while missing it when the CD's stop.

The whole thing is about exploring the characters and their futures in play and the game is set to come to a conclusion when one character either realises or abandons both of their futures, meaning that once more the story without a plot that you are telling actually ends up having a plot created within it.

Any of that sound appealing?

[Rich Stokes]

I think appealing is putting it a bit too strong, but I'd consider giving it a go.

Probably not at CCow, given the shortness, maybe at Indiecon?

[w00hoo]

Current intent is to run a session at Indiecon, probably actually near the fireplace where the sofa's are, rather than in a lodge but not 100% on that detail yet.

[Neil Smith]

If you're still thinking of running Ribbon Drive at Concrete Cow, let me know and I'll put it on the Concrete Cow games page.

Neil.

[w00hoo]

Seems to be enough interest. I'll commit to run it in the afternoon slot and hope it gets the uptake.

Do you want to blurb it, or shall I do something?

[Neil Smith]

It'll probably be best if you do some blurb. Post it here or PM me and I'll put it on the games page.

[w00hoo]

Ribbon Drive
we tell stories about letting go on the open road

Ribbon Drive is a game about telling the story of a group of people on a road trip. It's about deciding who they are, what they want and then discovering if they get it or not. The game is GMless with everyone taking one of the characters on the road trip, it is focused sharply on telling the stories with each player taking turns in framing scenes along the way and moving the story along, or bringing in obstacles that may detour it off in unforseen directions.

The game is based around the mix tapes that get played in the stereo while on the open road. Every player can bring along their own themed mix CD, I'll have a bunch with me too, and we randomly choose one to start the game going. We'll listen to the first two songs and use them to generate the road trip and the characters that are on it. From there the game plays with the CD's making the soundtrack in the background, sometimes this comes to the fore, sometimes you barely realise it's there, but you'll be surprised how big a difference it has on the game.

The game is very mechanics light but also manages to shine the spotlight on the wants and needs of the characters within it. What rules there are are easy to learn and often barely needed.

Ribbon Drive is going to run in the afternoon slot and can accomodate 5 people (which will be me plus up to 4 others).

If you want to bring along a themed mix CD, feel free. It should be at least 40 minutes long and will need to play on a normal CD player. Please bring along a copy of the lyrics for the first 2 tracks on the compilation.

For more information on Ribbon Drive go to http://buriedwithoutceremony.com/ribbon-drive/
[tags - GMless, Story focussed, Music based, Heavy player interaction]

[w00hoo]

Neil, sorry about the delay, could the blurb above be amended on to the site please? Thanks.

[Neil Smith]

Done!

Neil.