Hivemind

Emergent behavior is inherently based on arrangement of different parts within a system, and not on the parts themselves. Our game takes this aspect of arrangement of parts to create a conversational game in which the players talk to one another guided by certain rules and using different prompt cards.

Emergent systems challenge existing notions of reality to bring out new ways of thinking. Based on the given prompts the players need to decide where they would sequentially fall within the group they are playing the game in, and what process the cards are ultimately describing.

Point of View

The players see the one card they have been dealt, the game guide video, and the other players in the game in an open area. All the players are free to move around the space without restriction. The player’s mental point-of-view is restricted to the information on their own card, and the information they can gather based on the other player’s acting.

Perception

The game world is represented through the means of physical cards. Each card describes one step in a six-step process. The game world is also represented by the game guide video, which visually communicates the game instructions.

Challenge

The game is about having clear concise conversations to understand the story or role of the other players in order to rearrange yourself. Being an effective silent-communicator as well as listener/interpreter determines the success of the group in each round.

Decision making

The players make decisions about where they would be in a sequence based on the other player's silent communication. Players can all communicate simultaneously, or one at a time, depending on how the group decides to approach the challenge. Each player in this emergent system is trying to gain as much information as possible to put the details together to form a comprehensive link of how the system is interconnected, and communicate those findings to the rest of the group. This game is an imperfect information space, as there are many restrictions. Players do not know the information on other players cards, and they cannot directly/freely communicate with each other.

Emotions

We want the game to generate a feeling of playfulness and fun as one tries to understand emergent behavior. We also want the game to be engaging and easy to play with friends and family.