Light for two

Express a story’s theme through actions and consequences.

A winter station’s energy supply decreases each turn. The player can light the living area or maintain communication with a neighbouring station. Create a short game about interdependence in which meaning emerges from energy allocation and the neighbours’ responses.

State cards

• Use no more than five introductory sentences.
• No dialogue directly states the moral.
• At least one consequence arrives a turn later rather than immediately.

1. State the theme in one sentence.
2. Describe the actions and delayed consequences.
3. Run the game and ask the player to explain what it is about in their own words. Compare the answer with your intention.

Rules, a consequence map and a record of the player’s interpretation.

• At least one repeated player action relates to the theme.
• Consequences follow from rules rather than an arbitrary designer decision.
• Keep your intended interpretation separate from the player’s answer.

If you remove the introduction, what part of the story remains understandable?