We ran a participation game several years ago using a heavily modified set of rules called "Tusk". Players were only allowed to communicate by sign language.
All players had the same basic objective, they had a hunting party and needed to fetch meat (any kind, including human) back to their camp (off table, they just had to get back to the starting position). Not all players were from different tribes (I seem to remember running the game where all were from the same tribe but competing to see who would become the new chief).
There was a limited amount of large scenery on the table at the start, tall trees, big hills, a lake in the middle of the table, etc. plus a mammoth (near the lake).
At the start of each turn the players rolled for initiative, lowest roll was given an event card, and had to go last. Any tied roll also got an event card.
Event cards varied but gave a hint about what was about to happen - and included some false clues, all were deliberately vague.
Cards included things like "Ground is very stony" (enterprising players picked up flints to use as weapons) or "Large skeleton" (again a chance to pick up useful tools), "Grass is very dry" (two of these cards and a small fire breaks out, but quickly spreads), "Animal tracks ahead of you" (just to be mean the tracks were identified by the Latin names of the animal, might not be a problem on the continent, but causes confusion & panic for UK players who don't know if they are following a rabbit or a wolf).
False alarm cards included birds suddenly flying out behind you, strange noises, fallen trees (rotten & no use), ant hills, etc. Hazards included a tar pit, holes in the ground (traps left by another tribe), wild animals (wolves, tigers, rhino, crocodile, snakes, hornets, boars, mammoths), lightning, but the main problem for most players was paranoia. Every game saw them convinced they were about to be eaten (or destroyed by a volcano).
02 July 2009, 10:13:19 AM