Good question! During the first session, you'll probably end the game after the day phase, but if you can get the night in there—great. Then, try for four phases at a minimum, I think, but also: just see what rhythm you settle into. Sometimes a phase goes quick, sometimes it takes extra time because there's too much role-play to enjoy.
I am SO STOKED to get this to my table this summer (and then subsequently run Mynar's Margot Kwan adaptation in the fall!) Congrats on the update and of course, how rad everything is!
Hi! Great premise, I'm willing to play the game as soon as possible. I wonder what's the supposed game time (is it possibile to play the game in a one-shot session of 3-4 hours?).
Also, may I ask you if I have understood correctly how Dreams work? Let's say I'ma the Mistress and I have girls A, B and C.
Case 1: A sleeps, B and C stay awake
- A answers first Dream prompt
- B takes an action (meaning it's not a single Move/roll but a scene with thematic unity, I guess)
- C takes an action
... repeat until A has answered all the Dream prompts. B and C, if still in action, abruptly end their investigations (I suppose it's a sort of cinematical cut to to the Dawn phase? I guess we define together what happened in fiction between the cut and the Dawn?).
Case 2: A, B and C stay awake
- A answers the first Dream prompt
- A takes an action
- B takes an action
- C takes an action
- B answers the second Dream prompt
- A takes an action
- B takes an action
- C takes an action
- C answers the third Dream prompt
- A takes an action
- B takes an action
- C takes an action
... and so on until the Dream prompts are finished.
Is it how you intended the game to be played?
Thanks in advance!
PS: on page 21 on Twilight, it says "and the Day begins" but really should be the Night.
PPS: on page 15 I suppose you roll the dice (like in Brindlewood Bay) but it's not specified clearly.
Thanks for your questions and your sharp eye. I'm working on a new draft, so I can immediately correct that mistake (and upgrade the explanation of the Night phase).
A full game of The Girls of the Genziana Hotel, in which you answer all three questions, takes about five sessions. You can probably get it in four if you power through, or it might take six if you really take your time role-playing. A one shot in which you answer only the first question is feasible in a tightly focused four hour session, especially if you lower the Complexity of that first Question by one.
On the Night Phase and the Dreams: you're on the right track, but play is a lot faster than you're imagining. Instead of an 'action' being a full scene with thematic unity, it's actually a smaller unit inside of a scene. While you, as the Mistress, can always decide to be a little more flexible, there are two basic moments for cutting to another girl or the next Dream prompt. These are:
Narrative leading up to a move and rolling the dice.
Narrating the result of a move and continueing the scene.
If you think this'll mean you cut and move the spotlight a lot, you're right, and that exactly how intense the Night should be. In terms of your first schema, it looks something like this:
A answers the first Dream prompt.
The Mistress frames a scene for B, and asks, what do you do? B starts to narrate what their girl does, up to triggering a Move.
The Mistress cuts to C, frames the situation of their girl, and asks, what do you do? C begins to narrate the actions of their girl, up to triggering a Move.
A answers the second Dream prompt.
B rolls for their Move, and they and the Mistress narrate how the scene changes and the direction in which it will continue.
C rolls for their Move ...
And so forth. Believe me, this will result in tense, cinematic play with eerie, threatening undertones.
After the last Dream prompt has been answered, you play one more series of "actions", likely the aftermath of some Moves. After that, the Night ends abruptly and you move onto the Dawn phase, exactly like you said.
With respect to answering the prompts, you've got it. If only one girl is awake, they answer. If there's two, they take turns answering. If there's three girls and they're all awake: A answers the first, B the second, C the third, A the fourth, and then, after the last round of actions, the Night ends.
I've not even finished reading the book, and this looks like a masterful synthesis of a ton of disparate PbtA ideas: not only Carved from Brindlewood stuff, but also (my beloved!!) Night Witches, a Stress track, and an inspired take on something akin to a Darkest Self from Monsterhearts. You've made something really brilliant here! I hope I can get it to the table someday <3
Those are such lovely words to read this Friday morning. I really appreciatie you taking the time to tell me, and I, of course, also hope you can get to play the game!
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I'm going to be running this soon, and I had a question: how many full "days" should I be shooting for per session? Thanks!
Good question! During the first session, you'll probably end the game after the day phase, but if you can get the night in there—great. Then, try for four phases at a minimum, I think, but also: just see what rhythm you settle into. Sometimes a phase goes quick, sometimes it takes extra time because there's too much role-play to enjoy.
Bought it. Read it. Love it.
< 3
I am SO STOKED to get this to my table this summer (and then subsequently run Mynar's Margot Kwan adaptation in the fall!) Congrats on the update and of course, how rad everything is!
Great to hear you're running it, shawk!
Congrats on almost full release, Hendrik!!
Thanks a lot!
Big congrats for the Extended Stay Edition release, Hendrik and team.
Thanks!
Congrats on the milestone!
I'm looking forward to digging into the new version.
I hope you have a great extended stay at the hotel, maybe you could stay... forever?
Congratulations on the new version, wow!!
Thank you!
Hi! Great premise, I'm willing to play the game as soon as possible. I wonder what's the supposed game time (is it possibile to play the game in a one-shot session of 3-4 hours?).
Also, may I ask you if I have understood correctly how Dreams work? Let's say I'ma the Mistress and I have girls A, B and C.
Case 1: A sleeps, B and C stay awake
- A answers first Dream prompt
- B takes an action (meaning it's not a single Move/roll but a scene with thematic unity, I guess)
- C takes an action
... repeat until A has answered all the Dream prompts. B and C, if still in action, abruptly end their investigations (I suppose it's a sort of cinematical cut to to the Dawn phase? I guess we define together what happened in fiction between the cut and the Dawn?).
Case 2: A, B and C stay awake
- A answers the first Dream prompt
- A takes an action
- B takes an action
- C takes an action
- B answers the second Dream prompt
- A takes an action
- B takes an action
- C takes an action
- C answers the third Dream prompt
- A takes an action
- B takes an action
- C takes an action
... and so on until the Dream prompts are finished.
Is it how you intended the game to be played?
Thanks in advance!
PS: on page 21 on Twilight, it says "and the Day begins" but really should be the Night.
PPS: on page 15 I suppose you roll the dice (like in Brindlewood Bay) but it's not specified clearly.
Thanks for your questions and your sharp eye. I'm working on a new draft, so I can immediately correct that mistake (and upgrade the explanation of the Night phase).
A full game of The Girls of the Genziana Hotel, in which you answer all three questions, takes about five sessions. You can probably get it in four if you power through, or it might take six if you really take your time role-playing. A one shot in which you answer only the first question is feasible in a tightly focused four hour session, especially if you lower the Complexity of that first Question by one.
On the Night Phase and the Dreams: you're on the right track, but play is a lot faster than you're imagining. Instead of an 'action' being a full scene with thematic unity, it's actually a smaller unit inside of a scene. While you, as the Mistress, can always decide to be a little more flexible, there are two basic moments for cutting to another girl or the next Dream prompt. These are:
If you think this'll mean you cut and move the spotlight a lot, you're right, and that exactly how intense the Night should be. In terms of your first schema, it looks something like this:
And so forth. Believe me, this will result in tense, cinematic play with eerie, threatening undertones.
After the last Dream prompt has been answered, you play one more series of "actions", likely the aftermath of some Moves. After that, the Night ends abruptly and you move onto the Dawn phase, exactly like you said.
With respect to answering the prompts, you've got it. If only one girl is awake, they answer. If there's two, they take turns answering. If there's three girls and they're all awake: A answers the first, B the second, C the third, A the fourth, and then, after the last round of actions, the Night ends.
I've not even finished reading the book, and this looks like a masterful synthesis of a ton of disparate PbtA ideas: not only Carved from Brindlewood stuff, but also (my beloved!!) Night Witches, a Stress track, and an inspired take on something akin to a Darkest Self from Monsterhearts. You've made something really brilliant here! I hope I can get it to the table someday <3
I did want to note a pair of minor errors I spotted:
O, especially that last one is an error I'd rather correct sooner than later! Thanks.
Those are such lovely words to read this Friday morning. I really appreciatie you taking the time to tell me, and I, of course, also hope you can get to play the game!
This sounds really cool!
Thank you!
Very very excited for this!
Thanks! I'd love to hear your thoughts once the ashcan hits the web