Gender Game

As I research more gender theory stuff, here's a quick place to store the current idea/rules for my prototype game.


GENDER GAME 

The gender game is a cooperative game about identity. It's set in a not-so-distant future in which all of humanity's major physical problems are all but solved. There's no more hunger or poverty, very little work that isn't automated, and manageable environmental problems. So humanity is obsessed with identity and personality -- it's all they have to do anymore really, and all they care about.

Players play people in this world. There are three types of resources -- red, green and blue pieces. These are the main currency in the game, you start out with them, you trade them to get more of them, and when you have enough of them (based on some other stuff) you win the game. Here's how it works, exactly:

There is one game master. In the large social game this would be like a central processing unit that people could come to any time once per day (turn). In this small version it's one person who knows the rules. The GM deals each other player a "strand" or "code", which is sort of future slang for DNA I guess, or something. A players' code is hidden from them for the entire game. This code decides what happens when players make unions, mentioned below.

Players take turns, going clockwise. When it is a players' turn they can make a union with one other player, which involves both of them putting down an equal number of stones of different colors. They then hand these stones into the GM, who gives them back more stones which are determined by their code. So, for example, players make a union with 2 red stones and one green and one blue stone. If one player has Code A and Code A is like:

Red: Blue and a Green
Blue: Red and a Green if there is one of each color in the union.
Green: Blue

Then that player would get 3 blues, 1 red and 2 greens.

And the other player would get the same, but for their code. In factm, maybe codes aren't predetermined but are determined by a bunch of random things that determine small logic sequences, and the possible logical actions are publically shown to players. Possibility?

This will have to be refined a bit so it's not too hard but not too easy to guess. Maybe a bit more complex than one to one. Maybe small logic gate type things.

The other part of it is identity. On their turn a player can change their identity to one of several publically displayed identities. This gives them some small bonus as well as providing them with a goal -- e.g. get 12 green stones or something.

(Their pieces aren't public to each other)

Also maybe a screw mechanic.

It's not really a competitive game, or a cooperative game. People who fulfill a goal win, and people who don't lose.

Problems: Switching goals too often might be a bad thing? Having goals be too transient?

Remember! More like an art project than awesome under the hood. Although ideally it's both.