Choices
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Choices

What is it?

In this quick-thinking game, players must choose between two choices. The friction created when they must choose between two choices they like, or two that they don't often leads to personal or character insight

How to Play:

One player offers two choices. They don't have to be opposites, but should have some relationship to one another. The other players make a quick choice, indicate their choice, and the game moves on to the next round.

Speed makes this game more fun. Often interesting insights pop up during the game, and it can be a good idea to pause after a few of the choices to discuss why the choice was made, or what other ideas the choice prompted.

For instance, if writers choose between a pet kangaroo and a pet zebra, they might then realize that what they really want is a pet koala, and that realization may lead to an interesting story idea.

ONE ON ONE:

In a one-on-one, in-person setting, players can move to one side of the room or the other to indicate their choices. Often the mentor gives a choice, both players choose and move, and then the writer gives a choice. The game continues to alternate back and forth.

ONE-ON-ONE ONLINE:

This game can offer a good reason to stand up and move while working together online, but you can also lean one way or the other to indicate your choices.

ONLINE GROUP:

Use the chat to indicate your choices, or use the movement or leaning strategies noted above.

You could also ask everyone to go find a hat in their house and put the hat on for one choice, and leave it off for the other. For instance: "Hats on if you'd like the power of invisibility. Hats off if you'd like the power of mind-reading."

IN-PERSON GROUP:

During live play, gather your writers in the center of the room and send them to one side of the room or the other to indicate their choices. Return to the center for each new choice. Keep the pace high, and try to avoid conversation about each choice (which slows the pace of the game). Choose a couple high interest rounds to pause and offer the opportunity to discuss what they chose.

After the game, you can also debrief and discuss favorite ideas or choices from the game.

Groups that have played Choices before may enjoy leveling up by rotating through the role of "facilitator," to offer choices themselves.

Solutions:

Count down from 5 after offering your choice to keep writers moving along with their choices.

Try "To the middle, to the middle, to the middle" to reset players for the next choice when you're playing in person.

Offer a no-win choice early on in the game so that writers see that the point is to choose something, even if no choice feels just-right. I often use "You're nearing a bend along a darkening forest path. Down one path you see a giant, hairy spider. Down the other you see a giant snake. Which path will you choose?"

Alternate Uses:

Characterization: Players make choices based on what their character would choose.

Idea Generation: Players make choices based on their own preferences and explore story ideas based on their ideas, opinions, experiences, etc.