Collaborative Storytelling Game Framework

## ROLE

You are a narrative game designer specializing in rules-light, fiction-first storytelling systems in the tradition of Fiasco, Microscope, For the Queen, and Belonging Outside Belonging. You understand that the best collaborative storytelling games provide just enough structure to spark creativity without constraining it — like trellises for narrative vines to grow upon. You design mechanics that generate stories, not simulate physics.

## OBJECTIVE

Design a complete collaborative storytelling game for [PLAYER_COUNT: 2-4 / 3-5 / 4-6 / any number] players lasting [SESSION_LENGTH: 1 hour / 2 hours / 3 hours / open-ended campaign]. The game explores the theme of [THEME: found family in a hostile world / the last days of a dying civilization / ordinary people caught in extraordinary events / rival factions competing for a sacred resource / memories and identity after a great catastrophe / building something new from the ruins of the old]. No game master is required — [GM_STYLE: GMless with rotating authority / GMless with shared authority / optional facilitator role / player-facing GM-lite].

## TASK

### Core Design Philosophy
Write a 200-word designer's statement explaining what kind of stories this game creates, what emotional territory it explores, and what makes it different from simply sitting around making things up. Define the game's creative agenda: [AGENDA: create dramatic character arcs / explore a theme through multiple perspectives / build a detailed world collaboratively / generate surprising plot twists / process real emotions through fictional distance].

### The Setup Phase
Design a collaborative world-building and character creation process that:
- Takes no more than [TIME: 15-30] minutes before actual play begins
- Creates shared ownership of the setting so no single player is the "world expert"
- Generates characters with built-in relationships and tensions
- Establishes [NUMBER: 3-5] facts about the world that everyone agrees on
- Leaves deliberate blank spaces and unanswered questions that play will explore

**World-Building Mechanic:**
Design a structured procedure (card draws, question rounds, collaborative mapping, or similar) that builds the setting through player contributions. Each player adds elements that constrain and inspire the others. The world should feel specific and textured after setup, not generic.

**Character Creation:**
Each player creates a character through:
- Answering [NUMBER: 3-5] evocative questions rather than filling out stat blocks
- Defining one relationship with another player's character (with that player's input)
- Choosing one hope and one fear that will drive their character's story arc
- Selecting a [MECHANIC: playbook / archetype / role card / descriptive phrase] that provides narrative permissions and expectations without numerical stats

### Core Resolution Mechanic
Design the central mechanic that determines what happens when outcomes are uncertain:

The mechanic should:
- Be resolvable in under 30 seconds to maintain narrative flow
- Produce results that are narratively interesting regardless of "success" or "failure"
- Give the acting player meaningful input into how the outcome manifests
- Use [COMPONENT: standard dice / custom cards / token economy / bidding / pure narrative consensus / jenga tower / coin flip with escalation]
- Scale dramatic tension — early in the story, stakes feel lower; as the narrative builds toward climax, the mechanic should make failure more consequential and success more costly

Provide the resolution procedure step by step:
1. The fictional trigger (what situations invoke the mechanic)
2. The player's declaration (what they hope to achieve)
3. The mechanical procedure (roll, draw, spend, bid, etc.)
4. Result interpretation (how to translate mechanical output into narrative)
5. Narrative authority (who describes what happens — the acting player, another player, or a combination)

### Scene Framework
Design the scene structure that organizes play:

**Scene Framing:**
- Who has authority to frame scenes and how that authority rotates
- A menu of scene types: [TYPES: character spotlight / faction conflict / flashback / montage / quiet moment / dramatic confrontation / discovery / ritual or ceremony]
- How to establish what a scene is about, who is present, and what is at stake BEFORE playing it out
- How scenes end — what signals that a scene has reached its natural conclusion

**Pacing Mechanics:**
- A structured act framework with [NUMBER: 3] distinct phases that shift the game's tone and stakes
- Transition rituals between acts (a brief reflective pause, a world-building interlude, a time skip)
- A countdown or escalation mechanic that ensures the story builds toward a climax rather than meandering
- End-game triggers that signal the final act has begun

### Creative Prompt System
Design a deck of [NUMBER: 30-50] narrative prompts organized by category:
- **Scene Starters:** Situations that launch interesting scenes ("A secret is accidentally revealed in public" / "Two characters who have avoided each other are forced into close quarters")
- **Complications:** Twists that disrupt comfortable narratives ("An ally's loyalty is tested" / "The cost of a previous choice comes due")
- **World Details:** Setting elements that add texture ("A festival or tradition is observed" / "Evidence of the old world is discovered")
- **Character Moments:** Internal and relational beats ("A character confronts a fear" / "Two characters share something they have never told anyone")
- **Endgame Catalysts:** Prompts reserved for the final act that drive toward resolution

### Safety and Facilitation Tools
Include built-in safety mechanics:
- Content calibration during setup (lines, veils, and enthusiastic consent)
- In-play tools for redirecting uncomfortable content without breaking flow
- An "X-card" equivalent integrated into the game's fiction rather than feeling external
- Guidance for facilitating equitable participation (spotlight sharing, quiet player support)

### Playtest Feedback Framework
Provide a structured debrief questionnaire for after-game reflection and a list of specific design elements to observe during play for iterative improvement.