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Mechanic Monday: Relationship Sub-Mechanic

Another long week, and I should really be trying to catch up to my deadlines for the latest writing gig but I want to see if I can get a Mechanic Monday out under the wire before I succumb to sleep! I’m so tired! Here we go!
I’ve been thinking about ways that analog games can feel as worldbuilt as digital games, particularly with regards to having a multiplicity of mechanics.  Because most mechanics require their own components, it’s trendy in modern hobby gaming, Ameritrash aside, to limit the number of mechanics and systems. Heck I’ve waxed full many a moon about how great elegance is as a design constraint and goal.  But maybe solo games, where there’s so much built-in bookkeeping anyway, as well as a history of popularity among grognardy wargamers. Maybe when it’s just you, there’s a little more room for going for mechanic mania without anyone complaining about downtime.

So here’s a mechanic! Feels out of place, but that’s fine, I’m barely staving off sleep as it is.

Letters to Your Dad
In Amberlodge, something you can spend some of your downtime on is  writing letters to your estranged father. There’s a relationship tracker and a deck of reactions he can have to your letters.  Cards move the tracker up and down, and in time you can remove or skip the cards that worsen your relationship. Whenever you hit certain milestones, your progress is locked.  At the end, your milestones may not be worth VP but they paint a better picture of how well your character has progressed at an aesthetic goal.

Ok so is that vague? Yes.  It ull of opportunities, but I’m too sleepy to do a deep dive on any of this right now.  Maybe nexf time. I’m so tired. More later

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