Nothing to Do During the Marathon
I had nothing else to do during the marathon so I started thinking about my life, Yvette Borneo, 2023
Current winner of the longest-named-game title, and especially the highest title-to-game-length ratio. "I had nothing else to do during the marathon so I started thinking about my life" (NED-DTM) is a one-page-two-sides solo journaling game where you write flashbacks to things that brought you to this point. You play a runner, determined and well-practiced but still young (early 20s), running your first marathon. Your mind drifts to key moments in your past, which you the player write down as your character experiences them.
NED-DTM gives a list of potential events, from joining the track team to being encouraged by your parents to suffering an injury that you thought would end your career. There are about twice as many positive events as negative ones, and essentially no neutral ones. (I can imagine that neutral events would not be as fun to write about.) You have to incorporate at least three things that your character sees along the path of the marathon. The game gives you ideas: fellow runners, kids carrying water, cheering grandparents, someone stumbling on the path and being helped up, etc. There are no mechanics, just guidelines.
The game encourages replay through writing from later perspectives in your character's life: marathoning in your 30s, 40s, and 50s. Thanks for making me feel bad about my health, Borneo. A short number of potential life events are provided for each. They generally center around family, friends, and training.
As a one-pager, NED-DTM has basically no art. The layout is a little tight. It might be worth pulling it out into a two-pager just to get some whitespace and larger font. The works-in-progress for Borneo's upcoming games show a definite improvement in design skills.
