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Hi, GAF!

I recently developed a "megagame", and I'm beta-testing it this Sunday. A megagame is a large-scale social gaming experience with anywhere from 30 to 150 (!) people, played out over the course of a day. Mine is called Human Error, and it's a cyberpunk game in which players form corporations, bid on contracts, research new technologies, and manage public relations to earn the most megabucks over the course of twelve rounds.

I'm testing it here in Los Angeles with 40 or so of my friends and game designer buddies (no profit gained), but the tricky part is the "Public Relations" part of the equation. Corporations will fulfill contracts that are largely not-nice. For instance, one corporation might implant voice recording technologies in Furby toys to generate data collection to sell for a profit. To help mitigate the negative effect this perception has on their stock prices, corporations will write press releases to try and "spin" the report in a positive way. But how do we judge, from a game design perspective, how they do?

From approximately 11 AM to 3 PM on Sunday, I'd like NeoGAF to take the role of "the public". You'll react in realtime with the press releases and the players writing them (through my account). They're allowed to post one press release every round (twenty minutes), and you guys will give them +'s or -'s depending on whether or not you think they did a decent job justifying their often heinous actions. You're encouraged to roleplay as citizens of this somewhat silly cyberpunk dystopia, and if you decide to develop story elements to the world, the players are allowed to incorporate them in their future press releases.

At the beginning of every round, short, factual news reports will be posted. You aren't reacting to these; corporations are automatically assigned a gain or loss of PR points from just completing the contract. An example might be:

Devastating Butts, Inc. has recently obtained a patent on synthetic skin manufacturing processes. Working in tandem with Creepy Dolls, Inc., the company has developed terrifyingly real dolls that sit comfortably within the uncanny valley.

And during that round, a corporation might release the following:

Devastating Butts Inc. develops technology to teach small children that people are inherently disgusting, untrustworthy creatures

Devastating Butts, Inc. is proud to announce, in tandem with Creepy Dolls, Inc., a new form of synthetic skin used in the latest "OH MY FU-oh jesus it's just a doll" line of anatomically correct artificial tiny people. This technology, inherently terrifying and delivering a lifelike dose of terror and unease, can be used to help children understand at a young age the dangers of living in a society with other shitbag human beings.

"People are the goddamn worst," says Devastating Butts, Inc's CEO, Tommy McAllister. "They need to be avoided at all costs. By getting this technology to children at a young age, we can weed out any possible extroverts before they become "people persons", and teach everyone what they really need to know: humanity is full of disease-ridden douchebags and are at no point worth anyone else's time."

The technology is based on integrating stem cells into a lattice-like framework that forms fully-developed, panic-inducing flesh. Soulless eyeballs and stringy, unkempt hair round out the appearance of a doll meant to mimic on the outside what human beings really are on the inside: bereft of kindness and empathy.

For further inquiries, please find us on the internet or whatever.

You can react however you wish, but if you want to give a score, just say the name of the corporation and then a + or a -. Please do not give more than one point per corporation per round.

Some of your funniest comments will also be played on the ticker headline system in the room for everyone playing to see! We'll take lots of pictures and post as many as we can during the event, and definitely tons afterward.

I'll bump this thread when it's time to roll on Sunday morning. I hope you guys can help out! This is a one-time thing, and we'll probably build up and advertise a Twitter account if we ever want to run the game again in the future.

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If you're interested in the rules of the game, you can read them here.

 

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Game is starting in approximately 40 minutes! We'll post videos n' stuff!

 

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Sun Shine Inc. has recently obtained a patent on Microsevos. Working in tandem with Freaky Looking Robots Inc. they will begin manufacturing freaky looking robots.

Avogadro Inc. has partnered with Charmers, Inc. with the goal of being the most charming folks this side of the cyber-Mississippi.

Avogadro Inc. hits headlines once again with client Robot Bananas, Inc. The companies have successfully researched Brain-Machine Interfacing and plan to use the technology to allow monkeys to control a robot banana with their minds.

Zaf Corp. has recently begun working in tandem with Social Kids, Inc. Sources have confirmed their objective is to get people to like them so they can do shady things later.

Conglomerate Jason's the Worst, in partnership with Future, Inc. have successfully researched Genetic Algorithms, with the goal of developing an algorithm that can improve over time.

In recent events, Kitty Corp, in partnership Psychic Bros, Inc. have displayed near-psionic levels of predictive accuracy, going two-for-two in a single period in the prediction market.

Zaf Corp, in tandem with Tater Tats, Inc. have successfully developed LED tattoos, powered by the human body, after obtaining a patent on Bioorganic Energy Supplies.

Zaf Corp, in tandem with Know Stuff Inc, have partnered to diversify their portfolio of scientific research.

UWAS Inc. have partnered with Tiny Stuff Inc, with the mutual interest of making small things. They research in General Nanotechnology has aided them with their goal.

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Gene Co has recently partnered with We Want Lab Coats Inc. with the goal to get enough clout to order sweet lab coats from the lab coat guys.

Sources have reported that Drax Corp. has partnered with Sneaky Folks, Inc. in order to "totally wreck that other company's shit." after successfully completing an infiltration.

Zaf Corp makes news again in junction with Patent Trolls, Inc. after obtaining IP for days

Drax Inc. has recently obtained a parent on General Algorithms. Working in tandem with Conservative Media, Inc. the companies aim to prevent other companies from making computers know things.

Sunshine Inc. has recently partnered with West Coast Univesity, Inc. in development of a program to educate the teachers of WCU on how to become patent trolls.

Avogradro has been conducting successful research in biotech recently. In junction with Amoeba Records, Inc. with the goal to make a totally badass amoeba as the new mascot of Amoeba Records.

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Avogadro successfully Completes It's first two contracts!
After winning all their sales beads these charming Mother Uckas successfully researched brain machine interface.
In your face brainiacs! Einstein is so jelly of us right now!
stay on the lookout as we report more terrific growth!

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Jason is the worst Inc folds immediately and Kitty Corp gets its scraps.
Disgraced CEO Todd Leykamp could not attract any employees and immediately kowtowed to the whip of Miss Kitty!
Rumors of stock depletion increase. I would not trust this kitty cat!

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ZaffCorp Gets to Third.
Exit Game, Monterey Park. With three contacts completed, newcomers, ZaffCorp Industries hits a home run.
There's a new player on the biotech field and we're excited!

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Drax Corp stymied the other corporations' attempts to make computers know things as an act of goodwill, aligning ourselves with our core values of human prosperity. Besides, who REALLY wants computers to KNOW THINGS?

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After news of Kitty Corp devouring Jason Is The Worst INC, Drax Corp took swift action, infiltrating their company and preventing the conglomerate from bloating itself further.
Do not be fooled by their cutesey kitty-ear headbands; the executives at kitty-corp are closer to savage jaguars than docile housecats.

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ZaffCorp says bye bio to manufactured energy and patents Bioorganic Energy Supply.
Exit Game, Monterey Park. ZaffCorp has successfully acquired the patent to BPS, leaving it's competition in the dark.

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[Apenheul]

Very interesting, wish I had read the rules earlier because I love megagames. Hope it all goes well over there and enjoy!

 

[shockdude]

(This looks fascinating. I've enjoyed both Before the Echo and There Came an Echo, interested to see where this goes.)

(There are a lot of corporations. Are they all player-driven?)
(Also Kitty Corp acquiring Jason isn't published information, is this expected?)

UWAS
Tiny Stuff Inc
Zaf Corp+ ~ biotech and energy is a good thing yes, gotta keep them transporters running.
Know Stuff
Tater Tats Inc
Kitty Corp
Psychic Bros, Inc.
Jason's the Worst
Future Inc.
Social Kids, Inc.
Avogadro Inc.- ~ nonono high intelligence computers is bad they will kill us all why.
Robot Bananas, Inc.
Charmers, Inc.
Sun Shine, Inc.
Amoeba Records, Inc.
West Coast University, Inc
Drax Inc.+ ~ can't trust a computer, good work Drax.
Patent Trolls, Inc.
Sneaky Folks, Inc.
Gene Co
We Want Lab Coats, Inc.

 

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Drax Corp have been partnered with Webster, Inc. for their research in Input/Output Mapping. Their goal was to figure out what Input/Output mapping means.

Avogadro has recently obtained a patent on Brain-Machine Interfacing. In junction with Cyborg, Inc. the companies have developed chip implants so they can finally call themselves cyborgs.

Zaf Corp has been working hard to build up their reputation. With their recently partnership with Play Nice, Inc, the company has succeeded in getting everyone to like them.

Zaf Corp has been bumping shoulders with other corporations by patenting nodes at the same time as other corporations. In tandem with Under the Bridge, Inc, they quickly learned to become patent trolls and earn money in court

Sunshine Inc has partnered with Titleist, Inc. in their research of Titanium Lattice Frames. Their development has helped them examine technical uses of titanium in golf clubs.

Gene Co has agreed to partner up with Kleenex, Inc. in order to help them ease confusion with their research in Enhanced Tissue Synthesis.

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[xequalsy]

Kitty Corp -
Drax Corp +

(If this isn't too late for the first round)

 

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Avogadro successfully Completes two more contracts!
Avagadro is always in season and always delicious!
We have now successfully patented our brainwave interface.
We are climbing up the biotech tree I had a whole other companies.

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ZaffCorp fixes its PR problem.
ZaffCorp uses new technology to fix its PR problem and is immediately liked by everyone.

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Gene Co has recently partnered with client Worldbuilders, Inc. in order to expand the company's portfolio.

Jason is the Worst Inc. have been gaining traction with their reputation and have been getting some time in the public limelight, thanks to their work with Feel Good, Inc.

Kitty Corp recently obtained a patent on Object Recognition from Gene Corp. In junction with Lucid Sight Inc. the companies will finally be able to recognize some objects.

Kitty Corp's research in A.I. with partner TimeX, Inc has resulted in successful results. Sources say their breakthrough was fueled with the mutual goal of pissing off Elon Musk.

Kitty Corp, with the help of Existential Inc. have been conducting research in Self-Programming, with the goal of figuring out if humans self-program or if we're just scripted robots.

Avogadro has been putting their trust into a single employee, allowing them to single handedly take part of production. Their goal, in junction with Lean Meat, Inc is to see if a one-employee strategy can work out in the long run.

Zaff Corp recently obtained a patent on Exoskeletal Robotics. With the help of Lowe's, Inc. the two companies are working together with the goal of having the ability to hire weaker people.

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A happy customer’s testimony: “I needed a kidney transplant desperately. GeneCo showed this single mom sympathy. This makeover came for a small added fee. Now I look smashing on live TV!”
GeneCo’s got it! Testify!
[youtube link]

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Kitty Corp is a simple company, patenting object recognition after extensive research in machine learning. They have valiantly overcome infiltration, and proven to be pioneers in he industry with further research and AGI alignment. We look forward to furthering our research with new information from our peers.

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[shockdude]

Avogadro- ~ they are more machine than human at this point, how scary.
Kitty Corp- ~ "new information" = taking over the world.
Gene Co+ ~ kidney transplants are nice.

 

[stupei]

GENE CO +
Kitty Corp +

They sound so sincere and well meaning!

 

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Sunshine Inc have decided to hold off on other contracts, in junction with The Resistance, Inc. The companies have reached their goal of preventing corporate work from being done.

Drax Corp have partnered with Kamikaze Inc. with the controversial goal to deliberately handicap themselves in order to show their might in business

Drax Corp continues their unpredictable business patterns with their new partnership with Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man, Inc. They hope to stymie the prediction market and do their own thang.

UWAS Inc. has recently formed a partnership with Pathfinders Inc. With their combined efforts, the companies are working together to figure out how to path through large numbers of people.

UWAS Inc. continues to stun the scientific world with their partnership with Tortoise Inc. showing off their research at the cutting edge of science.

DRAX Corp has proven the bare minimum level of competence with their partnership with Easy Mode, Inc. with the help of their successful research in the subject.

UWAS Inc. does it again! Their partnership with All Around Inc, has resulted in development of bizarre chimeras of technology never before seen by man.

Kitty Corp recently partnered with McDonalds, Inc and obtained a parent on Dynamic Pathing. The companies are using this technology in order to create an app that delivers the optimal path to the nearest McDonald's.

Kitty Corp has taken the controversial stance on have remained silent this past round. Sources claim their objective was to waste time and money.

Sunrise Inc. has been conducting research in robotics with Battlebots, Inc. in order to assist with the new season of Battlebots on Comedy Central.

Zaf Corp has decided to promote and foster feelings of general closeness throughout the world with help of recent partner Siamese, Inc.

Zaf Corp and Stork Inc have combined forces with their research in Self-Replicaton in order to check if self-replication in machines is similar to how humans do it.

Avogadro Corp in junction with Snipers, Inc, have successfully developed a helpful technology that "definitely will not be used to kill" according to inside sources.

Drax Corp has released papers on AGI Goal Alignment with partners Arxic, Inc. after they combined the results of their research on the subject.

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ZaffCorp gets iced.
In a malicious cyber arrack, ZaffCorp has had its assets frozen. An ongoing investigation has revealed two suspects.
Updates to follow.

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ZaffCorp takes a hit.
Valued employee, Erika O. has perished in a sudden and tragic accident. To protect the privacy of the family, details will not be released at this stage. It definitely did not involve whipped cream and an escaped rhinoceros. Definitely not.

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While other corps are making evil sentient AI we're just making Freaky Robots. And freaky don't need to mean "scary" baby!
Love,
Sunrise Inc
"We're not evil"

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Avogadro Rules, everyone else is fools!
After successfully researching ocular implants we can now see the future and our stock is rising. Buy Avogadro, we're in season!

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BREAKING NEWS - Drax Inc rising!
Drax has completed significant research on Artificial General Intelligence goal alignment, making significant strides in aligning the goals of our robot overlords toward advancing humanity!
Buy Drax stock to join us in our goals of human/robot co-operative flourishing!

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A Picture is worth 1000 words! Avogadro a go go!

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Continuing with our general goodwill goals, Drax Inc has propelled Avogadro to the top of the stock markets in a joint power play!

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Make your genetics your bitch with GeneCo's innovative organ transplants. Financing available!

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Drax Corp has recently made their relationship wit Information, Inc. public by announcing their conjoined efforts to encourage the spread of free information by blocking patents.

Drax Corp recently obtained a patent on an Injection Delivery System. Their efforts with Coachella, Inc. have resulted in methods to make rave drugs even crazier.

GeneCo have successfully added HDR bloom to real life with their partner Far Cry, Inc. after conducting extensive research on Augmented Reality

Kitty Korp agreed to assist Activision-Blizzard Inc. with the goal to make an A.I. that can beat Starcraft II nerds. With the help of Kitty Korp's research in Decision Theory Integration, they were successful with it's development.

Avogadro Corp recently obtain a patent on Fast-Twitch Muscle Fiber Enhancement in junction with Armed. Wrestling, Inc. The companies aim to make arm-wrestling a larger part in corporate sponsorships

DRAX Corp has partnered with Good Samartian, Inc. with the goal of working behind the scenes to encourage inter-corporation good will. DRAX Corp displayed their intentions last period by spending influence in service of other corporations.

Sources have revealed that Avogadro Corp. in junction with Illuminati, Inc. have partnered up and shown that they're capable of... swinging alliances.

Avogadro Corp with partner Crowdfunding, Inc. have taken an aggressive stance this recent period and have been forcing out competitors with sheer manpower.

Gene Co continues to expand its reaches in the tech industry. After a recent partnership with The United States Government, Inc, they are able to successfully perform secretive R&D on.... well, anything, really.

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Drax Inc successfully predicted UWAS's total lack of patents in the final round of Human Error. We're quickly rising in stocks to third place!

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Thanks to the few people who voted! We gave them a huge importance rating.

Turns out the rest of the game was so chaotic, most companies didn't bother to spend much time on PR in general. But it was a great time! I'll post some pictures later!

 

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