In designing a game around Pride and Prejudice, it was important to me to make getting married the central theme of the game. Mrs. Bennet spends the entire book trying to marry off her daughters, Lizzy and Jane’s happiness is secured by good marriages, and Lydia’s reputation is saved by marrying Wickham.
One of the things that comes across clearly in all Jane Austen’s books is that her heroines have the power to accept or turn down a proposal of marriage. They may be pressured by family, friends, or financial circumstances to say yes, but they always have the power to say no. This holds true in “Marrying Mr. Darcy" as well. In some cases, Heroines may decide that a proposal from a less desirable Suitor is worth accepting since it is not certain another proposal will be forthcoming. They can also decline and hold out hope for someone more suited to them, thus earning them more points. They may also decide to take their chances becoming an “Old Maid" but that is a very risky and uncertain move. Regardless, the Heroines always have the power of choice. The ladies do NOT, however, have the power to decide which suitors will propose to them. They can make themselves as attractive as possible to as many suitors as they can, but ultimately a roll of the dice will determine if a Suitor proposes or not. Thus, who proposes remains outside the players control, while the power of accepting or declining remains with them- modeled on the realities of Jane Austen’s world. Be sure to follow me on tumblr for more information about the upcoming game “Marrying Mr. Darcy."
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Hey everyone,
If you find this blog you are probably interested in Jane Austen or Pride and Prejudice, or maybe the Lizzie Bennet Diaries or tabletop games. I’m a huge P&P fan and for a while thought about delving into writing one of those awesome spin off books (which I still might do) but instead I got the idea for creating a game instead. I’ve been working on this game for a year or so now, more heavily during the summers when my brian power isn’t as taken up by teaching or music or other work related things. It has undergone many revisions but is getting very close to completion. We are in the final round of play-testing and I’m anticipating that we will make only minor changes to a few of the cards or the rules. I have always enjoyed playing games but this is my first time designing one. I thought the competitive nature of finding a eligible and wealthy husband in the Regency was rife with possibilities for a game. Also, I think a lot of people can relate to the women characters in the book and it would be fun to roll-play as them in their attempts to improve themselves and find husbands. Doesn’t everyone want to be Elizabeth Bennet? (Alas, I am much more of a Mary.) I’ll be posting cards, rules, pictures of play tests and news about the inevitable kickstarter campaign. |
Erika SvanoeMusician, conductor and game designer. Archives
November 2015
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