Live Theater prototype (Patreon)

I have been testing out a new idea recently, it's a bit different than the usual game world but it's been a lot of fun to play test, so I took that as a good sign and just kept going with it! Here's what I have so far, in case this seems interesting to you.

It's a world about acting out a script in front of an audience-- but the catch is that script is a surprise to the actors, because the audience can modify the script with mad-libs style fill-in-the-blank prompts. Acting in this world is super easy-- when words appear on your screen, just say them out loud and then press JUMP.

The world is modeled to look like a TV studio, with a stage, audience seating, and backstage area. The stage has amplified voice chat so you can hear what's going on, and can morph into whatever backdrop is needed, for many different types of story!

In the video above, I demonstrate how the prototype works. It's not perfect, but here's what I have so far:

-The game master, or "Director," chooses a skit. There are about a dozen to choose from, with very little description other than the title, so you don't really know what to expect. There are sitcom-type skits, fake commercials, and even short fantasy tales.

-To play as an actor, go backstage and click on one of the available characters. You can switch into an avatar of your choice, if you want.

-The Director (or any audience member) types whatever words they want into the provided prompt boxes. For example,  Noun: "boa constrictor", Adjective: "four-dimensional", etc.

-The Director presses the start button. The backdrop is automatically changed, the actors are automatically teleported onto the stage, and the script reading phase begins

-As an actor, when it's your turn to speak, your line will appear at the bottom of your screen. Just read your line, it's that simple!

-When you are done reading your line, press the JUMP button. This passes the turn to whoever's next, etc, etc

If you like acting, I think you will REALLY like being an actor. As an audience member, it's still a lot of fun watching the actors struggle with the lines you have provided, or being surprised at how your custom inputs are implemented in the script.

That's pretty much it, it's a basic concept. But the possibilities are endless! Some things I want to expand on are:

-More streamlined experience for everyone involved, especially in public worlds. That means automating the setup process as much as possible, and making it easier to volunteer to act or provide lines without having the game master micro-manage things.

-More resources and features that the world can play automatically. The script can play sound effects and open/close the curtain, but I want to try including props, music, and special effects.

-A larger script library. Writing scripts that work well has been a huge part of play testing. I'm still trying to find the perfect length, complexity, and tone for the scripts. I might try including community-submitted scripts or using an AI text generator to help make as much content as possible.

So yeah, this is a bit different than normal but it's been fun to make, and I see a lot of potential here. It's been a side project for a while. If you are interested in helping play-test new iterations of this system, stay tuned! I could use some help with that.