In developing Of Men and Martians as an immersive, tabletop role-playing game, we envisioned a council of politicians with competing ideals grappling with one another amidst a volatile ecology.
They may be collaborating on sustainable futures, but they are also arguing, brokering deals, lying and outright threatening to oust fellow players from the game.
We needed to create ways for players to have an impact on the world beyond the parliament, allowing them to see the world change based on the successes and failures of their projects and policies.
Along the way, they would encounter world-spanning crises (security, economic, technoscientific, cultural) threatening their colony, crises that expose a larger story about changing political winds in an uncertain world. How will players reconcile their postcolonial imaginations with the urgency of governance in settling Mars?
Designing Of Men & Martians has been one of the most challenging projects we have ever embarked on. It has also been one of the most satisfying when our players are fully immersed and engaged in running their Martian government. One week left to curtain-up, and we’re excited to invite you to be a part of this experience in May!
xoxox,
Shawn, Rai, Jo