Hey gang. Just wanted to share a new game that was heavily inspired by MSPaintAdventures, and particularly Problem Sleuth (admin, apologies in advance if this isn't the right place for this!)
We're Hidden Track. A multi-award winning UK-based theatre company specialising in interactive theatre, where the audience can play games within or shows, and their actions shape where the narrative goes.
Then all the theatres closed.
During the COVID pandemic, we can no longer make live performance. So we've teamed up with an indie game dev, and our response was this: 'How to Win'.
How to Win is an online adventure game created in response to suggestions taken from players. Inspired by the MSPaintAdventures style, we take player suggestions of what should happen next in out story, and then put those suggestions to a public vote. Whatever vote wins, that is what happens next.
Audience-suggested events that have happened so far include:
- Invest all your money in a potato-based pyramid scheme.
- Slay a dragon, along with a monster drawn by a 5-year-old.
- Ignore everything that’s happened, and go join the circus.
Whatever gets chosen, that’s what happens next - but that doesn’t mean there’s not a solid story, or a coherent message!
We make unashamedly political theatre, and while the game currently includes characters such as sinister clowns, Einstein's ghost, and an orc with a Master's Degree, we also explore workers rights, trans rights, and the current state of the world in the COVID crisis.
New chapters are made in quick response to audience suggestions so that we can try and reflect the world now, during this unbelievable times.
Chapters 1 & 2 are available now, and hosted by HOME, a theatre in Manchester. Chapters 3 & 4 will be released over August, so there's still time to get your suggestions to us for the future.
The game is pay-what-you-decide, going as low as free, so that money isn't a barrier while a lot of people are worried and out of work.
There's more info about the game on our website at https://hiddentrack.org.uk/howtowin and you can play the game any time at https://homemcr.org/production/how-to-win/
Cheers guys, and hope everyone's safe x
