Just Trying To Keep Busy

I've always invented games when bored. I think a lot of them steamed from my frustration at the lack of rules in childhood games.

"Bang! You're dead."

"No, you missed."

"No I didn't I got you!"

"Nuh-uh!"

...and so on. Not the fun I was looking for.

When riding the bus to school, I created a game where you got points for running people over. Granted you really only pointed people out and tabulated your score; it was more like a scavenger hunt you play while riding in the car. But, I had seen the original Deathrace 2000 as a kid and I just wanted to wrap the game in a more exciting theme. It is all in the marketing, remember Guitar Hero is just a well packaged rhythm game.

I am also ashamed to admit that the spiral notebook, that my friends and I completely filled up with 'victim's' point values, was very politically incorrect and it is hopefully lost forever. Having it turn up in the middle of my 2012 Presidential Election would be bad.

Another game I invented in about the 4th or 5th grade was "Frisbee Tag" and before you point out that it should be "Frisbee Brand Flying Disc Tag" know that I renamed it "The Tron Game" after seeing the movie. I'm sure Disney's copyright lawyers (follow that link and read the story, its good if your interested in paority law history) are much more friendly than Wham-o's.

To play the game you take a bunch of Frisbee brand flying discs and throw them up into the air. Then you try to get them and throw them at other players which is okay because everybody is wearing their safety equipment. If you hit somebody they are out, unless they caught it, in which case you are out. If the Frisbee brand flying discs touches the ground first, catching it wouldn't cause the thrower to be out, but it could still tag you out. In other words if somebody skipped it off the ground, it could still tag you out but if you caught it they wouldn't be out. You could also deflect the Frisbee brand flying discs with another Frisbee brand flying discs, a rules addition added after seeing the movie Tron.

Now, I haven't created a rule system for a childhood game in quite some time. Over the last twenty-plus years I have been working for other people who have been paying to create games for them. But, now that I am currently unemployed, I find that I still have this unsatiable need to create well structured entertainment.

The current game I am working on involves people watching in a Country Western dance club. I've never really been into Country, Western, or dancing; but, I have been spending two nights a week, for the past 2-3 weeks, in such a club. Specifically, Stoney's North Forty in the Santa Fey hotel and casino. Basically, I am there to hang out with my friends and I do a lot of people watching.

Anyway, I haven't really nailed the game down yet, but it has something to do with watching the waitresses take orders and deliver drinks. Make that incredibly hot waitresses that wear ass-less chaps over skimpy black bikinis, remember its all in the marketing.

I should also point out that there is usually a 3 to 1, girl to guy ratio, in the club, so I am seriously thinking about learning to two-step or do a few line dances.