There are countless design-based card games, with numerous designers attempting to reflect their worldviews or methodologies through these games. However, how many of these games are genuinely engaging? How can these card games generate interest and resonate globally, akin to popular board games or Dungeons & Dragons (D&D)?

I plan to host a speculative design workshop related to card games. The simplest prototype would involve improvisational storytelling centred around narrative clues and time. Where lies the fun in this? This project heavily relies on participant enthusiasm or a strong Dungeon Master (DM) to foster immersion and engagement. I referenced two classic works as case studies: “Peek” and the “Design Fiction Deck.”

The commonality between these two card games is their demand for a significant amount of creative storytelling. The “Design Fiction Deck”(The work kit of design fiction) primarily categorizes cards into Archetype (a clue with an archaeological perspective), Object (a statement of a future state), Attribute (an adjective), and Action (some actions). Participants need to link the contents of these four cards to tell a story, heavily depending on their narrative ability and creativity. The potential is high, but the floor is low, making it more like a brainstorming tool for creative professionals looking for a productive break.

The second game, “Peek,” has three core card types. The first is Entity Cards, the story protagonists with brief backgrounds. The second type is Plot/Feeling Cards, and the third is Report Cards, which state future facts. Additionally, there is a Critical Card that outlines scoring principles. There is also a timeline to complete the background and enhance narrative completeness and realism, allowing players to let the story jump through different times. Players’ unique cards are the Entity Cards, and using other players’ various types of cards in storytelling can earn extra points. This project has become a complete game incorporating the concept of time. However, its strategy of emphasizing new story creation requires highly engaging players. The most notable success case provided by the developers was a session led by a teacher’s compelling speech. Can this role be transformed into a permanent DM?

Overall, these two card games are pretty similar, with mechanisms that are also similar. The second game attempts to become more structured but still has high barriers to entry. The market already has many similar to the Design Fiction Deck, such as the D&D character creation deck, some mental health decks, and artist inspiration decks. These all emphasize the creative process. Although “Peek” has gone further, it still has a high entry threshold. How can we sustain a broader player interest in such games? “Peek’s” victory mechanism still relies heavily on players’ subjective initiative, making it a game for the talkative and creative. Is incorporating an objective scoring system or a crucial win/lose mechanism necessary, or would this divert attention away from storytelling?

Therefore, my project’s development might seek more references from D&D and some management-type board games to explore the non-narrative attractions in narrative games. This essentially lies in interaction and engagement, enhancing participation. Thus, the biggest issue with the two games mentioned is the lack of interaction after drawing cards.

So, how to incorporate a scoring system? For example, payment, consumption, and finally, seeing who has the most of something left. This is a question worth exploring in the future.