How do I play?
Players all signed up to a core Alongame mailing list, receiving weekly emails (or updated introductions if signing up after Alongame had already started) with all newly released games.
The games are all designed to be playable without the need to meet others in person. Typically they will be for solo players, but will incorporate ways for players to share their discoveries and feed into each other’s play.
Each game will be different, but they will all draw from the team’s experience with tabletop role-playing games and live-action role-playing games.
You can still enjoy Alongame if you choose not to play the games – there will be weekly streams on the roll/flip/stream twitch channel every Tuesday at 7.30pm-8.30pm BST that can be viewed by anyone, and this website will also host an archive of information, showing what is created by players over the course of the game.
How much does it cost to play?
The Alongame Shelves is entirely free. Everyone subscribed to the mailing list will receive direct links to the games; streams are available for anyone to watch; what players share (what they discover, create or make of Alongame through playing games) will be shared freely on this site.
How long does it take to play?
Each week, players will be sent 3-4 games; how many of these you play, and how many times you play them, is entirely up to you. The length of individual games will vary but there will always be one or two short games (playable within 15 minutes, for instance) each week. How much time you commit to playing Alongame is generally under your control!
The streams – which you can enjoy alongside playing the games, or separately – will be 60-90 minutes, once a week.
How will my information be used when I sign up to the mailing list?
Your personal contact information will solely be used to send you weekly game releases, a final end-of-game email, and notification of any future projects under the Alongame umbrella (you can of course unsubscribe at any time). It will only be accessible by the project’s Lead Creative, and will not be shared with anyone else.
The other information you provide when signing up will be used to help shape the games created, and your role-playing experience (just like telling a GM the kind of character you want to play, or what tone of games you’re interested in). This information will be shared with the Creative Team, but anonymously.
When are the streams?
The times and dates of the streams are tbc and will be announced on social media and posted here as soon as possible. They will be weekly evening streams (for BST zones), beginning the w/c 3rd June.
What do you mean by ‘legacy’ and ‘crafting’ games?
Alongame is, overall, a legacy game as each week’s games will typically build on and respond to things created and discovered in previous games. Each round of games builds on and takes into account the stories told by the games before it.
We are using ‘crafting’ games to refer to games where the making or changing of a physical item is the focus of the game-play, or a core mechanic of it. None of the games will require pre-existing knowledge or artistic skill, they’ll be designed to be playable no matter your experience!
Are there any content or trigger warnings for the games or streams?
Overall, Alongame is about discovering another world – one that is delicate, welcoming and wild. It is not aimed at exploring any specific triggering subjects.
Some games might explore or feature dark or emotional themes (for instance: death and loss). Whenever this is the case, trigger/content warnings will be clearly displayed wherever the game can be downloaded, and at the top of the game itself.
Since games are being conceived, developed and written over the course of the month, we can’t currently list trigger/content warnings here, but will add them as games are written.
What age range are the games for?
The games are for players who are 18+. Whilst the games do not necessarily involve explicit content, they are intended for mature players and aren’t aimed at/necessarily suitable for children. The streams may contain strong language, adult themes and suchlike.
What format will the games come in?
We expect most of the games to be written games, which will be available in pdf formats as well as plain text formats suitable for low-vision players and screenreader users. The games will typically involve online means of sharing stories and content with others; we are currently exploring the specific tools and working on making those used as accessible to as many players as possible.
Will the streams be captioned?
We will be using Google Meet’s automatic captioning software for any and all streams. The streams will be recorded and uploaded to Youtube after streaming which will be used as an opportunity to update any inaccurate captioning.
So *how* do you pronounce ‘Alongame’?
‘Alonguh-me’ is our best attempt at writing down the pronunciation! It’s taken from ‘alonga me’ which means ‘with me’ in Norfolk (where Chloe’s from); we’ve pushed the two words together to make one here, but are pretty much saying it the same.
It was chosen as the name for the project because of that meaning – the idea that at the core of this project is an invite for people to come and do something together, and finding new ways of doing that remotely.
Alongame 