What I Did for Love
An introduction to Limelight, the new game we're working on at Fleming & Hound Games.
There is something electrifying about theatre.
As a high school student, it’s fair to say my attendance record was less than perfect. I went to a quarter of my French classes (and my ability to speak French today reflects this level of commitment.)
It’s not because I was lighting up in the smoke pit. I had a much more serious addiction. I was a theatre kid.
Theatre kids come in many different varieties. I dabbled in several of them. I hosted assemblies, I wrote sketches, I hung lights and wrapped cables. But the job I loved most was stage manager.
All those times I should have been reading Molière and conjugating verbs in the subjunctive mood, we would rehearse. And rehearse. And rehearse. Many many long hours.
But the charge in the air during a performance made it worthwhile. The risk of something going wrong in the middle of a show was more than balanced out by the chance that something magical might happen. That one, transcendent moment that would connect audience, performers, and the people backstage.
That feeling is what Limelight is all about.
Limelight is a push-your-luck deck-builder inspired by the unpredictability of live theatre. In Limelight, you stage a Boardway production (get it? Boardway?)
Over the course of three “Acts,” you will cast your show with an assortment of actors, singers, dancers, designers, craftspeople, and crew, each with their own set of strengths and weaknesses. You have three rehearsals to elevate the performances and smooth out the bumps in your show to make it the best it can be.
On Opening Night, it’s showtime. Draw from your Show deck to put on a performance that people will remember — for better or for worse. Impress the critics to win the game. But beware that an ill-timed Blunder may make the whole audience walk out.
I’ve been working on Limelight for about six months now, and I still consider it early in development. But I look forward to telling you more about this game as it continues to change and evolve.
I’ll be playtesting Limelight at Origins in Columbus next week and at Gen Con later this summer in Indianapolis. If you’re attending either of those events, stop by and try it out!