Players: Sean Nittner and Joe McDaldno
System: The Quiet Year
This was a ton of fun to play. Joe and I made a village that started with the premise of depression era dust bowl town in the middle of no where. We both liked the idea and continued play by following the procedure in the book. I’m very glad I backed The Quiet Year, as I think it will be a fun game to play in lots of mixed company. It reminds me a lot of Microscope and How to Host a Dungeon in that the product of the game feels more like a rich setting than a story. There are certainly narrative arcs that come from the game but they are seen from a birds eye view, and often evocative snippets rather than full scenes.
We started with an old barn that had become the town center, and a cliff face called lovers point that seldom saw use any more. The town had ample wind energy but a shortage of potable water. From there we began flipping cards, adding events, discovering things about the town, holding discussions, and starting projects.
What excited me
The parts I loved were watching elements being reincorporated and change. After several attempts to find a priest to replaced the father who passed away, the town was eventually left godless and turned to satanism.
The Pritchet family started with wealth (windmills) but it was taken from them for the good of the community.
Ricky Smith started off as a villain for beating his wife but by the end, we respected him for turning his life around and trying to settle a dispute without violence.
The “war” lingered on the periphery. Soldiers were more often feared than they were loved, and this fear turned them into something lonely and dangerous.
The woods outside the town were a source of bounty, but perhaps a poison to the community as well. Leaving the town meant change, and gaining water and food meant sacrificing healthy and security.
The Map and Lists
Thoughts on the game
Gaming with Joe is always a pleasure. Especially after last game where I killed him and then turned into a troll, it was nice to place a game where together we built a town.
Having a conversation with just two people, each only adding one sentence is very short, but also very powerful. You remember both statements well after they were made.
I want to play more. Looking forward to receiving The Quiet Year in the mail some time soon!
