“It is a strange thing to have an identity based on secondhand knowledge. Ours are lives built on stories told by our elders and educational sims. But who are we really? And if we cannot truly answer that question, who will we be when we land on our new home?”

Vittoria Chen, Agriculturalist, Gen5

Generation Seven

The colony ship in which the game Gen7 takes place has reached the middle of a voyage planned to last a lengthy thirteen generations. It is the point in the voyage when crew morale will be especially fragile. No one onboard ever knew the Earth, and no one onboard will live to see their new home.

Theirs is a life of sacrifice, and it is a choice they never had the luxury of making for themselves.

When the game begins, the players, taking on the roles of the Gen7 commanders of the ship, will be confronted by a mystery that will threaten them in ways no one could have expected. The game presents players with challenges and palm-wringing choices, as they explore the stories of a crew struggling with the conflict between selfless duty and personal need.

A Storytelling Experience to Remember

Players exploring the world of Gen7 will encounter a narrative woven together by carefully crafted layers, each layer blending together to create a storytelling experience that is truly unique.

The overarching plot, detailing the central mystery that plagues the brave commanders and their crew, is told in episodic form in the plot book. As the primary characters, the players’ officers are center stage in these cinematic scenes and their choices will determine the shape of the story that follows.

The crossroads cards provide a glimpse into the lives of the crew themselves. Personal stories of the individuals under the players’ command reveal the culture and beliefs of these interstellar travelers. Such interactions between commanders and their subordinates can have lasting effects, and may even provide insight into the greater mystery.

Finally, the subtlest but most powerful narrative layer comes from the players themselves. As events unfold, the reactions by the players and their own voiced theories will flavor each new encounter to come. The choices each person makes can send tremors through the storyline in surprising ways. 

A Cooperative Campaign Game

Gen7 delivers its experience over a seven-episode campaign. New game rules and components will be discovered, with special unlocked elements determined by player choices. Player groups will enjoy each episode as an individual game session, with the same groups continuing play together through the campaign’s conclusion.

Gen7 is not a legacy-style game. All of the game’s unlocked components can be returned to their original packaging for repeat play. And indeed, our hope is that when a game group completes the final episode, and the final narrative piece of the puzzle is placed, they’ll want to turn around and play it again. Gen7’s plot book allows for sweeping changes to the storyline that will leave players wanting to know what would have happened if they had only looked behind the second curtain instead…

It is possible to discover a great many different endings in each playthrough.

Gen7’s campaign is also a cooperative experience, where all players are working together to reach a positive conclusion to their story. That said, each player’s officer earns rank promotions and unlocks special abilities based on their own individual performance. So, while there is no traitor mechanic, it is up to each player to decide how much of their attention is spent on selfless acts for the group versus actions that will earn rewards for their officer.

Posted by Steve Nix Steve Nix is the designer of Gen7.  Follow @snixdesign