Want to move as a dancer? Or, perhaps you are a dancer curious about the world of live-action roleplaying? Strictly Between Us is a LARP (live-action roleplaying) from dancers and game designers suitable for both.
The game comes in the form of a small magazine. It’s part of ZineQuest, a special season on the crowdfunding platform Kickstarter for small publishers with small but powerful projects, and it has reached its funding goals already. You can find out more on the project page.
Strictly Between Us is about connection and music, understanding your partner and being able to talk without using words.
Designed by Eli Seitz and Kristen Dabney, the game needs at least four players and works with up to 20. Inspired by Alex Robert’s Star Crossed and live-action games like Valley of Shadow and even some hot options in Honey and Hot Wax, the game uses blues dancing to explore the intricacies of a changing relationship.
Together and Apart are two different narrative tracks on Strictly Between Us. Together lets players tell the story of a new couple, while Apart explores a relationship falling apart. Over three extended scenes, suggestions disrupt the couple’s relationship before allowing a group jam session to expose the emotional essence. Blues dance lets characters and gamers express their deepest feelings throughout the game.
Here’s what the design team promises;
- Discover the power of expressive movement through play
- Experience the formation or dissolution of a relationship in under 3 hours
- Introductory workshops to ensure physical and emotional safety
- Easy to use rules edited by Vi Huntsman of Collabs without Permission.
- Curated playlists from professional blues DJ Julie Brown
- Gorgeous cover art by Amber
A zine is a simple and cost-effective format, and Strictly Between Us shares a sample layout. As you can see, it’s not all maths.
There are options for backers who want to offer help, really think they’d benefit if they could also get a copy of the game, but for everyone else, the digital dancer tier is set to $10. Backers at that level will get a digital version of the zine and playlist link collection.
At $15, backers get a physical copy of the zine, which will also ship anywhere in the world though you may have to pay postage and packaging.
Backers who can go as high as $20 get a signed copy and find out the designers’ favourite tracks on an exclusive playlist.
The game is slated for release in May 2023.
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