How do we make a consensus? A skilled and well-trained orator continuously adjusts their viewpoints to appeal to a broader audience, ultimately packaging their perspective as a form of consensus. Does this sound neutral? What if this orator is a combination of news media, public relations firms, and platform algorithms? For most of us, we live in a world dominated by storytelling, often being subtly influenced by compelling commercial narratives without even realizing it.
I aim to explore a method for multiple entities to share their opinions on a equal level, participate in the creation of consensus on relatively equal footing.
For me, games serve as a medium to simulate the process of rule dynamics, where gameplay emphasizes both assertion and attenuation. Thus, I’ve developed a tabletop game to simulate the process of forming consensus among people from diverse cultural backgrounds. In this game, no one leads the discussion to sway others, and there are no severe conflicts that halt the conversation. Instead, everyone collaborates towards reaching and shaping the final consent.
After examining various persuasive techniques and cognitive pathways, I realized that everyone is a natural storyteller. I chose collaborative storytelling as the primary format for the game, where players assume four distinctly different roles, each with unique starting points and interests, contributing to the reconstruction of the Rashomon story(Rashomon effect - Wikipedia). There’s no absolute truth, only narratives from different perspectives. Players take turns selecting cards representing story elements and interpret them for others to accept and acknowledge, incorporating these narratives into the collective story. Each player interprets different elements in turn, participating equally, ultimately creating a story that reduces biases and emotional elements.
Additionally, I’ve devised a set of additional scoring rules to help players strike a balance between expressing opinions aggressively and respecting the equal status of other players.
After several tests, I enhance the gaming experience. I made game easier to understand, fostered player’s ability for creative storytelling, I’ll continue exploring the collaborative storytelling process itself.
