In a bold move that echoes the enduring legacy of Europe’s ancient cathedrals, game designer Jason Rohrer has unveiled a groundbreaking board game designed to stand the test of time. Rohrer’s creation, “A Game for Someone,” emerged victorious in the prestigious Game Design Challenge at the recent Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, capturing attention with its innovative concept.
Unlike conventional games meant for immediate enjoyment, Rohrer’s masterpiece is crafted for a distant future, set to be played not by present-day individuals but by generations yet to come, possibly 2,000 years from now. To ensure its preservation through the ages, the game has been buried in a secret location within the Nevada desert, awaiting discovery by future explorers.
Inspired by the ancient Mancala games, “A Game for Someone” underwent rigorous testing through AI algorithms in video game form, with Rohrer himself refraining from playing it. The meticulous design includes an 18×18-inch board and silver cylindrical pieces crafted from approximately 30 pounds of titanium. The rules of the game, shrouded in secrecy, are safeguarded on acid-free paper within a Pyrex tube encased in titanium.
Rohrer’s strategic burial of the game comes with a twist of mystery and adventure. Attendees at the GDC were handed envelopes containing a million GPS coordinates, hinting at a treasure hunt that could unfold over millennia. With each GPS location potentially leading to the buried game, the quest for discovery promises an intriguing journey into the unknown depths of the Nevada desert.
This daring endeavor by Jason Rohrer not only challenges the conventional lifespan of board games but also sparks curiosity about what other hidden treasures lie beneath the desert sands. As enthusiasts await the unfolding saga of “A Game for Someone,” the echoes of this extraordinary creation resonate with the timeless allure of mystery and discovery.
Faxed in Comment: Clark, here is my prediction: Someone will play this before 2,000 years because about 353 years from now we find out that everything everywhere in the solar system can be searched without leaving your home by calculating the way light changes when it moves through a quantum “computer”. Anyone could then do a search of the physical Nevada desert from surface level down to 20 feet (that should do it) for a titanium signature mass between certain values. Then you just virtualize the contents without having to dig anything up.
Citations
[1] https://lastgameboard.com
[2] https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/gameboard1/gameboard-1
[3] https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/174851/endgame
[4] https://www.gamelyngames.com/product/the-last-kingdom/
[5] https://www.whatboardgame.com/post/last-message-board-game-review
