I led this for my personal weekly game group , but the ease at which the game can be learned would quickly translate to a library program . Some paperwork and a few six-sided dice , in addition to the Core Rulebook and the player ’ s imagination is all it takes . I wouldn ’ t stretch a group to more than five or six people plus the GM , but multiple tables could be run with multiple GMs . If your library would prefer a more online based gaming program , this game would work well over Zoom , Discord , or Skype , provided everyone had access to the Rulebook . Watching a video of a group playing over Discord was integral to my own learning of the game . also didn ’ t focus much on the role playing elements of the game . They did give their character life and take game actions according to those characteristics , and instead more was focused on the actual mechanics of the game .
My group felt this game would work much better as a card game . In standard RPGs , a set of dice and a character sheet works just fine , allowing the player ’ s imagination to cover the rest . With Picaresque Roman , each player needed : an ID Card , which kept track of the amount of Influence they have as well as their task ; a “ Traitor or Not ?” Card , which can be used to investigate who the traitor is ; and a Crush Stat Card , which is used during the Crush action , where a player attacks another player . As the GM , I had to make these cards to use during the game . The GM also has cards containing info about the VIP that can be taken or looked at by the players . Though I made our group ’ s by using index cards , the game would benefit from preprinted or at least reproducible cards .
Gaming has become a very important part of modern library programming . My system , Lane Libraries in Butler County , Ohio , currently has at least one Dungeons and Dragons game running at each branch . At my location , I am the GM for the adults , running through the 5E Ghosts of Saltmarsh campaign , as well as the teens who are about to finish an intro adventure , Dragon of Icespire Peak . Some of our branches have monthly game nights , covering card games as well as board games ; and we occasionally host indoor laser tag or custom created escape rooms . Already being seen as both a place of learning and social gathering , we have found a lot of success as libraries seem to be a natural fit for gaming .
Bringing gaming to the forefront of your library ’ s programming provides a natural segway into checking out more materials . Take our review game for example : when promoting a Picaresque Roman gaming program , I would pull stories about rogues , like Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch , the Ocean ’ s Eleven film , or even a Deadpool graphic novel . If you are running a Dungeons and Dragons game , you could cross promote materials such as novels by R . A . Salvatore or Brandon Sanderson , do a showing of the D & D Honor Among Thieves movie , or encourage picking up Delicious in Dungeon , a manga by Ryoko Kui that recently began airing as an anime on Netflix .
While the character sheet does allow most players to track their own progress and their fellow players , it does not contain a spot to keep track of your own amount of Influence Points which is set on the character ’ s ID Card . This creates some confusion for when a player gains influence because the owner of their ID Card is the one who must document it .
Our group also applauded the social deduction elements involved in determining the traitor , often creating hilarious “ You would do that … if you were a traitor !” accusations , and overthinking reasons for player alliances — as one does when playing games of this type . They found playing it to be interesting and worth a second game in the future .
For a large gaming program , such as a game night with many tables , you may want to showcase lots of different items using a display . Feel free to match the theme of your game directly or simply feature materials that glorify gaming . Tap into gaming books in the 790s in Non- Fiction , grab any of the escape room centered thriller fiction novels , or host a book club for Ready Player One by Ernest Cline . The possibilities are endless !
Gaming and public libraries are expertly intertwined , and games like Picaresque Roman : A Requiem for Rogues , as well as the other tabletop JRPGs by new Diamond partner Lionwing Publishing , will provide other options to bring new types of fun to your library patrons .
ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTOR • Adam Fisher just celebrated 10 years at Lane Libraries in Fairfield , Ohio , where he is a Reference Associate . He creates and leads programming for all ages , manages the graphic novel , sci-fi / fantasy , and magazine collections at his branch , and has recently seen great success with his self-created Escape Room programs . He writes reviews for everything he reads and can be found on Goodreads @ FisherAd80 and on Twitter @ adamreadscomics .
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