This is such an awesome concept! I really love seeing niche stuff like this; it's creativity in its purest form. Can't imagine how many sixes you had to roll to create such a cool game!
It would be really cool if this were a daily planner-type thing! im adhd and its really hard for me to continue doing tasks without getting distracted, and filling in clocks and keeping track of things like this for everyday life would be really cool!
So it has been a few months since I first played this game and Since then I got officially diagnosed, started dealing with stuff and went on meds. This game was the thing that got me from "I think there is something with my brain" to "I know what's going on with my brain" That's a lot. Thanks
My Brain Is A Stick Of Butter is a 16 page solo rpg about experiencing ADHD.
Gameplay uses a d6 and a deck of cards. You try to complete tasks in several categories over a series of days, with the catch that the task your brain serves up to you isn't always the one that your environment wants you to do at the moment, and it costs energy to shift your focus. On top of that, once you've focused on the task you want to work on, you're not guaranteed to make progress. You might get blocked, frustrated, revert your work, or forget what you were doing.
Layout-wise, the game is also extremely strong. The intro, outro, and example are all written in a fairly standard formaton standard left-justified pages, but the actual core of the game text is written onto small note-card-ish blocks and jumbled around on the page along with graphs and graphics. It's still easy to read, but everything is tilted at slight angles and there's a distinct feeling of things flowing together and feeling out of control.
Overall, I think I'd recommend this to everyone. I felt like I came out of the game with a radically different understanding of what experiencing ADHD feels like, and it's definitely not every game that redefines my perception like that. Buy a copy if you can, or check out a community copy otherwise.
Perhaps when you want to try and sleep roll 1d6, on a 1 you fail to sleep, mark time you spent tossing and turning being frustrated, on a 2-5 you fall asleep, on a 6 you have a brilliant idea, you don't fall asleep but you do manage to make 2 progress on a project, draw a card to find out which one?
Using a die to represent the "restricts a person’s agency when it comes to choosing where to apply attention" is a great idea! I really liked your game and i do think its illustrative, thank you!
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This is such an awesome concept! I really love seeing niche stuff like this; it's creativity in its purest form. Can't imagine how many sixes you had to roll to create such a cool game!
I'm crying, my stick of butter is not letting me read the text 🙃
I just failed repeatedly at downloading the PDF, because my brain is a stick of butter, so: excellent game! thanks a lot! :)
lol yep, you nailed it
It would be really cool if this were a daily planner-type thing! im adhd and its really hard for me to continue doing tasks without getting distracted, and filling in clocks and keeping track of things like this for everyday life would be really cool!
So it has been a few months since I first played this game and
Since then I got officially diagnosed, started dealing with stuff and went on meds. This game was the thing that got me from "I think there is something with my brain" to "I know what's going on with my brain"
That's a lot.
Thanks
This is so hard to play when you actually *have* ADHD. Brilliantly done, I love it. 10/10 would recommend.
My Brain Is A Stick Of Butter is a 16 page solo rpg about experiencing ADHD.
Gameplay uses a d6 and a deck of cards. You try to complete tasks in several categories over a series of days, with the catch that the task your brain serves up to you isn't always the one that your environment wants you to do at the moment, and it costs energy to shift your focus. On top of that, once you've focused on the task you want to work on, you're not guaranteed to make progress. You might get blocked, frustrated, revert your work, or forget what you were doing.
Layout-wise, the game is also extremely strong. The intro, outro, and example are all written in a fairly standard formaton standard left-justified pages, but the actual core of the game text is written onto small note-card-ish blocks and jumbled around on the page along with graphs and graphics. It's still easy to read, but everything is tilted at slight angles and there's a distinct feeling of things flowing together and feeling out of control.
Overall, I think I'd recommend this to everyone. I felt like I came out of the game with a radically different understanding of what experiencing ADHD feels like, and it's definitely not every game that redefines my perception like that. Buy a copy if you can, or check out a community copy otherwise.
How is the title so woefully accurate. I've struggled with ADHD for nearly 30 years now and that's so accurate it-SQUIRREL.
This pretty much nails it, well done.
Maybe a bit unrealistic to have complete agency over when to go to sleep, I might have to add some house rules for that :)
fair point! if you do end up adding something I'd love to hear what you come up with
Perhaps when you want to try and sleep roll 1d6, on a 1 you fail to sleep, mark time you spent tossing and turning being frustrated, on a 2-5 you fall asleep, on a 6 you have a brilliant idea, you don't fall asleep but you do manage to make 2 progress on a project, draw a card to find out which one?
As someone who also has ADHD, Thank you....Life definitely is no walk in the park with it.
Using a die to represent the "restricts a person’s agency when it comes to choosing where to apply attention" is a great idea! I really liked your game and i do think its illustrative, thank you!
thanks for the kind words! i'm glad you enjoyed the game.