roleplaying a distributed intelligence

I recently read some of Gregory Benford's "Galactic Center" novels, and
it got me thinking.

Has anybody here tried having a gaming group try roleplaing a
distributed intelligence?  This could be a hive mind, where all of the
players are playing extentions of the same hive mind, although exactly
that might be a bit boring (everybody is the same character).

A better way to approach it might be where there are several "subminds"
of the same ubermind, and each player plays one of those.  Each submind
could be embodied separately-- indeed, the individual subminds could be
embodied in humans.  (These sorts of things usualy show up as the "bad
guy" or the threat in the kinds of whimsical sci-fi movies and games
where they show up, but they don't have to be malevolent!)

One reason why this might be particularly natural is that the whole
dichotomy between player knowledge and character knowledge goes away.
Often right now when the players split up, and the GM deals with one
group of players, the other players watch but have to remember that
their characters don't know anything that's happened.  In this case,
though, it would be perfectly natural that everybody would know
everything.  Indeed, remembering *that* could turn into another sort of
roleplaying challenge, and might be fun to give a try.

The best way to do it (IMHO) would be to have each submind potentially
having a different personality, and some independence of thought-- so
that the players still can have individual characters.  But they share
their knowledge, share common goals, and decide together what the entity
as a whole will do or think.  (Sounds like a well-socialized PC party,
doesn't it?)

Thoughts?

-Rob

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roleplaying a distributed intelligence

From: "Robert A. Knop Jr." 
> Has anybody here tried having a gaming group try roleplaing a
> distributed intelligence?  This could be a hive mind, where all of the
(snip)
> that the players still can have individual characters.  But they share
> their knowledge, share common goals, and decide together what the entity
> as a whole will do or think.  (Sounds like a well-socialized PC party,
> doesn't it?)
> 
Off the top of my head it seems like something that would work
for parties that are used to co-operating (as you suggest) - and 
therefore not be unusual - or fail completely for parties that don't
cooperage - and therefore not be unusual.

To consider running or playing it I'd need something that would
draw the characters into the shared character and would also 
make the gaming unusual.  Unfortunately I can't immediately think 
of any suggestion as to how this might be achieved.

Maybe players independently make action choices and decisions
using cards placed face-down.  The party gets bonuses based on
how many cards agree when turned face-up.

Chris Tutty

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roleplaying a distributed intelligence

> To consider running or playing it I'd need something that would
> draw the characters into the shared character and would also 
> make the gaming unusual.  Unfortunately I can't immediately think 
> of any suggestion as to how this might be achieved.

It would have to be a setting specific thing.  However, I can easily see
having fun with a game where, as a player, I was *encouraged*, rather than
forbidden, to use "player knowledge" learned by overhearing the action of
other players' characters.

A possible setting might be a sort of reverse X-files.  The characters are
all human-looking agents of some huge alien / hidden ancient monster / mad
scientist experimeting with psionics.  Or, perhaps, they are an escaped
experiment.  I can see where the party might have fun playing with the minds
of the rest of hapless humanity, using their "group mind" or "distributed
intelligence" quality to advantage.  (If they're an escaped experiment, then
the campaign has a built in potential enemy-- who can be more or less
shadowy depending on how much the players know about who was running the
experiment on them.)

-Rob

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roleplaying a distributed intelligence

> > Has anybody here tried having a gaming group try roleplaing a
> > distributed intelligence?  This could be a hive mind, where all of the
> (snip)
> > that the players still can have individual characters.  But they share
> > their knowledge, share common goals, and decide together what the entity
> > as a whole will do or think.  (Sounds like a well-socialized PC party,
> > doesn't it?)
>
I participated in one scenario where all the characters conciousness were
put in one body.
To function, we had to verbally announceour actions before the GM would
describe what occurs. If we wanted to move forward. We would all have to say
WALK"
We found it easiest to role play when one of us was allowed to control the
mouth. One of us the right arm, one of the left, etc.

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