Prompt-O-Rama

We Are Not Game (Prompt: Game)

"... and you say playing cards will do?" the balding man on the panel frowned at me. He looked every part a bishop on a chess board right up to the rounded top. And he had this propensity to go right across every time I took one step straight ahead. As they say, I was a pawn in their little game. 

"Let me explain once more sir." I sighed. "We have a board with four quadrants. Gratitude, Aid, Creativity and Love. Each quadrant has spaces with tasks. On the quadrant of Love for instance, one can find options to give someone they love a hug. On the quadrant of Creativity, a space prompts the player to write a short poem on a subject. "

"A box with playing cards is passed around and each player picks a card from the box randomly. If one gets a spade, they roll the dice to move from the center to a space in the Aid quadrant where they get to help someone who is stuck, say lend a helping hand to someone who can't write a poem. People can't leave their spaces without finishing the task. A Heart lands one in the Gratitude quadrant, a Clover in the Creativity quadrant and the diamond in the quadrant of Love. Once we run out of cards, those with most completed tasks win.

The men in the panel chuckled. "And what do you think the players stand to gain or enjoy, sir?"  

"For a start, this helps people appreciate one another, show how much they know, let them help one another and express thanks. And that makes them a happy bunch that will stick on. Doesn't that mean they will buy more games from you for the rainy day?" I tried to reason why a seemingly sloshy game wasn't one. 

"Wrong. The moment they grow close to one another, they will go an another honeymoon or to the beach or to a cabin in the woods where they will revel in their new found camaraderie by hunting rabbits. No one will ever huddle to play another boring board game. And then, you are telling us this can be played using playing cards. That only means no one will come back to us for the entire game if they ever run out of cards or coins. All they need is a cheap pack of cards. This won't sell, mister. Do you have something that will drive the players to try and get the better of one another? Something that they will keep an account of to resume the next weekend? Something that will keep them together, but not to the extent they will ditch the board for the beach?" 

I knew right at start that this was product that only fostered love, respect and togetherness, virtues reduced to commodities that weren't saleable any longer. 

"I have a variant of monopoly called Encroachment. People are allowed to find spots they can encroach and are allowed to team up at will to down other players or fake documents. There are corrupt corporation and police roles too."

"Now we are talking," the slouching men sat upright as I began explaining the nuances. I had to, for I was playing the toughest game of all, one where the tummy always wins.