Be Excellent To Each Other

With the various *scum games taking a break, I've asked to run something as a bit of light relief and therefore I put a call out for players.

You are in a hot air balloon with several friends celebrating the birthday of someone very special. You are currently floating serenely through the air, enjoying the scenery amiid the champagne and strawberries. Unfortunately for you, the balloon has developed a small leak and is descending to the ground. There has been a major design flaw as hanging underneath the basket are several high explosives that means you will all surely be killed if the balloon hits the ground.

But wait! I spy a ray of hope over yonder horizon! The balloons descent can be arrested by lightening the load in the basket to the tune of precisely one person per day. Therefore, every 24 hours or so, a hapless balloonist will be chucked overboard as a sacrifice for the greater good. Which hapless balloonist becomes a blot on the landscape is up to the people remaining in the balloon. Therefore you can choose to plead for your own survival... or come up with reasons why the other balloonists should be chucked out.

Short examples

"I think I should stay in the balloon because I'm currently applying to become a missionary in Africa to spread good deeds throughout the world" = Good
"I think that if Participant X wants to spread good deeds, then what better than throwing himself overboard and spreading himself all over the landscape in a show of self-sacrifice that can be an example to us all?" = Better.

You have the full range of cunning to help yourself - it is a dog eat dog world in that there balloon. Subterfuge, sneakiness and plain unsporting behaviour will be looked on approvingly by the judges. Your only objective is to survive.

As there is a restriction on the number of players, there will be an equivalent of a Dead Zone for non-players, the Interested Observers. This will be a crowd of people pointing and laughing at the helpless participants, and possibly going through the belongings of those chucked overboard. The Interested Observers will also have a say in who gets chucked overboard.


There is room in the balloon for 8-10 players. Maybe 12.
The game will start late Sunday night and be finished by late Friday night. Ejections will occur either late at night or - if discussions/argument/pleading is sufficiently entertaining - first thing in the morning.
As you are effectively fighting for your survival (or better, trying to kill off someone) participants must be able to post on a regular basis.
The balloon is a democracy and the balloonists can vote to chuck somebody overboard. However, I am a dictator and can choose to ignore this vote if I think it will benefit the game. Or the Interested Observers disagree. Or I think it would be funny. Moderators decision is final.
Participants require an extreme sense of humour about their predicament. Any moaning, whinging or outright abuse will result in chucking overboard toot suite.
The rules may be changed at any time in order to keep the game entertaining.

Sign up below or post your questions. Depending on response, I may tweak the number of players or do a random choice. Previous *scum participation doesn't count.

Current player pool

ComicalGnomes
BlueCup
Dudley
JBR
Bobbyaro
The Rev Owen
Joans
Craster

How active do you have to be? I can post during work hours but don't currently have internet at home so evenings would be a problem.

Because this sound like a laugh.

Day posting would be fine. I'm going to take that sort of thing into account.

Go on then, I might be good at this, I have a rather buoyant personality.

I'm going away on Thursday and won't be back till Monday, so I'll have to give it a miss. It sounds funny, though!

Put me down then.

You've got shit hair.

How did you know??

Someone said once that it looks a bit like mine.

Current player list

*see above*

I'd love to, but I am holiday next week.

Sorry.

Malc

[vote:ComicalGnomes]

Unjustified and vindictive. That is precisely the spirit. You're in.

I am extremely light. Please include me.

Not meaning for this starting game, but what about giving each person an occupation or a real life persona, half positive and negative and the again the players vote for the least saint like character and most votes gets thrown over.
Negative characters could can tell white lies and put spin on their actions in the past to make them look positive, although I think relevance would be essential.
Or what abour the opposite where everybody is evil as hell, and people vote for the least evil charactder to get thrown over.

This will be a one-off. The only character you bring to the table is yourself.

Although being allocated a character like Mussolini, Hitler, Stalin etc and trying to justify yourself would be... interesting.

That's a hell of a design flaw! I think even I could have spotted that one!

I am up for this, but I have played the last 2 mafia games, so if there is an over subscription, feel free to throw me out in advance.

I wouldn't mind giving it a go.

Me too please. I've always fancied a trip in a hot air balloon, particularly one that has accidentally been wired with explosives.

Me, please.

Sorry, can't now. Apologies.

I thought I'd put my name in, but it appears I have not. I'll play if there's still room, thanks.

You're in.