That's very clever!
Well, Mancala is ancient and originated in Africa, with people using setups as simple as rocks in depressions dug into the ground. Checkers and Go - same deal, just need a board/crosshatched play area and two different colors of stones. Escape games - those generally are based around puzzles, and there are plenty that require little to no materials - I'm thinking matchstick puzzles, cryptograms, that sort of thing. Chess, of course - pieces can be created as needed. There are plenty of rules-lite RPG systems that could be adapted - Lasers and Feelings, Risus, Fate: Accelerated - knowing a basic rule set and having an imagination can take you quite a ways in any setting that might resonate with your group, and some are even dice optional.
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Thomas Vose
Director
Ruth Enlow Library of Garrett County
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Original Message:
Sent: Aug 26, 2024 04:52 PM
From: Scott Nicholson
Subject: Anyone with experience with low-resource libraries?
Over the last few years, I've been working with low-resource school teachers in Rwanda to create a way to play an escape game in low-resource classrooms. My assumptions for that project was that the classrooms had access to found objects and a chalkboard, but nothing else (including no disposable paper). For that project, I developed EscapeIf (
http://escapeif.com), which is an open source system and growing repository of branching narrative games played verbally.
This has led to the library project, where there is a small grant to purchase the games, but then the consideration is that once they have the games, the only things they will easily have access to will be found objects (stones, sticks, etc.) to replace any missing components.
Scott Nicholson
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Original Message:
Sent: 8/26/2024 5:24:00 PM
From: Thomas Vose
Subject: RE: Anyone with experience with low-resource libraries?
I think this is an amazing idea and would be an excellent basis for a webinar. First off, what do you mean by "low-resource?" What sort of preexisting resources should we assume are available/not available?
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Thomas Vose
Director
Ruth Enlow Library of Garrett County
Original Message:
Sent: Aug 23, 2024 11:20 AM
From: Scott Nicholson
Subject: Anyone with experience with low-resource libraries?
I've just started in on a project with the mEducation Alliance to develop criteria and specific board/card game suggestions for low-resource libraries in Rwanda.
We'll have a small gift for each library and want to ensure we use that money effectively. I expect what we create will be useful to others supporting low-resource libraries. I'll be considering things like availability, flexibility, robustness, and other criteria that matter when budgets and replacement parts for games are non-existent. I'd like to find any others who have supported libraries in low-resource settings to see if you had advice. You can reach me at
scott@scottnicholson.com if you have ideas.Thank you,
Scott NicholsonProfessor of Game Design and Development, Wilfrid Laurier University