A Mechanic of Care

The Prompt

Design a game mechanic — digital, tabletop, or paper prototype — in which the core interaction is an act of care rather than competition or conquest, drawing on Spiritfarer's model of management-as-compassion. Specify the subject of care (a character, a community, an ecosystem), the routine actions the player performs, the way those actions acquire emotional weight through narrative context, and how the mechanic handles departure or loss. If possible, playtest with at least one other player.

Completion Criteria

A written specification of the mechanic (subject of care, routine actions, narrative reframing, departure mechanic), and — if playtested — the date and a short account of what the mechanic disclosed about the relationship between routine and meaning.

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