The Awesome Game of Camp

“The Awesome Game of Camp” is very simple. Players are not restrained by an entire rulebook, rather they must adhere to three basic rules that set the foundation for the game. A lot of the procedural rhetoric for the game stems from the choices that the players make. They are not restricted to stay on one path or to perform all the activities that are on the “Activity Cards”. Basically, whether the participants learn or not is determined by them.

Some elements of the game reinforce the idea of self-reliance and carving your own path. These two concepts are essential in order to execute a stellar camping program. Participants are not directed to a specific path or a way of determining what player goes first. Other elements of the game prompt several procedural elements that are equally important. The “Activity Cards” turned out to be one of the game’s greatest assets.

A player picks these cards if he lands on the square. The card tells the player what to do, such as a short activity or a hypothetical situation that allows them to move around the board. The cards are random in almost every way possible, which simulates the organized chaos that often is camp life. There are no good cards or bad cards, there are just cards. Some cards illustrate that time is precious and sometimes you might not have enough of it (like forgetting your walkie-talkie) or that dealing with emergencies may call for you to miss out on other things (like taking little Timmy to the clinic).

Other cards call for you to think on your feet (like naming off camping movies). Some of them also award you for making camp-appropriate decisions. Off-the-cuff decisions are something that camp counselors are professionals at making. Players are also awarded for being silly and outgoing, two very important personality traits of camp counselors.

At the end of the game, I would hope that players might understand camp life a bit more. Due to the procedural nature of the game, players will participate in some sort of version of camp. They will be pushed, prodded, harassed, and hopefully understand the importance of starting together and finishing together.