This is a two-player roleplaying game of a mech and their pilot facing hopeless odds and trying to make the most of their last moments together, played over voice call against a 10 minute countdown.

Below are the full rules for playing the game, free, and easy to access via browser on whatever device you choose.

You can get the plain text file at the bottom and if you enjoy this, and would like to support me, you can drop a few dollars for the download.

This was created as part of the Emotional Mecha Jam

Content warnings

This game can feature death, hopelessness, lack of control, and self sacrifice.

Credits

by Finbah Neill
Thanks to Ray for your love, support, and inspiration.

The Game

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> BLACKBOX COCKPIT RECORDING OF MECHANISED CAVALRY UNIT BX309

> PLAY RECORDING

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What you'll need to play

• A copy of this document each.
• Some means to talk to each other. Phone, voice chat, whatever works.
• A quiet, secluded space each. Somewhere you're sitting down, in the dark, and maybe a little cramped is best. At a desk in an office, on a lounge chair, or in a (parked and off) car are some ideas. You want to feel like you're in the dark cockpit of a mech.
• For the mech player: A countdown timer set to 10 minutes. Use something on which you can watch each passing second. This is a good one: vclock.com
• For the pilot player: Something to fiddle/interact with. Things to press buttons on, type into, or pull apart/put together. Whatever's handy to occupy your hands and take a little concentration while you attempt to fix a subsystems.
• For the pilot player: something to randomly determine a number between 1 and 100. When you must ‘roll’ to attempt to fix a subsystem you will use this to determine a number.

It’s optional but the mech player can use a shareable countdown timer and copy the System Diagnostic into a shareable document like Google Docs so that the pilot player can also view them if they fix the relevant subsystems.

The core mechanic

The pilot can attempt to fix subsystems to get them working.

To attempt to fix a subsystem the pilot names which subsystem and says 'starting repairs’ to let the mech know they’ve begun.

The mech looks at the countdown timer and notes the time the pilot started. It takes 4 minutes to attempt to fix a subsystem.

The pilot must now fiddle/interact for 4 minutes with whatever they have at hand. This is to simulate tinkering and hacking to repair the subsystem. You can both still talk and do other things but try to put some focus into what you're doing to simulate the repairs.

The mech keeps track of the time and says 'running diagnostics' when the 4 minutes has passed.

The pilot then rolls and speaks the number aloud, and the mech compares the number to the Repair Probability and says if the attempt was successful.

Determining success

If the number rolled is equal to or lower than the Repair Probability of the subsystem then the subsystem's status is changed to WORKING.

If the number is higher than the Repair Probability of the subsystem then the repairs didn't work and the subsystem's status remains unchanged.

The pilot can only attempt to fix one subsystem at a time. They can say 'aborting repairs' to abandon an attempt at any time but if they attempt to repair the same system again it will still take the full 4 minutes.

Preparing to play

• Start your call and decide who will be the pilot and who will be the mech.
• Prepare you spaces and materials and make yourself comfortable.
• Scroll to your character sections, read your character intros, and let each other know when you're ready to begin.

The Pilot

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You've always made it out together.

They feed you targets and threats,

you make the gut calls and pull the trigger.

You were trained to work as one,

two minds in one body.

You've never failed.

So long as you're together,

you never will.

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As the pilot

• You'll try to maintain hope and talk about the future.
• You can hear and speak to your mech.
• You can attempt to fix subsystems to get them working.
• To activate or use a subsystem you must ask the mech to do so.
• If you leave the cockpit, you cannot hear or speak to your mech.
• Attempting to fix a subsystem takes 4 minutes.
• If you have the opportunity, getting clear of the blast zone is instantaneous with the Ejection Seat or will take 4 minutes on foot.

Once you're both ready to begin

close your eyes, and sit in silence for a few moments. When the silence weighs on you, open your eyes and read the next part to yourself.

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Your head pounds. Everything is dark. Everything hurts.

The memories come rushing back.

The roar of battle. You amongst the charge. The scream of artillery.
You were hit.
You're in your mech.

Something is very wrong.

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Remember you mech's name (Give them a name). Once you muster the courage to face the truth speak it aloud.

Then: talk to each other, embody your character, build upon your relationship. Try to maintain hope and talk about the future.

If either you or the mech gain the opportunity to escape and take it, both mute your mics or sit in silence until the countdown timer reaches 0. Think about what was left unsaid.

When the countdown reaches 0, the game is over, hang up the call and sit in silence for a time.

From within the cockpit you can access and attempt to fix the following subsystems:

• Internal Camera: Video feed of the cockpit allowing you to see the pilot.
• HUD: Readouts allowing the pilot to view information such as the countdown and this system diagnostic.
• Ejection Seat: Emergency system to blast open cockpit door and launch the pilot a safe distance from the mech.
  If the Ejection Seat is activated it will instantaneously launch the pilot clear of the blast zone.
• Cockpit Door: Door for pilot to enter/exit the mech.
  If the doors are opened and you get out, it will take you 4 minutes to run clear of the blast zone.
• Satellite Uplink: Secure one-way connection to upload the mech's mind to HQ
• Pilot Vital Signs Monitor: Readout of pilots heartbeat, breathing, etc

The Mech

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They were the first thing you saw when you awoke.

You act on their inputs and analyse the repercussions of their choices.

You were programmed to interpret their desires and shield them from distress.

You trust them.

They are everything to you.

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As the mech

• You'll try to say what you need to before it's too late and talk about the past.
• You can hear and speak to your pilot.
• You know all the information in your System Diagnostic including the Repair Probability.
• You hold the countdown timer and so always know how much time remains.
• You have access to and control any system which has the status WORKING.
• If you upload yourself via the uplink you cannot return and you cannot hear or speak to your pilot.

Once you're both ready to begin

start the timer, close your eyes, and sit in silence for a few moments. When the silence weighs on you, open your eyes and read the next part to yourself.

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REBOOTING…

Running System Diagnostic…

!WARNING! SUBSYSTEMS DAMAGED

External Subsystems:

• Sensors // Status: OFFLINE // Repair Probability: 20%
• Limb Actuators // Status: CRITICAL // Repair Probability: 8%
• Jump Thrusters // Status: CRITICAL // Repair Probability: 6%
• Weapons Systems // Status: CRITICAL // Repair Probability: 15%

Core Subsystems:

• A.I. Core // Status: WORKING
• Navigation and guidance // Status: DOWN // Repair Probability: 5%
• External Comms // Status: DOWN // Repair Probability: 3%
• Power Core // Status: CRITICAL // Repair Probability: 0%

!WARNING! CRITICAL REACTOR FAILURE IMMINENT

Check the countdown timer. When this timer reaches 0 your power core will explode, obliterating everything within the blast zone.

Cockpit Subsystems:

• Internal Comms // Status: WORKING.
• Internal Camera // Status: OFFLINE // Repair Probability: 40%
• HUD // Status: OFFLINE // Repair Probability: 34%
• Ejection Seat // Status: FAILED // Repair Probability: 10%
  If you activate the Ejection Seat it will instantaneously launch the pilot clear of the blast zone.
• Cockpit Door // Status: JAMMED // Repair Probability: 15%
  If you open the doors and the pilot gets out, it will take them 4 minutes to run clear of the blast zone.
• Satellite Uplink // Status: CRITICAL // Repair Probability: 13%
• Description: Secure one-way connection to upload the mech's mind to HQ
• Pilot Vital Signs Monitor // Status: CRITICAL // Repair Probability: 46%

!WARNING! LIFE SUPPORT INOPERABLE. NO LIFESIGNS DETECTED.

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Retrieve your pilot's name from memory (Give them a name). When you're ready to know their fate speak it aloud.

Then: talk to each other, embody your character, build upon your relationship. Try to say what you need to before it's too late and talk about the past.

If either you or the pilot gain the opportunity to escape and take it, both mute your mics or sit in silence until the countdown timer reaches 0. Think about what was left unsaid.

When the countdown reaches 0, the game is over, hang up the call and sit in silence for a time.

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> END RECORDING

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Below you can download the plain text file version and if you enjoy this, and would like to support me, you can drop a few dollars for the download.