The Group Work Game

4+ Players * Role-Playing Game * Improv/Narrative-Based * 30+ min * Replayable * Age 13+/Adult

Rules of the Game Click to Flip the Card

What Is The Group Game? card is black with a picture of a mirror on a stand. Flip to learn about the game.

Card reads: The Group Game: This improv-based, story-telling role-playing game promotes group work on the subject of group work. What participants take from project-based group work depends on their personality and their social position, as well as their gender and race. The Group Game gives players an opportunity to approach a project from multiple perspectives and learn about their roles while having a hilariously good time.

Flip

Trigger Warnings Click to Flip the Card

Trigger Warning Card for The Group Game is orange and shows a bear with his hand up to indicate STOP

Text of card reads Trigger Warnings: Confronting these problems without solving or resolving them in real life: Racism Sexual Harassment Fascism Dementia Climate Change Zombies Your Entitlements

Flip

Each Player Chooses a Role Card

(If you get a repeat card, shuffle the deck and draw again. More than 4 players, any extra players are Slackers)

Click for Your Role Card shows curious dog on black background.

Happy hog cartoon character on red background of Credit Hog Card for The Group Game

Shuffle

Flip

The Drudge Picks a Scenario Card and Reads it Aloud

Scenario Card for The Group Game with old time movie camera on green background

Scenario Card for The Group Game has text World Wide Pandemic. This is farfetched, but imagine the entire globe is ravaged by a highly contagious and very deadly illness. Identify how the illness spreads. Prevent the most common causes of transmission. Safeguard hospitals. Provide free, easily accessible testing for the illness. Fairly, quickly and safely distribute medicines as they become available. Protect the supply chain. Deal with the dead bodies.

Shuffle

Flip

Take Turns Drawing an Action Card Based on Your Role and tell the story

If you get a repeat card, shuffle the deck and draw again

The Drudge action card shows sad owl. Click to get actions.

Drudge Card for The Group game has text Fraud. After the project is submitted, you notice that The Credit Hog has committed obvious plagiarism or fraud on the small part of the project they agreed to do. If you turn The Credit Hog in for the fraud, it will destroy their chances of getting into college/medical school/upper management. If you don’t identify the fraudster, you could be blamed or punished as everyone knows you did almost all the work. Since The Credit Hog is also a Big Blamer, you are pretty sure they won’t admit to their crime.

Shuffle

Flip

Happy hog cartoon character on red background of Credit Hog Card for The Group Game

Credit Hog Card for The Group Game has text Gotcha. You falsely took credit for something which turns out to be low quality. It seemed good at the time, but then again you did not check it over carefully. The way it played out, you feel kind of cheated. You are really the victim because someone else did the shoddy work. They should be ashamed of themselves. How do you avoid blame?

Shuffle

Flip

Happy cartoon Bird on bright yellow background for The Friend Role Card in The Group Game

Friend Card for The Group Game has text You. You have time for everyone, but The Slacker is the only one who has time for you. Discuss with The Slacker why you ended up as a go-between and a smoother. Did you grow up in a chaotic family and end up as an emotional caregiver? Are you used to having your own needs ignored? Are you more comfortable dealing with other people’s feelings than your own? Were you punished as a child for showing your light?

Shuffle

Flip

Goofy animal with tongue hanging out on blue background for The Slacker Card in the Group Game

Slacker Card for The Group Game has text Unite. Bond with The Credit Hog. What do you have in common? How are your roles different? The Credit Hog may not be happy to be associated with you. It is in the interest of The Credit Hog to seem busy, engaged and hard-working. But since The Credit Hog also likes to make themselves scarce, both to increase their allure and to avoid being asked to do things, you should be able to locate them at the Starbucks around the corner.

Shuffle

Flip

At any time The Slacker can choose a Wild Card

Funny smiling dinosaur cartoon on purple background for The Wild Card for The Group Game

Wild Card for The Group Game has rotating arrow graphic and text Switcheroo. If you are in a rich school or family or successful company, switch to a poor or struggling one. If you are in an impoverished setting, choose a very privileged and or wealthy one. If, like most people, you believe yourself to be middle class, choose a wealth extreme on either end.

Shuffle

Flip

At any time The Friend can select a Time Out Card

Stopwatch cartoon on an aqua background for Time Out Card for Group Game

Time Out card for The Group Game shows a black and white graphic that says IRL and text: The Friend asks each player to publicly describe what group role they usually play in real life and give examples.

Shuffle

Flip

The Credit Hog decides when the work is done

If multiple groups are playing, The Credit Hog presents the group’s work to the larger group

If multiple groups are playing, The Credit Hog presents the group’s work to the larger group