[GAME] HEARTS

[hauntingthenarrative]

HELLO EVERYONE

Heart Games will be running from January 10th to January 18th, 2026!

Obviously each individual heart is not expected to run that whole timeframe, rather blocking off that amount of time is so that as many individuals who want to run one can have time with a minimal amount of overlapping.


What is a heart game?
A heart game is a player-run exploration of a character's inner psyche given shape as an environment! Some examples of this in the wild include Every Level In Psychonauts & Psychonauts 2, I think a version of it is in Disgaea, Cosmospheres in Ar Tonelico, every dungeon in Limbus Company, maybe Inception counts? - basically anything where characters explore a landscape that is representative of another character's inner deal.

Is there a limit to who can run?
With one Very Special Exception, only current player characters can run hearts! This is to say, no dropped characters can return to run a heart game and no producers can run heart games.

That said, if you're running a heart and want your dropped/producer CR to explore it, that's up to you.

Very Special Exception?
Celi will be running a PLOT HEART during this time, details tbd! This won't be involved in scoring for anyone.

Is there a size limit per heart? Can I play in a heart without close CR with that person?
Each heart runner can set their own size limit and determine whether they'd like just close CR, specific CR (i.e. team only, or even 'this is a special heart run for just my boyfriend') or if their heart is open to everyone!

I want people to have a motivation to touch things in my character's heart!
If you'd like an extra hook to light a fire under your heart explorer's asses, optionally one of their core traits can have been amplified to an unsustainable degree and require fixing. This can be made obvious in the heart itself, or optionally start manifesting a couple of IC days before hearts (lemme know if you take this option!).

If this extra option is taken and is NOT fixed before the end of the heart run it will fade to normal naturally over the course of the next day.

Is this a trauma game?
It's not intended to be trauma by default, however, individual runners should warn appropriately for subject matter! Heart explorers can take physical damage within the heart, but will not emerge from the game with injuries.

Comments

QUESTIONS

[hauntingthenarrative]

Ask 'em if you got 'em!

Re: QUESTIONS

[carrionmywaywardsun]

Is there any game-specific scoring criteria heart runners should use or is it up to each heart runner to decide?

Re: QUESTIONS

[socialcapital]

Up to each heart runner to decide!

Re: QUESTIONS

[carrionmywaywardsun]

for scheduling purposes, when is the official start/end of the heart game...game?

Re: QUESTIONS

[socialcapital]

Individual hearts can run at any point during the jan 10-jan 18 block of time for maximum flexibility. (they don't need to take a full week each.) Anything after the 18th is legal but won't be scored!

SIGN UPS

[hauntingthenarrative]

Signing up isn't required to run, but can help other people plan what they're doing!

SNOW HEART GAME INTEREST CHECK

[bondsofsuffering]

Snow will have a heart game open to all!

There will probably be unavoidable themes of suicide/suicidal ideation, but other than that I don't forsee it getting too gnarly on the cw side. More details to come closer to the date!

If you are interested, please respond here with all character(s) if relevant so I can gauge what to expect!

Re: SNOW HEART GAME INTEREST CHECK

[allomantic]

here w fern!!

Re: SNOW HEART GAME INTEREST CHECK

[bondsofsuffering]

Hello!

Please see the heart game run times here! You can put your character's name(s) down in multiple slots to indicate you are available for that run, and I will tap you to confirm a time/date based on overall signups. The game is expected to run for no more than 5 hours, hopefully less.

Re: SNOW HEART GAME INTEREST CHECK

[audacity]

meeee aster

Re: SNOW HEART GAME INTEREST CHECK

[bondsofsuffering]

Hello!

Please see the heart game run times here! You can put your character's name(s) down in multiple slots to indicate you are available for that run, and I will tap you to confirm a time/date based on overall signups. The game is expected to run for no more than 5 hours, hopefully less.

Re: SNOW HEART GAME INTEREST CHECK

[notlikeanyone]

`v`

Re: SNOW HEART GAME INTEREST CHECK

[bondsofsuffering]

Hello!

Please see the heart game run times here! You can put your character's name(s) down in multiple slots to indicate you are available for that run, and I will tap you to confirm a time/date based on overall signups. The game is expected to run for no more than 5 hours, hopefully less.

Re: SNOW HEART GAME INTEREST CHECK

[heavyliesthecrown]

Hizumi Heart Game Part 2!!

Re: SNOW HEART GAME INTEREST CHECK

[bondsofsuffering]

Hello!

Please see the heart game run times here! You can put your character's name(s) down in multiple slots to indicate you are available for that run, and I will tap you to confirm a time/date based on overall signups. The game is expected to run for no more than 5 hours, hopefully less.

Re: SNOW HEART GAME INTEREST CHECK

[1797]

touches ur stuff

Re: SNOW HEART GAME INTEREST CHECK

[bondsofsuffering]

Hello!

Please see the heart game run times here! You can put your character's name(s) down in multiple slots to indicate you are available for that run, and I will tap you to confirm a time/date based on overall signups. The game is expected to run for no more than 5 hours, hopefully less.

Re: SNOW HEART GAME INTEREST CHECK

[taking_pains]

I'm interested :0

Re: SNOW HEART GAME INTEREST CHECK

[bondsofsuffering]

Hello!

Please see the heart game run times here! You can put your character's name(s) down in multiple slots to indicate you are available for that run, and I will tap you to confirm a time/date based on overall signups. The game is expected to run for no more than 5 hours, hopefully less.

Re: SNOW HEART GAME INTEREST CHECK

[taking_pains]

Thank you for the heads up o/

Jojo Heart Game Interest Check

[justonezero]

Jojo will also have one open to all unless I keel over and die of busy

There will probably be avoidable instances of mental control/emotional manipulation, and potentially some gore? More details to come closer to the date!

Debating if an amplified option will be needed to motivate characters to participate. Let me know if that would be helpful for you!

If you are interested, please respond here with all character(s) if relevant so I can gauge what to expect!

Re: Jojo Heart Game Interest Check

[audacity]

interested!

Re: Jojo Heart Game Interest Check

[unsub]

nosy against his will reporting in, amplify however much or little you like, he'll be nosy regardless

Re: Jojo Heart Game Interest Check

[unireverse]

if you ever want to make that mental control unavoidable for me specifically i would definitely not complain interested unless i also die. moon has prio over ori if we end up dying

Re: Jojo Heart Game Interest Check

[shadowgraphics]

meeeeeeeeeeee

Re: Jojo Heart Game Interest Check

[1797]

touches more of ur stuff

SPARROW HEART INTEREST CHECK

[carrionmywaywardsun]

This is just to help me gauge how many people would be interested in a Sparrow heart. More details (including CWs) and actual, like, times and dates to come closer to game time.

Not sure if I'll do the special amplification option yet. Let me know if you think extra motivation would help your character be nosy though. :>

I'd like to keep this to just Sparrow's existing CR. If we're threading semi-regularly then you should be good to sign up. DM me if you're not sure or have additional questions. :V

Re: SPARROW HEART INTEREST CHECK

[socialcapital]

meeeeeee

Re: SPARROW HEART INTEREST CHECK

[worldlyafflictions]

Does not need help to be nosy

Re: SPARROW HEART INTEREST CHECK

[endsjustified]

MEEE

Re: SPARROW HEART INTEREST CHECK

[unsub]

nosy whether mister sparrow likes it or not

Re: SPARROW HEART INTEREST CHECK

[vitainmorte]

intwested /o/ but if the list is getting too long (or i run my own) i will sit out

Re: SPARROW HEART INTEREST CHECK

[mykidisthebest]

me me

scarlet heart interest check

[vitainmorte]

this issss a hard maybe and depends on what im able to whip up but an attempt can be made if interest is there o/

no specific cws yet (tbd) but expect average star rail level stuff + some more cosmic and body horror

Re: scarlet heart interest check

[carrionmywaywardsun]

o/ tentatively obvs assuming there's no like time conflicts with me running Sparrow's heart

HERON HEART GAME INTEREST CHECK

[notlikeanyone]

Heron will have a heart game open to all including dropped cr etc. if you're not sure just boop me to check.

Details like the actual run dates and full CWs will be listed on the heart game post itself so you can always nope out without worry, I'm still working them out okay. sweats in pre-writing. PROBABLY there will be comics-appropriate violence, ecats trauma game appropriate gore, examinations of grief and identity and control, all that good messy stuff.

If you are interested, please reply here so I know what kinda level to expect.

Re: HERON HEART GAME INTEREST CHECK

[unireverse]

lol i was gonna reply to this differently but then you said dropped cr

yes: felt > ori
maybe: moon, low prio, depends if we're both alive but could be very funny

no cws, please godmode as appriopriate you know i'm into it

Re: HERON HEART GAME INTEREST CHECK

[audacity]

mwah

Re: HERON HEART GAME INTEREST CHECK

[bondsofsuffering]

I will be here with at least one of my boys if not both!

Re: HERON HEART GAME INTEREST CHECK

[shadowgraphics]

meeeeeeee

Re: HERON HEART GAME INTEREST CHECK

[1797]

yes

Re: HERON HEART GAME INTEREST CHECK

[heartlands]

me

Showmaster Heart Game

[showmaster]

This isn't an interest check so much as me noting that Showmaster will have a "heart game run" also.

Consider this also where the remaining subway train path explores will go!!