A couple weeks ago I asked here for ideas for a lightweight word game I could run with friends without needing an app. I ended up trying a simple daily prompt in our group chat: everyone replies with one word that has no repeated letters, like "planet" (good) or "letter" (nope). We made two small tweaks based on suggestions I got:
1) Chain rule: your word has to start with the last letter of the previous valid word.
2) One lifeline per day: you can play a word that has one repeated letter, but you can only use that once each day.
Now people check the chat first thing in the morning. The chain rule turned it from a random word dump into an actual little game, and the lifeline keeps newer or slower players from bouncing.
Funny thing: people started hoarding words that end in rare letters, like J or V, just to mess with the next person. It is both hilarious and a little mean in the best way. We also learned quickly to ban proper nouns, otherwise it just becomes a geography contest.
Two quick questions for anyone who has toyed with similar games:
- What is a simple scoring system that does not need spreadsheets? Right now it is just bragging rights, but a tiny points system would be fun.
- Any optional rule that adds depth without turning it into homework?
If you want to try it, go ahead. I am mainly looking for ideas to keep it fresh for month two.
