What is Eight Bells Bluff (EBB)

    

Eight Bells Bluff is a writing game aimed at both new writers and seasoned wordsmiths. It aims to teach, challenge, and encourage those who've always wanted to try their hand at writing. The game book contains the rules of play and serves as a primer for story writing!

    

The game guides the writer through the traditional story structure with phases like Introduction, Inciting Incident, Rising Action, Climax, and Ending. Each phase includes prompts for the Time of Day, Objects, Weather, and incidents to guide the story and fire up your imagination.

 

How many people can play EBB?

    

We are designing EBB with a few different modes including solo and group play. 

 

Is EBB for new writers or veteran wordsmiths?

             

EBB is designed for both new and seasoned writers. You can tailor the game by using as many or as few prompts as you desire. Although EBB can played by writers of all levels, we are designing the game book with new writers in mind by including a section on story writing, detailed examples of gameplay, and stories created by some of our favorite writers using the game engine.

 

What do I need to play EBB?

    

To play EBB, you will need a copy of the game book, a set of polyhedron dice, and a set of 52 playing cards. You can substitute the dice and cards by using any number of free random number generating applications!

 

Where can I buy EBB?

    

    EBB is launching on Kickstarter by the end of 2021! After the launch, the game will be available from the Loud Coffee Press Website and from other select vendors. 

 

How Much will EBB cost?

    

    Our goal is to make EBB affordable for anyone who enjoys the craft of writing. To that end, EBB will be available as a low-priced PDF as well as a paperback and a deluxe hardbound edition. 

 

Who are the game designers?

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    The game is designed by Annie James Thomas and Fred Charles, editors of the Loud Coffee Press literary magazine. Annie and Fred are lifelong writers and gamers. 

 

Can you tell me about the game’s setting?

    

    We wanted to provide a setting for the players to work within that’s both familiar and mysterious. Eight Bells Bluff is the name of a salty seaside town filled with dark secrets, haunted legends, and eccentric locals. The game takes place in modern times, but the only limit is your imagination!

    

    The game book contains an extensive town history complete with locations and legends to get your creative juices flowing. Think of the setting as your creative sandbox!

    

    With EBB, You are free to create the story in any way you see fit. You can write within the bounds of the town's dark history or make up your own—it's all up to you! Whether you write mysteries, thrillers, science-fiction, fantasy, or romance, anything can happen in the town of Eight Bells Bluff. 

 

I love settings such as fantasy and science fiction, will there be other settings forthcoming?

    

    If EBB is a success, we plan to add supplements for other genres to compliment the core rule book.

 

I wrote an amazing story using the EBB game system, is there a place where I can share it with other players?

    

    Yes! Our goal is to grow EBB into a huge community where writers can share their work with players. We’re not sure what form the community will take, but our goal it have a space available at the time of launch. 

 

Questions, comments? Email your questions to: loudcoffeepress@gmail.com