Kickstarter Dystopian TTRPG Oceania 2084 - on Kickstarter

[Jocher symbolic systems]

Hello everybody! I am Johan Eriksson, an anarchist game developer and educator from so-called Sweden.

Oceania 2084 is now on Kickstarter! Pledge to secure your copy of the exclusive hardcover print of the "Surplus Edition", beautifully illustrated by Mika Edström (https://www.artstation.com/mikaedstrom).
Support the game on Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jochergames/oceania-2084-the-orwellian-ttrp...

Oceania 2084 is an anti-authoritarian game about resistance against a totalitarian world, ushered in by ecological collapse and authoritarian populism. Inspired by a blend of rogue-likes, classic literature, and renowned tabletop RPGs, Oceania 2084 offers an adversarial storytelling experience focusing on social gameplay and stealth. Designed for 3-8 players, it's a game of resistance against insurmountable odds, where hope shines through even in the darkest moments.

Mood trailer:


The game is at the time of posting this 27% funded on the Kickstarter. This is far from enough to get the game self-published, the project needs you! The text below is like a marketing blurb, but I think it captures the essence of the game fairly well. I hope you will consider backing it.

Be part of making the limited "Surplus Edition" of Oceania 2084 – a spiritual successor to George Orwell's classic, 1984, a reality. Experience the dark and tense gameplay, where player agency reigns supreme. Join the resistance against Big Brother's oppressive regime, weaving intricate tales of hope and defiance.

Here is an interview that I recently gave discussing the politics and the intended gaming experience of Oceania 2084:


"The brilliance of the system's asymmetrical gameplay can be found in the freedom of player agency taken when providing future characters with the hope that they may one day break free from Big Brother's grasp. My players became invested in the stories of their resistance members and created a complex web of family and friends for them to swap to in the event that their character was executed by Big Brother. This game provides truly some of the strongest TTRPG storytelling elements I've ever seen."
- Heart II Soul Studios

Oceania 2084 is now on Kickstarter! Pledge to secure your copy of the exclusive hardcover print of the "Surplus Edition", beautifully illustrated by Mika Edström (https://www.artstation.com/mikaedstrom).
Support the game on Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jochergames/oceania-2084-the-orwellian-ttrp...

The already released version, "Austere Edition" is yours for free – complete with rules but sans fancy formatting or illustrations. Download it now as a pay-what-you-want PDF and dive into the intrigue of Oceania 2084!
Check out the free version today: Oceania 2084 - the orwellian TTRPG by Jocher Symbolic Systems

Join the resistance. Rewrite history. Explore Oceania 2084 now!
#orwell #ttrpg #roleplaying #indiegame #jocher #dystopian #roguelike #kickstarter #rpg #tabletop #exclusive #limitededition

 

[Jocher symbolic systems]

On the thoughts behind creating Oceania 2084:

I felt like I should share some thoughts I've had during the development of Oceania 2084. This game is in a few ways a "serious game", in the same way, that Dostoevsky's books are serious. It is not a "fun" game. It is a meaningful game. It is an engaging game. It is meant to bring up heavy topics, it is meant to do so not in an exploitative manner but as a possible catalyst for further and deeper thinking about those topics.

The game makes game design decisions based on this serious fundament. It has a few design choices that are perhaps counterintuitive if you want to make something that is easily marketable. It steps out of the norms of how roleplaying games usually are expected to work. It trusts the players. It trusts you to play the game according to the rules. It trusts you to be honest and open to exploring your vulnerability and your thoughts through the movements of the system.

For me creating this game is just another way of struggling against oppression. It is one act of defiance. This game is my note to the future of resistance.

I have written a few times that the game is anti-authoritarian. How? Well, even though the game is creating stories that can be felt as a series of personal failures and the downfall of a resistance movement (even before it gets going), it is actually about not giving up. It is about resisting oppression because it is the right thing to do. Not because it is a winnable fight. Because the fight against oppression is a neverending quest, it will never end. So fighting against it is paramount, or we will be thrust into an even worse and less livable reality.

The campaign has now been 30% backed and we are already halfway through the 30 days. The game is a collaborative storytelling experience, with one player playing as the other player's clear antagonist. it is an emotional game, it is a philosophical game, and it is in many ways a serious game. It is a game about resistance to an authoritarian world.

Help me spread the word, share the link, record actual plays, and discuss it with your friends. I rely on word-by-mouth since I do not have any budget for marketing. I hope to have you on board with this act of resistance!