Here are the 20 themes:
1. Automation
I read this one, and Mark Rosewater's article on the evolution of Planeswalkers springs to mind, specifically the part of the design process where they did things automatically, and the bad play experience it produced. Out.
2. Born Under a Bad Sign
There are several on this list that appeal to me not one bit, mostly because they are cliches. I see this as a challenge. In.
3. Calligraphy
From abstract magic painting/casting to the mystical meaning of symbols, it is hard not to include this one. In.
4. City in the Sky
So much awesome can be gleamed from single city settings, from Ptolus to Sigil to Sharn, constraining landscapes like this can be most enjoyable. Unfortunately, Ascend is not about constraint. Out.
5. Collapse
The first that captured my imagination. Didn't I say something about Constraint above? Yes, but this one gives a nice tension in my mind, as something to struggle against... In.
6. Fishing Fun
Sorry, silly immediately springs to mind with this one. Out.
7. Game Night
Silly sprang to my mind once again, or at least not anything I would build a game around. And then other meanings of the word Game popped in... intriguing. In.
8. I Think I Can
A rash of children's themes! There is a connection to Ascend though, a world of Neil Giamen's the dreaming makes it possible sense of possible. In.
9. Monolith
Thud. Out.
10. Pond
Just so simple and mysterious it must be In.
11. Private School
Hentai here we come! Or not. Out.
12. Roaming
If Ascend is not a game of Constraint, then certainly it must be a game of Roaming. In.
13. Sand Land
Silly rhyming and constraining theme. Out.
14. Seventh Son or Seventh Sun
On the edge on this one, as in it could be fun to reinvent the cliche, or just banal. I'll wait on the final tally for this one.
15. Small Town Life
Visions of Our Town swarms in my head. Not a fan of that play. Out.
16. Tattoo
Big fan of the Legends of the 5 Rings, with Monks running around with mystical tattoos. Just don't know if this one has the same depth to it as calligraphy, as calligraphy makes me think, ironically, of an action, while tattoo does not. In.
17. The Bog
Constraining and dull. Bog the game down. Bllck! Or least until I think of Magic the Gathering and the card, Fog. Interesting dichotomy that card has with its color, preventing all creature damage... Reaching. Out.
18. The Last Outpost
Dogs in the Vineyard jumps into my head, which is always a good thing. Constraining again, but maybe there is some interesting design space to be explored here. The important thing will be to find a good twist, like The Last Outpost of declining empire, surrounded by the beginnings of new societies. Interesting interaction with Collapse. In.
19. Theme Park
Same reaction to it as Fishing Fun, and then I Game Night'ed Theme... In.
20. Water World
Bad Kevin Costner, bad. Out.
So, by my counting, I am at 10, with Seventh S(u or o)n on the fence. Doesn't bode well for it. Out! Here are the final 10.
2. Born Under a Bad Sign
3. Calligraphy
5. Collapse
7. Game Night
8. I Think I Can
10. Pond
12. Roaming
16. Tattoo
18. The Last Outpost
19. Theme Park
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