YABC / PLAYBOOKAn independent gaming playbook
Share information. Clarify roles. Make decisions understandable together.
Explore the decision tree01 / Look first, then act
Sum up the situation in one short sentence: where is something happening, what was actually seen, and how recent is the observation? A clear call leaves others room to think for themselves. Assumptions should be explicitly identified as assumptions.
→ Choose a shared action.Naming a gap is better than covering it up. “I can't see the entrance” helps more than a confident but unfounded call. Decide who gathers information and who keeps the safe option open. Not every uncertainty calls for an attack.
→ Gain vision or buy time.02 / Tasks rather than hero stories
Roles depend on the game and the situation. Even so, tasks can be described in general terms: observe, secure space, prepare an action or enable a retreat. The name of a role matters less than what others can rely on you to do.
Change your task when the situation demands it, and announce the change. A silent role switch often creates gaps even when everyone involved has made a reasonable decision individually.
03 / After the round
A helpful review stays with one scene. For example: two people change position at the same time while nobody watches the previous route. The useful question is not “Who was bad?” but “What information would have coordinated the switch?”
The handover of the task went unspoken.
NEXT ATTEMPTWait for a brief confirmation before switching.
Choose exactly one change for the next round. Too many resolutions turn a review into a list of accusations. A small, testable agreement is more likely to show whether the team learned something together from the same scene.
Location, observation and significance. One possible pattern is: “Left entrance seen clear just now; we have a brief window to move.” Everyone should know the game-specific terms. Avoid overlapping explanations when a concise decision is needed.
Stop the judgments and clarify the next task. If nobody can listen any more, a pause is more useful than further analysis. Respectful collaboration is not a reward for good results; it is a foundation for playing together.
This independent playbook treats game situations as opportunities to make roles, information and shared decisions easier to understand.
Contact by email
Assigning roles, sharing information or reviewing a scene together: email us with a general question about team communication or an idea for the playbook.
