This week I have been focused on play-testing, as my key concerns have been easy access to tables and preventing nonsensical events that may pop up in the solo (GM-less) system. I’ve generally been pleased with the translation of my research as most events feel very plausible. I need to quiz testers on this, as picturing action and encounters on the rooftops of moving trains may seem a bit surreal to those not familiar with hobo literature.
When I play solo games produced by others, I notice a lot of required page-flipping to locate various tables and data. I’ve actively tried to reduce this, and it seems that best solution is using cards so that the main needs are already in front of the players. This may mean an increase in cards and reduction in pages to the final game-zine. I am considering some sort of cover pocket to keep the package portable and organized when not in use.
Though play-test session documentation can be far from interesting, I thought it might be fun to journal a short solo session to share here. One of the things that I’ve really enjoyed is that I’m using real historic rail maps. After documenting the story like this, I was able to pop open Google Maps and locate the actual path of travel. Though coal country in Central Pennsylvania doesn’t include rural roads in “street view,” I was able to dig into some satellite imagery and see the current landscape. A lot of these rail paths are still in there today. My character in the story below had a little issue at Graham Station, and sure enough there is still a crossing and repurposed building on “Graham Station Road” that is there today. What a great way to connect to a story!
(Satellite imagery provided by Google Maps: Accessed Feb, 18 2025)
The following section covers 25 turns of the game and took about an hour of gameplay including the distraction of taking notes.
PLAY NARRATIVE: FEB 16
I gave this character the moniker of "Ugly John” as he was quite uncharismatic and flat broke at the beginning of the story. He did have a blanket roll, tobacco, a cup, and a pocket-watch that he kept hidden in a neck pouch for fear of theft.
This session started with little event: The first cars I encountered were a caboose (manned), a passenger car, and a private car (also manned). I opted to walk up-train and discovered a boxcar was next in the string. Having not been noticed, I checked to see if the car was open. Unfortunately, it was not, so I hopped on the ladder at the boxcar's end. Having still remained unseen, I hopped up to the deck for a safer ride and waited for our departure. Other than being coated in soot as the train left the station, little happened for the first leg of the trip. As the train skipped a couple of smaller stops, one of the brakemen popped up to the deck for a cigarette. He was in good spirits and elected to chat a bit rather than eject me from my ride. I successfully regaled him with my tale of woe (all made up), after which he took pity on me and offered me a few dry matches for my tobacco.
After zipping past another station, a second brakeman popped up and immediately suggested that I should not be on the train at all. He was of the mind to remove me once the train stopped. Though the train was still moving, I decided to slip back down the ladder and safely crossed the pinch to the porch of the private car. He pursued me but eventually had to tend to his duties as the train was stopping at a whistle stop called Graham Station. The attendant on the private car spotted me on the car's porch, but after a quick frown, he went about his business.
When the train came to a stop, I hopped down and encountered a passenger waiting to board the train. She was kind enough to offer me a few pennies for my hardship, which I politely accepted before running off.
I attempted to run up-train on the ground to find a better stow. A yardman spotted me and waved me away from the train. Luckily, he was busy and didn't drop his work to pursue the matter. I arrived at the next car, a stock car filled with cattle, and decided to hide under the wheels until the train began to roll away. Unfortunately, I failed to grab the ladder before it steamed away and was stuck at Graham Station. Being only a few miles from a larger town on the tracks (Philipsburg) and seeing no nearby village, I decided to walk the tracks into town. Exhausted, I arrived in Philipsburg and looked for some sustenance before continuing on my journey toward Altoona.