Tag: Comedy game about life and death

A Game about Death and Dying

Here’s our blow by blow guide to playing Carked It!

If reading is not your thing, then head over to The Ageing Revolution Youtube channel where you can watch Simon take you through how to play!! Enjoy!!

Getting Started: Set Up the Decks

Separate LIVE, DIE & BYE! cards into 3 decks and place face down.

Choose Player One: The person whose birthday is closest to Halloween (October 31st) will go first.

DIE: How are you going to cark it!?

Starting with Player 1, each player draws a DIE card: Place it face-up in front of you and share your fate with the others. This is how you die!

Would You Rather Cards: If you pick up one of these, let players know which death you prefer. Would you rather…?

Question Mark Cards: If you pick up a question mark card tell everyone your death option using the prompt on the card.

LIVE: Decide how you want to live your life before you Cark It!

Deal 5 LIVE cards facedown to each player.

Player 1 will choose the card that best represents what they want to do before they die.  To do this, all other players choose 1 LIVE card from their hand and place it face down on the table for Player 1.

All players then reveal their card and take turns convincing Player 1 that their choice is the best. Argue, persuade, be sensible, silly or stupendous!

Player 1 chooses their favourite LIVE card and places it to the left of their DIE card. The player who puts forward the winning card is awarded 1 point. All LIVE cards on the table that were not selected return to the bottom of the LIVE deck. Then each player draws back up to 5 LIVE cards in their hand.

Repeat until all players have chosen 2 LIVE cards.

BYE: Decide what you want to happen after you die!

Similar to LIVE, players now decide on their after-death preferences in the same way as above. Deal 5 Bye cards to each player and take turns convincing each other of the best things to do once you’ve died.

Once all players have 2 BYE cards next to their DIE card, the EULOGY WILDCARD round begins.

If a player has a EULOGY WILDCARD in their remaining BYE hand they can play it in front of them face up for a chance to earn and award bonus points.

Pick two Players to give your Eulogy.

Those two players will now go head to head to make those gathered cry -hopefully with laughter-as they spend 30 seconds orating, celebrating and honouring your memory – feel free to throw in what you really think of them! The best eulogy is awarded 2 points and the runner-up is awarded 1 point – the player who played the Eulogy card is also awarded 1 point.

The Funeral Director reveals which player earned the most points and is crowned the…

In the world of tabletop gaming, the birth of a new game is akin to the unveiling of a masterpiece. The story of Carked It! is no exception, a tale of creativity, collaboration, and a stroke of luck that brought together an incredible team. In this post, we dive into the origins of the game and introduce you to the brilliant minds behind it: Simon Lowe, co-founder of The Ageing Revolution, Hannah Ford-Morgan of Guildmaster Games and artist Miki Brogan.

The Genesis of Carked It!

Every great game starts with a spark of inspiration, and for Carked It!, it was no different. Simon and Leonie, co-founders of The Ageing Revolution, had always had a desire to create a game that would entertain and challenge players while shedding light on the taboo topic of ageing and mortality. Fortunately, the TACSI Good Death Impact Network saw the value in their proposition and helped to bring this vision to life. With support from the network, Simon sought the expertise of the ingenious game designer Hannah Ford-Morgan. The collaboration began with the development of an initial game design, a crucial blueprint that would guide the project forward. It was the first step in a journey that would lead to the creation of a game that would invite players to explore the themes of life and death in a thought-provoking way.

The Crucial Playtesting Phase

With the game design in place, the next critical phase was playtesting. What better way to refine a game than by letting serious boardgame enthusiasts put it to the test? The Carked It! team took their concept to a games night, where they witnessed firsthand the passion and dedication of gamers who took their hobby seriously.

At this games night, fate played its hand, as Simon, one of the creators, happened upon a chance encounter that would prove pivotal. A fellow gamer suggested the incredible artist Miki Brogan, believing that her unique style would perfectly complement the planned aesthetic of Carked It!. It was a serendipitous moment that would set the wheels in motion for something extraordinary.

The Artistry of Miki Brogan

Miki Brogan’s involvement in Carked It! was a stroke of artistic genius. As the gameplay underwent rigorous testing and refinement over countless nights of play, Miki set to work, crafting the visuals that would define the game’s identity. Her task was to create a collection of non-gendered skeletons that would serve as the iconic imagery on the Carked It! cards, each one representing the intricate and profound themes of death and dying.

Miki’s artistic talent shone through as she brought these skeletons to life. Each one was a testament to her skill and creativity, offering a unique and compelling glimpse into the world of mortality. The non-gendered approach was a deliberate choice, allowing players to connect with the themes of the game on a universal level, transcending gender boundaries and inviting a broader audience to engage with its message.

We love Skelly!!

Calling it Carked It!

Though our initial design was called Two Days To Die, after one particularly interesting play-test, we decided we needed a different name; one that gave players the flexibility to play the game in a way that suits them. A bunch of different names were tossed around – ‘Kicked the Bucket’, ‘6 Feet Under’, Pushing Up Daisies’ – but someone suggested Carked It! and it seemed to fit the attitude of the game – irreverent, fun and Australian-made.

The creation of Carked It! stands as a testament to the power of collaboration and creativity in the world of tabletop gaming. Simon, Hannah, and Miki came together to craft a game that challenges conventional norms and invites players to explore the profound themes of life and death in a unique and engaging way.

Carked It! is more than just a tabletop game; it’s a work of art, a labour of love, and a tribute to the power of collaboration in the world of gaming.