The futures of futures studies
Pushing the boundaries of futures thinking

Exploring Table Top Role Playing Games (TTRPGs) as a Method for Creating More Inclusive and Nuanced Scenarios

While the workshop primarily explores futures studies and agencies, the open world
concept of RPG scenario building is applicable to many themes

Role playing games such as Dungeons and Dragons allow players to create
vivid and rich worlds of many genres, including those set in speculative futures.
While many have been around for decades, there is a recent resurgence in
TTRPG systems that allow for shorter and more accessible games.
Using a new simplified open system called Icarus, this workshop will explore
the interactive creation of several possible futures of a city in 2100 (Paris may
be a good setting). Each group will create a future driven by the same
predefined set of drivers, domain map, and scan hits for reference. However,
each group will have different roles within their future city and different
motivations. The outcome will be very different futures that we will then discuss
and explore as a larger group.
Each group will have decisions and choices to make on issues such as city
resilience, inclusivity, AI and technology, and of course sustainability and
climate change.
Icarus is NOT a foresight game, but an example of how established games in
the hobby market can be modified and used in futures studies.
The workshop will take about 2 hours though it can be adapted for shorter or
longer sessions. Recommended attendance is from 5-50 people, though about
20-30 is ideal. The workshop will be in English, though it is possible to have
groups of different languages.

Workshop agenda:
Explanation of role playing and world building
Breakout into groups and an explanation of game play
Play Icarus game with support from workshop presenters and assistants (1 per
game) - about 60 minutes
Review scenarios/futures created and group discussion