While reading this I can't help thinking the novel "Piranesi" fits the true definition of liminality. Avoiding spoilers, the story takes place in a vast mansion filled with marble statues and even the narrator has no true concept of time. (The novel also deals with the nature of memory, but that's beside the point.)
I once played a duet game (me and the DM) where I was lead from an unhinged rave party into a dark and empty swimming pool through a backdoor. And a naiad slowly emerged from the water when I wasn't looking. The contrast really created the ultimate liminal experience in my book
You're not really talking about how the liminal space thing is easiest to produce when playing a duet or solo game, because it really leans on the feeling of "I'm not supposed to be here AND I'm alone" which is also key in my opinion
You'll find that the solo ttrpg community has a bunch of these games where you're navigating endless corridors and there's a weird presence in the corner of your vision
That said, amazing article, really got my creative juices flowing
Ohh I like that - about liminality being amplified by how jarring the transition is from a “typical” environment you may be coming from!
And yes, great point. Definitely need to familiarize myself with solo/duet play styles more. I feel like there is more to dig into with making the environment itself have a built-in lurking “presence” as a foundation for solo interactivity. Appreciate that perspective for future explorations, thank you!
I actually didn't directly associate the presence with solo play in and of itself, simply referring to a genre that I've seen around.
But if go a little more abstract, I do think there's actually a recurring theme of the "presence" as the shadow of the GM that you don't really have, and instead, the non-human oracles from which you draw inspiration as you play, that are more of an outline of someone, or rather, *something*, that can act very unpredictably and take you down paths you wouldn't have taken otherwise
So I guess following and leaning into the presence rather than fearing and fleeing it, despite its "stranger-than-human" quality
Maybe that's a stretch and kinda off topic, you let me know
Either way, I don't know how familiar you are with solo rpgs but it's my preferred mode of play and I'd be happy to help guiding you down that rabbit hole if you need to for a future article
While reading this I can't help thinking the novel "Piranesi" fits the true definition of liminality. Avoiding spoilers, the story takes place in a vast mansion filled with marble statues and even the narrator has no true concept of time. (The novel also deals with the nature of memory, but that's beside the point.)
Adding to my list 🙏
Love the writing, got a few chuckles out of me
I once played a duet game (me and the DM) where I was lead from an unhinged rave party into a dark and empty swimming pool through a backdoor. And a naiad slowly emerged from the water when I wasn't looking. The contrast really created the ultimate liminal experience in my book
You're not really talking about how the liminal space thing is easiest to produce when playing a duet or solo game, because it really leans on the feeling of "I'm not supposed to be here AND I'm alone" which is also key in my opinion
You'll find that the solo ttrpg community has a bunch of these games where you're navigating endless corridors and there's a weird presence in the corner of your vision
That said, amazing article, really got my creative juices flowing
Ohh I like that - about liminality being amplified by how jarring the transition is from a “typical” environment you may be coming from!
And yes, great point. Definitely need to familiarize myself with solo/duet play styles more. I feel like there is more to dig into with making the environment itself have a built-in lurking “presence” as a foundation for solo interactivity. Appreciate that perspective for future explorations, thank you!
I actually didn't directly associate the presence with solo play in and of itself, simply referring to a genre that I've seen around.
But if go a little more abstract, I do think there's actually a recurring theme of the "presence" as the shadow of the GM that you don't really have, and instead, the non-human oracles from which you draw inspiration as you play, that are more of an outline of someone, or rather, *something*, that can act very unpredictably and take you down paths you wouldn't have taken otherwise
So I guess following and leaning into the presence rather than fearing and fleeing it, despite its "stranger-than-human" quality
Maybe that's a stretch and kinda off topic, you let me know
Either way, I don't know how familiar you are with solo rpgs but it's my preferred mode of play and I'd be happy to help guiding you down that rabbit hole if you need to for a future article
Oh! And I feel the liminal space can be really reminiscent/would really work with lovecraftian settings!
Hell yes, that pairing feels so natural!