Any scholarly institution is bound to have its ghosts and ghouls, and Bard College is no different. The spirits of former students still roam the halls of Olin to this day, writing ironic messages on the bathroom walls and sitting in on classes without doing the readings. One such soul is the Spectre Academic, who possesses his corporeal peers in order to gather their school supplies to fill his haunted backpack. And YOU have just fallen under his will.
How to Play:
Because of the collaborative nature of the game, Spectre Academic is best played in classrooms where all students are seated around a large table, facing each other. Spectre Academic MUST BE PLAYED WHILE CLASS IS IN SESSION. The game begins at the start of class, and ends when the professor declares class over.
The object of the game is to have one unique school-related item in front of EVERY student by the end of class.
To play, place ONE item on the table in front of you, at least 12 inches from the edge of the table (possibly more to keep it separate from the supplies you’ll actually be using).
What to place: School items are materials you would expect to find in the average student’s bag. They include basic items such as pens, pencils, markers, notepads, and paper clips. A school item can also be something commonly brought to class, like keys, water bottles, and watches.
What NOT to place: The Spectre Academic is old, and new technology confuses and alarms him. Do not use an iPod as your one item. Also, this is a male spirit, and will take offense to being offered makeup or other feminine products.
The item CANNOT be something you’ll be using during class. The pen you’re writing with and the notebook you’re writing on won’t count, so place a second pen or a second notebook out in front as your one item.
You also CANNOT place the same item as anyone else in class. If two students put out notebooks, one of them must swap for a different, unique item, or else the game cannot be won. (A pen is a pen, regardless of color. But different-colored markers can be played, as long as the color is easily identifiable).
And don’t forget that you can only have ONE ITEM in play. Your materials for class obviously don’t count, since you’ll be using them and they’ll be closer to you.
The chain: The Spectre Academic can get a little anal retentive when it comes to how his stuff gets organized. It is therefore important to arrange the spirit’s materials in a WELL-DEFINED CHAIN. Each item must be placed parallel or perpendicular to the edge of the table, and all items must be lined up with each other. Incidentally, this will also help your peers identify which items are in play.
Collaborating: It’s beneficial to tell as many people about the game as possible before class begins, in order to maximize its potential success. DURING CLASS, NO ONE MAY MENTION THE GAME. If anyone talks about or asks about the game (including the professor), the game is over.
That said, you may silently help out classmates adjacent to you by placing or repositioning items in front of them, as long as it does not draw too much attention.
End of Play: At the end of class, at least one participating student should stand up and say “The Spectre Academic was here.†If all students successfully played the game, the players should all applaud for exactly three seconds, then stop and resume normal activity.
“Winning†the game means you’ve been temporarily freed from the spectre’s possession. If you find students playing in other classes, however, you should feel compelled to join in…
Spectre Academic. Game Design by Scott Jon Siegel. September, 2006.
» Old classroom, Ruby, Arizona by ricksoloway on Flickr. Thanks!
