Instructions

Bead Game II: How to Play

CoreWave's Bead Games are based in part on the book "The Glass Bead Game" by Herman Hesse, which won the Nobel prize for literature in 1946. Don't worry, you don't need to have read the book to play. The book never details how such a Game may be played. Our decisions about how to play are based on many influences.

  • The purpose of the Game is to discover and create connections. Connections are the heart of the Game. Bead Games foster connection making and cultivate synchronicity in many amazing ways.

  • You may contribute in two(2) ways.

    1. Use the Submissions Page to tell us about a connection that you've discovered between two or more existing Submissions or "moves."

    2. Make a Full Submission yourself. Instructions for full submissions are here.

  • The word "play" is used in two ways. Playing is contributing to the creation of the Game, and also in watching this "play" unfold as in a theater.

  • Our Game integrates an Inner Game and an Outer Game. The Outer Game is created by all Players on the Submissions Page. Here is where you may contribute your ideas for Content or any Connections that you have discovered between existing Content. The INNER Game is created by taking selected Submissions and organizing them into a "symphony of ideas." There is no scoring. The goal of the game is for everyone to work together to create the most eloquent composition of content and connections possible. The Inner and Outer Games are of equal importance and support each other. All Players (that's you) submit content through the Outer Game.

  • Content can come from any part of human experience. It can be music or a movie, an object or an image; a feeling or a philosophy, a representation or a primary experience... anything.

  • Our Bead Game has a central theme which unites all of that Game's content. We call that central theme the core wave. The core wave for Game II is: "Ancient Ideas in Modern Times" or "Time Transcendent Ideas." All submissions must relate to the core wave.

  • You will be asked to relate your moves to at least one of nine categories. They are: Art, Death, Language, Learning, Magic, Reality, Ritual, and Tribe. This is explained in greater detail on Instructions for Full Submissions.

  • We also have four specific types of submissions (for you artistic types) called Productions. They are Montages, Juxtapositions, Believertisements, and Quotes. For more information about these, see the Production Categories page.

  • Each Game has a "Game Master" who is a Player and also the facilitator of the Game. He or she selects the core wave and reviews all submissions for their resonance with the core wave. The GM moves content from the Submissions Page (the Outer Game) to the Inner Game. The Game Master's function is to serve the Game and the Players. The GM for Game II is Erik J. Lundquist.

  • The Game Master also reviews all submissions for resonance with the Game's Guiding Principles. The Guiding Principles for Game II are:

Accessibility
Balance
Choice
Context
Honesty
Love
Optimism
Process
Personalization

These criteria are described in greater detail on the Instructions: Deeper Page.

  • A Bead Game should always direct a Player back to his or her own primary experience. The CoreWave Catalog is intended to guide Players to whole content as much as possible. Information about sources and accessing Game content directly is listed in the catalog. We are also working on offering material for sale directly through the catalog, especially for items that are difficult to find.

  • Game II contains a randomly generated quote on almost every page, and many other elements intended to cultivate connection making and synchronicity.

  • Descriptions of the relationship of your move to the core wave should be phrased as questions.

  • Game elements like the spinning Symbol and the randomizer are intended to suggest opportunities for contemplation. Each player is encouraged to end any interaction with the Game with a period of contemplation or meditation.

  • Inner Game content is placed into categories. There are nine(9) Categories for Game content. There are also four(4) Production Categories for the four specific types of content created by contributing Players.

  • As much as is possible, please include personal experience and subjective descriptions.

    Be the master of your own game.

    Duration of the Game

    • Game II begins on February 11, 1998 and will end at midnight on January 17, 1999.
    • The period from January 17th - 23rd 1999 will be a public festival celebrating the passing of one Game into the beginning of another. B.Y.O.B.
    • Game III will begin in January or February of 1999.
    • Individual Games are played within specific time periods set by The Game Master.
    • The Big Game itself continues infinitely from Game to Game.
    • Previous Games are archived for further exploration and access.

For more detailed information, go to Instructions: Deeper.

© 1997 CoreWave (tm)