The Glass Plate Game

A Cooperative Thinking Game



 

The Layout

The printed cards are sample ideas to spark lines of thought. To start the game players lay down the cards that seem interesting or appropriate for that playing, adding ideas as they think of them. The picture-graphic is for quick recognition after the players are somewhat familiar with the cards. With the ideas thus laid out the players remove those that anyone cannot understand. Players should help each other understand.
Writing ideas on cards is openended but no opinions are allowed; no cards may have a question of truth or falseness. Personal statements are to be made only by relating ideas. Still, a theory is not an opinion. Thus the idea "cars as a vile public nuisance" is acceptable whereas "cars are a vile public nuisance" is not.

For those who care to, attaching a diagram, picture or photograph can add impact and beauty to an idea. Also unassigned pictures, particularly photographs, can spark ideas again and again. One could use a deck of unassigned photographs, each with a blank card under it, to speed creation of a new set of ideas for each playing.

All the pieces are held in common and should be within reach of everybody. Play begins when someone labels a card with the first sequential cube and a colored square.

Next: Rules of the Glass Plate Game

 

The Glass Plate Game

A Cooperative Thinking Game