Beneath The Watchful Eyes
| Beneath The Watchful Eyes | |
|---|---|
| |
| Designer: | Ben Henley |
| Year: | unknown |
| Players: | 8-12 |
| Stuff required: | Wireless cameras, monitors/laptop, r/c vehicles, possibly spotlights and lasers |
| Crew required: | Three |
| Preparation: | Thirty minutes |
| Time required: | 45 minutes |
| Place required: | An urban area with a fair amount of foot traffic |
| Activities: | Surveillance |
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One team surveills an area, while another team tries to accomplish goals without being spotted.
The setup
The "state" team stays in a control room, using an array of surveillance devices to monitor a designated High-Security Zone (HSZ). The state should be able to bring its devices to bear on 90% of the zone (with a few blind spots), but not the whole time.
The "subversives" team starts outside the HSZ, but must accomplish missions which all take place within the high-security zone.
Both teams have a map showing the extent of the HSZ.
In addition, one or two "security guards" patrol the HSZ. They will 'arrest' anyone breaking the Anti-Subversion Laws.
Surveillance devices
Depending on budget/technical knowhow, these could include:
- binoculars and a vantage point such as a balcony (or a pod on the London Eye, or a tethered balloon)
- a simple webcam or wireless camera (you can get home security cameras which output to a TV frequency)
- a camera which can pan, tilt and maybe zoom under remote control
- sensors which alert the cops when someone walks along a particular corridor (which is not visible on camera)
- a wireless mic
- a wireless mic mounted on a remote control car (which they can steer by watching it on one of the cameras)
- a remote control car with both mic and cam
- a cam and/or mic mounted on a remote control blimp (either free-floating indoors, or tethered if outdoors)
- a homebrew UAV
All sensors should be prominently labelled in yellow with eye symbols and slogans like "FOR YOUR SAFETY". Anyone using binoculars must wear a yellow high-vis vest. The remote control car could still be inconspicuous if parked under a bench.
Counter-surveillance devices
The subversives could have anti-surveillance devices, including:
- laser pointers (for dazzling fixed cams)
- high-power halogen lanterns (should be bright enough to dazzle cameras temporarily, but battery life will not last the whole game)
- fog guns/smoke sprays
- white noise generators
Goals
The subversives team has a list of missions which it must accomplish.
The missions include things like:
Retrieve a briefcase hidden at a certain location within the zone
Stick up posters
Meet a 'contact' (a conspicuously dressed actor) and pass him a note
Photograph a certain item
Move a large, awkward political banner from outside the playing area and stash it at a particular point inside the zone
Give out political leaflets to passersby
