Mirror State is a megagame, a large interactive experience that has elements of roleplaying, board games, video gaming, LARP and many other multi-player games. Throughout the game you will spend a large amount of time acquiring information, negotiating with others and living through a story that you will be partly responsible in creating. Players take the roles of influential figures in the power
structure of the United States of America as the country faces one of many potentially extinction-causing events. Taking inspiration from just about every disaster book, TV show or movie you can imagine, from the Andromeda Strain to World War Z, and then played through the halls of power as portrayed by the West Wing or House of Cards, this is a game with no room for bystanders. There is no clue as to what threat you may be facing, it could be a global pandemic, rogue artificial intelligence, alien invasion, asteroid strike, zombie outbreak or anything else Hollywood has imagined. What you do know is that there is a thin line of people in the right position to stop the impending disaster and you are one of those people. The rules for the game take a minimalistic form, providing guidance more than rigorous constraints. The most critical rule, the one that if you follow you'll have the most enjoyable experience, is to conduct yourself as your role would in the real world. While other players will frequently involve you in discussions and schemes that are ongoing, often they will do so in pursuit of their role's agenda. By doing similarly, you will further your involvement in the various machinations taking place and find yourself at the heart of conspiracies, deals and adventures that play out over the course of the day. You decide what to do next, who to talk to, when to act, when to break ranks and fend for yourself - every role in the game is a leader in their own right and it will be how you interpret the responsibilities of your role that dictates your level of involvement. Will you be a power-hungry politician, manipulating public opinion to drive your ascent to the Presidency? Maybe you'll be the head the of multinational corporation, exerting political influence to your favour. Perhaps you'll be Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, working all hours to understand and combat the threat that is developing as the game plays out. You are the hero in your own story. How that story resolves is up to you. Whether you've played a megagame before or not you already know how to play. The game has been deliberately designed with both newcomers and veterans in mind and while there are a few items of the set-up to be aware of these will be communicated to you clearly on the day.
