Was the RPG Sandman's mystery ever revealed?

Glyfair · May 28, 2006

Many years ago there was an experiemental RPG called Sandman. The concept was that they were heavily scripted adventures. IIRC, they were one-on-one adventures between a GM and a player.

The hook was that it was a big mystery who the player character actually was. Supposedly there would be a number of adventures that gave clues to the mystery and there was a big prize for being the first to solve the mystery.

Does anyone else remember this? Was the mystery ever revealed?

Baron Opal · May 28, 2006

Wow. I remember that game. It was fun, but we only played it once. We all woke up on a train, IIRC. I think I got more out of it that most of the other players. As to the solution, I wouldn't know.

Glyfair · May 28, 2006

Baron Opal said:
Wow. I remember that game. It was fun, but we only played it once. We all woke up on a train, IIRC. I think I got more out of it that most of the other players. As to the solution, I wouldn't know.

Multi-player. Ok, I wasn't sure since I didn't play it. I was at the Origins where it was introduced (back when games were actually introduced at Origins, which was when it was on the East Coast periodically) and remember lots of discussion of it.

I'm suprised it didn't last long. While the "win money" hook has advantages, it had to overcome the lack of replay value.

Ed_Laprade · May 28, 2006

Bought it, didn't care for it, and never played it. (Don't remember a thing about it, except the box cover.)

SWBaxter · May 28, 2006

AFAIK, only two sets were released (Map of Hamal and Key to the Inland Sea), and the contest was shut down when the line died. I don't recall if it died on its own due to low sales, or if Pacesetter (the publisher, most famous for RPGs like Chill and Timemaster) went bellyup.

Apparently, you can one or both sets from 54-40 Orphyte, who have a bunch of Pacesetter's back stock. I've never dealt with 'em so I'm not endorsing them, that's just what their website says.

Glyfair · May 28, 2006

SWBaxter said:
AFAIK, only two sets were released (Map of Hamal and Key to the Inland Sea), and the contest was shut down when the line died.

I pretty much assumed it wasn't officially released. I guess what I was really hoping for is one of the designers would have later said what happened and someone knew (or else they would drop by and spill the beans

).