Roleplaying games
Phenomenon 2013 offers many different kinds of parties:
The schedule
Have a look at The schedule!
New Designers
Each year Pheno is proud to encourage writers who are new to writing for Cons to give it a go.
At the end of Pheno the players of new designers' games will be asked to vote for the new writer whose game was the best, and the winner of this will receive a trophy and widespread adulation!
New designers' games are marked with the New Designer
Star: 
Game ratings
Pheno uses a rating system for games to help you choose games, and to help you anticipate what the GM is looking for in a game.
Games are rated from 1 (little or none) to 5 (really important) on the following:
- Characterisation — portraying the characters... 1 (play the numbers) to 5 (bring out the deep insights)
- Story/plot — telling a good story... 1 (A-Team) to 5 (Shakespeare)
- Genre — knowing the genre, staying in the genre... 1 (post-modernist parody) to 5 (Tolkienesque total immersion)
- Seriousness — romp (seriousness 1) to the big issues (seriousness 5)
- Rules knowledge — do players need to know the game system (5), or is this a good introduction to it (0 or 1)?
- Advisory rating — violence, horror, naughty bits. This can also be rated like a film: G, PG, M, MA, R.
System vs Systemless
Some games are described as system-based (which often means 'a published system'). The blurb should tell you which system/setting each of these games is using.
Other games are systemless. This most often means they will be run using a 'home-brew system' cooked up by the writer. The rest are probably steering close to GM fiat, or improv theatre.
Showcase: The Triptych and the Diptych
Each year Pheno invites respected designers to present bespoke single-session games: a set of three more serious games (the Triptych) and a pair of lighter, more humorous games (the Diptych).
These games have tended to be systemless (emphasising characterisation and drama over rules use and tactical simulation), and showcase what we consider the best of Pheno roleplaying: characterisation, genre, entertainment, innovation.
The Triptych and Diptych games are all for 5 players.
The Triptych
- The Gate of Heaven — by John and Philippa Hughes (1 session systemless science fiction) Cancelled due to illness. Pheno apologises for the inconvenience.
- Shiprock — by Peter Rousell (1 systemless contemporary horror/supernatural)
- The Silent Ones — by Fi McConachie (1 session 7th Sea multiform for 2 teams of 5 each)
The Diptych
- The Breakfast Slayer Club — by Mike Walker (1 session Buffy the Vampire Slayer RPG (or system lite) in the 80s)
- Immortals — by Shannon Spencer (1 session systemless mortals vs the Gods)
Freeforms
Freeforms are big games for 15–30 players (or rarely, and insanely, more...) players, whose characters are collected in some kind of social gathering in which they interact, intrigue and politic with each other.
- Black Feather Shrine — by Joe McNamara (1 session, 20 players, Legend of the Five Rings)
- A Game of Suns — by Xole Karman and Andrew Smith (2 sessions, 50 players, Fading Suns 'Fate Of Empires'-level politics and strategic sim)
- It’s the end of the World… Or I feel fine — by David Woodruff and Jon Lowe (1 session, 15 players, Cold War politics/apocalypse)
- Remembrance and Remains — by Jacinta Smith and Michael Hitchens (1 session, 17 players, contemporaryish)
- What do you do with a problem like Dresden? by David James (1 session, 18 players, Harry Dresden's Chicago)
Team (tabletop) games
Team games (or tabletops) are the traditional form of roleplaying, for groups/teams of about 5 players with generally one GM. There will be character sheets; there may be dice.
- Apocalypse World: The Understate — by John Machin (1 session Apocalypse World)
- The Beach — by Mik Bonsall (1 session systemless angst/cathartic)
- Carol Of The Bells — by Greg Tannahill (1 session systemless/system-lite Christmas drama, for 5 players (exactly))
- A Certain Reputation — by Barbara Kearins (1 session St Tyrants, 4-6 players)
- A Coming of Age — by Rod Kearins (1 session systemless mucking about with the timeline)
- FUD — by Stuart Barrow (1 session PARANOIA with a little left-wing conspiracy)
- One. One Dead Snuffleupagus — by Kane Edwards (1 session boardgame RPG murder mystery)
- Spreading the Message — by Hugh Fisher (1 session GURPS Discworld)
- Walkabout — by Michael Wenman (1 session Australian post apocalyptic shaman punk)
- Welcome to the Mystery Shack — by Stephanie the Great and Robbie the Ancient (Matthews, that is) (1 session systemless supernatural/horror comedy)
- Wolknien — by Mael Reale (1 session powers vs. technology fantasy, 3-5 players) Cancelled due to unforseen circumstances. Pheno apologises for the inconvenience.
Pathfinder
- We be Goblins! by Richard Prett (1 session 1st level goblin characters)
- The Cyphermage Dilemma by Patrick Renie (A double session Pathfinder Society Scenario for levels 1–5)
- The Veteran's Vault by Savannah Broadway (A double session Pathfinder Society Scenario for levels 1–5)
- The Night March of Kalkamedes by Michael Kortes (A double session Pathfinder Society Scenario for levels 1–5)
- Way of the Kirin by Paizo Staff (A double session Pathfinder Society Scenario for levels 3–7)
- Eyes of the Ten–Part I: Requiem for the Red Raven by Erik Mona (A quadruple session Pathfinder Society Scenario for 12th level characters)
- Eyes of the Ten–Part II: The Maze of the Open Road by Mark Moreland (A double session Pathfinder Society Scenario for 12th level characters)
- Eyes of the Ten–Part III: Red Revolution by Joshua J. Frost (A double session Pathfinder Society Scenario for 12th level characters)
- Eyes of the Ten–Part IV: Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained by Tim Hitchcock (A double session Pathfinder Society Scenario for levels 3–7)
- Day of the Demon by Larry Wilhelm (A double session Pathfinder Society Scenario for levels 3–7)
Other games
- Mission: Improvable - Rejigged — hosted by Nick Matthews
- Story games à la carte — brought to you by Oliver Granger, Dan L’Estrange & Jacinta Smith