🤖Word Machine

Setup and Launch

Frame the exercise up front: each incoming word is fuel for the reality already in play, not a reason to abandon it. Assign one player as the "word machine" and position them to one side — visible and audible, but clearly outside the scene. Have the remaining players open with a simple base reality (who they are, where they are, what they want) so there is something concrete to build on.

Do a quick demo before the first real round. The host or a volunteer shows how a word becomes an action, an object, or a world fact — not a topic of discussion. The point lands fast: hear the word, accept it as true, act on it immediately.

Flow

1. Scene start — give the pair or trio a neutral prompt (a location, an activity, or a relationship) and let ordinary interaction begin. No jokes on the opening line; ground the reality first.

2. Word requests — when the scene needs a push or a turn, a player signals the "machine" with the agreed cue (a tap, a clap, a look). The machine delivers one short word and waits.

3. Integration — turn the word into something concrete: a physical action, a new object in the space, a circumstance, a rule of the world, or a shift in relationship or status. Never stop to comment on the word itself — just use it.

4. Raising stakes — use the next word to develop what is already emerging: deepen a motif, complicate the challenge, or heighten consequences. Resist the urge to reset the scene's direction with every new word.

5. Role swap — on a short freeze, replace the "machine" and/or rotate scene players. This keeps energy fresh and prevents the machine player's voice from wearing out.