Chain World

So now’s your chance to gain immortality by being part of Chain World. Just bid on the charity auction at http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270718660844 before March 18 and you’ll get to play a one-of-a-kind game designed by some of the top minds in the industry. Plus, your world design work will be seen by Jane McGonigal, Will Wright, and other famous designers who will be playing in the world you helped craft. Finally, all the proceeds go to benefit a great cause, so why not bid now and encourage all your gamer friends to do likewise?

Welcome to ChainWorld.org, a quick site we tossed together to organize charitable activities and the community associated with Jason Rohrer‘s winning game for GDC 2011’s Game Design Challenge, Chain World, built upon Minecraft.

We suggest you watch the above video to better understand what Chain World is about. Also, like many religions, we have been passed a series of commandments by Jason Rohrer, the Canon Law of Chain World:

1. Run Chain World via one of the included “run_ChainWorld” launchers.
2. Start a single-player game and pick “Chain World”.
3. Play until you die exactly once.
3a. Erecting wooden signs with text is forbidden
3b. Suicide is permissible.
4. Immediately after dying and respawning, quit to the menu.
5. Allow the world to save.
6. Exit the game and wait for your launcher to automatically copy     Chain World back to the USB stick.
7. Pass the USB stick to someone else who expresses interest.
8. Never discuss what you saw or did in Chain World with anyone.
9. Never play again.

As you’ll notice, we’re actually missing a 10th commandment, so perhaps you can suggest one. As a jumping off point, we were considering “Improve the world” as a possible additional since it’s vague enough that it still gives people free reign to do whatever they want (“creative destruction” could be considered improvement) and does also reflect our charitable goals in the “real world.” Thoughts?