From the Author:
Square Inch - or Inch² - revolves around the world of journalism, shady information sources, dodgy dealing, and conspiracy. Each player assumes the role of mouthpiece for a website known for revealing the 'absolute truth' behind the news.
From the Introduction:
Each player in a game of Inch² interacts to create a storyline, a world view that allows them to drive toward a conclusion that wins them the plaudits and puts their opponents in doubt, out of the spotlight or, even worse, in litigation or bankruptcy. Every player maintains their own distinct 'character' developing a story that matches their world vision and their combination of resources. Collectively, the group spins the news into an interconnected storyline, but in the end only one can triumph.
Inch² best suits one-off pick-up gaming intended to fill a moment between games or sessions, when not everyone can attend for the weekly game or a breather just seems like the right thing. The average game of Inch² should likely take no more than an hour or so from start to finish.
While role-playing games often include a moderator, or Gamemaster, who pushes the game forward and defines success through a set of rules, Inch² doesn't have anyone in this position. The job of progressing the game and ruling on conflicts falls to everyone participating in the game - the players police their own challenges and conflicts. At the start of the game, the participants create their characters, define the organizations they work for, and set a starting point. Then, using the rules, contained herein, and a process of action and counter-action, rumour and rebuttal, the game progresses towards a conclusion.
Inch² should be played as a game of storytelling conflicts, with a fair and practical approach advancing toward a conclusion. Players should use their imagination to weave threads of association between the start and close of their conspiracy and, effectively, role-play the figurehead of the organisation they create. Without storytelling, the game could easily become a string of bets and dice rolls, which certainly is not the intent by any measure.