I got an email from the Listserve. The proposed game sounds a lot like a story game though there aren't any mechanics for setting scenes and it seems – as written – more suites for a party atmosphere, there appears to be a core in here for a fun story game. Thoughts?

Email follows:

wanted to give the fine people of Listserve a gift. As I’m a game developer by trade and a general creative-type, I figured what finer way than to develop a game. A few minutes ago, I did just that.
Materials:

- stack of index cards (or multiple sheets of paper)

- pens/pencils (at least one for each player)

- players (4-8, probably)


Directions:

- each player should take a card and write down the name of a fictional person. leave lots of room, and pass it to their left.

- each player takes the card they receive and writes down a sentence or two of public knowledge about the name on the card, and passes it to their left.

- each player takes the card they receive, and writes down (on the back) a sentence or two of a deep dark secret involving the name on the card, and after folding it to hide the secret, passes to their left.

- the card you receive is now your identity for the remainder of the evening. Your goal is to uncover all the other players secrets, while hiding your own.


Tips:
- the secret works best if it’s something that would ruin the character completely if it were to be revealed
- intertwined secrets can be especially fun if it’s something that involves another character, and recall you’ve seen two names before you write the secret for the third
- remember that at least one person knows your secret from the moment you start the game, because they wrote it down
- get into character as much as you can. You’ll feel silly at first, but it’s WAY more fun.
- it can be interesting to establish prior knowledge and setting before you start creating the cards, such as: all characters are trapped in a bomb shelter together; or they’re kids spending the night in a haunted mansion on a dare; or The Inspector won’t let anyone leave until he figures out who murdered The Victim

I'd say so, because the players all have input into the story (they're making up each others secrets and characters).

get into character as much as you can. You’ll feel silly at first, but it’s WAY more fun.

They kind of bury the role-playing part, but it's in there. It's fascinating to me how much the "how you actually play" is under-described. Two groups playing by these rules might do things totally differently.