Backstory
When I was a kid, we’d play GHOST to pass the time on long car rides.
Someone would say a letter. Then the next person would say another letter. And so on, until someone spelled a word.
If they did, that person got a G, and the next person would say a new letter, thus starting a new round.
Each time someone spelled a word, they’d get another strike; G would become GH, then GHO, and eventually, they’d get GHOST—which meant they were eliminated.
When all but one player was eliminated, that person would be declared the winner, and a new game would begin.
A deceptively fun game…
At the surface, GHOST might seem like a boring, simple game; think Tic-Tac-Toe or War.
In fact, it was extremely complex and competitive. The player with the largest vocabulary and best spelling skills had an advantage, but there was an element of strategy and deception that played a big part.
If someone knew a word that the others didn’t, you’d hear “Challenge!” If it was proven that there was no possible word that could be spelled, using the letters that had been said so far, the person who said the last letter would get a strike (a G or H or O or S or T tacked on to their GHOST tally) and the challenger would start the next word.
If not — if a word was still possible, the challenged player would announce the word in mind, perhaps referencing the ragged OED we kept in the glove compartment for such occasions.
Occasionally, however, a crafty player would bluff. Other players could call the bluff by challenging, and thus proving the last player to be a fraud. On the other hand, they just might think a word could still be spelled, and if it was their turn, continue the word with a bluff of their own. Or, if they weren’t next, hope the next player would offer a clue as to what the word could be.
I made an app
It dawned on me that GHOST would be perfect as an app, allowing my family and friends to play our beloved game anytime, anywhere.
I began coding, and quickly realized the complexity of the logic that existed under the hood.
People understood the rules almost immediately; a computer, not so much. GHOST’s nuances presented logistical roadblocks that had to be fine-tuned over and over again, each time making baby steps toward a working prototype.
After many hours poring over lines and lines of code, I finally achieved a presentable interface.
Next Steps
Beta testers (guinea pigs?) from my inner circle have responded extremely positively, offering invaluable feedback, and encouraged me to publish it on a larger scale.
In order to do that, I’m seeking assistance and hoping to build a team. For now, I’ll keep plugging away at it, but my dream is to find support from the outside. If you think GHOST has potential to be a part of your organization, or if you just want to challenge me, I would be delighted to make your acquaintance!