HOW TO PLAY

Welcome to The Resolution! This is a role-playing party game that will test your skills of persuasion, active listening, and debate. It's still in development, so don't hesitate to reach out with feedback or questions.

MATCH SETUP

On the opening screen, enter the details for your match:

• Format – Choose a Fast (20-minute), Full (40-minute) or, if you dare, a Formal (60-minute) match.
• Resolution / Topic — Input a single sentence starting with the words "We resolve" proposing a course of action (e.g., "We resolve that all employees should work in the office five days a week").
• Personas – Give each debater (aka Advocate) on the Yes and No sides a persona: something with the perspective, knowledge and passion to argue for their side (e.g., YES might be the HR Director, and NO might be the Employee Union Steward). Advocates may argue as themselves, of course. Try to limit each side to two Advocates... maybe three at most.

You'll also need participants to run and score the debate:

• The Moderator — One person oversees the clock, manages the flow of the match, and maintains decorum. They also curate questions from the Judges and the Audience.
• The Judges — Up to three people can judge the debate (two recommended at minimum), voting on which side won and awarding Speaker Points for the quality of each side's rhetoric at each stage. They can also ask questions.
• The Audience — They represent the people who will have to live with whatever decision the Judges make. At least two or three people should be in the Audience, but the more the merrier. They're also free to ask questions, so be mindful of how many people your Moderator can manage.

STRUCTURE

• Before the Match – the Moderator records the Audience's initial opinions about which side of the argument they support. The change in this balance will gain points for the Advocates that gain supporters.
• Stage 1: Starter — Each Advocate makes their case: YES first, then NO. Judges jot down Speaker Points (1-10 per round). Audience jots down notes and questions.
• Stage 2: Challenge — Each Advocate attacks opponent’s case and defends. NO attacks first, YES responds/defends. Then YES attacks, NO defends.
• Stage 3: Interview — The Moderator questions each side. NO answers first, then YES.
• Stage 4: Hearing — The Moderator curates questions submitted by the Audience and Judges, and puts them to the appropriate Advocates. YES answers first, then NO.
• Stage 5: Face-Off — Both Advocates dialogue in direct cross-examination. In Full/Formal matches, Moderator and Judges may interject follow-up questions, but Advocates get priority. Moderator steps in to keep order as needed.
• Stage 6: Closer — Each side delivers final remarks. NO goes first, then YES.

SCORING

After the Closer, tap Scorecard to access the calculator. Each side can earn up to 200 points, combined from three sources:

• Speaker Points (70 Pts Max): Judges enter scores from each round (1-10 scale). The app averages these entries and rounds to the nearest point. FYI: each side speaks twice in the Challenge round, so that round is worth up to 20 points.
• Judge Votes (30 Pts Max): Each judge votes on which side won. The points are split proportionally based on vote share.
• Audience Persuasion (100 Pts Total): Based on the Moderator's count of pre- and post-match results, the app awards Persuasion Points proportionally to whichever side shifted public opinion most. FYI: Audience members can only choose "Undecided" in the pre-match survey. After the match, everyone must take a side.

The Moderator may use penalties to deduct points, at their discretion, for serious instances of disrespect or other disruptive behavior. Penalties are usually 5 points, 10 max. Warnings should be given first, and deductions should be fairly rare.

Tie Breaker — If total scores are equal, the side with the most Judges' Votes wins. If Judge Votes are tied, the side with the strongest Persuasion shift wins. If Persuasion is also neutral, the match ends in a stalemate.

But if not... then the side with the most points wins! Good Luck!