Verge Glossary

From Verge

Verge uses a number of special terms throughout the rules. Refer to the glossary if you can't remember what a specific term means.

AI 

An artificial intelligence, typically a software program that has free will and sentience.

amplification 

Rerolling noise dice to increase the signal strength.

auction 

Bidding payout tokens on a character node so you can play that character.

awesome 

An overused word. The List of Awesome is a compilation of ideas for when you can't think of something to add during the Load phase.

bribe 

An offer of tokens as a bargaining chip in the final part of resolution.

cash out 

To collect tokens for the cool stuff you created during the link phase.

camera 

A technique used to remind people to focus on the physical details of a scene.

character 

A person node controlled by a player, not by the game master.

compile phase 

The first phase of the game, in which you assemble friends and prepare to play.

conflict 

Everything involving an unwanted change to part of the network.

controller 

The player or game master who has the authority to change something during the Run phase.

create 

Add a new node or edge to the network.

destroy 

Remove something from the game so that it no longer has any affect. How you kill something in the game.

dice (singular

die): "Normal" six-sided dice.

dice pool 

A handful of dice of a certain category (like the "signal" pool)

drain 

A question mark (?) written after the name of an edge or node to signify a decrease to its power.

edge 

A relationship (verb) between things in the game world, represented by an arrow (line) on the network.

effects 

Changes to the network made after winning a conflict.

fade to black 

To gloss over some part of the story, typically when it would make some players uncomfortable.

frequency 

The face value of a die. See also: Strength.

game master (GM) 

A special player who controls pacing and mood and the adversarial elements that normal players don't control.

genre 

A set of conventions that define the type of game you want. For example, "cyberpunk" is a high-level genre.

ideology 

A type of node representing some big philosophy, religion, form of government, or other body of thought.

link phase 

The second phase of the game, in which you build the network.

load phase 

The third phase of the game, in which you create a character and link it to the network.

network 

A diagram that represents everything important in the game world. The diagram is a web of nodes connected by edges.

noise 

The dice that you toss out or reroll after a roll. See also: Signal.

node 

A thing (noun) in the game world and the main component of a network.

-ologies 

Technologies and ideologies.

organization 

A type of node representing a group of people, centrally organized or otherwise.

payout 

Earning tokens for the power of the nodes and edges you created during the Load phase.

person 

A type of node representing an intelligent and sentient being, such as a human being, an AI, a robot or android, a sentient animal, or even an alien.

player 

Your or one of your friends, while playing Verge. Often but not always distinguished from the game master.

power 

The story power of a node or edge, measured by its surges minus its drains. See also: Value.

resolution 

The rules and process for figuring out who wins a conflict that changes part of the network when the controller of that part wants to prevent the change.

role-playing 

Talking about what happens in the game and coming to agreement about it.

run phase 

The fourth phase of the game, in which you role-play the character you created in the world you created.

signal 

The dice (all showing the same value) that you keep after a roll. See also: Noise.

stage 

The fictional place where a scene happens.

strength 

The number of dice in the signal. See also: Frequency.

strengthen 

Add one or more surges to a node or edge.

surge 

An exclamation point (!), written after the name of an edge or node to signify an increase to its power.

technology 

A type of node representing some big scientific or technological idea.

theme 

A unifying idea or message in a story.

token 

Some kind of item that represents a unit of game currency. Tokens are often represented by poker chips.

tone 

Parameters for the kind of mood you want your game to have (e.g., funny, serious, philosophical, light).

value 

How important a node or edge is to the play group, measured by its total number of surges and drains. See also: Power.

veto 

A drain added to a node or edge during the setting creation steps in the Load phase. The drain represents a vote of no-confidence in the idea added to the network.

vote 

A surge added to a node or edge during the setting creation steps in the Load phase. The surge represents a vote of enthusiasm in the idea added to the network.

weaken 

Add one or more drains to a node or edge.