With the imminent unveiling of the Bardo Runners’ Profile (BRP for short), the world of computer gaming, especially as exemplified by the GODD (Gamemaker of Diabolical Distinction for long) games will enter a new level of sophistication. With the BRP accurate assessments can be made of the Bardo Runners proficiency with and attitude towards the Bardos. How a persons runs the Bardos tell us more about the person than any other profiling technique that I can think of. Perhaps in some cases, it will tell us more than we want to know.

The basic premise of BRP is to accurately record a runner’s actions and choices when in the game. Measures of various parameters such as consistency/flightiness/ pig-headedness, audacity/conservatism, and many other continua can be massaged out of the raw data. The more data collected, the more parameters can be assessed. Plans for data collection on literally hundreds of areas are now being made. Much of the data will be immediately useful, but I think that in the long run, serendipity will give us information in areas that we cannot even dream of yet. The general idea seems to be to measure everything possible now, and find uses for it later. This is, it seems to me, an eminently sane attitude.

Another area of great promise is in marketing the game. The game will be offered to the general public at Gaming Centers coast to coast and the ability to offer the first time player a Bardo Runners’ Profile printout as an extra inducement would have immense value. I am personally very excited about the development of the BRP and will be anxious to get it into my own center.