The Rules of the Game
Player Roles
There are four types of Player roles in XX, and each player must have a unique one. Thus, the game can only be played with four players. These roles are: the Eye, the Blood, the Lust and the Cash. They will be explained below.
The Eye
The Eye is the protagonist of the story. He doesn't need to be a private eye, but he's the main character of a Film Noir story, so he's likely smart and cool, and has a quick mouth. The Eye is present in all scenes, and he's the one player who gets to talk in first person. For extra atmosphere, he might want to talk in past tense, as well (”As I went down into the hazy nightclub, I couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching my every step. Better tread carefully; a place such as this had many pits to fall into, and people were quick to forget you were ever there.”). Humphrey Bogart in any Film Noir is the perfect example of the Eye.
The Blood
The Blood is in charge of the physichal aspect of the game, such as the two brutes trying to rough up the Eye. It also includes the police (the bloodhounds). Characters controlled by the Blood aren't about subtle manipulation or complex plans; they're out to get what they want, by brute force if necessary (which it often is). Rocky in Key Largo is an example of a Blood controlled character.
The Lust
Yeah, you guessed it, this is the famous femme fatale. Any female character in the game is controlled by the Lust. Lust characters use emotions to manipulate people around them. They're not necessarily doing it consciously, however. She might actually be an innocent girl, though the Eye will have trouble being sure of it. She might be a manipulating harlot, after all. Rita Hayworth is a good model here, like in Gilda.
The Cash
The Cash is all about power. Not brute force, like the Blood, or subtle manipulation, like the Lust, but the power to control people, and to own them. The Cash is rich, and will often go to great lengths to stay that way, or to increase his riches. He doesn't have to be an unethical man, but he's used to being obeyed. He might try to help the Eye (maybe he's the one who hired him) or he might try to bring him down (maybe he's the one responsible for the murder the Eye is being accused for).
