eau
doom

Eau Doom is a speculative fiction olfactory board game, positing a future in which humans have finally brought catastrophe upon the planet and all plants have gone nearly extinct; players need to play cooperatively to identify different plant scents and preserve them before they're gone forever.

The game seeks to demonstrate the idea that smell can be an important addition to our collective toolkit for survival if we prioritize strengthening it. I want Eau Doom to serve as a tool people can use to train their noses and develop critical thinking around their sense of smell, as well as to begin thinking about scent as a strategy for fighting against planetary destruction.

I intended Eau Doom to be open source, meaning players are encouraged to create their own versions and submit their modifications back to me, the end-goal being to create an online archive of everyone's ideas. To that end, the online manual gives instructions on how to remake the game, including downloadable links to all game pieces.

gameboard designed by Leo Williams