Thursday, November 21

NaGa DeMon 10: Rules Re-Write And Modified Cards

There's a new version available at the bottom of this post. It's pretty similar to the previous version, only six cards have changed. If you want to print it out for the first time I've included the A3 and A4 PDFs again, if you printed out the last one there's a couple of update PDFs (front and back) that just provide the six new cards. Replace the Groundwork 3s (Works in Mice with a green Groundwork back) with these new cards. It's a single sheet of A4 so not a big deal.


The rules for this version haven't changed from the corrected version of the last version, but the have been re-written in place to hopefully make them clearer. Anyway, here they are (I've excised the exposition and the acknowledgements for the web):


Zombology!

The Science of the Zombie Apocalypse

Version 4 - 22/11/2013

Contents

The game comprises of 120 cards, 19 each in the following 6 suits (treatments):

  • DNA Retroviruses
  • Stem Cells
  • Herbal Extracts
  • Vegan Diet
  • Pharmaceuticals
  • Crystals

Plus six additional Repeated Experiments cards.


For each treatment there are the following cards:

  • 1x Bad Science (value: -2 - flip 1-5)
  • 3x Strong Rebuttal (value: -1 - flip 1/2)
  • 5x Theoretical Framework (value: 1)
  • 5x Petri Dish Proof (value: 2)
  • 2x Works in Mice (value: 3)
  • 2x Works in Monkeys (value: 4 - requires 1/2/3)
  • 1x Successful Human Trial (value: 5 - requires 3/4)

Aim of the Game

The aim of the game is to score high in the two most successful treatments and low in the least successful treatment.


Setup

Separate the cards into their three types: Groundwork, Trials and Prejudiuce. Shuffle each pile separately. Deal each player five of the Groundwork cards and two Prejudice cards. The remaining Prejudice cards will not be needed and can be placed back in the box. Place the remaining Groundwork cards centrally as a face down deck and all the Trials cards in a deck alongside them, also face down.


Play

The game is played over 8 rounds. Each round the players secretly choose a card and place it face down in front of them. Once all players have chosen a card, the chosen cards are revealed and added face up to their player's collection.


The eight rounds are eight Research or Conference rounds:

(Deal 5 Groundwork and 2 Prejudice cards to each player)

  • 1: Research
  • 2: Research
  • 3: Research
  • 4: Conference
(Deal 3 Trials cards to each player)
  • 5: Research
  • 6: Research
  • 7: Conference
  • 8: Research

Research rounds

In Research rounds the players can only play the Groundwork (or later, Trials) cards from their hands.


Conference rounds

In the Conference rounds the scientists get together to debate their progress. It’s your chance to debunk, rebut, lambaste or otherwise rubbish your opponent’s support of ridiculous treatments. You can either present new research (play a Groundwork or Trials card) or attack an opponent’s shoddy research by playing one of your two Prejudice cards. After the first Conference round, deal each player three of the Trial cards and if any player has one card less that any other player they draw an additional card from the Groundwork deck. After the second Conference round, if any player has one card less that any other player they draw an additional card from the Trials deck.


Requirements

If the card played has a requirement (Works in Monkeys requires 1, 2 or 3; Successful Human Trial requires 3 or 4), the card cannot be played unless one of the required cards in the same treatment has been played in a previous round by any player. E.g. Jack can only play the Successful Human Trial (5, requires 3/4) for Stem Cells, because Jesse has played a Works in Mice (3) of Stem Cells in an earlier round.


Prejudice cards

If the card played was negative (Bad Science or Strong Rebuttal), choose a face up card in any player's collection to target that was played in a previous round. It must be of the same treatment type and have a value within the range shown on the negative card played. Flip the target card face down - it will not count for scoring unless flipped back face up. E.g. Tiffany plays a Bad Science (-2) card in Crystals, and chooses to flip a Works in Monkeys (4) in Crystals that Dave played in the last round.


Repeated Experiments

The Repeated Experiment cards let a player repeat an experiment that has previously been discredited - they flip one of cards they have previously had to flip face down back face up - it will contribute to their score at the end of the game.


Once all of the cards played have been resolved, the players pass their remaining cards to the player on their left and receive the cards from the player on their right. Note: Do not pass on your Prejudice cards, they remain with you.


Another round is now played as before with the cards they have just received. In the eighth round, each player chooses one of the three cards they have been given and discards the other two - they will play no part in the game. After the eighth round the game is scored.


Scoring

Determine the two most successful treatments (these will score positive points) and the least successful treatment (this will score negative points). The most successful treatment is the one which has a Successful Human Trial (5). If there's a tie, then the treatment with the most Works in Monkeys (4) will break the tie. If still tied, then the treatment with the most Works in Mice (3) will break the tie, and so on. The least successful treatment is the one with the lowest high card, i.e. if Stem Cells has -1, -1, 1, 2 and 4 and Crystals has -1, 1, 1, 1, 1 and 3 then Crystals is less successful since 3 is lower than 4.


Each player adds the value of their cards in the highest two treatments together and then subtracts the value of their cards in the least successful treatment. Note that if you have played negative cards in the weakest treatment then they will score you positive points.


The player with the highest score wins and can boast, brag and crow about their scientific prowess, while ridiculing the pathetic attempts of their fellow scientists.


Downloads

If you want to print the game from scratch you need either the A3 files (5 sheets) or the A4 files (14 sheets), not both, plus the rules (2 sheets of A4). If you have already printed out the last version, then you only need the updated rules and the V3 to V4 updates (1 sheet of A4, front and back):


4 comments:

Unknown said...

I think the rules need a reorder. Specifically these two paragraphs about card playing:

"Once all of the cards played have been resolved, the players pass their remaining cards to the player on their left and receive the cards from the player on their right. Note: Do not pass on your Prejudice cards, they remain with you.

Another round is now played as before with the cards they have just received. In the eighth round, each player chooses one of the three cards they have been given and discards the other two - they will play no part in the game. After the eighth round the game is scored."

should go just below the initial paragraph of the play section. Knowing everything about how a round plays is more important than knowing about every round type.

Also, in the first paragraph of the Play section, I'd say "Each round the players secretly choose a card from their hand and.." The "from their hand" breaks the initial confusion I had about where do I play the card. From the decks just mentioned? No, my hand, dooooh.

Jackson Pope said...

Hiya Tiffany,

Thanks for the feedback, I've got to make another version of the rules shortly to fix some typos, so I'll fold your suggestions into that.

Have yourself two PIPs for the feedback.

Cheers,

Jack

GamesBook said...

The v3tov4 PDF is broken....

Jackson Pope said...

Hiya GamesBook,

In what way is it broken? I've just tried to download both the front and back of the V3toV4 upgrade, and both worked fine for me!

Cheers,

Jack