Draft 1 done.
And at this point, I call “ashcan”. If you want to playtest this, contact me for the dodgy Word table that embodies the rough draft of my cards. I can’t get it to render properly on WordPress.
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Version 2
So, long time no post…
My thoughts on the game have been focusing on two points:
- the budget mechanic is good, but short of people putting post it notes on the cards, or using counters, how do I make it work?
- is the bid mechanic worth it?
And so we get a new version of the game.
The game has two decks, a guest deck and a skullduggerry deck.
The winner is the player with the most money when the game ends.
The game ends after a number of turns decided by the players at the outset.
Each player is in control of part of a resort. The win by using dirty tricks to get customers to spend more time in their part of the resort, thereby earning more tips.
If there are six players, each gets one of the resort’s sections. These are Restaurant, Health Spa, Boutique, Sports, Beach and Tours. The first three are considered “inside”, the others “outisde”.
Rules for fewer than 6 players.
If there are fewer than six players, the players divide the sections of the resort up as they wish. Each section gets its own guests, and the player has the opportunity to play skullduggery cards on behalf of each section. Sections with no player may still hold guests, whose tips for those rounds are lost. The player with the most tips, combined from all of their sections, wins.
Sequence of play
The guest cards are shuffled and one is dealt, face up, to each player. This guest is already in the resort, enjoying the facilities the player controls.
The skullduggery cards are shuffled and each player is dealt four, face down.
The play then pauses for five minutes, to allow players to trade with each other and make alliances. Trade may involve swapped event cards, transfer of controlled guests, offers of tip money, and out of game inducements. Nothing forces players to keep their bargains.
Skullduggery to steal customers
Each player selects a single card to play this turn, and puts it face down on the table.
All cards are revealed simultaneously and act simultaneously.
If a player’s card lets them steal a customer, that customer is moved to the part of the table in front of the player who stole it, but if two players both try to steal the same customer, then that customer does not move. Their attempts block each other and the customer stays put.
A player may try to “steal” her own customer, as defensive play.
Most cards allow the player to some choice over which customer to steal. They are resolved like with the Trickster Rules.
Trickster rules
In the first round, the player whose guest has the highest tip score is first to describe the effect of their card. In case of ties, flip a coin. The person to their left is next, and so on around the table. On subseuqnt rounds, the role of first person to speak moves one place to the left.
The speaker nominates which guest is affected by their card. After all people with cards that allow interpretation have spoken, the rules above are followed: unopposed skullduggery succeeds, opposed skullduggery fails. This mechanism gives advantage to the player to speak last, because she is the last to nominate which guest her card refers to.
After every card of the round has been interpreted, and the guests moved, each player uses a whiteboard marker to inital the guest cards they now control.
If any guest card has just had iuts last tip box marked, it is set aside for scoring at game end. Each player is dealt a new skullduggery card.
A new guest card is placed face up in the centre of the table. This card is said to be “at reception”. Cards in reception can be stolen as if they belonged to a player, with the usual caveat that opposed skullduggery fails. Cards in reception can be affected by cards that force guests either inside or outside.
Play pauses for five minutes, for diplomacy and dealing.
The game continues for the number of rounds determined by the playsers in advance.
At the end, the completed guest cards are tallied. A player gains tips equal to the guest’s tip score for each initial they have on the guest’s bill. The highest score wins. If you run out of event cards, shuffle the discards and continue.
Card list
Guests:
Billionaire, Tip 6, duration 6
Head of state, Tip 6, duration 6
Movie star, Tip 6 duration 6
Rock god, Tip 6, duration 6
Supermodel Tip 6, duration 6
Astrologer to the stars, Tip 5 duration 8
Bestselling author, Tip 5 duration 8
Documentary film makers, Tip 5 duration 8
Exiled dictator, Tip 5 duration 8
Government minister, Tip 5, duration 8
Hot young artist, Tip 5, duration 8
Nefarious businessman Tip 5, duration 8
Sport star Tip 5, duration 8
TV personality Tip 5 duration 8
Wealthy eccentric Tip 5, duration 8
Food critic Tips 4 (+2 for Restuarant) duration 8 turns
Conference of naturopaths Tips 4 (+2 for Health Spa) duration 8 turns
Avarcious, beautfiul partners Tips 4 (+2 for Boutique) duration 8 turns
Avid golfers Tips 4 (+2 for Sports) duration 8 turns
Sunlovers Tips 4 (+2 for Beach) duration 8 turns
Sightseers 4 (+2 for Tours) duration 8 turns
Bucks party Tips 3, duration 10
Criminals on the lamb Tips 3, duration 10
Cthuhlhu cultists, Tips 3, duration 10, Will never go inside
Government fact finding mission Tips 3, duration 10
Hotel’s manager, Tips 3, duration 10, may be stolen with cards that draw to a place, not those stealing from a place.
Cthuhlu cult investigators, Tips 3, duration 10, Will never go inside
Sci fi conventioneers Tips 3, duration 10, Will never go outside
Theological conference Tips 3, duration 10
Star witness, Tips 3, duration 10, Will never go outside
Hotel’s owner Tips 0, duration infinite, may be stolen with cards that draw to a place, not those stealing from a place. Whoever controls him on the final move of the game gains 15 tips
Hotel critic: Tip -2, duration infinite. You may pass the hotel critic to any other player at the end of each round, before the new skullduggery cards are drawn. If the critic is hit with any card that steals a guest during a round where you hold him, you must initial his card. The bribes you pay him to keep quiet about how terrible the resort is are taken from your final score.
Skullduggery cards:
Master chef: Bring 2 guests to Restaurant
Rare ingredients: Bring 1 guest to Restaurant
Preta porte collection: Bring 2 guests to Boutique.
Fascinating designer: Bring 1 guest to Boutique.
Great Swami: Bring 2 guests to Health Spa
Skilled massuer : Bring 1 guest to Health Spa
Discovered Pirate Wreck: Bring 2 guests to Beach
Volleyball championships: Bring 1 guest to Beach
Famous Pro Match: Bring 2 guests to Sports
Dashing coach: Bring 1 guest Sports
Annual Festival: Bring 2 guests to Tours
Strange local customs: Bring 1 guest to Tours
Insect infestation: Steal 1 inside guest
Faulty fire suppressants: Steal 1 inside guest
Weird smell: steal 1 inside guest
Plagues of mosquitoes: steal 1 outside guest
Rain of frogs: steal 1 outisde guest
Tragic portable toilet failure: steal 1 outisde guest
Violently insulted chef: Resturant player must give a guest you nominate to any player (except him or herself)
Bizarre refrigeration failure: Resturant player must give a guest you nominate to any player (except him or herself)
“Avoid the oysters”: Steal 1 guest from Restaurant
“Yes, but the fly won’t drink much.” Steal 1 guest from Restaurant
“Well, the cat keeps the mice away.” Steal 1 guest from Restaurant
Peeping tom: Boutique player must give a guest you nominate to any player (except him or herself)
Missing packages of stock: Boutique player must give a guest you nominate to any player (except him or herself)
“So last season”: Steal 1 guest from Boutique
“They look great for fakes, don’t they?” Steal 1 guest from Boutique
“Of course it’s not made in sweatshops. Whatever gave you that idea?” Steal 1 guest from Boutique
Severe allegric reaction: Health spa player must give a guest you nominate to any player (except him or herself)
Strange yellow cloud in pool: Health spa player must give a guest you nominate to any player (except him or herself
“Where’d you get that rash?” : Steal 1 guest from Health Spa
“I’m sure your husband will be completely happy with the massage.” Steal 1 guest from Health Spa
“Now, this tea may make you feel a little woozy, but all the herbs are natural.” Steal 1 guest from Health Spa
Red tide: Beach player must give a guest you nominate to any player (except him or herself)
Hundreds of rotting fish: Beach player must give a guest you nominate to any player (except him or herself)
“I’m sure that was that a fin!”: Steal 1 guest from Beach
“You know, sun cancer kills more people than lung cancer? True fact.” Steal 1 guest from Beach
“There are almost never any needles in the sand.” Steal 1 guest from Beach
Unfortunate rebound: Sports player must give a guest you nominate to any player (except him or herself)
Professional foul: Sports player must give a guest you nominate to any player (except him or herself)
“The bats on the course have rabies!”: Steal 1 guest from Sports.
“We are comprehensively insured against dewath or injury!” Steal 1 guest from Sports.
“Thanks for being the first to try this!” Steal 1 guest from Sports.
Misunderstanding with locals: Tours player must give a guest you nominate to any player (except him or herself)
“Well, say “Hi!” to your mugger for me.” Steal 1 guest from Tours.
“Oh, I’m sure the locals will love you to pieces! Little tiny pieces!” Steal 1 guest from Tours.
“Your toru leaves at 7. Of course I’m sure.” Steal 1 guest from Tours.
Love match: Stick together two guests controlled by any other player. For the rest of the game they can be stolen as a single item. Mark both tip cards normally.
Cut phone lines: Select another player. Their skullduggery card for this round has no effect.
Credit card fraud: No matter who controls the guest you noimate at the end of the turn, you get to initial his or her card.
Bribe the taxi company: Draw three guests. Keep one and place the other two in reception.
Sleep with receptionist: The next guest comes to your section, not reception.
Luxuries shorten stay: Select a guest and, regardless of who controls him or her at the end of turn, initial the last two boxes on the guest’s card.
Hotel detective: Remove one guest from the game, but they will still pay their bill.
Professional thief: Remove one guest from the game, but first initial their card three times.
Raid by police: Remove one guest from the game. This guest will not pay his or her bill, so do not count his or her tips.
Room service failure: for every guest you control that you try to return to reception, you may select three others to similarly try to return. If a player tries to steal the guest you wanted to return, the guest does not move, but you still get to try to return the guest of others.
An oasis of sanity: Any guest is subject to two or more attempted moves this turn comes to your part of the resort for some peace.
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Quick changes
Just nipping in to post a couple of quick changes.
The Conventions section of the island will be renamed Boutique, because that’s easier to get colour text for.
Each guest will have a holiday budget, and once that’s gone, they are removed to the discard pile. This is to stop the island getting swamped, and to give players a reason to go after low tippers (who may last longer).
So far my ideas are that in the Guest Deck, there are as follows:
6 with a tips score of 3 and a budget of 15.
6 with a tips score of 2 and a budget of 16
6 with a tips score of 1 and a budget of 21
6 with a tip score that is 1, but 3 if held by the right Department, with a budget of 28.
6 with a tip score that is 2, but 3 if held by the right department, with a budget of 28.
3 with a tips score of 3, who will never go outside, and have a budget of 15
3 with a tips score of 3, who will never go inside, and have a budget of 15.
3 with a tip score of zero, and a budget of 1, that allows you to steal 2 tips per turn from another player.
3 with a tip score of 5, who has a budget of 5, but removes another guest when he leaves.
3 with a tip score of 1, and a budget of 1, who can remove 6 tips from any combination of guests in play, as he leaves.
1 with a tip score of zero, and a budget of 1, that allows you to view a face down customer card each turn.
1 with a tip score of zero, and a budget of 1, who can leave the island at any time, removing any of customers from the face down set, who are replaced from the top of the customer deck.
1 with a tip score of 1 and a budget of 10, that allows the player to swap the positions of two of the face-down card in the reception line.
50 cards so far. I want no more than 52, so its the same size as a standard deck. The balance of the numbers on tips needs to be worked out.
I have some thoughts on event cards, but will post them next week.
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The basics of the game
At GenCon this year I took part in a round table for game designers where people suggested that the boardgame / RPG I’d been working on as a sort of filler when not writing for Ars Magica would probably work better as a card game. I agree.
So, after a brief chat with my wife, my basic thoughts on the game look like this:
The game has up to six players. Each is a department head on a resort island. The departments are called Restaurant, Health Spa, Conferences, Sports, Beach and Tours. The first three are considered “inside” and the last three “outside”.
Each turn is one day in the life of the resort. The game takes as many days (turns) as the players decide in advance, but for fairness this should be a multiple of the number of players.
The game is played with two decks of cards, which are non-collectable. One deck is made of guests, and the other of events.
To begin the game, one player shuffles the guest cards and then deals five, face down in a line. The dealer then deals one, face up, to each player. The dealer then shuffles the event deck, and deals five cards to each player, face down.
Players may then consult for up to five minutes, to trade cards with each other, and make alliances. Nothing forces players to keep their bargains.
At the start of a turn of play, the leftmost customer card, from the perspective of the dealer, is flipped face up.
The players then bid for the face-up card using one, and only one, of their event cards, each of which has a bid value. These are placed face down on the table, and then flipped simultaneously.
The player who wins places their card, in the event discard pile, but moves the customer to their part of the table.
A new customer card is placed face down in the empty space, but slightly further back on the table, so that it is clear which is the next card in the sequence (the second one originally dealt, just to the right of the card just played face up).
The players who did not win can then use their losing cards to steal customers from each other, excepting the customer just won that turn. They steal customers in reverse order of card value: that is, the player with the weakest bid steals first, which allows players with higher bids to steal back.
A player may choose not to bid on a customer. If they do this, they may either send one card to the discard pile, and view two customer cards, placing them back down in their original positions, face down, or may send all of their cards to the discard pile, and recieve and equal number of fresh event cards from the top of that deck.
After the theft round, each player is given a score equal to the Tips value of the customers on his or her section of the table. Each player is then dealt a card from the top of the Events Deck.
Players then have up to five minutes to plot and trade tips, cards, guests, and information about upcoming guests. Nothing forces players to keep their bargains.
The winner is the player with the most tips when tourist season ends.
Breaking ties
If the highest bids on a new customer are a tie, other players can break that tie by supporting any other player. They do this by adding the bid value of their card to the card of the player they are supporting, then putting their card in the event discard pile. A player doing this forgoes the customer theft round. If the highest values are still tied, the guest remains flipped up in the centre of the table, pays no tips this day, and can be stolen the next day.
If, during the theft round, the cards are tied, then provided the players want to steal different guests, each steals normally. If they both want to steal the same guest, then the cards are discarded and the guest stays where it is.
Things to work on:
Event card list.
Cards are symetrical.
Most cards have a value from 1 to 5 with a bid bonus, so ”Master chef: 1 +3 bid for restuarant player.” this encourages players to trade.
Some have a theft bonus instead like like “Shark Attack : 1 +3 when stealing from the beach.”
Some cards will have a 0 bid value and let you do other fun things. Like “Peddling vice: double the tips for one guest you control.”
“Police informant: remove from the game one guest who is currently using vice.”
“Seduce receptionist: 0 bid, view all guest cards instead of bidding.”
Maximum of 108 cards in event deck.
Guest card list
Cards are symetrical mechanically.
Cards with Tips of 1, 2 or 3, but no higher.
Cards which are cheaper to bid on if you are the right player, so “Businessmen, +1 golf course bids”.
Cards which some players you cannot win, so “Pasty nerd, will never go outside.”
No more than 52 guest cards.
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