MonopoZombie/scratch

development alert note: This game is in development. The rules here are not yet perfected, and as-yet untested combination of proposed rules may be a far better game than what's already here, so please test the untested, and come up with new variants! Feedback is welcome... indeed, it is encouraged! Either direct to me (find me on facebook - see links below) or the Discussion tab to this page, or this page direct!)

--nemo

A board game where a zombie apocalypse overruns a traditional Monopoly game, saving it from traditional end-game tedium

“	Where is the line between "house rules" of a game, and "new game" anyway?	”
—nemo

Playable with a regular Monopoly set (though additional dice will help - a pair of D4, and an extra D6 (or more - can help with late-game group movement)

2-8 (or more?) players (optimal is probably around 4-6 players)

“	Monopocalypse - The Zombie War	”
—Xenos (#xkcd-sciencefiction)

Gameplay TL;DR

• Play normal monopoly first time around the board.
• Outbreak! Become a zombie on snake eyes or go-to-jail, sharing a square with a zombie, or unimproved zombie "owned" property.
• Zombies roll 2D4 and move either direction, and destroy improvements to properties.
• Once zombies are well established, apocalypse! No more commerce. Humans now move by choose 2 from 3D6, and can travel in groups
• Win by:
  • all humans simultaneously are on the same human-owned IMPROVED property
  • all zombies, and be first zombie to 'jail' square.

Zombies care not for your mindless capitalism

Gameplay basics

The game is divided into three distinct stages. Capitalism, Outbreak and Apocalypse.

Stage One: Capitalism

This stage of the game is traditional capitalism microcosm (ie, Monopoly), with houserules. It is defined as all players being "human".

• Whilst player tactics may differ based on knowledge of the later stages of the game, the game *mechanism* is Monopoly. Common house rules (once around board before purchase, tax->free parking, and so on) are discouraged in favour of genuine Monopoly rules, and MonopoZombie houserules below)

Houserules

• House construction no longer requires a single ownership of an entire colour group. However, the requirement that development must be even remains. Thus, the first owner of the first property can immediately build one house, even if the bank owns the rest. But they cannot build a second house till all other properties in the group are owned and have a house also.

Becoming a Zombie

• Each player cannot become a zombie on their first time around the board by any method in Capitalism or Outbreak stages of the game.
• After a players first time around the board (once they arrive or pass "Go"), they are susceptible to a number of zombie conversion methods. These are:
  • Should a player roll a double-one for any reason (normal roll, escape from jail attempt, as instructed by card), then they are considered to be moving too slow, and are converted. For the purposes of human/zombie interactions, it is considered that they are human at the start of their movement, and arrive (two squares on) as a zombie).
  • All methods that send a player to jail (Go To Jail square, card, or doubles thrice in a row) are instead interpreted as "Stay where you are (or take the third movement if a dice roll method) but become a zombie"
  • "Get out of Jail Free" cards are instead interpreted as a one-time "infinite strength immunity to zombie conversion" card. This covers ALL zombie conversion methods at any point in the game.

The game enters "Stage Two: Outbreak" upon the first conversion.

Stage Two: Outbreak

This stage of the game diverges from traditional monopoly, with some players being zombies and playing by new rules, whilst humans still play at capitalism. It is defined as beginning with the first zombie conversion, and lasts while the majority of players are still human.

Human players continue playing the rules of Stage One: Capitalism (however their tactics are increasingly likely to be influenced by the oncoming apocalypse)

New ways to become a zombie

• Each zombie and each infection ground is counted as one 'zombie conversion point'. Each human and each improvement (including those on zombie owned lands) are considered a 'zombie immunity point'. If conversion points are equal or greater than immunity points on any given location, then conversion results.
  • In practical terms, this means:
    • Human landing on an unimproved zombie infection ground results in immediate conversion.
    • Humans landing on an improved zombie infection ground is safe - unless there are equal or more zombies as there are houses. *** Two humans are safe together from the arrival of a zombie, or the turning of their location into an infection ground while they're there. However in outbreak stage, humans are still playing at selfish capitalism and one will move on to leave the other to be converted.

How to be a zombie

Players who are zombies continue to take their turn in the same position as before. However, they operate under new movement principles to reflect their shambling/mindless nature.

• Instead of 2D6 dice, zombies move according to 2D4 dice. (if no D4 are available, D6 can be used, re-roll any result of 5 or 6)
• Zombies may move in either direction around the board. (Player rolls dice, then chooses from two potential target locations)
• Zombies check chance/chest cards, but ignore them. (Players may taunt human players with the results)
• Zombies do not follow any "teleport" movement instructions (go to nearest railway, jail, etc)
• Zombies do not get another go on a double dice roll.
• Zombies care not for your mindless capitalism, and do not participate in any normal commerce. Players should return their money to the bank upon conversion.
• If a zombie lands on an unowned property, it immediately goes to auction amongst the human players.
• Properties owned by a human prior to conversion now become zombie infection grounds. Mortgage status is ignored.

= Property demolition by zombies

Houses are demolished by the conflict of zombies at human-owned-houses, or of humans at houses in infection grounds.

• A zombie arriving on an a vacant improved human-owned property can demolish one house upon arrival.
  • If there is a human at the property, then the house remains safe till it is vacant. If another human arrives before the first leaves, then the zombie will move on and never demolish.
  • Zombies do not demolish houses on infection grounds
• A human arriving at a house on an infection ground may shelter at the house safely, but the house will be demolished when the last human abandons (flee!) it.
  • If the human is converted to a zombie by being overrun by other zombies on that location, then the house is demolished as part of the convertion

The game enters Stage Three: Apocalypse when zombies are considered established. Outbreak mode always last a minimum of one turn per player. It THEN ends when:

• For 2 and 3 player games, outbreak lasts till the first of
  • A second zombie conversion
  • All humans have completed a circuit around the board back past their individual 'start of outbreak' positions
• For 4+ players, when the count of zombies is one conversion away from equal to or outnumbering human players.
  • ie, the second zombie in a 4 or 5 player game. The third zombie in 6 or 7 player games, a fourth zombie in 8 or 9 player games, etc.

Stage Three: Apocalypse

At this stage of the game, capitalism has failed to protect against zombies, the economy collapses and the last vestiges of Monopoly rules are swept clear. All remaining humans now move to survival mode.