MonopoZombie

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A board game where a zombie apocolypse overruns a Monopoly game, saving it from traditional end-game tedium
 
A board game where a zombie apocolypse overruns a Monopoly game, saving it from traditional end-game tedium
   
Playable with a regular monopoly set with minimal (or no?) additional stuff.
+
Playable with a regular monopoly set with minimal (or no?) additional stuff.== "Zombies care not for your mindless capitalism" ==
   
Note: As of writing, this has not been playtested (2 July 2014)
+
The game is divided into four distinct stages.
   
  +
=== Stage One: Capitalism ===
  +
* This is played as per normal monopoly rules. Basically a capitalism microcosm.
  +
* Players tactics may differ due to how the latter parts of the game evolve, but the game *mechanism* at this stage remains unchanged. House rules (once around board before purchase, tax->free parking, and so on) are discouraged in favour of actual Monopoly rules.
  +
* However: Should a player roll a double-1 (ie, total "2"), they have moved too slowly, and are caught by a zombie of which players were previously unaware of.
  +
** That player turns into a zombie prior to enacting any actions required by the resulted position, and so enters the second stage
  +
** Note: players cannot become a zombie on their first time around the board.
   
* Normal start game - buy properties, improve them as per normal monopoly stuff
+
=== Stage Two: Outbreak ===
* There are implied zombies "board zombies" around the place that will bite players if they move too slow (say, dice roll total is 2-6, or one of the dice is a '1', or something). Upon accumulation of enough bites (how many?), a player becomes a 'player zombie'.
+
* This is still largely played as per normal monopoly rules, but with an increased chance that a player may become a zombie.
* Player zombies "zombies" do not care about your mindless capitalism. They are brainless. They are brainless and do not need shelter.
+
* Zombie's continue to take their turn as before, however, their operate under new movement principles:
* Economy: humans buy properties and build on them via normal monopoly rules so long as humans equal or outnumber zombies (3+ players). When zombies outnumber (or equal with 2 players) humans, the economy collapses and no further purchases or rents occur. Ownership of properties with structures is maintained for tracking safe/unsafe houses status.
+
** Instead of 2 D6 dice, zombies move according to 2 D4 dice (simulate from D6 with re-rolls as needed)
* When the economy fails, remaining humans improve their survival skills. This is implemented by allowing three dice to be rolled, and the human chooses which two to honour
+
** Zombies may move in either direction around the board, as per the players choosing.
* Zombies move at a more regular pace than humans. Therefore when rolling die, any result of 1 or 6 should be re-rolled (human range = 2-12, zombie range = 4-10)
+
* Human players continue to do commerce with each other and the bank as per usual, but the zombie cares not for your mindless capitalism, and create the following changes:** Zombies check chance/chest cards, but ignore them. They care not for your mindless capitalism
* Zombies honour movement distance as dictated by dice, but are free to move in either direction on any given move. They do not honour 'doubles to roll again', or any card or square that dictates they move on the board (go to jail, go to go, move back 2 spaces, etc)
+
** Zombies do not follow "teleport" movement (go to nearest railway, go to jail, etc)
  +
** Zombies do not get another go on a double
  +
** Should a player land on a zombie property with no improvement, then the human becomes a zombie.
  +
** However, if the zombie property has improvement, the human survives, but at the expense of one level of improvement - so in time zombie properties will reduce to being unsafe. If multiple players occupy the same property at once, then only one demolition occurs, when the property is vacant.
  +
** If a zombie shares an unimproved space with a human, the human turns zombie.
  +
*** Unless: there are more humans than zombies on that space - but only while that is true. Should another zombie join, or a player leave, then the balance may change.
  +
*** exception: "free parking" remains as a rest space - cannot be turned to zombie there
  +
*** also note: "in jail" and "just visiting jail" are seperate. (Zombies cannot go "in jail")
  +
** If a zombie lands on an improved player property, then one level of improvement is demolished when the zombie (or last zombie if multiple) leaves.
  +
=== Stage Three: Apocalypse ===
  +
* Once zombies equal or outnumber human players, the economy collapses, and remaining humans move to survival mode.
  +
* No economic transactions occur, including building properties (or demolishing for monopoly-rule reasons. Demolition now only occurs for zombie-rule reasons)* Zombies continue as before.
  +
* Humans now move with increased agility, by rolling 3 D6, and choosing two according to their need
  +
* Winning conditions for a human: be the last human alive, occupying your own property with a house, and have no zombies also on that location* Winning conditions for zombies: all players are zombies, and be the first to land in 'jail' (justification: the last source of human brains)
  +
  +
  +
  +
== To consider ==
  +
The above is based on initial play testing (itself based on initial writeup of idea here) in Aug 2016. The following were not playtested (ie, are ideas from post-testing discussions), but considered good enough ideas to be included above
  +
* zombie-demolition of houses
  +
* zombie-owned houses as safe (we played that all zombie-owned properties would turn humans to zombies)
  +
  +
These are post-testing ideas, and need testing before considered good or not
  +
* In apocalypse mode: humans that land on their own multi-house property, may then "carry" a house with them, and deposit it on the first empty zombie-land they encounter - the player then claims that property (with the house), meaning it can no longer 'turn' a human. It will nonetheless get demolished should a zombie visit it.
  +
** Justification: provides a reason for players to build multiple houses in capitalism mode - however the 'demolition' rules added should also provide that motive, so this may just be unneeded complexity
  +
* In Outbreak mode: vaccines - the idea that once "bitten" (double-1), you pay for a vaccine and continue operating as human. The argument is that this holds to the capitalism ideas of monopoly. However for the sake of avoiding monopoly end-game, there has to be a certain inevitability to a player turning zombie (so: increase cost of vaccine per turn? eg: cost of vaccine per turn = $50 * {turns since bitten} ?), which means the tactics of a player inevitably turning zombie would be... to demolish houses but keep properties and then suicide out to zombie? it's unclear... I like the idea from a capitalism point of view, but not sure it'll hold to playability.
  +
  +
The following ideas were not playtested
 
* Once there is a zombie on the board, remaining humans can choose to team up. They can only do this IF they happen to share a space. They do this by pooling their dice rolls (2 players = 4 dice, 3 players = 6 dice) for the round, and then sharing out the accumulated positional moves between team-members (however, each human must still move a minimum of 2 squares, just like regular two-dice rolls). Totals that do not divide evenly will result in a team getting split up, or they may deliberately split up to achieve shelter, or target properties to purchase (oooh, tactics!)
 
* Once there is a zombie on the board, remaining humans can choose to team up. They can only do this IF they happen to share a space. They do this by pooling their dice rolls (2 players = 4 dice, 3 players = 6 dice) for the round, and then sharing out the accumulated positional moves between team-members (however, each human must still move a minimum of 2 squares, just like regular two-dice rolls). Totals that do not divide evenly will result in a team getting split up, or they may deliberately split up to achieve shelter, or target properties to purchase (oooh, tactics!)
* Non-zombie players "humans" have motivation to build because it provides shelter from zombies.
+
* There may be cards that modify any existing rules/behaviours? (eg "get out one zombie bite free")
** Landing on a human-owned shelter (house/hotel) means you do not get bitten, even if it was a slow move. (Free Parking is also a safe-for-humans zone where one can never be bitten)
 
** Landing on a zombie-owned shelter means you get a board-zombie bite, regardless of speed
 
** A human sharing the same space as a zombie gets bitten and becomes a zombie immediately, regardless of board-zombie bites.
 
* There may be cards that modify these behaviours (eg "get out one zombie bite free")
 
 
* Should houses/hotels be fortified as an enhancement beyond the standard monopoly building code?
 
* Should houses/hotels be fortified as an enhancement beyond the standard monopoly building code?
* Players can win by:
+
** Being last human standing, AND then landing on a friendly shelter (ie, one the player owns).
+
=== Changelog ===
** If last player becomes a zombie before achieving safe shelter, then all zombies compete for brains. This is done by getting to the last unavailable cache of previously unavailable brains - jail (zombies do not honour "go to jail" dicates of cards and boards, but can break down 'just visiting' barrier to get to all the trapped brains. yummy. (only valid as a zombie winning move when there are no humans). Since zombies do not need to go around the board before trying their luck at landing in jail, this ending would seem likely to be quite fast. The logic of why they didn't get in there before is that he last human was keeping the locks oiled on each pass around the board. Now they're zombie, no such maintenance
+
* 2016 Aug 23 - First play testing
  +
* 2014 Jul 02 - Initial writeup
  +
 
 
 
[[Category:Games]]
 
[[Category:Games]]

Revision as of 13:09, 24 August 2016

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

Playable with a regular monopoly set with minimal (or no?) additional stuff.== "Zombies care not for your mindless capitalism" ==

The game is divided into four distinct stages.

Contents

Stage One: Capitalism

  • This is played as per normal monopoly rules. Basically a capitalism microcosm.
  • Players tactics may differ due to how the latter parts of the game evolve, but the game *mechanism* at this stage remains unchanged. House rules (once around board before purchase, tax->free parking, and so on) are discouraged in favour of actual Monopoly rules.
  • However: Should a player roll a double-1 (ie, total "2"), they have moved too slowly, and are caught by a zombie of which players were previously unaware of.
    • That player turns into a zombie prior to enacting any actions required by the resulted position, and so enters the second stage
    • Note: players cannot become a zombie on their first time around the board.

Stage Two: Outbreak

  • This is still largely played as per normal monopoly rules, but with an increased chance that a player may become a zombie.
  • Zombie's continue to take their turn as before, however, their operate under new movement principles:
    • Instead of 2 D6 dice, zombies move according to 2 D4 dice (simulate from D6 with re-rolls as needed)
    • Zombies may move in either direction around the board, as per the players choosing.
  • Human players continue to do commerce with each other and the bank as per usual, but the zombie cares not for your mindless capitalism, and create the following changes:** Zombies check chance/chest cards, but ignore them. They care not for your mindless capitalism
    • Zombies do not follow "teleport" movement (go to nearest railway, go to jail, etc)
    • Zombies do not get another go on a double
    • Should a player land on a zombie property with no improvement, then the human becomes a zombie.
    • However, if the zombie property has improvement, the human survives, but at the expense of one level of improvement - so in time zombie properties will reduce to being unsafe. If multiple players occupy the same property at once, then only one demolition occurs, when the property is vacant.
    • If a zombie shares an unimproved space with a human, the human turns zombie.
      • Unless: there are more humans than zombies on that space - but only while that is true. Should another zombie join, or a player leave, then the balance may change.
      • exception: "free parking" remains as a rest space - cannot be turned to zombie there
      • also note: "in jail" and "just visiting jail" are seperate. (Zombies cannot go "in jail")
    • If a zombie lands on an improved player property, then one level of improvement is demolished when the zombie (or last zombie if multiple) leaves.

Stage Three: Apocalypse

  • Once zombies equal or outnumber human players, the economy collapses, and remaining humans move to survival mode.
  • No economic transactions occur, including building properties (or demolishing for monopoly-rule reasons. Demolition now only occurs for zombie-rule reasons)* Zombies continue as before.
  • Humans now move with increased agility, by rolling 3 D6, and choosing two according to their need
  • Winning conditions for a human: be the last human alive, occupying your own property with a house, and have no zombies also on that location* Winning conditions for zombies: all players are zombies, and be the first to land in 'jail' (justification: the last source of human brains)


To consider

The above is based on initial play testing (itself based on initial writeup of idea here) in Aug 2016. The following were not playtested (ie, are ideas from post-testing discussions), but considered good enough ideas to be included above

  • zombie-demolition of houses
  • zombie-owned houses as safe (we played that all zombie-owned properties would turn humans to zombies)

These are post-testing ideas, and need testing before considered good or not

  • In apocalypse mode: humans that land on their own multi-house property, may then "carry" a house with them, and deposit it on the first empty zombie-land they encounter - the player then claims that property (with the house), meaning it can no longer 'turn' a human. It will nonetheless get demolished should a zombie visit it.
    • Justification: provides a reason for players to build multiple houses in capitalism mode - however the 'demolition' rules added should also provide that motive, so this may just be unneeded complexity
  • In Outbreak mode: vaccines - the idea that once "bitten" (double-1), you pay for a vaccine and continue operating as human. The argument is that this holds to the capitalism ideas of monopoly. However for the sake of avoiding monopoly end-game, there has to be a certain inevitability to a player turning zombie (so: increase cost of vaccine per turn? eg: cost of vaccine per turn = $50 * {turns since bitten} ?), which means the tactics of a player inevitably turning zombie would be... to demolish houses but keep properties and then suicide out to zombie? it's unclear... I like the idea from a capitalism point of view, but not sure it'll hold to playability.

The following ideas were not playtested

  • Once there is a zombie on the board, remaining humans can choose to team up. They can only do this IF they happen to share a space. They do this by pooling their dice rolls (2 players = 4 dice, 3 players = 6 dice) for the round, and then sharing out the accumulated positional moves between team-members (however, each human must still move a minimum of 2 squares, just like regular two-dice rolls). Totals that do not divide evenly will result in a team getting split up, or they may deliberately split up to achieve shelter, or target properties to purchase (oooh, tactics!)
  • There may be cards that modify any existing rules/behaviours? (eg "get out one zombie bite free")
  • Should houses/hotels be fortified as an enhancement beyond the standard monopoly building code?

Changelog

  • 2016 Aug 23 - First play testing
  • 2014 Jul 02 - Initial writeup
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