MonopoZombie

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== MonopoZombie ==
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A board game where a zombie apocolypse overruns a Monopoly game, saving it from traditional end-game tedium
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{{quote|center|Where is the line between "house rules" of a game, and "new game" anyway?|[[User:Nemo|nemo]]}}
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Playable with a regular monopoly set (though additional dice will help - a pair of D4, and an extra D6 (or more, if human teams are played))
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= "Zombies care not for your mindless capitalism" =
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{{note|center|development alert|note: This game is in slow 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... nay, encouraged, either direct to me (find me on facebook - see links below) or the Discussion tab to this page, or this page direct!)|--[[User:Nemo|nemo]]}}
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== Gameplay ==
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The game is divided into three distinct stages.
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=== Stage One: Capitalism ===
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Being where all players are "human"
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* This is played as per normal monopoly rules. Basically a capitalism microcosm.
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* Players tactics may differ due to knowledge of later Outbreak and Apocalypse stages, but the game *mechanism* at this stage remains essentially unchanged. Common house rules (once around board before purchase, tax->free parking, and so on) are discouraged in favour of genuine Monopoly rules.
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* Alterations to Monopoly pure are as follows:
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** Should a player roll a double-one (ie, total of 2) for any reason (normal roll, escape from jail attempt, as instructed by card), then that player becomes a zombie (due to moving too slowly!). 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.
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** "Go directly to Jail" Community Chest/Chance cards are instead interpreted as "Stay where you are, but become a zombie"
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** "Get out of Jail Free" card are instead interpreted as "Infinite strength immunity to future zombie conversion, single use only" (ie, hold onto card to nullify a single future zombie conversion)
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** Each player is immune to zombie conversions (by any method) until they have traveled around the board once.
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*** On the first time around the board, pure Monopoly rules (regarding double-1 and jail cards) apply.
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*** ie: First arrival at 'Go' ends the players immunity, thus can become a zombie when you land on Go, if other zombies are there already
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The game enters "Stage Two: Outbreak" upon the first conversion.
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=== Stage Two: Outbreak ===
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Being where some players have been converted to zombies, but a majority are still human.
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* Human players still play as per Stage One: Capitalism, however zombies operate by new rules, which increase the chances of a human being converted.
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** Players may pre-pay for a bodyguard. $100/bodyguard/turn. Each bodyguard acts as an extra human, for the purposes of counting human/zombie interactions. Bodyguard(s) remain active with the player (protecting them from zombie arrivals) till the players next roll. If they choose to continue with bodyguard, there is no break in guarding.
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* Zombies continue to take their turn as before, however, their operate under new movement principles:
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** Instead of 2 D6 dice, zombies move according to two D4 dice (simulate from D6 with re-rolls as needed)
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** Zombies may move in either direction around the board, as per the players choosing each roll.
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* 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 do not participate in any normal commerse. In addition, the following apply:
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** Zombies check chance/chest cards, but ignore them.
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** Zombies do not follow "teleport" movement (go to nearest railway, go to jail, etc)
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** Zombies do not get another go on a double dice result
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** If a zombie lands on an unowned property it immediately goes to auction
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** Properties owned by zombies are considered infection grounds - ie, should a human player land on a zombie property with no improvement, they are converted.
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** However, if the zombie property has improvement, the human survives, but at the expense of one level of improvement - so over time zombie properties will reduce to being unsafe. Property demolition occurs at the end of a continuous run of human player occupation, at the END of occupation. (ie, if multiple players occupy the same property at once, then only one demolition occurs, when the property is vacated)
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** If zombies share a space with humans, then the humans will turn into zombies if the number of zombies is equal or higher than the number of humans + number of improvements.
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*** exception: "free parking" remains as a rest space - humans can never be turned to zombie there
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*** also note: "in jail" and "just visiting jail" are separate. (Zombies cannot go "in jail")
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** If a zombie finds themselves on an vacant player property with improvements, then one level of improvement is demolished then the zombie ARRIVES there.
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*** note: If a zombie arrives on a property with a human and a property, then the human survives to move on. A house will be demolished only when the zombie has no human opposition protecting it. If another human has arrived at the property in the meantime, it may survive till the zombie leaves.
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=== Stage Three: Apocalypse ===
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* Once zombies equal or outnumber human players, the economy collapses, and remaining humans move to survival mode.
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* All commerce and economic-based activity halts. This includes the building of properties (or demolishing for monopoly-rule reasons. Demolition now only occurs for zombie-based reasons), and bodyguard purchasing.
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* Zombies continue as before.
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* Humans now move with increased agility, by rolling three D6, and choosing two according to their tactical needs, and also choosing direction of movement per roll.
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** this increases the chances that a human can 'choose' a double and get a second roll
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** this also allows for increased chance for a human to 'choose' a double-1 and become zombie
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** humans no longer follow monopoly 'teleport' rules either. "Doubles = another go" can continue without penalty for as long as doubles are rolled.
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* Winning conditions for a human: be the last human alive, then land on your own property with a house, and have no zombies also on that location
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* Winning conditions for zombies: all players are zombies, and be the first to land in 'jail' (justification: the last source of human brains, zombies finally break in)
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== Gameplay TLDR ==
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* Play normal monopoly first time around the board.
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* Become a zombie on snake eyes or go-to-jail, sharing a square with a zombie, or unimproved zombie "owned" property.
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* Zombies roll 2D4 and move either direction, and destroy improvements to properties.
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* When zombies ≥ humans, no more commerce. Humans now move by choose 2 from 3D6.
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* Win by:
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** last human and on own IMPROVED property
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** all zombies, and be first zombie to 'jail' square.
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= To consider =
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These are ideas from after-testing discussions, and need their own testing before considered good or not. Most promising ideas first.
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* A regular problem is that the game descends to Apocalypse before any property trading can occur so improvements prove difficult. Some suggested solutions (in order from most like M rules, to least)
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** Once all properties in a group are purchased, owners may collaborate to improve the colour group within normal Monopoly "improve in sync" rule. (means minimal improvement possible once at least one property in the group is zombie owned)
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** As per above, but drop the requirement to improve in sync (thus allowing ongoing improvement even after others in the group are zombified)
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** As per above, but drop the requirement that all properties be purchased (ie, first property owned can begin improvements ... immediately? Though after some delay is probably a good idea.)
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* Roll for zombie conversion
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** Modify the conversion rules so each conversion opportunity is played as a dice roll. Each human/bodyguard/property earns the defence on D6. Each zombie/infection ground earns the attack a D6. Each side rolls, largest wins. re-roll ties.
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** note: new battle between all humans and zombies occur on any *arrival* to a property, but not on departures. (humans sneak out, zombies mindlessly shamble away)
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** I don't think this should include snakeeye/jail conversions. (they are already governed by chance)
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* Should stations/utilities by default provide safe shelter? Existing safe shelters are:
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** Free Parking
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** What about GO?
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** What about Chance/Chest?
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** What about Just Visiting Jail?
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* 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.
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** 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
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The following original ideas were not playtested
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* Once in apocalypse mode, 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 and then sharing them between members of the team, per round. (2 players = 6 dice. 3 players = 9 dice). This increases the chances that a team can continue to move together to outnumber zombies (or more likely be able to split up and make it to safe houses).
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** Play mechanic problem: means all human players need to effectively have a collective turn - which means a change in player order from the original table order. This could be messy.
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** Tactical problem: you only win by being the last human. Should there be a "team of humans win" condition?
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** Also: what if dice rolls cannot be shared. eg, 2 humans, 6 die with values 2,2,2,2,2,1 - and the ONLY safe square is 3 away...
   
* Normal start game - buy properties, improve them as per normal monopoly stuff
 
* 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'.
 
* Player zombies "zombies" do not care about your mindless capitalism. They are brainless. They are brainless and do not need shelter.
 
* 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.
 
* 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)
 
* 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)
 
* 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.
 
** 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:
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** Being last human standing, AND then landing on a friendly shelter (ie, one the player owns).
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= Testlog =
** 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
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* 2016 Dec 25 - Second round of play testing (7person group!) - https://www.facebook.com/nemothorx/posts/10156002726323216
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* 2016 Aug 23 - First play testing (3 person group) - https://www.facebook.com/nemothorx/posts/10154489150088216
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* 2014 Jul 02 - Initial writeup - https://www.facebook.com/nemothorx/posts/10152542793653216
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= Trivia =
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* Let the record show that the very first roll in the very first playtest was a double-1 and so the game inventor became a zombie. (and so the second game introduced the "once around before zombie possible" rule)
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[[Category:Games]]
 
[[Category:Games]]

Revision as of 19:51, 6 December 2017

Contents

A board game where a zombie apocolypse overruns a 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, if human teams are played))

"Zombies care not for your mindless capitalism"

development alert

note: This game is in slow 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... nay, encouraged, either direct to me (find me on facebook - see links below) or the Discussion tab to this page, or this page direct!)

Gameplay

The game is divided into three distinct stages.

Stage One: Capitalism

Being where all players are "human"

  • This is played as per normal monopoly rules. Basically a capitalism microcosm.
  • Players tactics may differ due to knowledge of later Outbreak and Apocalypse stages, but the game *mechanism* at this stage remains essentially unchanged. Common house rules (once around board before purchase, tax->free parking, and so on) are discouraged in favour of genuine Monopoly rules.
  • Alterations to Monopoly pure are as follows:
    • Should a player roll a double-one (ie, total of 2) for any reason (normal roll, escape from jail attempt, as instructed by card), then that player becomes a zombie (due to moving too slowly!). 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.
    • "Go directly to Jail" Community Chest/Chance cards are instead interpreted as "Stay where you are, but become a zombie"
    • "Get out of Jail Free" card are instead interpreted as "Infinite strength immunity to future zombie conversion, single use only" (ie, hold onto card to nullify a single future zombie conversion)
    • Each player is immune to zombie conversions (by any method) until they have traveled around the board once.
      • On the first time around the board, pure Monopoly rules (regarding double-1 and jail cards) apply.
      • ie: First arrival at 'Go' ends the players immunity, thus can become a zombie when you land on Go, if other zombies are there already

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

Stage Two: Outbreak

Being where some players have been converted to zombies, but a majority are still human.

  • Human players still play as per Stage One: Capitalism, however zombies operate by new rules, which increase the chances of a human being converted.
    • Players may pre-pay for a bodyguard. $100/bodyguard/turn. Each bodyguard acts as an extra human, for the purposes of counting human/zombie interactions. Bodyguard(s) remain active with the player (protecting them from zombie arrivals) till the players next roll. If they choose to continue with bodyguard, there is no break in guarding.
  • Zombies continue to take their turn as before, however, their operate under new movement principles:
    • Instead of 2 D6 dice, zombies move according to two D4 dice (simulate from D6 with re-rolls as needed)
    • Zombies may move in either direction around the board, as per the players choosing each roll.
  • 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 do not participate in any normal commerse. In addition, the following apply:
    • Zombies check chance/chest cards, but ignore them.
    • Zombies do not follow "teleport" movement (go to nearest railway, go to jail, etc)
    • Zombies do not get another go on a double dice result
    • If a zombie lands on an unowned property it immediately goes to auction
    • Properties owned by zombies are considered infection grounds - ie, should a human player land on a zombie property with no improvement, they are converted.
    • However, if the zombie property has improvement, the human survives, but at the expense of one level of improvement - so over time zombie properties will reduce to being unsafe. Property demolition occurs at the end of a continuous run of human player occupation, at the END of occupation. (ie, if multiple players occupy the same property at once, then only one demolition occurs, when the property is vacated)
    • If zombies share a space with humans, then the humans will turn into zombies if the number of zombies is equal or higher than the number of humans + number of improvements.
      • exception: "free parking" remains as a rest space - humans can never be turned to zombie there
      • also note: "in jail" and "just visiting jail" are separate. (Zombies cannot go "in jail")
    • If a zombie finds themselves on an vacant player property with improvements, then one level of improvement is demolished then the zombie ARRIVES there.
      • note: If a zombie arrives on a property with a human and a property, then the human survives to move on. A house will be demolished only when the zombie has no human opposition protecting it. If another human has arrived at the property in the meantime, it may survive till the zombie leaves.

Stage Three: Apocalypse

  • Once zombies equal or outnumber human players, the economy collapses, and remaining humans move to survival mode.
  • All commerce and economic-based activity halts. This includes the building of properties (or demolishing for monopoly-rule reasons. Demolition now only occurs for zombie-based reasons), and bodyguard purchasing.
  • Zombies continue as before.
  • Humans now move with increased agility, by rolling three D6, and choosing two according to their tactical needs, and also choosing direction of movement per roll.
    • this increases the chances that a human can 'choose' a double and get a second roll
    • this also allows for increased chance for a human to 'choose' a double-1 and become zombie
    • humans no longer follow monopoly 'teleport' rules either. "Doubles = another go" can continue without penalty for as long as doubles are rolled.
  • Winning conditions for a human: be the last human alive, then land on 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, zombies finally break in)

Gameplay TLDR

  • Play normal monopoly first time around the board.
  • 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.
  • When zombies ≥ humans, no more commerce. Humans now move by choose 2 from 3D6.
  • Win by:
    • last human and on own IMPROVED property
    • all zombies, and be first zombie to 'jail' square.

To consider

These are ideas from after-testing discussions, and need their own testing before considered good or not. Most promising ideas first.

  • A regular problem is that the game descends to Apocalypse before any property trading can occur so improvements prove difficult. Some suggested solutions (in order from most like M rules, to least)
    • Once all properties in a group are purchased, owners may collaborate to improve the colour group within normal Monopoly "improve in sync" rule. (means minimal improvement possible once at least one property in the group is zombie owned)
    • As per above, but drop the requirement to improve in sync (thus allowing ongoing improvement even after others in the group are zombified)
    • As per above, but drop the requirement that all properties be purchased (ie, first property owned can begin improvements ... immediately? Though after some delay is probably a good idea.)
  • Roll for zombie conversion
    • Modify the conversion rules so each conversion opportunity is played as a dice roll. Each human/bodyguard/property earns the defence on D6. Each zombie/infection ground earns the attack a D6. Each side rolls, largest wins. re-roll ties.
    • note: new battle between all humans and zombies occur on any *arrival* to a property, but not on departures. (humans sneak out, zombies mindlessly shamble away)
    • I don't think this should include snakeeye/jail conversions. (they are already governed by chance)
  • Should stations/utilities by default provide safe shelter? Existing safe shelters are:
    • Free Parking
    • What about GO?
    • What about Chance/Chest?
    • What about Just Visiting Jail?
  • 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

The following original ideas were not playtested

  • Once in apocalypse mode, 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 and then sharing them between members of the team, per round. (2 players = 6 dice. 3 players = 9 dice). This increases the chances that a team can continue to move together to outnumber zombies (or more likely be able to split up and make it to safe houses).
    • Play mechanic problem: means all human players need to effectively have a collective turn - which means a change in player order from the original table order. This could be messy.
    • Tactical problem: you only win by being the last human. Should there be a "team of humans win" condition?
    • Also: what if dice rolls cannot be shared. eg, 2 humans, 6 die with values 2,2,2,2,2,1 - and the ONLY safe square is 3 away...
  • Should houses/hotels be fortified as an enhancement beyond the standard monopoly building code?

Testlog

Trivia

  • Let the record show that the very first roll in the very first playtest was a double-1 and so the game inventor became a zombie. (and so the second game introduced the "once around before zombie possible" rule)
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