Concept
Ever since you were a small boy or girl you wanted to study Science, or what your grandfather used to call “Natural Philosophy.”
It thrilled you to no end, thinking about Advancing the Progress of Civilization by Pursuing Knowledge.
Not to mention doing honor to the Empire and Her Majesty.
The only question left to ask yourself was, in what branch of Science were you the most likely to make a good income?
The choices ranged from Aeronautics to Zoology, and were very well, of course, but not many put one in the position of discovering valuable objects to bring back to the University.
The answer, therefore, was...Archeology.
And now, some colleagues and you have found the abandoned hideout of robbers. Unfortunately the cave is located in a seismically active area on the notorious Ring of Fire. Furthermore, workers are blasting with dynamite nearby as part of a road construction. So for Queen, Country, Honor, and Money, get out while you can with the most valuable load you can carry!
It thrilled you to no end, thinking about Advancing the Progress of Civilization by Pursuing Knowledge.
Not to mention doing honor to the Empire and Her Majesty.
The only question left to ask yourself was, in what branch of Science were you the most likely to make a good income?
The choices ranged from Aeronautics to Zoology, and were very well, of course, but not many put one in the position of discovering valuable objects to bring back to the University.
The answer, therefore, was...Archeology.
And now, some colleagues and you have found the abandoned hideout of robbers. Unfortunately the cave is located in a seismically active area on the notorious Ring of Fire. Furthermore, workers are blasting with dynamite nearby as part of a road construction. So for Queen, Country, Honor, and Money, get out while you can with the most valuable load you can carry!
Setup
Shuffle all the cards. Divide the deck into four face down “Treasure Piles” of about the same size. Leave space next to each pile for the face up cards that are revealed from that pile.
Each player should leave space near him or her self for the “Backpack” and a space between the Backpack and the treasure piles for the “Inventory.”
The inventory represents an item that you are holding in your hands. Because you treat items respectfully, you may only hold one item in the inventory at once.
The backpack represents the container you will use to remove your items from the cave. The cards in the Backpack may not exceed 15 in either volume or weight.
Each player should leave space near him or her self for the “Backpack” and a space between the Backpack and the treasure piles for the “Inventory.”
The inventory represents an item that you are holding in your hands. Because you treat items respectfully, you may only hold one item in the inventory at once.
The backpack represents the container you will use to remove your items from the cave. The cards in the Backpack may not exceed 15 in either volume or weight.
Actions
Each player gets three actions per turn. When they are all used, play proceeds to the left. Any action the situation allows may be performed in any order. The actions are:
· Take the top card from a face down pile and place it on top of the corresponding face up pile.
· If your inventory is empty, take the top card from any face up pile and put it in your inventory.
· Move the item from inventory into your backpack, so long as it does not cause the total volume or total weight to exceed 15.
· If your inventory is empty, move any item from the backpack into your inventory.
· Put the item from inventory back onto any face up pile.
There are additional, optional actions that make for a more aggressive game:
· If the value of an object in another player’s inventory is less than the value of the object in yours, exchange these cards.
· Move the item from your own inventory to the empty inventory of another player.
Of course, one would never be impolite.
· Take the top card from a face down pile and place it on top of the corresponding face up pile.
· If your inventory is empty, take the top card from any face up pile and put it in your inventory.
· Move the item from inventory into your backpack, so long as it does not cause the total volume or total weight to exceed 15.
· If your inventory is empty, move any item from the backpack into your inventory.
· Put the item from inventory back onto any face up pile.
There are additional, optional actions that make for a more aggressive game:
· If the value of an object in another player’s inventory is less than the value of the object in yours, exchange these cards.
· Move the item from your own inventory to the empty inventory of another player.
Of course, one would never be impolite.
Cards
Each item card has a name at the bottom and three numbers. The number at the top left is the volume, marked by the measuring cup. The number in the top right is the weight, marked by the scale. The number in the middle is the value, marked by the handshake. Each of these may range from 1 to 5.
Items in the backpack should be stacked so that all the volumes and weights are visible.
Items in the backpack should be stacked so that all the volumes and weights are visible.
There are 14 seismograph cards in the deck. Each has a value from 1 to 5.
If a player who is using an action to reveal a face down card reveals a seismograph, it is added to a separate pile.
They should be stacked so that all the numbers show. The player may then continue with any remaining actions, unless the seismograph card just revealed makes the total of all revealed seismograph cards 21 or larger. If this happens, the turn is over at once. Then, starting with the player to the left of whoever revealed the card, each player gets one more turn containing 5 actions. At the end of these 5 actions, the inventory must be empty.
You will need both hands to put your backpack on.
If a player who is using an action to reveal a face down card reveals a seismograph, it is added to a separate pile.
They should be stacked so that all the numbers show. The player may then continue with any remaining actions, unless the seismograph card just revealed makes the total of all revealed seismograph cards 21 or larger. If this happens, the turn is over at once. Then, starting with the player to the left of whoever revealed the card, each player gets one more turn containing 5 actions. At the end of these 5 actions, the inventory must be empty.
You will need both hands to put your backpack on.
Scoring
Each player’s score is the total of all the values of the cards in his or her backpack. The largest score wins. If more than one player shares the highest score, the tie is resolved by checking for:
· The lightest total weight, and if those are equal,
· The smallest total volume, and if those are also equal,
· The largest number of items. And if those are also equal, you will just have to share the victory.
View the game page on The Game Crafter here.
· The lightest total weight, and if those are equal,
· The smallest total volume, and if those are also equal,
· The largest number of items. And if those are also equal, you will just have to share the victory.
View the game page on The Game Crafter here.
Image Sources
All the graphic design elements used in this game are believed by me to be in the public domain.
Seismograph
Frames and borders
Texture
Measuring Cup
Scale and Handshake
Seismograph
Frames and borders
Texture
Measuring Cup
Scale and Handshake