The Basics
Definitions
The Deck is a standard deck of playing cards with the jokers removed
The Goal Card is the card whose prompt ends the game
The Starting Point is the card where the player's marker is placed at the beginning.
The Marker is a small object that the player uses to track their movement
The Board is a 4x6 grid of playing cards
Resources are values that change as the player explores the board
Prompts are story scenes and mechanics associated with a particular card.
Setup
The game is played with a deck of standard playing cards, with the jokers removed.
Players should also have a way to track resources, and a marker, like a coin or small toy.
Players start play by going through the deck and retrieving the Goal Card and the Starting Point.
Next, players shuffle the deck and draw 22 more cards to bring the total to 24
The player then takes this pile and shuffles in the Goal Card face-down.
Once this 23 card pile is shuffled, the player deals out the cards face-down in a 4x6 grid, filling the last place with the Starting Point, face-up.
The game is played by moving the marker from one card to an adjacent card, turning the card face-up if necessary, and then following the prompts.
Resources
The base gameplay involves moving around this “board” of cards, but resources add another layer of complexity on top. They're immensely variable, and they're a great way to flavor the base rules.
There are two basic modes. You can use either one, or you can use both!
Survival Mode
Survival Mode is about exploring while your resources are dwindling, and looking for ways to replenish them. It could represent Warmth, Courage, Fuel, Blood, or something else that you need in order to carry on
- The player starts with 8.
- Moving from card to card costs 1
- 10 of the card prompts reduce it by an extra 1
- 15 of the card prompts increase it by 2
- There is a consequence to reaching 0. Players may have to return to the starting point or lose the game entirely.
Collect Mode
Collect Mode is about searching the area for smaller pieces of your ultimate goal. These could represent Advantage, Clues, Rescues, or something else that you need to achieve your goals.
- The player starts with 0
- 13 of your card prompts add 1 (Or, if you like, cards of a certain suit add 1)
- When the player reaches the Goal Card, they only succeed if they have 4 or more of these, or if every card on the board is face-up.
Goal Card
The goal of the game is to move the marker onto the Goal Card and succeed at the condition written in its prompt.
For a basic game in Survival Mode, the goal is to arrive with your resource higher than 0.
For a basic game in Collect Mode, the goal is to arrive with your resource higher than 4, or if every card on the board is turned face-up.
Prompts
Every card should have a unique prompt written about it. The player will look up each card's prompt as they play. I know, it's a lot of work, but it's part of making the game a unique experience! Not every card needs to interact with the resources, but each card should be something special. Don't worry – I've gone ahead and written a little help-list later on.