Animal Farm

A very simple card game about making your own animals the strongest, and the favorite animals of others the weakest.

Setup

Everyone gets a hand of animal cards. The table starts with 1 card of each animal. (Potentially with a special action/rule whatever written on it, for expansions. Only those starter cards have that text; not the regular ones.)

Gameplay

On your turn, you play a card: either to yourself, another player, or the center of the table.

If you play it to the table, either play it ABOVE its animal (faceup) or BELOW (facedown)

Objective

At the end of the game, everyone scores the cards in front of them.

If an animal has more cards ABOVE/FACEUP than BELOW/FACEDOWN, each of their cards is +1 point.
Otherwise, each of their cards is -1 point.

Highest score wins!

This is an entire game already.

Expansions / Extras

We can add the special types (double, thief, spy, etcetera) of Courtisans too.

We can add the twist of simultaneous turns!

Everyone plays their card at the same time.
Handle placing them in order of the animals on the table. (Each animal itself has a number of dots from 1–9 to sort them further.)
- YES! This is a very easy and instantly visible way, but also randomized because you won’t place those first animals in the same order every time.
So you can still decide if it’s ABOVE/BELOW after seeing all results.

POSSIBLE ISSUE: There is no reason to give other players a “good card” now. (As opposed to Courtisans were you just draw 3 cards each turn and must give 1 to yourself, other, and table.)

Simultaneous turns fix this somewhat, but there’s still too much freedom AFTER revealing it.
- Maybe the cards have an icon of where you’re allowed to put it?
- (THIS IS SMARTER) Or maybe there’s a limited supply => Giving a card to yourself can only be done once. Everyone else must give their card to the table or another player.
- (THIS IS SMARTER) Or maybe there’s an order => The faceup cards show the order in which cards must be given away. For example, all cards have that icon (SELF/OTHER/TABLE) at their top.
  - There are 3 pigs.
  - First one = TABLE
  - Second one = TABLE
  - Third one = SELF
  - Then the first pig revealed must go to the table, the second one as well, the third one can be placed for yourself.
Have special actions/powers mess with this. (For example: “If multiple pigs are played, you must always give them to other players.”)

POSSIBLE ISSUE: Perhaps too many unknowns about other player’s cards now.

SOLUTION = “When you played your final card of an animal type, you must say so.” (That is, after deciding where it goes, you see that you have no more of that animal type; say so.)
- To prevent forgetting, sort your cards based on type.
- If not a general rule—which may be forgotten—just make it a special power or twist.

Notes / Verdict

Needs a proper name; this was just my first direct association. Maybe just a synonym for this? Beastie Farm or Creaturecroft or Pet pen or Livestead (Livestock + Stead) or Lifestork (Livestock + Stork)

Inspired by Courtisans, but simpler, print-n-play, more for kids, simultaneous turns.

@VERDICT: Really simple and powerful.

Keep the simultaneous turns as base-game (simplest + fastest rules is always for that)
But the turn-based more-free gameplay can be a variant.
And maybe the “only draw 3 cards at a time each round” of the original can be a variant too?

A very simple card game about making your own animals the strongest, and the favorite animals of others the weakest. ## Setup Everyone gets a hand of **animal cards**. The table starts with 1 card of each animal. (Potentially with a special action/rule whatever written on it, for expansions. Only those starter cards have that text; not the regular ones.) ## Gameplay On your turn, you **play a card**: either to yourself, another player, or the center of the table. If you play it to the table, either play it ABOVE its animal (faceup) or BELOW (facedown) ## Objective At the end of the game, everyone scores the cards in front of them. * If an animal has more cards ABOVE/FACEUP than BELOW/FACEDOWN, each of their cards is +1 point. * Otherwise, each of their cards is -1 point. Highest score wins! This is an entire game already. ## Expansions / Extras We can add the special types (double, thief, spy, etcetera) of _Courtisans_ too. We can add the twist of **simultaneous turns**! * Everyone plays their card at the same time. * Handle placing them in order of the animals on the table. (Each animal itself has a number of dots from 1--9 to sort them further.) * YES! This is a very easy and instantly visible way, but also randomized because you won't place those first animals in the same order every time. * So you can still decide if it's ABOVE/BELOW _after_ seeing all results. **POSSIBLE ISSUE**: There is no reason to give other players a "good card" now. (As opposed to Courtisans were you just draw 3 cards each turn and _must_ give 1 to yourself, other, and table.) * Simultaneous turns fix this somewhat, but there's still too much freedom AFTER revealing it. * Maybe the cards have an icon of where you're allowed to put it? * (THIS IS SMARTER) Or maybe there's a limited supply => Giving a card to yourself can only be done _once_. Everyone else must give their card to the table or another player. * (THIS IS SMARTER) Or maybe there's an order => The faceup cards show the _order_ in which cards must be given away. For example, all cards have that icon (SELF/OTHER/TABLE) at their top. * There are 3 pigs. * First one = TABLE * Second one = TABLE * Third one = SELF * Then the first pig revealed must go to the table, the second one as well, the third one can be placed for yourself. * Have special actions/powers mess with this. (For example: "If multiple pigs are played, you must always give them to other players.") **POSSIBLE ISSUE:** Perhaps too many unknowns about other player's cards now. * SOLUTION = "When you played your final card of an animal type, you must say so." (That is, after deciding where it goes, you see that you have no more of that animal type; say so.) * To prevent forgetting, sort your cards based on type. * If not a general rule---which may be forgotten---just make it a special power or twist. ## Notes / Verdict Needs a proper name; this was just my first direct association. Maybe just a synonym for this? **Beastie Farm** or **Creaturecroft** or **Pet pen** or **Livestead** (Livestock + Stead) or **Lifestork** (Livestock + Stork) Inspired by _Courtisans_, but simpler, print-n-play, more for kids, simultaneous turns. @VERDICT: Really simple and powerful. * Keep the simultaneous turns as base-game (simplest + fastest rules is always for that) * But the turn-based more-free gameplay can be a variant. * And maybe the "only draw 3 cards at a time each round" of the original can be a variant too?