Neverwell

Below are two simpler ideas.

Domino-Building Game (No Meeples Needed)

Cards are dominoes.

In fact, one side shows a building/person to play, the other shows resources.

When you build a card, you place it with the building side facing up.
When the card activates, it flips around so the resources face up. (Now you have those in your inventory to spend on whatever.)
When you spend the resources, it flips back to being a building. (That’s how you build stuff.)

So, the general rule is.

Whatever side faces up, from cards in your city, is its current value/state.

When do cards activate? Some options:

Due to other cards.
On a cycle. (After every round, all cards of type X will trigger, where you cycle through the types.)
As a concrete action on your turn?

Some cards just have two buildings. It has an action that has nothing to do with resources, and when triggered it just flips to the other building type.

Similarly, some cards just have two resources. Whenever a card allows gaining more resources (from your hand), you can pick one of those. Or maybe you can just build it to get insta-resources?

@IDEA: Have two decks. One with the high-cost, high value cards, and one with the low-cost, low-value cards.

One deck is used for the 4 cards on the left.
The other deck is for the 4 cards on the right.

When refilling the market, only refill from the appropriate deck. (Keeps a good balance throughout the whole game.) => These cards are marked with a clear symbol that separates them. Might even create three decks.

@IDEA: Include that idea of “if you have this one, that other one is free”. BUT don’t make it so highly specific, do it in a way that leaves slightly more options, so you’re not just waiting for that one perfect card.

@IDEA: Could you create a variant in which placement actually matters? I think it’s more thematic and unique if you can’t just plop down cards any way you want, but you must actually connect their rivers/roads/buildings to paths/etcetera.

Thieving Idea (Meeples Needed)

Almost all cards in your city have worker placement spots on them.

Additionally, everyone has two types of meeples.

Ones that they can only use in their own city
Ones that they can only use in the city of other players

As expected, on your turn you do one of two things.

Place an unused meeple in an available spot, take that action.
Pay for a card and place it in anybody’s city.

The idea is that you …

Don’t need a player board or extra pieces. (As all slots appear naturally as people play those cards.)
While encouraging extremely high interaction throughout the whole game. (You must check what others do and must use some of it.)

Crucially, when somebody uses an action in your city, you are always rewarded (with the same, not insignificant bonus).

I want to find an engine-building / deck-building game that can be easily print-n-play (requires no extra materials, no resources, no big board) and is much simpler. This was inspired by playing _Everdell_ and thinking it was really cool and interesting, but most people would never play it with me because it's too expensive, large, and complicated. Below are two simpler ideas. ## Domino-Building Game (No Meeples Needed) **Cards are dominoes.** In fact, one side shows a building/person to play, the other shows _resources_. * When you build a card, you place it with the building side facing up. * When the card _activates_, it flips around so the resources face up. (Now you have those in your inventory to spend on whatever.) * When you spend the resources, it flips back to being a building. (That's how you build stuff.) So, the general rule is. > Whatever side faces up, from cards in your city, is its current value/state. When do cards activate? Some options: * Due to other cards. * On a cycle. (After every round, all cards of type X will trigger, where you cycle through the types.) * As a concrete action on your turn? Some cards just have _two buildings_. It has an action that has nothing to do with resources, and when triggered it just flips to the other building type. Similarly, some cards just have _two resources_. Whenever a card allows gaining more resources (from your hand), you can pick one of those. Or maybe you can just _build_ it to get insta-resources? **@IDEA:** Have two decks. One with the high-cost, high value cards, and one with the low-cost, low-value cards. * One deck is used for the 4 cards on the left. * The other deck is for the 4 cards on the right. When refilling the market, only refill from the appropriate deck. (Keeps a good balance throughout the whole game.) => These cards are marked with a clear symbol that separates them. Might even create _three_ decks. **@IDEA:** Include that idea of "if you have this one, that other one is free". BUT don't make it so highly specific, do it in a way that leaves slightly more options, so you're not just waiting for that one perfect card. **@IDEA:** Could you create a variant in which _placement_ actually matters? I think it's more thematic and unique if you can't just plop down cards any way you want, but you must actually connect their rivers/roads/buildings to paths/etcetera. ## Thieving Idea (Meeples Needed) Almost all cards in your city have **worker placement spots** on them. Additionally, everyone has two types of meeples. * Ones that they can only use **in their own city** * Ones that they can only use in **the city of other players** As expected, on your turn you do one of two things. * Place an unused meeple in an available spot, take that action. * Pay for a card and place it in anybody's city. The idea is that you ... * Don't need a player board or extra pieces. (As all slots appear naturally as people play those cards.) * While encouraging extremely high interaction throughout the whole game. (You must check what others do and must use some of it.) Crucially, when somebody uses an action **in your city**, you are **always rewarded** (with the same, not insignificant bonus).