A Treasure To Die For

Inspired by The Search for Planet X.

You are explorers from different nations. As you explore, you need to send back information to your king, so that they give you more money and tools.

You need to send that information to the phone, and then it tells you your “reward” (from the king!) based on how correct it is.
However, if another player eavesdrops, they might intercept your information. (You either need to read it aloud, or the phone tells them afterwards, etc.)

Setup

Grab an empty paper. Fold X times.
Open the website on a device and start the game there.
Decide an icon for yourself and place it somewhere on the board.

Objective

Be the first to find and dig up the treasure.

Gameplay

Players take turns until somebody wins. On your turn, you can do one of two things: move or dig.

Move

You always move from your latest written icon to an adjacent (free) square. (As such, you leave a trail from start to where you are now, at all times.)

If you are the first to enter an empty cell, you “discover” it. Subdivide it into 4 smaller cells.

(Why? This reduces the amount you need to fold, yet gives us a lot of squares.)

Before you move, ask the phone if you can do it. It will tell you a simple “yes” or “no”. (No other information and your turn is done.)

Dig

At your current location, dig into the ground. (You can gather different types of digging during the game? And you start with X standard digs?)

What does the computer/device do?

The computer randomly generates a map for the game. (Each square holds something, which could mean its empty, or just an impassable mountain.)

These objects follow strict logic rules, although there might be some randomness. For example:

The treasure chest is always surrounded by weak sand / soft ground
If the chest is in water, it leaves a mark where it started, then follows the water according to the current.
(And then some way to figure out the current.)
An abandoned town is always next to water.
There are never two mountains next to each other.

At the start, it gives you some information. (Like: there are mountains on A4 and C6, player 1 starts at D8, …)

Visuals

It would be nice to give each element a clear simple icon. This way, as you play, you literally fill in the squares to get the complete map of the place.

Ideas / Problems

How do we write whatever is underneath the square ( = what you get when digging), and who is standing there on the same paper? Or, do we not write down player icons, but just use pawns?
Do we use the backside of the board as well? Can we draw what you get when digging there?
How do we prevent players from just … winning instantly? (Either don’t give them a dig at the start, or use starting positions to get them away from the chest, or make getting the treasure a bit more … convoluted at times => more steps.)

Inspired by *The Search for Planet X*. You are *explorers* from different nations. As you explore, you need to send back information to your king, so that they give you more money and tools. * You need to send that information to the phone, and then it tells you your "reward" (from the king!) based on how correct it is. * However, if another player eavesdrops, they might *intercept* your information. (You either need to read it aloud, or the phone tells them afterwards, etc.) ## Setup - Grab an empty paper. Fold X times. - Open the website on a device and start the game there. - Decide an icon for yourself and place it somewhere on the board. ## Objective Be the first to find *and* dig up the treasure. ## Gameplay Players take turns until somebody wins. On your turn, you can do one of two things: **move** or **dig**. ### Move You always move from your latest written icon to an adjacent (free) square. (As such, you leave a trail from start to where you are now, at all times.) **If you are the first to enter an empty cell, you "discover" it. Subdivide it into 4 smaller cells.** (Why? This reduces the amount you need to fold, yet gives us a *lot* of squares.) **Before you move, ask the phone if you can do it.** It will tell you a simple "yes" or "no". (No other information and your turn is done.) ### Dig At your current location, dig into the ground. (You can gather different *types* of digging during the game? And you start with X standard digs?) ## What does the computer/device do? The computer randomly generates a map for the game. (Each square holds *something*, which could mean its empty, or just an impassable mountain.) These objects follow strict logic rules, although there might be some randomness. For example: - The treasure chest is always surrounded by weak sand / soft ground - If the chest is in water, it leaves a mark where it *started*, then follows the water according to the current. - (And then some way to figure out the current.) - An abandoned town is always next to water. - There are never two mountains next to each other. At the start, it gives you *some* information. (Like: there are mountains on A4 and C6, player 1 starts at D8, ...) ## Visuals It would be nice to give each element a clear simple icon. This way, as you play, you literally fill in the squares to get the complete map of the place. ## Ideas / Problems - How do we write whatever is *underneath* the square ( = what you get when digging), and who is *standing* there on the same paper? Or, do we *not* write down player icons, but just use **pawns**? - Do we use the *backside* of the board as well? Can we draw what you get when digging *there*? - How do we prevent players from just ... winning instantly? (Either don't give them a dig at the start, or use starting positions to get them away from the chest, or make getting the treasure a bit more ... convoluted at times => more steps.)