Food Fossils

I envisioned a game that was a race to be the first to uncover ancient cities or fossils of unknown species. Then I thought it might be a bit boring, so I thought why not combine it with being the first to discover certain food recipes or something. Maybe the first fossil-only theme was fine :p

It’s inspired by “Compile” and “Air, Land and Sea”. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPBZrhyI2J0)

What do I want to adapt?

Allow other player counts (than just 2 player head-to-head)
Remove text from material; use icons only.
Which makes it more family/kid-oriented too.

Setup

Place X random Fossil Cards faceup in the center of the table.

Combine all other cards into one pile. Deal everyone X random cards from it: their personal deck.

You’re not allowed to look at your deck. Place it facedown in front of you and draw the top Y cards into your hand.

Objective

The game ends as soon as all fossils have been uncovered ( = scored by players).

Each fossil scores points. The player with the highest total score wins!

Gameplay

Rounds are simultaneous.

Everyone picks a hand card at the same time, then reveals it.
Place cards in front of you sorted by type (or “color”): each row is called a “Research”.

If you created a Research with a total number of 10 or higher, you complete the corresponding fossil.

Place the fossil in your personal score pile.
All cards from your Research are removed from the game.
All such cards from other players, of the same Research, are returned: they shuffle them back into their deck.

If multiple players complete the same fossil (in the same round), nobody gets it (yet).

If you play a nonexistent type ( = the fossil isn’t on the table), it’s a wildcard: you may add it to any of your Research.

Finally, everyone draws the top card of their deck into their hand.

Cards / Actions

Cards can have two types of actions. (These are in different locations—top/bottom—so you recognize it immediately. And the “on top” action is COVERED UP automatically if you place a card on top.)

ON PLAY: This triggers when played.
ON TOP: This triggers every round, as long as this card is on top of its pile.

In what order should these actions be handled?

Each fossil type/color has a unique number. Handle them in this order.
If multiple players have the same color, handle them in order of the total number of their Research (low to high).
If still tied now, those tied actions don’t trigger.

POSSIBLE ACTIONS (whittle it down to just four or something)

Draw: draw an extra card into your hand
Play Card: play another card.
Add (Fossil): add another fossil card to the table.
Move: move a top card to a different pile. (A “top card” is any card at the top of a colored pile.)
Return: return a top card. (To be shuffled back into their deck.)

@TODO: What we lose here—by not playing piles directly beneath a fossil card—is the ability to swap fossil places and actually be a meaningful change. (Because now a different pile of yours works towards that fossil.) => Bring that back in some other way?

Expansion: Arcane Archeology

What changes? This adds cards with written actions that are very unique and “meta”. Like …

You can only have 2 different Research at most.
You can’t target fossils X or Y.
Your hand limit is permanently raised/lowered.

Also a few more “symbol” actions that I removed from base game?

Swap Cards: swap two top cards (same or different piles)
Swap Fossils: swap a fossil for another one.

Expansion: Flipping Fossils

What changes?

You’re allowed to play cards facedown. In that case, they’re always worth 1, but can be placed to any of your piles (regardless of their color).
An extra action: FLIP a card (faceup <-> facedown).
The “on play” action triggers again when a card is revealed through flipping.

Expansions: Expensive Equipment

What changes? It adds a bit of deck building too.

Purchase: add an extra card (from leftovers) to your overall deck? => maybe have a bit of a market and a purchase cost, so you can “throw away” certain cards from a pile to purchase new ones?
Steal: steal a card and put it into your own deck (for usage later)
Remove: remove a card from your deck/hand

Variants

“If multiple people complete the same fossil (in the sam round), you get it if your total number is at least 2 higher than anyone else.” (Example: you create 13 Brown, while another player creates 11 Brown that round, then you get it anyway.)

Variant: Turn-Based

You can also play this game with alternating turns.

From start player, go clockwise around the table.
On your turn,
- Execute all your ON TOP actions.
- Play 1 card as usual + score fossils as usual (>=10)
- Execute its ON PLAY action (if it has one).
- Draw a new card.

I envisioned a game that was **a race to be the _first_ to uncover ancient cities or fossils of unknown species**. Then I thought it might be a bit boring, so I thought why not combine it with being the first to discover certain food recipes or something. Maybe the first fossil-only theme was fine :p It's inspired by _"Compile"_ and _"Air, Land and Sea"_. (<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPBZrhyI2J0>) What do I want to adapt? * Allow other player counts (than just 2 player head-to-head) * Remove text from material; use icons only. * Which makes it more family/kid-oriented too. ## Setup Place X random **Fossil Cards** faceup in the center of the table. Combine all other cards into one pile. Deal everyone X random cards from it: their **personal deck**. You're not allowed to look at your deck. Place it facedown in front of you and draw the top Y cards into your hand. ## Objective The game **ends** as soon as all fossils have been uncovered ( = scored by players). Each fossil scores points. The player with the **highest total score** wins! ## Gameplay Rounds are simultaneous. * Everyone picks a hand card at the same time, then reveals it. * Place cards in front of you sorted by _type_ (or "color"): each row is called a "Research". If you created a Research with a **total number of 10 or higher**, you complete the corresponding fossil. * Place the fossil in your personal score pile. * All cards from your Research are _removed_ from the game. * All such cards from other players, of the same Research, are _returned_: they shuffle them back into their deck. If multiple players complete the same fossil (in the same round), nobody gets it (yet). If you play a nonexistent type ( = the fossil isn't on the table), it's a wildcard: you may add it to any of your Research. Finally, everyone draws the top card of their deck into their hand. ## Cards / Actions Cards can have two types of actions. (These are in different locations---top/bottom---so you recognize it immediately. And the "on top" action is COVERED UP automatically if you place a card on top.) * ON PLAY: This triggers when played. * ON TOP: This triggers every round, as long as this card is on top of its pile. In what _order_ should these actions be handled? * Each fossil type/color has a unique number. Handle them in this order. * If multiple players have the same color, handle them in order of the _total number_ of their Research (low to high). * If still tied now, those tied actions don't trigger. POSSIBLE ACTIONS (whittle it down to just four or something) * Draw: draw an extra card into your hand * Play Card: play another card. * Add (Fossil): add another fossil card to the table. * Move: move a top card to a different pile. (A "top card" is any card at the top of a colored pile.) * Return: return a top card. (To be shuffled back into their deck.) @TODO: What we _lose_ here---by not playing piles directly beneath a fossil card---is the ability to swap fossil places and actually be a meaningful change. (Because now a different pile of yours works towards that fossil.) => Bring that back in some other way? ## Expansion: Arcane Archeology What changes? This adds cards with _written_ actions that are very unique and "meta". Like ... * You can only have 2 different Research at most. * You can't target fossils X or Y. * Your hand limit is permanently raised/lowered. Also a few more "symbol" actions that I removed from base game? * Swap Cards: swap two top cards (same or different piles) * Swap Fossils: swap a fossil for another one. ## Expansion: Flipping Fossils What changes? * You're allowed to play cards _facedown_. In that case, they're always worth 1, but can be placed to any of your piles (regardless of their color). * An extra action: FLIP a card (faceup <-> facedown). * The "on play" action triggers again when a card is revealed through flipping. ## Expansions: Expensive Equipment What changes? It adds a bit of _deck building_ too. * Purchase: add an extra card (from leftovers) to your overall deck? => maybe have a bit of a market and a purchase cost, so you can "throw away" certain cards from a pile to purchase new ones? * Steal: steal a card and put it into your own deck (for usage later) * Remove: remove a card from your deck/hand ## Variants * "If multiple people complete the same fossil (in the sam round), you get it if your total number is at least **2 higher** than anyone else." (Example: you create 13 Brown, while another player creates 11 Brown that round, then you get it anyway.) ## Variant: Turn-Based You can also play this game with alternating _turns_. * From start player, go clockwise around the table. * On your turn, * Execute all your ON TOP actions. * Play 1 card as usual + score fossils as usual (>=10) * Execute its ON PLAY action (if it has one). * Draw a new card.