* "Patient Zero: A Solo Epidemic"
* Players: 1 (Solitaire)
* Playtime: 30 min or less
* Difficulty: Med-High
* "Lite" Game, Expandable
* Elements: Deck building, Memory, Strategy, Hand/Deck Management, Risk/Reward?, .....
* Theme: You are a Resident Doctor, with a team of Specialists, given the task of keeping a patient alive for their 3 day hospital stay. You will then be evaluated by the Hospital's Board of Directors... Keep the patient alive, score well, and you may get to keep your job! If not... then it's back to ramen noodles and public broadcast TV.
--OR--
You are a Specialist in Contagious Diseases with the CDC. A patient exhibits unidentifiable symptoms that has infected others, each of whom may infect countless more each day. You have 3 days to find a cure before it becomes a worldwide pandemic. If the patient dies or a proper treatment is not found soon... the world is lost.
--Components--
**Card Deck (44 cards in 4 colors: Black, Blue, Red, Yellow)
*Positive Effect*
1x4 colors: Specialist
1x4 colors: Medicine
1x4 colors: IV
*Negative Effect*
1x4 colors: Contagion
1x4 colors: Outburst
1x4 colors: Outbreak
*Neutal Effect*
5x4 colors: Disease Type- No Special Rules
(=44 cards total)
**Patient Limb Cards
1x Head
1x Torso
1x Left Arm
1x Right Arm
1x Left Leg
1x Right Leg
(=6 cards total)
**Day Track
1x Card numbered with track of 1, 2, and 3 (Days)
1x Counter (for Day Track)
**Colored Cubes
18x Black
18x Blue
18x Red
18x Yellow
**Dice
1x D6 (stickered/custom with limbs)
--Game Setup--
1. Place all 6 limbs in play with green "Path of Contagion" arrows matching (to form the patient... pics)
2. Place Day Track next to patient, with the counter on Day 1
3. Shuffle all 44 cards together to form the Deck
4. Draw 6, one at a time, placing corresponding color cube on each limb, starting at head, counter-clockwise ending at Torso.
--Turn Order-- (Split into 3 Phases)
*Infection Phase*
1. Roll D6 to determine limb infected
2. Draw top card of deck to discard pile
3. Infect limb with 1 cube of the color of card drawn
4. If Negative Effect card is drawn, NOW apply card's Effect (after infecting limb)
*Research Phase*
1. Draw 3 Cards TO HAND
2. If one or more Negative Effect cards are drawn, apply card's Effect (in order drawn if multiple)
3. If no Negative Effect card is drawn, discard any ONE card from you hand to Discard Pile
** Any time, if you cannot draw any more cards, begin Treatment Phase, you do not have to discard one card. After Treatment Phase, Reshuffle Discard pile, keeping cards in your hand, and start new turn at Infection Phase***
*Treatment Phase*
1. You are allowed 2 Actions from the following:
- Play a Neutral or Positive Effect card from your hand and discard, applying any card effects
- Place a Specialist into play, next to Patient
- Discard 4 cards of ONE color for a "WILD" color Neutral Effect Card
- Discard ONE card each of ALL 4 colors for a "WILD" color Neutral Effect Card
2. At end of Treatment Phase, you may only have 4 cards in your hand. Discard down to 4. Do not apply these discarded card abilities.
** You may play the Specialist's abilities FROM PLAY (not hand) at ANY time without using an action**
-- Card Effects/Abilities--
**Positive Effect Card**
*Specialist- At any time, you may remove this card from the rest of the game to cancel the effect of any Outburst, Outbreak, or Contagion card of the same color. (Regard Contagion Rules) You may also play as a single Neutral Effect card of the same color from your hand only, to the discard pile.
*Medicine- Discard to remove ALL cubes of card color from ONE limb
*IV- Discard to remove ONE cube from ALL limbs of card color
**Negative Effect Card**
*Contagion- Follow green "Path of Contagion" arrows to infect adjacent limbs (of card's color). Only place ONE cube, PER limb, PER color. If matching color Specialist is in play and any limb is currently infected with same color disease, YOU MUST Remove the Specialist from the game, cancel this card's effect to Patient. (Specialist "absorbs" all cubes and dies)
*Outburst- Place ONE cube (of card's color) on ALL limbs NOT already infected with card color
*Outbreak- Place ONE cube (of card's color) on ALL limbs that ARE infected with card color
**Neutral Effect Card**
*Discard to remove ONE cube (of card's color) from ONE limb
--Scoring--
(At the end of Day 3)
"Z" Pts: # of different colored cubes infecting patient * # of total cubes (x*y=z)
+10 Pts: # of Limbs amputated
+10 Pts: # of Specialists killed (removed from game)
=Total Score (IF OVER 100 PTS, YOU LOSE)
--Gameplay: Special Rules, Win/Lose Conditions--
*The Head MAY NOT be treated with Medicine! (blood-brain barrier)
*If at ANY TIME an Arm or Leg is infected with ALL 4 colors, you MUST amputate this limb. Flip the card over, apply any further cubes from the Infection Phase to "Mirrored" limb. If also amputated, apply cubes to Torso.
*Each limb may only be infected with a max of 3 cubes of EACH color. If a limb already has 3 max, do not infect.
*Each card's effect may ONLY ADD one cube max per limb, per turn.
**WIN CONDITIONS**
- Patient is "alive" at the end of Day 3 AND your score is LESS THAN 100 (may be a quadriplegic...)
**LOSE CONDITIONS**
- AT ANY TIME the Head or Torso are infected with ALL 4 colors
- AT ANY TIME ALL limbs are infected with 3 cubes of ONE color
- Your final score is OVER 100 Pts
I think that just about covers it. Link to the original thread: http://www.bgdf.com/node/15365
The pics should help explain/visualize the general set-up. If anyone has blank cards (we all should..) laying around then throw the deck together with some "Pandemic" game cubes and give it a go. Let me know any problems or suggestions you have. I have the mechanics pretty tight, so it should be balanced well. It is about a 40:60 win:lose ratio. The cards work together real nicely in some killer combos.
*Difficulty levels posted below*
**NOTE**
for now I am using the pips on the dice. Starting at head, counter-clockwise around ending at the Torso.
1- Head
2- Left Arm
3- Left Leg
4- Right Leg
5- Right Arm
6- Torso
***Pics are showing in some odd order too BTW. Hope you can get the general idea***
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Comments
Z-Man Prototype Submission!
Submitted the game idea to Z-Man games! I would love to self-publish, but I think it would work well branded in the Pandemic Franchise, as it is in the same genre. I have extensively play tested multiple versions of this game, from conception with double use cards and no colored cubes, to what it is now. The rules need cleaned up and simplified a bit but it is very solid and balanced. As I have been prototyping with borrowed Pandemic components, the colors and disease types can be crossed over. And the art/graphic design elements, which are costly to me, can be used from their game Pandemic. They already have the components in production that can be used in Patient Zero as well. Many people play Pandemic solo, but the complexity and fiddliness is difficult to do so. I think this would be a great, viable option to make this game a reality and I'd be proud to have it part of the Pandemic franchise.
I believe this can make it to shelves and there are very easy packaging methods that can include portability. It can be played in a small cubicle or at a park even. It can all fit into a single tin, all the cards fit into a standard poker tuckbox. The cubes and dice can can even fit into another.
People might think I'm jumping the gun here, but I believe it would shine at retail stores like Target, in comparison to games such as zombie dice and rory's story cubes, yet on the same display rack. Their distribution channels far exceed my capabilities.
The game is solid, with tight mechanics, but not too tight that there can't be a even a dozen expandability options. It is highly addictive for me, and I'm really hoping this will appeal to those who want a simpler option for a solitaire game of Pandemic... If Z-man Games decides to move forward of course.
I just want to get this game out there to the public, in people's hands, and on their table. Once people do, I think they will find themselves playing 4 games back to back the first 2 hours. It is impossible for me to just play one game if I'm by myself. I usually test/play 4 games back to back almost every night. It is definitely my most played "game" (prototype or not) that I have played the past month. Great when I'm bored or just want a challenge. I've even brought it to game night for when I'm not playing or get eliminated and other people have taken interest and gave it a shot themselves, with very positive feedback.
It would also work very well as an app! It is solitaire and the software could instantly set the game up and scoring. It would also be very easy to develop. :)
Fingers crossed that the good folks at Z-Man take an interest and possibly want to move forward. Otherwise it's on to kickstarter... :D
Exciting!
This definitely is exciting news. I'm happy to hear you've taken the plunge, as it were. You might receive a "no," but if you hadn't submitted it at all, then you would never receive a "yes." :)
Here's to success for you and Patient Zero. :D
Feedback: 8 Dec 2014
Here's a little feedback on the current iteration of the game.
RULESET
I love the streamlined version of the rules you present here. Setup is much quicker and provides for variety in the game (as a random assortment of both positive and negative cards are essentially discarded already at the beginning of the game).
The simplified versions (and explanations) of the Negative cards help speed the game along, further increasing replayability and encouragement of setup.
Notes on Contagion below.
I have yet to win a game, so I can't comment on the scoring system.
SPECIALIST
I think increasing the Specialist's usefulness as equivalent to a "wild" treatment card was a good move on your part. It gives players a snowball's chance in dire situations.
OUTBREAK
I'm still concerned that this card is much weaker than the other Negative cards in certain situations. If you want to be ruthless, then force the player to roll a random body part to infect if this card is drawn and there are no matching cubes on the patient at that time.
CONTAGION
I saw nothing about how this card affects the patient if drawn during the Research phase and there's no Specialist to counter it. If Contagion was drawn as part of the Research phase, I would roll a random body part, then use that as the infection/Contagion point, adding more cubes oriented on that body part. Please clarify if this is incorrect. In any case, I think this procedure should be added to the rules. As I see it, this is the only hiccup.
CHALLENGE
As previously mentioned, I have yet to beat this game though I've played nearly two dozen times (definitely over 20). That's not to say I didn't enjoy it! I admire Chainsaw Warrior for the same reasons. CW is brutally random and unforgiving, but in addition your game gives the player even more of a chance to squeak by and win through that randomness. The odds are stacked against the player, but the chance to still win-but-just-barely combined with quick setups for "just one more game" make this one mildly addictive and engaging. Adding a score system for those who actually beat the game adds replayability, and in my view was a wise choice.
If I were nitpicky, I would suggest developing different challenge/difficulty levels, again echoing Chainsaw Warrior here. It allows players to gain some level of accomplishment and satisfaction, and still tempt them with an even higher level of challenge.
Things are looking good here, knightshade. :)
Clarification
Thanks again.
I, personally, am sort of addicted to this game to pass time. So I have about 100 games in from conception. :P
Specialist:
I have been playing the Specialist can only counter a like color. As I still win about 40% of the time.
(See below)
Another possibility is a long shot. But if you can get a Specialist in play, and the matching color IV AND Medicine in your hand, you can remove every card and component of that color from the game... essentially a "Cure." It would be extremely difficult as the odds of drawing all 3 Positive Effect cards, and the Specialist being "alive", are slim to none... but something to play test.. :)
Difficulty:
I've been playing around with this as well, as most solitaire games have multiple difficulty levels.
HARD: Specialists may only counter "like" color. Remove from game after use.
MEDIUM: Specialists may counter any color. Remove from game after use.
EASY: Specialists may counter any color. Place in discard pile after use.
This dramatically changes the game.
I have also been playing around with the amputation rule with placing cubes. As of now I have taken a liking to 1. Place cubes on "mirrored limb" 2. if also amputated, place on same side "alternate limb" 3. if also amputated, place on torso. Makes things a bit easier actually as it does not overload the torso too quickly. This is all represented by numbered arrows on the back (amputated) side of the limb cards.
(This plays very well)
Contagion:
(Infection Phase-> Research Phase-> Treatment Phase)
If Contagion is drawn in the Infection Phase, yes, it will infect the rolled limb as well as all adjacent limbs to it (Path of Contagion arrows on cards) and from any cubes of the same color already on a limb... but NOT "stacking."
If Contagion is drawn during the Research Phase, it will spread from any cubes of that color already on a limb only. If no limbs are infected with that color, then you luck out and it infects nothing. The whole point of eliminating disease types from your patient; to avoid Contagion, as it kills Specialists and cannot be countered by them.
Same goes for Outburst and Outbreak. If all limbs are infected, Outburst does nothing. If no limbs are infected, Outbreak does nothing.
The downside to drawing these with no effect in the Research Phase is that sometimes only 1 card makes it to your hand and it might not even be a color type you need.
Strategies:
- Keep the # of infecting disease types to 1-2.
- Know what limbs to sacrifice. And accept the fact limbs will get amputated.
- Keep the Head and Torso as disease free as possible or try to keep down to 1 disease type, and the same color for both.
- Know when to play Specialists and when not to... If a Contagion card has not been drawn and the deck is small, nearing the end of Day 1 or 2... try to keep the Specialist out of play until a reshuffle. They are at risk the second you play them.
- Keep in mind your score during play. 4 amputated limbs and 4 dead Specialists is already 80 points... only 20 more to spare... that's less than 7 cubes in 3 colors. And less amputated limbs means possible 4 color types and more cubes ;)
- Be aware of what colors/disease types are adjacent to what limbs.
- Be aware that the Head only has one "Path of Contagion".. to/from the torso, which has 5 Paths. The arms have 2 and cannot infect each other, but the legs have 3 and can infect each other. Accept the fact you might lose both legs and prepare.
- Allow some colors to take over the Patient in return to cure some others. Less disease types the better. But also make sure not to have 2 of one color on all limbs as an Outburst/Outbreak will instantly lose the game if no Specialist can counter it.
- Don't hoard the Positive Effect cards in your hand. If an IV card only removes a single cube, that's one less disease type to worry about! As well, the Specialist can be played as a Neutral Effect card, don't be scared to do so if beneficial.
*NOTE*
Most of the rules and all the card abilities can simply be printed on the card itself. Path of Contagion, Path of Amputation, and the Specialist's rules for Easy, Medium, and Hard difficulties as well. Even the Head and Torso rules can be printed right on the cards.
The "rulebook" will all fit onto a side of one card, player aid on the other. The scoring and things like win/lose conditions can be printed on the "Day Track"
My goal is to stick to 52 cards total for various reasons and a paper rulebook should not be needed. I have also put thought into possible expansion options. "Z" virus...? A 5th color? New Special Effect cards in sets of 8: 4 positive, 4 negative. Even a parasite that moves around the body itself, adding a cube with each movement.
**Playtests** (non-detailed)
1. Win- score 88
2. Loss end Day 2- all colors on Head and Torso (all limbs.. double Outburst combo of colors not infecting patient with no Specialist in play)
3. Loss mid Day 2- all colors on Head and Torso
4. Loss end Day 3- all colors on Head
5. Win- score 65 (best to date)
6. Win->Loss score 103 (lose over 100- one red cube made multiplier too high for cube count)
7. Loss mid Day 2- All colors on Head
8. Loss end Day 3 (last turn)- All colors on Torso (good game)
9. Loss start Day 2- All colors on Head
10. Win score 81
11. Win score 68
12. Loss mid Day 2- All colors on Torso
(No recent losses from 3 cubes of 1 color on all limbs. Easy to fight off, but leads to other colors taking over quickly)
There is a lot going on in this game for how simple it is. A game I lose takes me about 15 minutes including setup. A winning game takes about 30 minutes. Sometimes I do find myself at a point where I stop and consider my options for 5 or so minutes on a single turn... it's a very heavy risk/reward game which is a key driver for solitaire games. And I make it even a bit harder by not rifling through the discard pile to see what has been played as to "count cards." So there is a memory element as well.