Hello All,
I described this game under the thread 'reducing randomness,' and am now providing a print and play pdf for all those interested in testing it out. I am trying to get as much input as possible on this. Also, it is fun, simple, and pretty quick - so you should enjoy yourselves.
The game is a spacial card game. Players take turns laying cards (either Windmills, Wind arrows, or Direction-changing) on a table in a grid. Once the final card is played, the game is over and wind is counted.
Each player starts with 1 Windmill in play in a 'fair' arrangement.
Each player gets a 'deck' of 9 Wind, 3 Directionals, and 2 Windmills. They are not shuffled - each turn the player may choose which card to play. Exception: all Windmills must be played before the final 2 turns.
The Rules
1) The cards have a hierarchy. Any card may be played on bare table, but 'higher' cards can also be played on lower ones. Wind is bottom, then Directionals, then Windmills as top. For example, a Windmill can be played on top of either a Wind or a Directional, but not on another Windmill.
2) Wind goes through windmills, but is reduced by 1.
So if there are 3 Wind cards in a row pointing the same direction into a Windmill, then that player is getting 3 points. 2 of those wind continue on past the windmill to either be captured, turned, or lost.
If only 1 Wind is going into a Windmill from that direction, then no Wind comes out the other side.
3) Wind is never 'dead.' Any Wind that hits a directional follows the curve of the arrow and comes out the other side.
4) Counting Wind
Neither bare table nor 'cross wind' effects Wind. 'Cross wind' being wind at a right angle to other wind cards.
Wind does negate other Wind if played they are pointing the opposite direction.
At the end of the game, I advise to count all the Wind for each Windmill 1 at a time, checking each of its 4 directions. Keeping track of all the Wind blowing past Windmills and around turns can be tricky! (hence the fun of the game).
5) Winning
This is the main element I would love feedback on. In my months of playing, the winner has simply been the player with the most Wind. A member here has suggested (brilliantly, I think) that before the game begins, each player secretly writes down a number. Whoever gets closest to their target number of Wind wins the game. Try it both ways! Experiment all you want and let me know.
6) Extra
Another fun way to play the game is without turns at all. Play cards as fast as you can, and the game ends when the 1st person runs out of cards.
Please contact me with any questions, comments, feedback good or bad. Thanks!
Gideon
