Can't Take It with You (Courk)

[Cordelia]

I'm going to try this with 4 players first. It shouldn't take too long.

Each player is a destitute fortune teller; think Oda Mae Brown crossed with a Romani hag from any number of horror films. You have discovered that your own futures are about to end! That's what happens when you have the all-seeing eye thrust upon you. Time to abandon all of your works of this life and focus on bettering your station in whatever semblance of an afterlife that unsavories like yourself enjoy.

Each player begins with 15 cards divided into 3 suits: Eye, Tooth, and Claw. Each suit has 5 cards with the following values: -2, -1, 1, 2, and 3. Each card also has a brief Action associated with playing the card.

Starting face-down on the table are five Possessions that you might be able to take with you into the great beyond. You are unsure of their relative worth, but you expect that you'll suffer unmentionable mocking if you don't have at least one. Each Possession has a secret value which will be awarded to one or more players. For this game, I will warn you that the values are -2, -1, 1, 2, and 3.

The turns will go in order around the table (the seating will be randomized), where each player gets one turn per round. On your turn, you must play one of your cards, but you may choose whether to play it face-up or face-down. Either way, you play your card alongside one of the Possessions. If you play it face-down, nothing happens. If you play it face-up, you may also use the Action on the card.

At the end of a round, if any player has only 5 cards left, the game is over. All of the cards associated with each Possession are revealed. Separately adding up the points on those cards for each suit will determine which suit "wins" that Possession. The players then with the most points of that same suit in their hands (which should have several cards left) thus win the value of the Possession. I say win, when in fact the value could be negative!

The goal is to take with you the most points in Possessions, ties in favor of the player with the lowest valued Possession.

That should be it for the rules. I'll post the card abilities when we start, but suffice it to say that they are simple effects. For example, Eye cards let you peek at secret information, etc.

Though the game is supposed to be sequential, we can play it in delay mode, meaning you're free to play your turn if you're next and it would have no bearing on the previous player's turn. Also, I don't mind if anyone conspires, but no one is held to any promises whatsoever. I just require that you play 1 card on your turn, oriented how you will.

Okay, looking for 4 sign-ups!

[Zag]

IN!

[Scurra]

This sounds like an interesting variant on Diabolo/Limbo (with a different cardpool, obviously.)

I'd like to play please.
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_{still Quiz Olympiad champion. Must get a life.
New definitions: COFFEE - someone who is coughed upon}

[Cordelia]

Figures that someone has already done something sort of like it...are there any new ideas out there to be had? sigh

[Zag]

[Cordelia]

yes, that is what I had intended. And, um, yes, the goal is the get the most points in Possessions. But, seeing as how no one else is showing interest, I'll wait a couple of days...?

[Cordelia]

I guess, as a synopsis, it is important to note that you want to obtain the positive valued Possessions. You do that by assigning (or getting opponents to assign) positive values of cards in hand from the same suit as your greater suits in hand. The obvious balance is that, if you play the positive valued cards from your hand, you'll reduce the value of those suits in hand.

[Scurra]

[Dented Ford]

I'd hardly say "simplicity itself" - but in view of not having understood that game terribly well and fluking it, I'll try and see if my GL game fortunes are still heading up.

[referee]

How are ties between suits, or between points in hand, broken?
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[Cordelia]

They're not broken. Both players receive the value of the Possession.

The only tie that needs to be broken is the total points for players after adding up all the Possessions. The tie is then in favor of the player who has the lowest valued Possession(s).

There is only one way of a natural tie, and that's if two players win exactly the same Possessions, which probably means they have the exact same cards in hand. In which case, that's a natural tie, isn't it? Not sure if there's a reasonable way to break it, or if it should be.

I'm taking DF's statement as a tentative "in."

[DF*]

Aye

[jbvntx]

/In, if you still have a slot to fill.
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jbv

[Cordelia]

Okay, the players are Zag, Scurra, Dented Ford, and jbvntx. I'll post the cards and stuff tomorrow after I get some sleep. I'm sure that there will be questions regarding them when that happens.

The turn order is:
Zag
Scurra
Dented Ford
jbvntx

Hm, that doesn't look random at all! If anyone has some suggestions for clarifications that I can put in the rules to make them simpler, let me know, that way I can simplify them for all eternity.

[Cordelia]

Okay, here goes...if you see any glaring errors or quick abusable things, PM me. I will try to fix them. Ask any clarification questions regarding the cards in the forum though, just in case someone else is also confused. I do cause that to happen a lot, it seems.

[Zag]

I assume that if I want to play a card face-down, I PM you with it? Let's say that I have done so (and I'll PM tout de suite).

[Cordelia]

ohhhhhh, shoot
sorry, the Face Down Possessions are:

Crystal Ball
Tarot Cards
Knucklebones
Triple Veils
Gaudy Bracelets

When you play a card, you play it attached to one of the 5 possessions, either face-down or face-up. Sorry, I didn't realize I hadn't posted those.

[Cordelia]

Zag played a face-down card on the Crystal ball

[Cordelia]

[Cordelia]

Scurra did make an interesting comment about being able to see the value of Possessions. Would changing the effect of the 1 of Tooth help?

1 You may play this face-up as a Possession, replacing a Possession in play. All cards attached to that are now attached to this instead. You may not look at the replaced Possession before it is discarded. (This has no Action when attached to a Possession.)

[Scurra]

Well I like that change. It affects my valuation of that card quite a bit (in a good way, I should add.)
_________________
_{still Quiz Olympiad champion. Must get a life.
New definitions: COFFEE - someone who is coughed upon}

[Cordelia]

Change made, then.

[jbvntx]

Do you think you could replace me, since I haven't played any cards yet? A business trip has come up that will probably leave my participation pretty sporadic at best for the next month.
_________________
jbv

[Dented Ford]

Playing Eye -1 face up on Gaudy Bracelets, looking at the card played previously.
(Do I get to look before I decide whether to flip it and play the action?)

[Cordelia]

Revealed Scurra's card to Dented Ford. (Decide if you want to flip'n'play it.)

Aaaand, sigh, any replacements for jbvntx forthcoming? If not, if you peoples want to play with just 3, I'm okay with that (dunno if that'll throw out the balance completely).

[Dented Ford]

I'll leave it face down thanks.

[Courk]

If you can give me a couple days to read the rules, I'll replace in (I work the next couple of days, so I won't be able to fully process them and participate until then). If anyone else volunteers in the meantime, go for it.

[Cordelia]

Okay, well, all Player #4 needs to do is play a card, and that is the indication that you're in the game. If that happens to be Courk, then she's in :D

[Cordelia]

Okay, well, if you 3 are okay with just playing the three of you, I'm okay with that...but if anyone wants to just scrap the game, that's fine too.

This whole "limbo" thing just isn't going to work though! Decision anyone?

[Zag]

It's just an experiment. Let's play it out with 3.

[Courk]

If it's not too late:

I play Eye -1 face up on Crystal Ball

[Courk]

And I'll be looking at Zag's card.

[Courk]

*is not playing that card*

[Zag]

I play the 3 of Eye face up on the Tarot cards. I choose to look at Courk's hand, (which I know will total 10). I take her 3 of eye.

[Scurra]

I play the 1 Eye face up on the Tarot Cards.

I'd like to look at the Tarot Cards please.
_________________
_{still Quiz Olympiad champion. Must get a life.
New definitions: COFFEE - someone who is coughed upon}

[Zag]

So, you didn't make the same play on DF? I rather liked the move.

[Cordelia]

Zag, you didn't have to let everyone know what you took...

[Zag]

[Dented Ford]

[Scurra]

Cordy has reminded me that I could choose to turn the Tarot Cards face up.. However, I decline the opportunity. Sorry if that confuses things for DF. (Although apparently it doesn't.)
_________________
_{still Quiz Olympiad champion. Must get a life.
New definitions: COFFEE - someone who is coughed upon}