User:Bjquinn/sandbox

THE Game - table of contents, infobox, see also, pictures

THE Game is a card game in which the rules of play and goal of the game change during play and through subsequent rounds of play. THE Game has similarities to other games with mutable rules such as Fluxx, Dvorak, Nomic, Mao, the fictional Calvinball, and especially 1000 Blank White Cards.

The first round of play begins with a set of blank cards which can be index cards cut in half, blank playing cards, or the like. Five starting basic rules are available, each of which is written on a blank card. During the course of a round of play, blank cards are used to create new "rules" which may be kept in the deck permanently.

Players : - 2 or more

Things needed : - Some blank cards (http://www.dickblick.com/products/roylco-blank-playing-cards/ recommended, otherwise index cards cut in half works ok) - The five starting basic rules, which will be described below (usually written on the larger blue cards suggested at the link above) - Approval from the creators of THE Game to start your own deck (for it to be official, anyway)

The five starting basic rules : - BASIC RULE : Dealer (This card must always be in play) - He who rolls the highest die is the dealer. Dealer deals, puts the deck together, and chooses the basic rules. And chooses who goes first. - BASIC RULE : Basic Rule Rule (This card must always be in play) - When play starts, dealer picks basic rules to put into play. The Basic Rule Rule and Dealer Rule must always be in play, other rules may be vetoed by a unanimous vote over the dealer. Cards in the deck may be similarly vetoed. Dealer deals out 5 cards to each player. Basic rules are cards that say "Basic Rule" at the top. - BASIC RULE : New Card Rule - A new card may have a title, a picture, and text explaining its purpose. A vote must be held to determine whether the card can be played. If it's unanimous, the card may be played. If only a simple majority, it is reshuffled into deck and player gets 1 point. If voted out, it is removed from play. - BASIC RULE : Cards in Hand - At the beginning of their turn, a player may play one card. At the end of their turn, they must draw back up to 5 cards in their hand. Play then continues with the player on their left. - BASIC RULE : First to 100 Points - At the end of each turn, a player may roll a 6-sided die and gains the number of points shown on the die. First player to 100 points wins the round.

How to play : - Of the basic rules, only the Basic Rule Rule and the Dealer Rule are required. These two rules define THE Game. If you don't have these two rules in play, you're not playing THE Game. The purpose of the Dealer Rule is so that there is someone to determine the other basic rules of the game. The purpose of the Basic Rule Rule is to explain that the game is to describe how the game itself can change each time it is played, and the basic rules are determined by which cards containing basic rules are chosen by the dealer and in play. Beyond those two rules, everything else is optional. - The other three starting basic rules are for convenience until through playing the game you come up with alternate rules. The New Card Rule determines how new cards are created (an integral part of the game), the Cards in Hand rule indicates that players should draw cards, play one per turn, and how play progresses from one player to the next. Finally, the First to 100 Points rule is available to provide an end goal for the game. It's not the only possibility of an end goal, but it's helpful to have one to start out with. - The first time you play, you'll have a completely empty deck, with as many blank cards in it as the dealer deems appropriate (the smaller red cards are usually used for this purpose). As you play more often, you'll have pre-made cards to shuffle in with as many blank cards as the dealer wants to add. - A "regular" rule (as opposed to a basic rule) is simply a card that changes the rules of play but is played from the player's hands and put into play as the game progresses, rather than being a rule used to start the game like basic rules. These rules are just like any other card played during the game and are typically put on the smaller red cards. - Typically it's only allowed to create new cards through play. If you come up with a creative idea for a card or rule or basic rule, you have to introduce it to the game while playing by writing on a blank card dealt out to you. - It's helpful to only put basic rules on the large blue cards suggested in the link above. Rules may be created that allow players to draw blue cards for the purpose of creating basic rules. However, until there's a rule that requires this, it's only a convenience so that the basic rules are easier to read for everyone playing. - Unless a card clearly indicates that it is for a one-time use, you should leave it out in front of you for the remainder of play. Of course, interpretation of this suggestion is up to the dealer and it's obviously possible to either require or eliminate this suggestion by the creation of other rules (basic or otherwise). - Please see the lists of cards from other decks for ideas on what kinds of cards you can create and how to keep with the spirit of playing THE Game.