GAME DESIGN
Premise
Space. Infinite and still not enough for everyone. The powers of the world tried to create for the future. They created the beginning of the end instead. The race to space is over. The race home starts now.
Floating around in a satellite with your enemies is dangerous. Floating around in a satellite that is in self-destruct countdown is more dangerous. Floating around in a satellite that’s going to blow up and only has enough escape pods for 1 team of 4 is even more dangerous.
Oh and whoever gets back gains control of the planet… but only one country can win. You can escape or you can die.
In a nutshell
Your team is on a space station when some kind of alien infection breaks out and turns one of you into a zombie. The rest of you decide to take cover in the center of the space station, but you have to get there first. Unfortunately, you can only get to the center by moving through the blue gates on the board. Additionally, any player who comes into contact with the zombie will be infected by the virus and become a zombie as well. If a player becomes a zombie, their new mission is to infect the others. Luckily, there is an antidote, but it’s hard to come by.
How to win
The first player to reach the center of the space station wins.
If you’re the zombie, win by infecting all other players.
COMPONENTS
1 board
1 dice
16 game pieces
50 chance cards
Rules
Begin by rolling the dice – whoever roles the lowest number is the zombie and will begin the game in the zombie space.
Roll dice and move your piece clockwise around the outer ring.
If you land on a square lined up with a blue space, you can move up to the next ring and closer to the center, or back to the previous ring (useful if you’re getting close to a zombie).
If you land on a star space, draw a chance card.
If you land on the same space as a zombie, or if a zombie lands in your space, you are now infected.
instructions
2-4 players
Each player has four pawns moving clockwise around the board. The first player to have all four pawns reach the “escape pod” wins.
Players reach the pod by moving through gates. The space a player’s pawn is occupying must be aligned with a gate in order to move up to the next ring and closer to the pod.
To begin the game, all of a player’s four pawns are restricted to each player’s start space; a player can only move them out onto the rest of the board if he or she rolls an odd number.
Rolling an odd number places a pawn on the space directly outside of his or her start.
When a player rolls an odd number, they have a choice to move a piece currently on the board forward that many spaces or move one of their other pawns out of their start space and onto the board.
A pawn that lands on a square occupied by another player’s pawn “bumps” that pawn back to its own Start.
If a pawn lands on a chance space, the player will draw a chance card.
CHANCE CARDS
Antidote Card: An Antidote Card can reverse or prevent an infection. You can gift your card to another player if they become infected, or use the card to prevent yourself from becoming infected. Each card is good for one use.
Wheel Turn Card: When this card is drawn, turn the specified wheel in the direction of/ for the number of spaces listed on the card.
Jump Card: Jump to the location on the board specified by the card.
Meteor Strike Card: Everyone moves back one space.
Direction Change Card: If the game is moving clockwise, reverse to counter clockwise.
Oxygen Failure Card: All non-infected players cannot move for a full turn.
Distress Signal Received Card: You get another turn.
Suit Breach Card: Lose one turn.
USER TESTING
We got some people to try our game and here is what they thought!
MORE Chance cards
Everyone moves back one space.
Dud card: Enjoy the earthrise, etc.
Airlock malfunction: All players stay on your space but move to OUTER circle.
Distress signal received: You get another turn.
Suit breach: Lose your next turn.
Meteor strike: All players move back one space.
Knockout card
Rearrange gates as you wish
Rotate inside gate
Rotate outside gate
The next time someone “knocks you out,” you have the option to “duel”
If you have teammate at home base, move to where you are
Performance Enhanced: All Russians on board move 2 spaces
All for One: Move 1 North Korean 2 spaces
Hibernation Malfunction: Farthest Member goes back to start
Growing Power: China pull a maximum of 2 from start
Dropping Bombs: US can bring 1 member on board to any leaders location
Invalid Identification: Cannot move or bring anyone out for 2 turns
Artificial Gravity Failure: All players go back 1 space
Hidden supply closet: You are safe from attack
World Peace: All players move up 1 space
22. Diplomatic Immunity: If player lands on your space you both stay
23. Colonization: Claim any space that is occupied for your country
24. War: If you land on someone’s space or vice versa roll dice, higher roll wins
25. Hope from back home: You get another turn
26. Nationalism: Take 1 member from start, choose one country to put someone back at start
27. Immigration: Switch places with 1 member from any other country
28. Coup D’etat: All your members on board go back to start
29. Technological Advancement: Skip a gate and move 1 ring closer to escape pod
30. The Singularity: All countries lead member go back to start
31. Foreign Policy: Move to any other country’s space and you both stay
32. Capitalism: Your team member closest to start goes back to start
33. Communism: Your team member closest to start moves up to where your farthest is
34. Security Detail: Anyone who lands on your space goes back to start
35. New Satellite Order: Change the gates as you see fit
36. The Great Escape: Rotate escape pod
37. Inside Job: Rotate inner gate
38. Outside looking in: Rotate outer gate
TEAM
Art Director: Emily Mayberry
Copywriter: Akin Abode
Experience Designer: Linda Kirova
Experience Designer: Katrine Limseth