Game: Summertime

Thread: Re: English rules?

morrigambist — 2008-05-21T03:09:11+00:00

Thanks. It seems appropriate that a game about the South Seas should come from Germany and have its rules translated into English by a guy in Virginia to be read by a gamer in Finland! It's a cosmopolitan situation.

Thread: Re: English rules?

saar — 2008-04-08T04:52:19+00:00

Finally.

Thank You for the work.

I did manage to play the game with Fledermaushaus' quick translation, but there were some questions that didn't get answered then.

Sent some GG your way.

Thread: Re: English rules?

morrigambist — 2008-04-07T20:32:37+00:00

I have posted my English translation of the rules on the main page for this game.

Thread: Re: English rules?

Dathkadan — 2008-03-14T22:26:33+00:00

Just got my copy from Amazon.de--looking for English Rules like everyone else!

Thread: Re: English rules?

Remo — 2008-01-23T20:39:40+00:00

Yet another looking for english rules...

Thread: Re: English rules?

Speedro — 2007-12-04T21:59:09+00:00

Someone can make a full translation?

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Artax — 2007-11-26T00:06:04+00:00

Thread: Re: Work Hard to Enjoy Vacation

sevorges — 2007-11-13T22:50:02+00:00

Thanks for the detailed review that works as a good rules summary. In the other thread I stated I would buy this and I have and I now won't have to bug Fledermaushaus for a rules translation. Now to find one of my all male gaming group that is comfortable enough with his feminine side to play this game...

Thread: Work Hard to Enjoy Vacation

qzhdad — 2007-11-01T17:54:12+00:00

Summertime is a Kosmos two player offering designed by Markus and Inka Brand published in 2006. It comes in the standard two player box by Kosmos. My previous experience with these designers is Guatemala Cafe and I can't say that I see many similarities between the two interesting games.

I gave up on a publisher doing it in English, so I picked it up from Germany to keep my collection of the Kosmos two player line complete. At the time of this posting, I've played two and a half games and consider it a solid addition to the mostly excellent line.

This game is a strategic tile game that requires decisions on acquisition as well as playing of the tiles. I will state up front that I do not get the impression that I am actually planning a vacation, but that doesn't detract from my enjoyment of the game. The appearance of the components does fit thematically.

COMPONENTS
Vacation Cards - The thirty four square cards come in two main types, base score and multipliers. All vacation cards have a picture of a summer vacation actvity/location near or in the ocean and a value. These values can either be a base score from 2 to 5 or a multiplier from 2 to 4. Additionally, some of the base cards and all of the multiplier cards have one one or two smaller, thumbnail, pictures that match the larger pictures of pre-requisite base cards. The pictures are distinct enough that matching them to the thumbnails is easy. On the back of each card are three pictures corresponding to the resource markers.

We did have some initial confusion with matching the pictures, because the ones on the multipliers are often similar to the base card picture. Once we realized that the pictures on multiplier cards never fulfill prerequisites, it was easy to distinguish and match the pictures.

Market Cards - Three two sided cards with three resources pictured on each side.

Resource Tiles - Each player gets a set of tiles that consist of three tiles each of five different pictures of various beach items like conch shells or fans of coral. The back of the tiles have the player color on for easy setup.

Scoreboard - The scoreboard pictures an inward spiralling score track. Each spot on the board has room for one cube, so when the score is tied the cubes must be stacked.

Wooden cubes - It must be a German game, because there are two small wooden cubes, a light blue one and a slightly darker blue one that are used to mark each player's score on the scoreboard.

Instructions -Based on my Spieldeutsch ability, I found these rules to be clearly written with nicely clarifying examples.

Overall, the artwork is pleasant and fits well with the theme of a summer beach vacation. The light and slightly darker player colors could be more distinct, but that's definitely a quibble, not a problem. The quality and weight of the tile and cards are the typical high quality that one expects from Kosmos.

GAMEPLAY
Each player is dealt two vacation cards, the rest of the cards are divided into three stacks of ten. These stacks are placed on the market cards facedown and the top card of each is turned face up next to the pile. The face up cards are available for the cost in resources shown on the top card of corresponding facedown stack. Each vacation card shows two of a resource and one of a different one, but the market cards (which will show the price of the last vacation card) have some combinations of three different resources.

Players turn their resource tiles face up and place their score cube at zero on the scoreboard.

Each turn, a player has three options:
1) buy a card and play from zero to five cards to the common display.
2) renew resources
3) pass

Players purchase one of the faceup cards by turning over the appropriate faceup resource tiles and take the card into their hand. When the third faceup card is purchased, three more are turned up, one from each stack. This also exposes the new cost for each card (as shown on the back of the next card in the stack).

If desired, the player can play up to five cards. After the first card of the game is played, all additional cards will be contiguous (horizontally and/or vertically) and fit into a 5 X 6 or a 6 X 5 grid. If the card has no prerequisite thumbnails, it can be placed anywhere (as long as it is adjacent to at least one card) in the grid while cards with the thumbnails must be placed adjacent to at least one tile that shows one of the pictures in the thumbnail(s). An example of this prerequisite is that the underwater view of fish (presumably snorkelling) must be placed adjacent to a beach card.

When a base card is played, the player adds the number on the card to his score. When a multiplier card is played it scores the adjacent base cards value times its mulitplier for each adjacent card that matches its prerequisites. So theoretically, a multiplier card could score up to four cards. Cards are only scored when they are played, so placing a matching base card next to an previously played multiplier card only scores its base value.

To refresh resource tiles, a player on turn must have some depleted resources and simply announces the action. The resource tiles are flipped back to the picture side and the other player is on turn.

If a player passes, then the other player is on turn. If both players pass consecutively, the face up cards remaining in the market are discarded from the game and three new ones are turned up.

Note that cards can only be played to the display after purchasing, not on turns when the player is refreshing resources or passing.

After the first card is played all cards will be played contugously with a card or cards already on the table. The cards will always fit in a grid of six by five or five by six. The boundaries of the grid are not defined until there are either six rows or six columns and five in the other direction.

The game ends when either thirty cards have been played or there are no vacation cards left in the market. (The player purchasing the last card is allowed to play up to five cards from hand normally.) Players deduct five points from their score for each card still in hand when the game ends and the high score wins.

IMPRESSIONS
This game is essentially a tile (card) laying game with a draft/purchase of tiles from pool. I really like the draft concept combined with the ability to build up a large hand as opposed to draw one/play one. Players have to balance getting the perfect combination of cards before playing against using useful cards available on the display.

There will be ten sets of three cards available throughout the game. The only luck in the game comes from two initial cards and the order and composition in which the ten sets come out.

The cost of each card depending on the next card's back is an ingenious pricing mechanism that should lead to greater replayability.

The decision of when to refresh resources is often an interesting one.

The theme and the playing cards to a grid lead one to expect a light filler type game. It certainly works in that capacity, but I think that there may be potential for playing it as a slightly heavier game by tracking what cards the opponent picks up and working to make playing them effectively difficult.

BRAINSTORMING VARIANTS
I am an unredeemable tweaker. I offer up this section not because I think the game needs fixing, but because I like throwing out ideas.

Removing four tiles instead of dealing out intial hands would remove all hidden from opponent information.

Reducing the grid size could make it harder to play all the tiles purchased.

Requiring both prerequisites to be adjacent would also make it harder to play some of the cards.

Forcing the grid to grow to intermediate points might add some strategic maneuvering. FOr example, mandate a three by three grid to be filled before allowing any cards to be placed , followed by a four by four grid, etc.

As always, I welcome any feedback on content or form of my reviews. If you have any suggestions, feel free to GM me or place them in the comments. I won't promise to adopt your suggestion for future reviewd, but I will read it.

Additionally, if I've made any errors in description, please post here.

(Edit: spelling correction)

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Werbaer — 2007-10-31T23:54:05+00:00

components (promotion image, Copyright Kosmos Verlag, used with permission)

Thread: Re: English rules?

ccarlet1 — 2007-08-09T23:44:25+00:00

I too feel strangely compelled to purchase this game. Where can it be ordered?

Thread: Re: English rules?

sevorges — 2007-08-09T23:01:30+00:00

Thanks for the quick rules summary. The game sounds okay, but the theme is ridiculous, so I will order it probably in a couple of weeks.

Thread: Re: English rules?

Fledermaushaus — 2007-08-09T20:24:40+00:00

I've just read the German rules on the Kosmos website. This is a rough outline. If you order the game, I can do a full translation.

There are 34 cards depicting holiday 'moments' such as a cocktail or a dip in the pool. They also show a point value or a multiplier and some (including the multipliers) have smaller pictures of 1 or 2 other cards on them.

You each get 2 cards to start. The other cards are formed into 3 decks and the top card of each deck is turned face-up beside the deck. The cards will be bought and put in your hand and then placed in a communal display forming a 5x6 rectangle. You each have 15 tokens to 'pay' for the cards, the tokens each being one of five different 'currencies' such as coconuts or cowrie shells. Each card will cost 3 tokens and payment is made by turning 3 matching tokens face-down. The tokens which need to be paid will be determined by the back of the card which is next in the deck (the back of each card shows 3 tokens). Points are scored for placing the cards in the display.

On your turn you can buy a card and then place up to 5 cards into the display (if you wish), or you can turn face-up all your face-down chips, or you can pass. New cards are only made available once all 3 have been bought or both players pass (the cards for sale are then discarded).

Cards placed must touch a previously placed card. Cards which show small pictures of other cards must be placed alongside at least one of these other cards. When you place a card you immediately score its value. A multiplier-card scores a multiple of the value of the card/s it is placed next to which match the small pictures on it.

The game ends when all cards have been bought or discarded (due to passing). Cards left in a player's hand each score -5.

Thread: Re: English rules?

sevorges — 2007-08-09T04:58:48+00:00

I second this old plea. I am going to make an order to 12spiel.de soon and see this is inexpensive. The tacky theme is strangely compelling and repulsive at the same time so I would be very grateful if someone could post some English rules.

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Gonzaga — 2006-10-25T12:50:12+00:00

Essen 2006

Thread: English rules?

saar — 2006-10-25T06:49:12+00:00

Could someone please post a translation or a link to english rules?

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elSchwabo — 2006-10-23T00:14:42+00:00

Summertime at Essen 2006

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Fiske Warren — 2006-10-22T19:27:31+00:00

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Fiske Warren — 2006-10-22T19:26:52+00:00

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Fiske Warren — 2006-10-22T19:26:11+00:00

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Spieletreff Deutz — 2006-09-20T19:18:41+00:00