Update6: HAPPY HOLIDAYS ALL!!!! It's been a long road and things are still looking up. I have made a minor end game scoring addition that is described in my latest post (first post on page 7.) Of course, a always, I look forward to the day where I can post some exciting news for everyone! If/when things happen with Carcass-Zone. I'll certainly keep you all in te loop. Thanks again for the support, it does help.

Tim
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Update 5: OK, I finally have completed a final version of Carcass-Zone! It includes BRAAAINNNSS counters, the entire deck and a rule book that I finally finished this week. I hope to hav some news for you all in the next few weeks! Thanks again guys! See page 6 for details.

Tim




Update 4: Well after medic school has now finished up I have been able to finalize and play test the rules to where I am happy with the game. I made changes to point values based upon the number of players since I wanted to keep the points earned relatively consistant regardless of the amount of players. In a multi player game, the competition for victims is more intense and tougher, therefor each player ends up eating less than they would in a 2 player game. I made victims worth more points each in a 4-5 player game.
The other major change recently is I renamed the Reserve Soldier to National Guard, as that is the staple of zombie movies. I was trying to infer the "reserve soldier" was the Nation Guard, but I decided to just call a spade a spade since it hits thematically.
NOTE Some of the details have been removed from the rules description below, since they were a bit out of date and now my rules are in a final PDF doc. One way or another you folks will be seeing these again in a nice, clean and concise form!
With the final rules nailed down I am very happy with the way it's playing. I am eager to get this game in a form other people can enjoy, whatever form that may be! I've found this whole experience here very helpful and a lot of fun (with an occasional hiccup in the course of things ;-)...) Thanks too all and I'll keep this thread up and running as long as there is news and people are still interested. Im sorry things dont move faster but, with life/school/play testing, i have been using all the spare time i get towards this little project.

Tim


Update3: The rules are updated and the game is playing really well. I posted some pics of the cheat card and Coffin Break at the end of the thread (page 5 at this point in the thread.) Thansk again!

Tim


Update2: Got another week of multiplayer play testing done and learned a lot. I have updated the rules, changed the box art, changed the way Brains works and added art for the new card "Coffin Break." I will be making a few more updates shortly when the cards are finalized and when I have finished the art for the cheat sheet I am creating.

EDIT: After considerable play testing, I have updated the rules below. Thanks to BGG for the support and feedback!



Thanks again so much for your enouragement, support and suggestions. I am so happy with the finished product and everyone who has played it has enjoyed the game.

Tim


Its no secret that the dead walk again.

Throughout the centuries, bloody battles have taken place around the walls of Carcassonne. The countless slain have slumbered uneasy in thier hidden graves; cursing the land. Now, centuries later, the cursed soil has stirred the souless and past onto them a voracious hunger for live victims. They create massive burial cities in an ever expansive land of the dead. Victims who wander to close suffer the zombies' wrath and feed thier hellish appetite. But the zombies have also drawn the attention of the legendary zombie hunters. Only they have the power to return the dead to the underworld and slow the unstoppable Carcassassonne.


Carcassassonne is a variant of carcassonne that I created over the past several months. The game plays like carcassone but forgoes farmers and instead has a mechanic wherein each player can control a zombie on the board, moving about and attempting to devour victims who will appear throughout the game. I have just finished my first round of playtesting in a 2 player game so this is very much a work in progress mechanically. In this post I will explain the rules and show you the design of the game. Again, the game is still being play tested and I am not yet finished with the mechanics. Any input would be appreciated and encouraged.

Here is the box the game I created for the game.





Disclaimer!: the zombie figure I placed on the cover was not drawn by me. It is by an artist named Derek Ring who does incredible work. Though this box is for personal use I needed to give credit where credit was due if I am to show it. If you like him go check out his other work. Other than that the art was drawn and or/photo edited by me.
This excludes the victim cards which all have pretty fun place holder art. Until I can get some original pieces that is.

Here is the game in action



The parts

*72 tiles plus 12 river tiles. The tiles match the original game for the most part.

*7 skeletons and 1 zombie for each of the five colors.

*3 Victim meeples: for this purpose, mine are red, blue and green. though you can use cubes or disks or whatever if you dont have extra meeples lying around.

*1 Zombie Hunter: Mine is a yellow meeple.

*1 Scoreboard (includes the game compass which will be explained later)

*24 BRAAAIINS counters

The game
The original Carcassonne is playable on this set but it was designed for the varient as well. Each player takes a set of 7 skeletons (Skeleteeples? :-)...) and a Zombie (hmm.. Zombieeples too?) The skeletons represent normal meeples and are used to claim graveyards (cities) and roards.The zombie is a special piece. The zombie can be used to chase down victims that will appear throughout the game. The game requires the river be used to create some extra room for when victims and zombies start to appear.


Turn Sequence
The basic turn sequence is described below
1. Play a tile
2. Draw a card (if zombie is on the board)
3. Play a card (optional)
4. Move Zombie (if zombie is on the board)


The River
1. Place the river as normal. The skeletons can be used to claim features at this time.

2. Once the river is complete procede with play as normal, forgoeing farmers of course.


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The Zombie
Zombie are your way to score points through eating victims. They are pretty tough and will stay in play unless removed by a Zombie Hunter. Having your zombie finish his move in the same space as a victim will allow you to eat and score that victim. Don't worry, there will be more victims to eat!


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The Victims
There are 3 different types of victims: The Punk Rocker (level 1), the Police Officer (level 2) and the Reserve Soldier (level 3) Each victim has a different point value and ability. There are 2 ways to "eat" a victim.
1. Finish and score the unfinished feature that the victim is occupying.
2. Move a zombie onto the victim.

The Victims appear on the board through a deck of cards that are explained below.

The Victim Deck The victim deck of cards is to be placed on the table within reach of all player. Though there are special cards in this deck, most are victim cards. Once a player has a zombie on the board, they may draw a card after placing the tile on thier turn. If the card is a victim that is not currently on the board that player may place a the victim on the board.

Moving a victim
1. When a player draws a card of a victim that is already on the board, that card will move the victim. The victim will move in the direction that is highlighted on the compass displayed on thier card. They will move the amount displayed next to the compass.The directions on the game board are defined by the compass on the scoreboard, so make sure to place the scoreboard next to the game board. See the card below for reference.










*************Notice the compass in the lower right hand corner of the scoreboard.

Victim Abilities
1. The punk rocker is a standard victim with no special rules.
2. If the police officer ends his move on the same space as another victim, he will "save" that victim and escort them to safety (removing both victims from the board)
3. If the National Guard ends his move on a skeleton, he will remove that skeleton from play. The soldier will stay on the board.

These abilties are represented by the icons on the bottom of the cards below.





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The zombie hunter!
If a zombe hunter is drawn from the victim deck look out! Someone's zombie is about to be dispatched. The player who drew the zombie hunter controls that hunter until the dispatch a zombie. However, if another player draws the zombie hunter in the mean time, they will assume control.


Here are my Zombie Hunter cards.






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Special cards
Finally we have special cards. These are shuffled throughout the victim deck and are self explanatory. You may have only 1 of any card in your hand at any time. if you draw a duplicate special card, discard that card and draw again. the following is a list of special cards.

BRAAAIINS
Each player starts the game with 1 BRAAAIINS card

You may discard this card to have your zombie move Up to 6 spaces. If a victim is eaten during this turn, gain 1 additional point for that victim. As long as BRAAAAIINSS is in your possesion, place a marker on it for each victim you eat. The player with the most counters on his/her card at the end of the game earns a bonus.

Zombie Rampage
Move any zombie on the board. You may play Zombie Rampage on a later turn instead of drawing a card.

Panic!
Move any victim on the board. You may play this card on later turn instead of drawing a card.

Coffin Break
Move your zombie up to 2 spaces.
Any player who currently does not have a Zombie in play may place thier Zombie at a chosen end of the river.

NOTE: Coffin break may be kept to play on later turn instead of drawing a card.

Total Cards in Deck = 70 (an average of 55-65 get drawn a game)



And that is Carcassasonne!


I would LOVE some feedback as this is my first project that I have posted here. Thanks so much for taking the time to read the rules! It's amazing that what I can explain in 3-5 minutes in real life took this long to type on the internet! LOL. If you have any questions also please dont hesitate to ask.

The game is play testable on the original game with the river. and I would love for some test feedback as well.

again, thanks!

Tim

I'd like to become the 1st to 'say' that I'm AGAINST this, so that later ON, I'll be able to proclaim that I WERE for it BY then!

Looks great but other than the obvious licensing issues, why not just call it CARCASSonne? CARCASSassonne is too much of a mouthful.

Awesome.

Can we get the graphics to make our own sets?


Please.


- Pauli

thanks Ian!

I originally had it like that but perferred Carcassassonne just so the work carcass stuck out a little. Im not married to it though other than just changing the box design a bit. Ill meditate on it tho.

if you had any suggestions about the game or anything let me know..



I'm thinking yes. but I'll have to wait till tomorrow. Im glad you enjoy it

Tim

Carcass-zone?

Nice job BTW.

I had thought the same exact thing for that, as well with having this instead: "...is an UNDEAD .."

Everything looks really nice until i saw the cards. The graphics simply don't match the rest.

Very cool job you've done!
I'm with those that like the name Carcass-Zone.

Thanks for the input guys. Yeah ill probably end up changing the name at some point. the only thing that would really change isthe box art so no big deal really. Thanks so much for the input guys. Anyone take a quick run through the rules at all?

again thanks for the support.

I thought maybe the meeple zombies should look like termites?

Killer!

zombies and Carcassonne!!! My two favorite things. Awesome!!!

I also think Carcass-Zone is a better name.

Very cool. Well done.

After a quick read through, it seems pretty straightforward, but I'm not completely clear on the Zombie Hunter...
Does he move at the end of EVERY players turn, or just the end of the turn of whomever drew the last Zombie Hunter card?

edit: removed second question, since I was reading the rules wrong. I got it now.

Me too.

Very cool indeed.

This looks really well done and thought out. How has it played so far? And how long did it take you to make it?

I'd buy it. But I was thinking the river should be blood red instead of Smurf blue.

Carcassassonne for me. In this case, silly is better.

Wow guys thanks so much for the input here. It really makes me hppy to see that others enjoy what I have done. Thanks!

I am considering making the art assets available if there is any interest for folks

let me know and I'll give it a shot.





I will make sure I wrote this clearly in the rules but the zombie hunter is moved once a round by the person who drew the zombie hunter. Unless that player is targetted then the hunter responsibility is passed clockwise.

The orginal design had the hunter move after each players turn, but it ended up moving faster per round for each player playing. there was little chance of scoring or having the hunter change targets before your zombie was erradicated.


thanks!!! I have had several solo plays and just started play testing with other players. so far it has worked out well. The main thing to remember is to move the hunter when they are on the board.

I have been working on this game for 2 months now. Most free time I get. The tile set was the most difficult work as it rquired a bunch of art to be drawn up. Thankfully I have a wacom tablet for my computer! For some background, I was inspired to do this game when my cat got really sick and was about to die. well after some crazy medical intervention she survived and is better now than she was before she got sick!!! Well because of that ordeal I had death on my mind so I used this as an creative and fun outlet. I think it worked! haha so if you look on the back of the box, you can see the cat skeleton, thats a tribute to my cat, Bean.

The biggest part of the design process was all the drawing. The printing and mounting was a nice menial task to keep me busy and took relatively less time.




OH MAN! I really tried sooo many different colors on that river. I wanted red originally and it just didnt work right for some reason, especially with the coffins floating down stream. I tried every saturation value etc and it didnt look right. I then tried grays, greens and browns with no success. it ended up looking more like a road in those colors. So i color matched the original color of the river and that made it actually look rivery. I may still work on it to see if I can get a better color but, though I agree with you, i am also satisfied with the results.

BTW here are a few more pics







heh.. fun stuff!

here is me teaching the game to my inlaws. They really liked it.



let me know if you have anymore questions or have tried it out.!!!

Tim

Tell me more about how you mounted the images. The tiles have a nice bevel cut on the edges. Were these done with a die cutter after mounting?

Actually I emulated that die cut look.

I printed these pieces out on nice Semi-gloss AKA satin finsh printer paper (HP to be specific) I then mounted the pieces on chip board and cut them out. Once they were cut out I used a nice smooth and round handle of a butter knife to bevel the edges of the pieces to emulate a die cut. Simply cover your individual piece with a paper then use the side of the butter knife (or whatever) at an angle and apply pressure to the edges of the peice but sliding the knife across the piece under pressure.It works out quite well.

Absolutely make the artwork available for download!! Check out CarcassonneCentral.com as well. People there might want it too.

Good god, hard work! I have a bone folder for this sort of thing. Whether I'd use it to do each tile, though, is another question.

Aw, Jennifer beat me to it. Yes, check with Hans im Gluck about publishing. If they don't take you up on it, then check with Novelty over at CarcassonneCentral.com. I am sure they would love to host it.

Great job! I love the artwork. The tiles are fantastic.

Now if there was just a way I could get my Grim Reaple into your game.

I'd love to have a copy or at least even a chance to play.

WANT...:drool:

I hope the folks at Hans in Gluck speak better english than I speak german!

You guys have been very nice. thanks

I'll check out Carccentral tonight. looking forward to it!

Tim