Commentator: What's Chef Lehman got over there? It looks like some Apples to Apples and some Once Upon a Time.
Washed up actress: I love Once Upon a Time, but is it really a role-playing game?
Commentator: Well, I just got this report from the floor, where Chef Lehman was asking the same thing. He replied "I think it's going to be a role-playing game and I hope the judges will agree with me. But the most important thing is that it is fun to play."
Other commentator: Wow, a bold statement from Chef Lehman. I wonder what he's making.
Hundred Flowers
Philosophical Intrigue in China's Warring States
Period:
Warring States China (475-221 BC)
Ingredients:
Wine, which is one of the ratings for philosophical outlooks
Invincible, which describes the aura of invinciblity that you have obtained through your philosophy.
Companion, your one student, fiercely loyal to yourself and your school of thought.
Rules Limitations:
Primary: Novel decks of cards
Secondary: Hand gestures have mechanical effects. Colors used in resolution.
Let a Hundred Flowers bloom
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Let a Hundred Flowers bloom
by Ben Lehman » Mon May 23, 2005 8:59 am
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by Ben Lehman » Mon May 23, 2005 9:01 am
Inspirations: Once Upon a Time, Trollbabe, Dogs in the Vineyard, Apples to Apples, Ticket to Ride, Confucian Analects, Mencius, Daodejing, Zhuangzi, Hanfeizi.
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by Jason Petrasko » Mon May 23, 2005 3:50 pm
Oh... you snuck them in on me! The first three were games so I assumed all the rest where too 
Silly me! 
Silly me! My Creative Pulse:
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by Ben Lehman » Mon May 23, 2005 6:47 pm
What are the characters
Each player of the game portrays a Chinese philosophical lineage from the warring states period -- either a historical one or one of their own invention. Each of these philosophies is just getting its start on life. In fact, at the beginning of play, it has only two adherents: a Master and his Companion. The Master is the originator of the philosophy, and his Companion is his greatest student, someone who is fiercely devoted to the Master and his Philosophy, and who also embodies all the tenets of that philosophy.
Throughout the course of play, the player will sometimes play the Master, sometimes play the Companion, and other times play their philosophy as a force at large in the world.
Wow, soiunds complicated! How do you keep track of all this?
It isn't really as hard as all that. Philosophies are based around a philosophical statement, and are also given four Values, which represent different aspects of a person's life in ancient China. The Values are Wine, Incense, Paper and Rites.
That's all you need!
What happens in the game?
In the Basic game, the players are sages that have come to the court of Qin in southwestern China. The State of Qin has a problem. Each of the players take turns playing their Companion as he discovers and reacts to the problem, with the other players interfering through card plays, then each Master proposes a solution to the Duke of Qin. The State of Qin (a special, seperate player) takes the role of the Duke, questioning each of the philsophers about the details of his proposal. He then chooses the philosopher whose solution he finds the best, places him in charge of the state, and executes the others. This governor wins the Political victory.
Afterwards, the philosophers take turns ranking each other on how well the Companion's behavior and the Master's solution cleaved to the philosophy at hand. Whomever is ranked the most highly wins the Moral victory.
In the Campaign game, players move their Masters about on a map of China. All the states are available as potential sponsors, and even some barbarian tribes! Hidden point values make the Political and Moral victories harder to anticipate, and there is a combined Cultural victory as well.
If you win all three, you have Total victory, and bring utter harmony to the entire world. (Well, everything that matters i nthe world, at least.)
Gosh, it sounds like you're already done.
Don't say that. Just don't say that.
yrs--
--Ben
Each player of the game portrays a Chinese philosophical lineage from the warring states period -- either a historical one or one of their own invention. Each of these philosophies is just getting its start on life. In fact, at the beginning of play, it has only two adherents: a Master and his Companion. The Master is the originator of the philosophy, and his Companion is his greatest student, someone who is fiercely devoted to the Master and his Philosophy, and who also embodies all the tenets of that philosophy.
Throughout the course of play, the player will sometimes play the Master, sometimes play the Companion, and other times play their philosophy as a force at large in the world.
Wow, soiunds complicated! How do you keep track of all this?
It isn't really as hard as all that. Philosophies are based around a philosophical statement, and are also given four Values, which represent different aspects of a person's life in ancient China. The Values are Wine, Incense, Paper and Rites.
That's all you need!
What happens in the game?
In the Basic game, the players are sages that have come to the court of Qin in southwestern China. The State of Qin has a problem. Each of the players take turns playing their Companion as he discovers and reacts to the problem, with the other players interfering through card plays, then each Master proposes a solution to the Duke of Qin. The State of Qin (a special, seperate player) takes the role of the Duke, questioning each of the philsophers about the details of his proposal. He then chooses the philosopher whose solution he finds the best, places him in charge of the state, and executes the others. This governor wins the Political victory.
Afterwards, the philosophers take turns ranking each other on how well the Companion's behavior and the Master's solution cleaved to the philosophy at hand. Whomever is ranked the most highly wins the Moral victory.
In the Campaign game, players move their Masters about on a map of China. All the states are available as potential sponsors, and even some barbarian tribes! Hidden point values make the Political and Moral victories harder to anticipate, and there is a combined Cultural victory as well.
If you win all three, you have Total victory, and bring utter harmony to the entire world. (Well, everything that matters i nthe world, at least.)
Gosh, it sounds like you're already done.
Don't say that. Just don't say that.
yrs--
--Ben
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by Ben Lehman » Wed May 25, 2005 2:55 pm
(Note that this map uses the old-fashioned Wade-Giles romanization system. My game uses the more modern Pinyin.)
on the Warring States Period.
Campaign Scoring 1: Political
In the campaign game, influence in different states is worth different values. Major states (Qin, Chu, Qi, Yen, Han, Wei and Zhao) are worth five points each at base. Minor states (Zhongshan, Shu, Ba, Lu, Teng, Zhou, Song and Zou) are worth two points each at base. Barbarian states (Chaoxian, Donghu, Xiongnu, Ronghu and Nanhu) are worth no points.
These points are offset by bonus points -- each state may be worth 2-20 extra points. Bonus point cards are dealt out at the beginning of the game, with each player getting to look at a subset of the hidden cards. Thus, no one knows who will win the political game until it is all over.
Campaign Scoring 2: Moral
After each State, before the King or Duke announces his verdict, all players discuss how well the Companion's actions and the Master's solution addressed the concerns of the player's stated philosophy. All discussion is public, and the active players (the State and the Master/Companion) may participate.
After discussion, each inactive player puts a single stone into their hand and, without revealing its color, places it in a cup. The Master then takes the stones, looks at their colors, and puts them in his hoard.
The three colors are:
Black/Opaque: The actions and solution had nothing to do with the philosophy, or were actively opposed to it. The Master is a hypocrite. 0 points.
Colored / Translucent: The actions and solution, while based in the philosophy, stretched things a little bit to accomodate the whims of the monarch or the vicisstitudes of the real world. We do the best we can. 2 points.
Clear: A perfect lesson in the philosophy, which will endure in the annals of Chinese thought for ages to come. Write this one down! 5 points.
Each player has five of each color of stone. When one player runs out of a certain color, the game ends at the end of the round.
To some small degree, you are judged based on how you judge others. All black stones you still hold at the end of the game give you +1 point towards the moral victory. All clear stones give you -1 point against the moral victory.
Some hidden scoring cards may effect the moral victory, as well.
Scoring note #3: Cultural Victory
After scoring the Political Victory and the Moral Victory, sum the totals together. Whomever has the highest score has obtained the cultural victory.
yrs--
--Ben
on the Warring States Period.
Campaign Scoring 1: Political
In the campaign game, influence in different states is worth different values. Major states (Qin, Chu, Qi, Yen, Han, Wei and Zhao) are worth five points each at base. Minor states (Zhongshan, Shu, Ba, Lu, Teng, Zhou, Song and Zou) are worth two points each at base. Barbarian states (Chaoxian, Donghu, Xiongnu, Ronghu and Nanhu) are worth no points.
These points are offset by bonus points -- each state may be worth 2-20 extra points. Bonus point cards are dealt out at the beginning of the game, with each player getting to look at a subset of the hidden cards. Thus, no one knows who will win the political game until it is all over.
Campaign Scoring 2: Moral
After each State, before the King or Duke announces his verdict, all players discuss how well the Companion's actions and the Master's solution addressed the concerns of the player's stated philosophy. All discussion is public, and the active players (the State and the Master/Companion) may participate.
After discussion, each inactive player puts a single stone into their hand and, without revealing its color, places it in a cup. The Master then takes the stones, looks at their colors, and puts them in his hoard.
The three colors are:
Black/Opaque: The actions and solution had nothing to do with the philosophy, or were actively opposed to it. The Master is a hypocrite. 0 points.
Colored / Translucent: The actions and solution, while based in the philosophy, stretched things a little bit to accomodate the whims of the monarch or the vicisstitudes of the real world. We do the best we can. 2 points.
Clear: A perfect lesson in the philosophy, which will endure in the annals of Chinese thought for ages to come. Write this one down! 5 points.
Each player has five of each color of stone. When one player runs out of a certain color, the game ends at the end of the round.
To some small degree, you are judged based on how you judge others. All black stones you still hold at the end of the game give you +1 point towards the moral victory. All clear stones give you -1 point against the moral victory.
Some hidden scoring cards may effect the moral victory, as well.
Scoring note #3: Cultural Victory
After scoring the Political Victory and the Moral Victory, sum the totals together. Whomever has the highest score has obtained the cultural victory.
yrs--
--Ben
-- These are our Games</a>
-- This is my Blog</a>
-- This is my Blog</a>
- Ben Lehman
- Tamarin
- Posts: 38
- Joined: Fri May 06, 2005 2:33 pm
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