Our Town

A social justice board game

Game Board

Each colored quadrant on the board below represents a Town district with collectible resources represented by small icons within each hex. Each district is numbered (1-6). Players start the game on their district number. A small number above each resource icon indicates the quantity of that resource which may be collected when landing on that hex. The blue hexes represent a river. The river can only be crossed when a bridge is constructed on spaces that meet the dotted lines that cross the river at several points. Construction zones are indicated by large scaffold icons. Construction zones are the only hexes where buildings and bridges can be constructed. The numbered circles on the far left side of the board represents the Game Meter, discussed later on this page. Note: this is a prototype design. Your feedback will be an important element in refining the final design of the game--both conceptually and aesthetically--for production.

Game Resources and Infrastructure

Labor, Money, Influence, Expertise, Materials and Food are resources that are needed in various combinations and number to construct infrastructure (Mental Health Centers, Hospitals, Community Enterprises, Community Center, Bridges, Homeless Shelters, Schools). Infrastructure represents physical buildings, but also carry conceptual, political, and cultural weight meaningful in the context of social justice.

Resource Icons

Infrastructure Pieces

Colored cubes used to represent game infrastructure. The final design of the game will incorporate pieces designed to resemble actual buildings.

Game Setup/Sequence

The diagram below describes the steps for setting up, beginning, and playing the game. Steps 1-4 describe the initial game setup. Steps 5-8 describe the steps each player should follow to play the game once setup is complete.

Step 1: Each player picks one character token

Player Pieces: Simple multi-colored pawns are used to represent each player. We eventually plan to design and 3D print player pieces based on historical social justice figures.

Step 2: Each player claims a district by picking a district card

District Card example with resources indicated to be collected at game start.

Step 3: Each player collects resources based on the district card and places them on their resource bank. The resource organizer is pictured below with representations of the game's resources to be collected. Resources are used to build infrastructure and complete missions that have a positive impact on the Town.

Resource Organizer: Players use the resource spots to organize collected resource chips.

Note:

Players can only hold up to a maximum of 12 resources in their bank. Any resource overages must be returned to the bank at the end of the player turn.
Players collect resources by landing on tiles with the resources they desire. Players can also collect resources by trading with other players or through collecting chance cards that reward them with resources.
Each player places their completed mission card in the center of the hex holder.

Step 4: Each player picks three Mission Cards at the beginning of the game, and places the player token at the starting point of each district. Upon completing a mission,

Mission Card:

Each Mission Card contains a brief narrative at the top, an infrastructure indicated by the large icon below, a list of resources that must be collected to build the infrastructure and complete the Mission, and a Game Meter impact number on the bottom right indicating the positive impact of completing the mission on the Game Meter. In this card, a Mental Health Center must be built to complete the mission, and 2 Money, 1 Labor, 3 Expertise and 1 Materials are resources that need to be collected. Completing this mission would result in the Game Meter rising 4 points.

Mission Card:

Narrative: Town Council has approved a ban on Town funding for Planned Parenthood.

Infrastructure: Hospital

Resources Needed to complete mission:

1 Money
1 Labor
4 Expertise
2 Materials
3 Influence
1 Food

Game Meter impact: +5

Step 5: Each player picks a Chance card. The impact of most of the chance cards becomes effective immediately. Some chance cards may be held for future use.

Chance Card: Game Meter -3 indicates that the game meter will lose three places as a result of the narrative presented in this card.

Step 6: Strategize your next move

Step 7: Each player roll the dice, move the token accordingly, and complete the action.

Rules for movement:

You can't move backwards into a tile you just were in;
You can‘t move back to the starting tile;
You can move to a neighboring district, but would be subject to resource taxation;
You can't move across a bridge without first building a bridge or paying a toll to cross a bridge constructed by another player
Subway lines can only be used for passage on one side of the river, and not across the river.

Step 8: The Game Meter starts on level 8 (eight). The game ends if the meter reaches 0 (zero). Players make sure all the impacts to the meter are applied during their own turns.

Game Ending Conditions: The game ends when the Game Meter reaches 0 (zero)

The game ends when one player has completed enough missions that total 10 Game Meter impact points AND have built 3 different types of infrastructure
The game does not end if the game meter reaches 15

Congratulations! You just complete the first round of play!

After the first round of play, each new round begins with Step 5 and you can refer back to these Game Rules as your play!

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