Cities
Cities Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Contents
- 28 tourist figures in 4 colours.
- 96 tiles in 4 sets. Each set is numbered from 1 till 24.
Each tile has 4 fields. The fields on a tile can be any mix of:
- Attraction (yellow fields)
- Park (green fields)
- Water (blue fields)
- Terrace (red fields)
Object of the Game
You are going to try to build the perfect city for tourists. Each round you place a tile. You develop a city with attractions, parks, terraces and patches of water. On the tiles you place your tourists. They contribute to your score. The player with the highest score wins the game.
Every player builds his or her own city. You mainly receive points by building big zones of connected attractions and parks. And by placing tourists in it.
Preparation
Every player receives:
- 7 tourists in 1 colour (this is your stock).
- 24 tiles with numbers ranging from 1 till 24.
The youngest player makes it his task to be the Master Builder. The Master Builder puts his tiles face down on the table and shuffles them thoroughly. After this he removes 8 tiles and puts them back into the box in such a way, that no one sees which tiles are being placed back. These tiles are not used in this game.
The Master Builder builds a (face down) stack of the remaining tiles.
The other players each have their own stack of tiles ranging from 1 till 24. Each player sorts his stack by number.
The Master Builder takes 3 tiles from his stack, turns them face up and reads the number aloud. These tiles are the starting tiles.
All other players now take the tiles with these same numbers from their own stack.
To begin with, each player places the three starting tiles at the table in front of him. Each starting tile must touch the corner of one or both of the other starting tiles. The starting tiles are not allowed to border on the side of another tile.
Starting tiles can be arranged in this way, or for example in this way (two valid example layouts, each showing the three starting tiles touching only at their corners).
Important: Every player plays for himself and builds his own city.
When every player has built the foundations of his city, you can carry on.
Course of the Game
It's advisable to use level 1 when playing Cities for the first time (see: Levels of Playing). If you would rather like to play an example game first, use the separately provided Quick Start Rules with less and simplified rules.
Cities can also be tried online at: www.martynf.com
Each round consists of the following actions:
- Take a tile.
- Place a tile.
- Place or move a tourist (if applicable).
Players take their turn simultaneously. Each player works his way through actions 2 and 3 at his own pace.
Of course you are not allowed to "spy" on other players' actions before you have finished action 3 for your own city.
Take a Tile (Action 1)
At the beginning of each round, the Master Builder takes a tile from his stack. He turns the tile face up and reads out the number that is printed on it. The other players take the tile with the same number on it from their own stack.
Place a Tile (Action 2)
Every player now places the tile in his own city, taking into account the following constrictions:
The tile that is being placed must touch 1 corner of another tile or border on at least one side of another tile completely.
Suppose your city looks like this: you can place the new tile at one of the spots that touch a corner or border a full side of an existing tile — never on the tiles already occupied, and never floating apart from the city.
A tile can never be placed in such a way that it borders halfway on one tile and halfway onto the next tile.
You are allowed to rotate a tile, before placing it in your city.
Zone
A zone consists of horizontally or vertically connected fields of attractions or parks. Fields that only touch each other with their corners are not connected.
Example: a city can show 3 zones with attractions (a 2x1 field zone and a 1x2 field zone counting separately, etc.) and 2 zones with park fields (a 1x2 field zone and a 1x4 field zone).
Maximum Size
Every city has a maximum size of 4x4 tiles. A city is not allowed to be "broader" or "higher" than 4 tiles.
Suppose your city looks like this: you can place the new tile at one of the spots that stay within the 4x4 boundary.
Place or Move a Tourist (Action 3)
After placing a tile, you are allowed (it is not obligatory!) to carry out one of the following actions.
a) Place a tourist from your stock on one of the fields of the last played tile. b) Or jump: Move a tourist that is already standing on a tile in the city to one of the fields of the last played tile. c) Or walk: Move a tourist that is standing on a tile in your city 1 field horizontally, vertically or diagonally.
Be aware:
- Tourists can never be placed on or moved to a water field.
- It is never allowed to have 2 tourists standing on the same field.
Tip: If possible place a new tourist in your city. You can always move it to another tile or field later on.
Example with a): Blue places a tourist on one of the attraction fields of the last played tile.
Example with b): Blue moves the tourist to the attraction on the last played tile.
Example with c): Blue moves a tourist 1 field in a diagonal direction.
New Round
When all players have finished placing their own tile (and if applicable their tourist) the round is over.
The Master Builder now carries on with action 1 of the next round.
End of the Game
The game ends as soon as:
- Every player has a complete city of 4x4 (=16) tiles lying in front of him.
- And every player has finished action 3 of the last round.
Scoring
A player receives points for every zone of attractions or parks containing a tourist. A zone consists of horizontally or vertically connected fields of attractions or parks. Attractions with the size of 2 fields also count for 2 fields.
Players receive no points for zones without a tourist in it.
If there are 2 or more tourists in one and the same zone, the player only receives points for 1 tourist. The other tourists in that zone do not receive any points.
The player with the highest score wins the game.
Tie
In the event of a tie, the player that has the highest score with 1 tourist wins. If players tie again, they compare their tourist with the second highest score and so on, until a winner is determined.
Levels of Playing
Cities can be played at three levels. Every step higher brings more scoring options. This makes the game more interesting, but also more difficult to play.
Important: Every higher level is built on the lower levels. Rules for level 1 also apply to levels 2 and 3. Rules for level 2 also apply to level 3.
Tip: Play Cities once with scoring level 1, then with scoring level 2, and only after this with scoring level 3.
Level 1: Easy
This is the easiest scoring level. Also suitable for children.
A tourist at an attraction receives:
- 1 point for every field in the same zone.
A tourist in a park receives:
- 1 point for each field in the same zone.
A tourist at a terrace does not receive any points in Level 1.
Example: Blue has 2 tourists in two zones with parks. Blue also has 3 tourists in two zones with attractions and 1 tourist at a terrace.
Blue receives 1(A) + 6(B) + 0(C) = 7 points for the attractions and Blue receives 5(D) + 2(E) = 7 points for the parks. Blue does not receive any points for the tourist on the terrace (F).
Total score: 7 + 7 = 14 points.
Tip: The Quick Start Rules contain illustrations for more explanation on Playing level 1.
Level 2: Dilemma
This is a tough level of scoring in which the terraces also play their part. If you want to win, you will have to plan ahead.
A tourist at an attraction receives:
- 1 point for every field in the same zone.
A tourist in a park receives:
- 1 point for each field in the same zone.
A tourist at a terrace receives:
- 1 point for each water field he looks at from his position at the terrace.
A tourist looks at all water fields that lie in a continuous straight line in a horizontal or vertical direction from his position at the terrace.
Be aware: If more than one tourist looks at the same water field or water fields, they all receive points for these water fields.
Example: Blue receives 4(A) + 2(B) + 3(C) + 1(D) = 10 points for the tourists at the terraces. Tourists B and C both look at the water fields inside the dotted lines. Both of them receive two points for these fields.
Level 3: Brainteaser
This level may not be everybody's cup of tea. You have to take into account a lot of aspects, plan way ahead and think hard. Advice: Only for the die-hard puzzler.
A tourist at an attraction receives:
- 1 point for every field in the same zone.
- 1 point for each terrace that borders directly horizontally or vertically on a field in the same zone. Whether or not there is a tourist on this terrace.
Be aware: A terrace that borders on more than one zone of attractions with a tourist on it, contributes to the score of all of these tourists.
Example: Blue receives 3(A) + 11(B) + 0(C) + 2(D) = 16 points for the zones with attractions. The terrace bordering on the zone of tourists A and D (inside dotted lines) contributes to the scoring of both tourists.
A tourist in a park receives:
- 1 point for each park in the same zone.
- 1 point for each water field that borders directly horizontally or vertically on a (park) field in the same zone.
Be aware: A water field that borders on more than one zone of park fields with a tourist on it, contributes to the scoring of all of these tourists.
Example: Blue receives 3(A) + 9(B) = 12 points for the tourists in the parks. The water field bordering on the zone of tourists A and B (inside dotted lines) contributes to the scoring of both tourists.
A tourist at a terrace receives:
- 1 point for each water field he looks at from his terrace.
- 1 point for each park field he looks at from his terrace. Whether or not there is a tourist on this park field.
A tourist looks at all parks that border directly horizontally or vertically on his terrace. A tourist also looks at all parks that are situated directly across the other side of the water he looks at. Because a tourist can look across the water and through the park, he can also see water and park fields lying behind other water and park fields. These water and park fields also contribute to the score of the tourist.
Example: Blue receives 6(A) + 1(B) + 3(C) + 3(D) = 13 points for the tourists on the terraces. Tourists B and C both look at the water field inside the dotted lines — this water field contributes to the score of both tourists. Tourists A and D both look at the park field inside the dotted lines — this park field contributes to the score of both tourists.
Variants
Would you like to play Cities with different building rules? Then take a look at www.martynf.com.
Number of Players
Because each player builds his own city, you can play Cities with as many people as you like, provided there are enough games at hand of course.
When playing alone, you try to reach a higher score with every following game.
Cities Online
Cities can be played online at: www.martynf.com
©2008 Martyn F/Emma Games - All rights reserved.
Emma Games Van der Duyn van Maasdamstraat 95 6535 VT Nijmegen [email protected] www.emmagames.com
Author: Martyn F Illustrations: Peter Hermans Game: Printed and manufactured in Germany.
Martyn F wishes to thank the following people:
For her faith in me: Maartje.
For their contribution to and testing of the game: Anne, Axel, Bert (a.k.a. m.b f-i-l), Birgit, Christoph, Det, Elles, Elmer, Erwin, Floris, Frau Findenegg, Fred, Geert, Gerrie, Harald, Inge, Jeanne, Jerfaas, Joop, Linda, Maaike, Maartje, Marcel, Martin, Melanie, Nicoline, Niek, Oliver, Oma Bep, Paul, Peter, Petra, Rob, Roderik, Söhnke, Stefan, Steven, Tanya, Tobias.
Not recommended for children under 3 - small parts may be inhaled or swallowed.