Code Omega
Code Omega Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Contents
- 1 scoring board
- 32 puzzle boards
- 90 code strips (a set of 15 strips for each player)
- 30 scoring markers (5 markers in each of 6 colors)
- 1 8-sided die
- 4 symbol dice
- 1 sand timer [approximately 100 seconds]
Game Concept
The players simultaneously try to arrange their code strips to form a vertical black line of symbols. The strips must be placed within the red-bordered area of each board.
Preparing to Play
The scoring board is placed in the middle of the table. Each player gets 5 scoring markers and places one on each of the spaces on the board depicting an arrow. In addition, each player takes a set of the 15 different code strips (the front and back are identical on each strip) and places them on the table in front of them (the order does not matter). Then the puzzle boards are used! Before they are distributed, the players decide as a group whether they want to crack easy codes (the sides with 3 strip locations) or hard codes (the sides with 4 strip locations). Then all the boards are shuffled and placed in a pile next to the score board, with the side that is not being used facing up.
First picture's caption: A set of code strips for each player.
Playing the Game
Each player takes a board from the pile and places it on the table with the side to be played facing up. Then a player rolls the 8-sided die and turns over the sand timer. Now all players try to crack their codes as fast as possible.
How it Works
On the top and bottom edges of each puzzle board are 8 small boxes (numbered 1-8) containing symbols. The number rolled determines which of the 8 codes will be cracked. Each player takes from their set the code strips the symbols of which are shown in the box. If, for example, a 2 is rolled, all players take the strips indicated in the second boxes on their respective boards.
Second picture's caption: In this example "2" was rolled, therefore the strips shown are selected.
Cracking the code is a matter of arranging the indicated code strips in the right order and orientation so that a continuous vertical black line containing the code symbols is created. The strips must be placed entirely within the light red-bordered area of the board. How the players arrange the strips is up to them. Both sides of the strips may be used [although they are the same].
Third picture's caption: This shows the solution for code 2.
Important: the order of the symbols in the boxes does not mean anything! The code strips may be placed in any order and turned arbitrarily, as long as they remain in the light red-bordered area.
Fourth picture's caption: Here the strips are placed incorrectly, because the light area is not completely covered.
As soon as a player has found a solution, he or she shouts "Done!" The others continue to play and try to crack their codes as quickly as possible.
Moving the Scoring Markers
Once all players have cracked their codes, the players, in order, roll the symbol dice and move their scoring markers accordingly. Players who finished before the timer ran out may roll dice as follows:
- The player who finished first rolls 4 dice.
- The second player rolls 3 dice.
- All other players who finished before the timer ran out roll 2 dice.
- Any players who finish after the timer runs out roll 1 die. [Note that the rules do not give an actual time limit to crack the code, just a penalty for finishing late. We have been playing that players who have not finished when the timer runs out get just a few seconds to finish, or score nothing, but this is not actually in the rules.]
5 symbols and one question mark are on every symbol die. Each symbol rolled allows the player to move their scoring marker in the matching column ahead one space. If a question mark is rolled, the player may choose a marker to move ahead.
Fifth picture's caption: Example: If a player rolls, e.g., 2 clouds, 1 star, and 1 lightning bolt, he or she can move his or her marker in the lightning bolt and star columns ahead one space, and in the cloud column two spaces ahead.
If a player shouts "Done!" without having found the right solution, he or she retires for this round and may not roll the dice.
Next, each player puts the strips used back in their pool. The puzzle boards are discarded and each player takes a new board. (If there are not enough boards for everyone, the used boards are shuffled and re-used.)
End of the Game
The game ends if, after all scoring has taken place for a round, a player has reached the last space of at least one column. This player wins the game. If more than one player has reached the end of a column, the winner is the player whose second-most advanced marker is farthest along. [Of course, if a player manages to reach the end of two columns at the same time, their second-most advanced marker is also at the end, beating anyone who has reached the end of just one column.]
Players can also agree at the start of the game to play a specified number of rounds. In this case, the winner is the player who has the farthest-advanced marker after the last round.