ESSEN The Game: SPIEL'13 Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• 1. Game Contents
• 2. Material Description
  • A. Board (fig.1 & 2)
    • Exhibit hall detail (fig.2)
  • B. Individual board (fig.3)
  • C. Games tiles (fig.4)
  • D. Wish List Cards / Ranking Cards (fig.5)
• 3. Set Up (fig.6)
• 4. Game Cycle
  • A. Maintenance of the Exhibit
  • B. First Player
  • C. Players Actions Phase
• 5. Intermediate Scoring
• 6. End of the Game and Final Scoring
• 7. Variations
  • A. 2-Players Game Version
  • B. Family Version

1. Game Contents

• 1 board
• 4 individual trunk boards
• 60 games tiles
• 60 wish list cards
• 3 entrance admission cards and 1 Press card
• 18 ranking cards: 9 morning and 9 afternoon
• Bills of €50, €20, €10 and €5
• 4 scoring tokens
• 8 meeples
• 2 crowd tokens
• 14 event tokens
• 1 last turn tile
• 1 first player token
• 4 popularity markers
• 1 last turn tile
• 1 rules book

2. Material Description

A. Board (fig.1 & 2)

Storage (A): reserve where games are stored that come out during the game. This track is divided into six boxes, numbered from 2 to 7. The symbol "clock" between the box 3 and the box 4 indicates midday. It's time to make the intermediate count.

Pallet truck (B): intermediate zone between the storage and the exhibit halls. Games installed on this track to manage allow the maintenance of the Exhibit and will go on sale the next round.

Exhibit hall (C): consists of 60 stands (divided into 5 zones of different colors), 2 entrances, the central courtyard and the Galeria. (cf. fig. 2)

Parking (D): starting location of the players and the crowd. Withdrawing money and unloading Games in the car will also be in this area.

Popularity track (E): indicates the level of popularity of the 4 Games symbols.

Early departure (F): at the end of the game, the first two players to end their trips to the parking can avoid the congestion at the end of the show and earn victory bonus points.

Ranking table (G): BoardGameGeek, Tric Trac and Fairplay: area reserved to the ranking cards (cf. p.6).

Wish list (H): area reserved to the common wishlist cards (cf. p.6), depending of the players number. Area reserved to wish list cards stack (I).

Personal Actions Track (J): 8 action spaces indicating the number of actions points available for your turn. Box by box, you move your action meeple each time you make an action. The bag symbol on the last 6 boxes indicates the limit of purchases. These 6 cart spaces represent the available room in your bag.

Wish list Table (K): summary of victory points scored when counting the wish list cards at the end of the game. The wish list is your list of games you want to purchase (cf. p.15).

Pre-order (L): when you to buy sold out game, put the sold out marker on this space (cf. p.12).

Start point (M): the character is the start point of the action meeple at each turn.

Score track (N)

Exhibit hall detail (fig.2)

Entrance (A): the Fair has two entrances. Each of them is a space matters in the calculation of movements. To enter or leave the room, it is mandatory to go through one of these two entrances.

Galeria (B): corridor connecting the back of the exhibit hall. The Galeria is divided into 2 separate boxes which count in the calculation of movements. Galeria does not communicate with the outside.

Central courtyard (C): space connecting the two buildings of the exhibit hall. This space counts in the calculation of movements. One can also eat there. The central courtyard does not communicate with the outside.

Stand (D): each stand is identified by the editor's logo, the stand number and the location color.

B. Individual board (fig.3)

Car trunk board: 4 spaces on which games are stored after the action of unloading your car.

C. Games tiles (fig.4)

Price (A): purchase price of the game.

Bonus (B): additional winning point(s) won when buying the game.

Stand number (C): locates the stand of the editor in the exhibit hall.

Color of the board (D): corresponding to the area where the publisher's stand is.

Popularity symbol (E): games are divided into four symbols: meeple, hourglass, dice, and cards.

D. Wish List Cards / Ranking Cards (fig.5)

Wish list cards: 60 cards, each representing a game tile. At the end of the game, the cards in your possession will give you victory points if you have purchased the corresponding games (cf. p.15)

Ranking cards: 18 cards divided into two series: the rankings of the morning and rankings of the afternoon. In the middle and at the end of the game, bought games will give you victory points if their symbols correspond to rankings of BoardGameGeek, TricTrac and Fairplay.

3. Set Up (fig.6)

"Wednesday: the day before the big day. Professionals of the game world prepare the exhibit. As tempers flare backstage, publishers, designers, roadies, volunteers are busy with one goal: to be ready to welcome you. Patience, just a few more hours before the opening of the exhibit doors."

Give each player 2 meeples, a scoring token and an individual trunk board to his color.

Give each player €300. The remaining money is placed on the side of the board to form the reserve.

Each player places his marker on the score "0" of the victory track. (A)

Each player places a meeple in the parking (B) and the other on his character (cf. fig.1 p.3).

Place 4 popularity markers on the light "2" row of the popularity tracks. (C)

Place the Crowd tokens on the parking space. (D)

Mix the 14 event tokens and place them face down on the side of the board near the pallet truck.

Shuffle the 60 wish list cards and deal 7 to each player. The remaining cards are placed on the stack box to form the deck. Each player secretly chooses a card from the cards he has received and then passes the remaining cards to his left. Do this four times to keep only 4 wish list cards on hand. These 4 cards are secret, they are your personal starting wish list.

The remaining cards are collected, sorted by color to be placed face up on the spaces reserved to the common wish list cards. These cards are the common players' wish list. For a 2-player game, refer to variants (cf. p.15).

Separate the morning ranking cards from the afternoon ranking cards. Mix the morning cards and place one face-up on each of the 3 ranking tables (E). The remaining morning cards are removed from play for the game. Place the afternoon cards on the side of the board. They will be used at the beginning of round 4 after scoring the morning ranking.

Mix, the 60 game tiles, face down:

• Place 6 tiles, face down, on each of the 5 spaces (numbered from 2 to 6) in the storage area (30 tiles). (F)
• Randomly place a tile, face up, on each of the 6 spaces of the pallet truck (6 tiles). (G)
• Place the remaining 24 tiles face up on the stand of their publishers, using colors and stand numbers as a reference (24 tiles). (H)
• Place the last turn tile on the last box (n°7) of the storage area.

Mix the 5 last turn tiles and randomly place one tile, face down, on the last turn box of the storage. The remaining last turn tiles are removed from play for the game.

Customize the popularity, generate events and move the crowd following the procedure as described in paragraphs 2, 3 and 4 of the maintenance of the exhibit (cf. p.8 & 9).

Mix the Press card with as many entrance admission cards necessary to distribute one card to each player. The player receiving the Press card is designated first player, thus may start his actions in the first round (cf. p.10). Example 4 players: 3 entrance admission cards and 1 Press card.

4. Game Cycle

A game is played in 7 rounds. Each round is divided into 3 phases:

A. Exhibit maintenance phase

1. Release of Games
2. Popularity
3. Events
4. Crowd

B. First player phase

C. Players actions phase

1. Moves
2. Purchase
3. Play-test
4. Unloading
5. Cash withdrawal

Remember: at the end of the 3rd turn, you have to do the morning ranking cards count (cf. p.14).

A. Maintenance of the Exhibit

1. Release of the games: from the second round

• Place the 6 games tiles of the pallet truck (with their eventual event tokens) on the stand of their publishers using colors and stand numbers as a reference.
• Starting from the right side (beginning by the n°2 box) of the storage area, take the first pile and place those 6 tiles randomly, face up on the pallet truck space.

2. Popularity: customize the popularity of the games according to their symbols:

• The game symbol placed on the "-1" pallet moves backwards one space on the popularity track.
• The game symbols placed on the 3 "+1" pallets move forward one space on the popularity track.

Example: The game in front of the "-1" pallet has the meeple symbol. Therefore, the marker on the meeple popularity track moves backwards 1 space. The meeple games popularity is set to 1 for the round.

The games on the 3 "+1" pallet have the hourglass, dice, and hourglass symbols. Similarly, the marker moves forward 2 spaces on the hourglass popularity track (for 2 hourglass symbols) and 1 space for the marker on the dice popularity track.

The different levels of popularity after this operation indicate the popularity levels for the round. Victory points earned during a purchase will be calculated using this temporary scale.

3. Events: take two event tokens and place them randomly, face up, on the games placed on both "E" pallets. These events will be effective when buying games in the exhibit hall. The different events are:

• Buzz (1x): bonus of 3 victory points for the purchase of the game.
• Flop (1x): lose 3 victory points for the purchase of the game (with a minimum of 0).
• Goodies (3x): bonus of 1 victory point for the purchase of the game.
• Discount (3x): the game costs €10 less to buy (with a minimum of €5).
• Sold out (6x): the game is sold out and can only be purchased by pre-order. (see chapter on purchase, p.12)

4. Crowd: place the two crowd tokens on the exhibit hall areas by matching tile colors laid on both "E" pallets. If the colors of the two tiles are identical, place the second crowd token on the central courtyard space.

Example: Both tiles placed in front of the symbols "E + crowd" have blue and purple edges, respectively. Place crowd tokens (sheep) on the blue and purple areas of the exhibit hall. For this round, the moves into these two areas will cost two actions instead of one.

NB: If the edges of the two tiles were purple, the first crowd token would be placed on the purple area and the second on the center courtyard.

Last round: the Fair will soon close its doors and the storage space is empty. Visitors begin to leave the show to hit the road. At the beginning of round 7, manage the exhibit as follows:

• Turn over the last turn tile and apply the effect for the turn.
• Last 6 games installed on the pallet truck are placed on the stands of their publishers.
• Do not change the popularity and do not take event tokens.
• Both crowd tokens are placed on the two entrances.

B. First Player

On the first turn, the 1st player is determined by the entry tickets. The player receiving the Press card starts the game.

From the second round, the least encumbered player (with the most free action spaces) receives the 1st player token. In case of a tie, the player with the least victory point becomes the new first player. If there is still a tie, the least encumbered player to the left of the current first player becomes the new first player. If the first player is one of them, he gives the 1st player token to the first least encumbered player to his left.

Each player places his action meeple on the starting point (character) of his individual actions track.

C. Players Actions Phase

The first player completes all his actions. Then, clockwise, the other players complete all their actions. When all players have had a turn the round ends. Then begin the next round maintenance.

In the beginning of the game, each player has 8 free action spaces. The number of actions available will vary during the game according to the number of free spaces on the action track. Thus, each player can achieve one or more of following main actions, in the order of their choice:

1. Movement: moves are from space to space, horizontally, vertically and/or diagonally on one of the adjacent spaces. Spaces are: the publishers' booths, the central courtyard, the two spaces in the Galeria, both entrances and the parking lot. Each move costs 1 action point. Each move to a space in a crowded area costs 2 action points.

Moves can be interspersed with other actions. For example, you can move to a stand, stop there to buy a game and then resume your movement, as long as you have the necessary action points to do it.

The parking lot is connected to both entrances. For one action point, you can move from the parking space to one entrance and vice versa. Moving from an entrance to another costs 2 action points.

When you go through the central courtyard, you can pay €20 to eat and recover some strength. This action allows you to immediately move your action meeple up to 2 spaces backwards on your individual board. Note that by this move, the meeple action can return to the starting point. Also, this action can only be played once per turn and per player.

Example: Mr. MEEPLE decides to return to the parking space to unload his purchases in the trunk of his car. His movement from A to C cost him two action points. He has two options available:

1. Mr. MEEPLE (yellow on the action track) no longer has a penny and wishes to return as soon as possible to the parking lot and withdraw some money. First, he goes through a yellow crowded box (D), which costs two action points. Then he passes through the entrance (E) to finish his move on the parking space (F). Each of these movements has cost him one action point. To move from A to F, Mr. MEEPLE had to use 6 action points (1+1+2+1+1). He can finally unload his games and withdraw some money before returning to the exhibit hall.

2. Mr. MEEPLE (green on the action track) decides to stop in the central courtyard to put down his bags and eat. So he pays €20 which allows him to move his action meeple backwards two spaces (green meeple C). Now, Mr. MEEPLE is fit and ready to go. His movement from the central courtyard to the parking lot cost him 4 action points (crowd + entrance + parking). To move from A to F, Mr. MEEPLE has used 4 action points (1+1-2+2+1+1). This pause in the central courtyard has allowed him to have 2 additional action points for that turn.

2. Purchase: to buy a game, you have to be on the coveted game tile and pay the purchase price. Take the tile and place it on the last free action space of your actions track. As a reminder, you only place a game tile on the action spaces marked with a bag. Your bag does not reasonably allow you to carry more than 6 games simultaneously.

If you buy a Game matching one of the common wish list cards, take the card and add it to your hand.

Buying a game does not cost an action point but blocks one of your action spaces, which decreases your capacity for action by one. This loss of action space represents your increased load. To recover all of your actions, you will have to get to the parking lot and unload your purchases into the trunk of the car.

To buy a game, you need a free action space to place the tile on it.

Sold out games: to buy a sold out game, you need to use your pre-order. Take the sold out token from the tile that you are buying and place it on the pre-order box of your individual actions track. Each player can only buy one sold out game throughout the whole game.

Every game you purchased immediately earns you victory points, calculated by adding:

• The popularity of the game
• The potential bonus* indicated on the game tile
• The bonus indicated by the potential event token

*(depending of the price and the distance between the publisher stand and the parking lot, some games provide bonus victory points when they are bought. The more expensive the game is and the further it is from the parking lot, the more difficult it is to acquire, thus it earns more bonus points)

Example: Mr MEEPLE just bought the buzz of the show. The game has the hourglass symbol. It's time to count victory points:

• The popularity of hourglass games is 1
• The game has a bonus of 1 (top right on the tile)
• The buzz event provides an exceptional bonus of 3

In total, Mr MEEPLE just scored 5 victory points that are added directly to his points on the scoring track.

3. Play-test: during his turn, and wherever he is (exhibit hall, entrance, parking or Galeria), a player can test and discover games. For each play-test performed, draw two cards from the wish list deck. Keep the card of your choice and discard the other. If you exhaust the wish list deck during the game, shuffle the discard pile to form a new deck. Each play-test costs 1 action point and the action meeple of the individual action track is advanced one space.

As a reminder, wish list cards in your possession will yield victory points in the final count, if you have purchased the corresponding games (cf. p.15).

4. Unloading: to deposit your purchases in the car trunk. The player moves the game tiles from his bag (his action spaces marked with a bag) to the trunk space corresponding to each games' symbols. Action spaces freed like this can be used immediately to perform new actions.

Unloading can ONLY be done on the parking space. It does not cost any action points.

5. Cash Withdrawal: when a player is on the parking space, he can withdraw money. Withdrawals are multiples of €50. Every €50 makes you lose 2 victory points immediately on the scoring track. Withdrawing money doesn't cost any action points.

A player can withdraw as much money as he wants if he can pay in victory points. It is forbidden to drop below 0 on the scoring track.

Early departure: any player may decide to leave the Fair before closing to avoid traffic congestion. If at the end of the last round, a player ends his move on the parking space, place his meeple on the early departure space.

The first player to leave the exhibit this way wins 6 victory points and the second player wins 3 victory points. The other players will not receive any bonuses.

There is no obligation to complete the last turn on the parking space.

5. Intermediate Scoring

Scoring of the morning ranking cards

At the end of the third round, before beginning the 4th one, you have to proceed immediately to the morning ranking cards scoring.

Each player receives four victory points for each ranking card which meets the requirements. Note that the same Game could be used to achieve several ranking cards. A same ranking card may only be scored once per player.

Then replace the morning ranking cards with 3 afternoon ranking cards.

Example: End of the morning, Mr. Meeple enjoys a well-deserved break to inventory purchases.

Between the games he has already unloaded into his car and the games he carries in his bag, Mr. Meeple bought 6 games with these symbols: 3 x meeple, 2 x hourglass and 1 x cards.

Comparing his purchases to the provisional rankings he finds that these games are popular.

With his 3 x meeple and 2 x hourglass, Mr Meeple satisfies the conditions of the first two cards and thus scores 8 victory points:

• 4 for the first ranking card because it has the combination of 1 hourglass and 3 meeple
• 4 for the second ranking card because it has the combination of 2 hourglass and 2 meeple

6. End of the Game and Final Scoring

At the end of round 7, the show closes. Each player moves his meeple to the parking space and then puts his latest purchases in the trunk of his car.

Now add victory points from the afternoon ranking cards and wish list cards to the victory points earned during the game.

1. Afternoon ranking cards: do this the same way as for the morning ranking cards, check the afternoon ranking cards for those whom all the conditions qualify. You score 8 victory points for each condition reached.
2. Wish list cards: count the number of purchased games for which you have the wish list card and refer to the wish list counting table. The more games you have purchased from your wish list, the more victory points you will score.

The player with the most victory points is the winner. In case of a tie, the player who bought the most games on his wish list wins. If there is still a tie, the player who has the least money wins ("To return from Essen with money is a shame Sir!").

7. Variations

A. 2-Players Game Version

Play with the same rules as above with two exceptions:

• When setting up the game (cf. p.6), after distributing the 7 cards to each player, secretly choose two cards (instead of one) among the cards you receive. Then pass the remaining cards to your opponent. Repeat it to keep only 4 wish list cards in hand. The remaining cards are collected and placed on the columns, depending of the number of players.
• After the first player phase, but before the actions phase (cf. p.10), each player chooses a game tile and removes it from the game. You cannot remove a tile on which a meeple is standing.

B. Family Version

Remove the ranking cards from the game. Your purchases will therefore only be directed by the wish list cards and the games' popularity.