Roland Wright: The Dice Game Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Object of the Game
  • You score points by:
• Components
• Setup for 2-5 Players
• Playing the Game
• Game Turn
  • 1. Active Player only
  • 2. All Players
  • Placing Bits Examples
• Actions
• Card Completion
• Development Chart
• Game End and Scoring
• Award Clarification
• Scoring Example
• Setup for 1 Player
• Playing the Solo Game
• Tasks
• Solo Game Turn
  • Solo Turn Example
• Solo Game End and Scoring
  • Solo Scoring Example

Object of the Game

Each turn, choose from a pool of dice and color in matching dots (called 'Bits') on your Player Board. Earn points by creating patterns with Bits and by filling your Bit Box in multiple ways. At the end of the game, the player with the most points wins.

You score points by:

• Connecting Bits of your Inspiration card color pair.
• Completing patterns shown on Hallmark cards.
• Completing patterns shown on Equipment cards.
• Keeping hidden Research & Development cards.
• Completely filling your Bit Box with Bits of color.
• Satisfying Award card conditions better than opponents.

Solo Board: solo game rules are at the end of the booklet.

Components

• 5 Player Boards (6x6 'Bit Box' side and 7x7 side)
• Organizer Board
• 6 Dice
• 6 Dry Erase Pens
• Player Board Eraser
• 15 Inspiration cards (yellow)
• 11 Award cards (pink)
• 29 Hallmark cards (green)
• 29 Equipment cards (blue)
• 33 Research & Development cards (purple)
• Solo Board

Setup for 2-5 Players

1. Each player takes a Player Board. For a shorter game use the 6x6 side. For a longer game use the 7x7 side. Place the Organizer Board, six Dice and Pens in the center of the table. Choose a player to be the first Active Player.
2. Shuffle the yellow Inspiration cards and deal one to each player. These should be kept hidden from opponents throughout the game. Place the remaining Inspiration cards in the game box.
3. Shuffle the pink Award cards and deal three face up onto the bottom of the Organizer Board. Place the remaining Award cards in the game box.
4. Shuffle the green Hallmark cards, blue Equipment cards and purple Research & Development cards separately, then place each deck face down on the Organizer Board. Each player draws three Hallmark cards and three Equipment cards and chooses one from each card type to keep in hand. The two remaining cards are placed in discard piles next to their respective decks.

In a 2 to 5 player game, disregard the 'Solo Section' on Award cards.

Playing the Game

Each turn, the Active Player will roll the dice, group them by color, then set aside a group for their exclusive use. Next, all players simultaneously color in dots in their Bit Box that match a dice group and then may perform an Action (explained later). Once players are finished, the role of Active Player passes to the left (clockwise) for the next turn. All scoring occurs at the end of the game.

Game Turn

1. Active Player only

a. Roll Dice and Group By Color: The Active Player rolls the dice and groups them by color. If more than three of a color are rolled, the additional dice become a second group of this color.

b. Remove Group: The Active Player chooses a group of dice and places them in front of their Player Board. This determines which color Bits they may color inside their Bit Box this turn, and removes this group from the other players' available choices.

2. All Players

a. All players may Place Bits: Using the matching Dry Erase Pen, fill in empty spaces in the Bit Box on your Player Board, according to one dice group. You may match another player's color group choice (except the Active Player!). Share pens and be polite. You may fill in fewer than the total dice group, or none. Bits may only be placed in empty spaces and do not have to be placed next to one another. Never color directly over a Bit.

b. All players may Perform 1 Action: You may erase one Bit in your Bit Box, which may be one you colored in this turn. Then perform that Bit's corresponding Action. You may instead perform a completed Equipment card's Special Action, which does not require you to erase a Bit. (See ACTIONS section.)

Placing Bits Examples

Carlos is the Active Player this turn. He selected two green dice and placed them in front of his Player Board. He uses the green pen to color in 2 empty spaces in his Bit Box. Carlos is hoping to complete the pattern on each of his cards.

Grace is not the Active Player this turn. She may choose to color in Bits from any one of the remaining dice groups (orange pair, red, blue). She does not place a dice group in front of her Player Board, as other players may choose the same group from which to place Bits. She uses the orange pen to color in 2 empty spaces in her Bit Box.

Actions

Connected Bits: Two Bits linked by one vertical, horizontal or diagonal line.

You may perform one Action of any kind per turn. Equipment card Special Actions count as your single Action per turn.

• Red - Copy and connect a Bit. Erase any Red Bit. Then choose any Bit in your Bit Box and place a new Bit of the same color next to it. The new Bit must connect to the copied Bit.
• Orange - Move any other Bit. Erase any Orange Bit. Then choose any Bit in your Bit Box, erase it, and place a Bit of the same color anywhere else.
• Yellow - Change this Bit's color. Erase any Yellow Bit and place any color Bit in that same space.
• Green - Draw 3 Hallmark cards, keep 1. Erase any Green Bit. Draw three Hallmark cards, choose one, then place the remaining cards face up in the discard pile.
• Blue - Draw 3 Equipment cards, keep 1. Erase any Blue Bit. Draw three Equipment cards, choose one, then place the remaining cards face up in the discard pile.
• Purple - Draw 1 Research & Development card. Erase any Purple Bit. Draw one Research & Development card. Then, decide immediately to place the Bit(s) shown on the card (A) or keep the card (B) for points at the end of the game.
  • A. If you choose to place the Bit(s), use the corresponding pen(s) to place the Bit(s) shown on the card, anywhere in your Bit Box. Then, discard the card next to the Research & Development deck. You may place any or all of the Bits shown on the card.
  • B. If you choose to keep the card for the points shown on it (if any), place it face down near your Player Board, hidden until the end of the game. Research & Development cards have only Bits or Points.

You may not draw from a discard pile. If there are fewer than three cards in any deck, shuffle its discard pile to create a new deck.

Card Completion

To complete a Hallmark or Equipment card, your Bit Box must contain Bits of the exact color, spacing, and proximity of the pattern shown on the card. A pattern may appear in your Bit Box in one of four right angle orientations of the card. Patterns may not be inverted. Bits may be used as part of different patterns. Other Bits may be next to or inside of the pattern.

Completion examples: rotating the pattern by right angles (90 degrees) is correct; an inverted (mirrored) pattern or a diagonal (45 degree) placement is incorrect.

Hallmark and Equipment cards remain in hand until the pattern is completed. During a turn, you may complete any number of cards. Completed Hallmark cards are placed near your Player Board. Completed Equipment cards tuck under the bottom edge of your Player Board (like a desk drawer), leaving the Special Action text visible. Cards placed in front of you remain complete until the end of the game. This allows patterns in your Bit Box to be erased or changed. All cards are scored once at the end of the game.

Equipment card Special Action: You may perform the text on one completed Equipment card instead of a Standard Action. An Equipment card may be used the same turn it is completed, and you do not erase a Bit to perform it.

Development Chart

The 'Development Chart' rewards a 'Bonus Bit' after the completion of three specific lines. If at anytime you have a complete Vertical Edge (A), Horizontal Edge (B) or Diagonal Center (C) line (regardless of color), you may fill in the circle next to the corresponding line type on the Development Chart with any pen. Then place a Bonus Bit of any color in your Bit Box. Once a Bonus Bit is claimed for a line type, you may not claim a second Bit for that type. A Bonus Bit may be claimed in between turn steps. Development Charts don't impact scoring.

Game End and Scoring

When any player has three or fewer empty spaces remaining in their Bit Box or a deck and its discard pile have three cards remaining, there is one more turn. A Green, Blue or Purple Action may not be taken if its corresponding deck and discard pile has only three cards remaining. Then the game ends, and players calculate their scores. Total your score in the column on your Player Board. The player with the most points wins! If tied, the winner is the player that scored the most points from their Inspiration card, followed by Hallmark cards and so on down the Score column.

• Inspiration cards: Reveal your Inspiration card. Score points for each set of specific connected Bits. Each Bit may only count towards one set.
• Hallmark cards: Score 5 points for each completed card in front of you.
• Equipment cards: Score 3 points for each completed card in front of you.
• Research & Development cards: Score points shown on each card you kept.
• Filled Bit Box: Score 6 points if you have no empty spaces in your Bit Box.
• Award cards: Each Award card has a unique condition in which all players will compete. Assess the winner and second place for each of the three Awards. The player who most satisfies the condition of an Award earns 6 points. For second place, a player earns 4 points. If several players tie for first place, each tied player earns 5 points and no points are rewarded for second place. If several players tie for second place, each earns 2 points. You must meet the condition of the award to earn points. For example, you must have at least 1 Red Bit in your Bit Box to earn points for most connected Red Bits.
  • 2-player game: The player who most satisfies the condition of an Award earns 4 points (not 6!). No points are rewarded for second place. If tied, both earn 2 points each.

Award Clarification

• 'Best All-Around': Each 'Set' of Six Bits (one in each color) counts as 1 for the Award. A 'Set' of Bits does not have to be connected.
• 'Most Resonance': Each completed Hallmark or Equipment card pattern still in your Bit Box, counts as 1 for the Award. A player may only count each pattern type once.

Scoring Example

Grace's score column: Inspiration card 4 (she has the 'Globe' Inspiration card, which rewards 1 point for each connected set of green-blue Bits; she has 4 sets); Hallmark cards 10 (two completed cards); Equipment cards 6 (two completed cards); Research & Development cards 2 (one kept card); Filled Bit Box 6 (no empty spaces; multiple players may score this); Awards 6 + 5 + 0. Total: 39.

Awards: Grace has the 'Largest Cluster Of Connected Red Bits' (6 points). She tied for most 'Completed Hallmark cards' (5 points). For the third Award, her opponents collected more points than she did from Research & Development cards (0 points).

Setup for 1 Player

It's best to be familiar with the multiplayer game before playing the Solo game.

1. Take a Player Board and the Solo Board. Use the 6x6 side. Place the Organizer Board, six Dice and Dry Erase Pens in the center of the table.
2. Shuffle the yellow Inspiration cards. Draw one and place it face up to the left side of your Solo Board. Place the remaining Inspiration cards in the game box.
3. Shuffle the pink Award cards and deal three face up onto the bottom of the Organizer Board. Place the remaining Award cards in the game box.
4. Shuffle the green Hallmark cards, blue Equipment cards and purple Research & Development cards separately, then place each deck face down on the Organizer Board. Draw three Hallmark cards and three Equipment cards and choose one from each card type. Place the 2 chosen cards face up to the left of your Player Board. The remaining cards are placed in discard piles next to their respective decks.

The space to the left of your Player Board is for incomplete cards. As you complete them, place Hallmark cards to the right of your Player Board and tuck Equipment cards under your Player Board with the Special Action text visible.

Solo game: Use only the 'Solo Section' for Award scoring.

Playing the Solo Game

In the Solo game, you play as Roland Wright racing to design a game in just 21 days (turns). Each turn you'll cross off a day on the Calendar, roll the dice, and select a color group to add to one of the six 'Tasks' on the Solo Board. Then you'll select a second group for the standard Player Board just as in the multiplayer game. Earn as many points as possible from the two game boards, then total them at the bottom of the Solo Board at the end of the game.

Tasks

There are six Tasks on the Solo Board, in each of the six colors in the game. Each Task holds a single number, which is '0' (blank) at the beginning of the game. Some Tasks allow you to change dice outcomes or draw additional Hallmark and Equipment cards, while others penalize you if the value is too low at the end of the week. Task values remaining at the end of the game are points. Any color pen may be used on the Solo Board to mark the Calendar and the six Tasks.

Example: a 'Wind Clock' Task with a value of '3' reads "Reduce 3 by 1 to reroll all dice."

Solo Game Turn

1. Mark Calendar: Starting at the top left square and then moving to the right with each turn, mark a '/' on the next day on the Solo Board Calendar.
2. Roll Dice and Group By Color: Roll the dice and group them by color. If more than three of a color are rolled, the additional dice become a second group of this color.

Dice Adjustment: You MAY perform these Actions as many times as you choose:

• 'Wind Clock' (Purple Task): Reduce the value of the number in the Purple Box by 1 to reroll all the dice in play.
• 'Stoke Fire' (Red Task): Reduce the value of the number in the Red Box by 1 to change a die to any color. Regroup the dice if needed.

3. Select Group For Solo Board: Choose a group and add the quantity value to the corresponding Task.
4. Select Group For Player Board: Choose a second group, which must be different than the first group choice, and place the Bits as you do in the multiplayer game.
5. Perform 1 Action: Perform an Action as you do in the multiplayer game. Draw additional cards when drawing Hallmark or Equipment cards according to the corresponding values on the Solo Board (the 'Water Plant' Task for Hallmark cards and the 'Wash Windows' Task for Equipment cards: "+X cards when drawing").

Weekend Maintenance: At the end of the two turns in which you mark the wrench icon on the Calendar, perform the following steps, in order, for each of the four Tasks on the Solo Board:

• 'Keep Lit' (Yellow Task): If the value contained in this box is less than the total dice in play, remove one die from the game. Then, in either case, reset the value to '0'.
• 'Feed Pip' (Orange Task): Roll all dice in play three times, setting aside any Orange dice that are rolled. Then subtract the total Orange dice from the value in the box (never reducing below '0'). If the value is reduced to '0', choose and discard a completed Hallmark or Equipment card. If you have no completed cards, discard an incomplete card.
• 'Water Plant' (Green Task) & 'Wash Windows' (Blue Task): Reset both values to '0' by erasing the number and leaving the box blank.

Solo Turn Example

Grace marks the next day on the Calendar then rolls the dice. She decides to reduce the purple 'Wind Clock' Task value by 1 (3 to 2) to reroll the dice.

She selects two red dice to add '2' to the red 'Stoke Fire' Task on the Solo Board, which already had '3'. She erases the '3' and writes '5'.

Then she selects an orange die to place in the Bit Box on her Player Board.

For her Action, she erases a green Bit and draws 8 Hallmark cards (3 base plus the Green Task value of 5). She keeps 1.

It's a 'Weekly Maintenance' turn so she assesses the orange and yellow Tasks. One die must be removed from the game as the value in the yellow 'Keep Lit' Task (5) is less than the total number of dice in play (6). Next, she resets the value by erasing the '5'. She rolls the remaining five dice in play three times, setting aside orange dice with each roll. After the third roll, there are a total of 2 orange dice. She reduces the orange 'Feed Pip' Task value by 2, bringing the total to '0'. She is forced to discard a completed Hallmark card. Finally, she resets the green and blue Task values to '0' by erasing the numbers.

Solo Game End and Scoring

After 21 turns (completely marked Calendar), add the values remaining in each Task on the Solo Board. Total your Player Board as you do in the multiplayer game. Earn points for each Award based on the achievement level shown in the Solo section (3, 6 or 10 points). You may score points for some or all of the Awards. Add both board totals together at the bottom right of the Solo Board. Compare your Total Score to the Stature Scale below:

• 49 or less: Novice
• 50 to 74: Amateur
• 75 to 99: Professional
• 100 or more: World Famous

Solo Scoring Example

In this example, you score 3 points for completing three Equipment cards, 6 points for eight connected red Bits and 0 points for having no completed patterns remaining in your Bit Box. The Solo Board total is 17 (Task values 4 + 3 + 2 + 7 + 1 + 0 as marked, plus Awards) and the Player Board total is 44. Both board totals are added together on the bottom right of the Solo Board for a Total Score of: 61 Points.