Web
Web Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Game Parts
61 Net cards, 72 ISDN-rods.
Preparations
Place the central server (the card with the Splotter-logo) in the center of the table. Sort the other cards according to their shape and shuffle them. The cards are placed with their computers and modems (phones) facing up, the side with the green dots is secret. Deal each player one card of each shape. Make six piles of the rest of the cards, two for each shape. The two piles with bends will be slightly higher than the other four piles.
Each player gets three ISDN-cables (wooden rods) of his colour and places these in front of him. The other cables are placed aside in the box.
Outline of play
Players take turns at playing their cards. The player with the lowest number of computers on his card may start the game. Toss in case of a draw. A turn consists of playing a card and performing actions. Note that cards are not drawn automatically! New cards can be drawn only by performing the relevant action. The game ends as soon as one of the piles of cards runs out, or if only one of the players has any cards left.
Playing a card
A card must be played such that at least one side of one of the squares borders on a card that has already been played (this may also be the server). Before placing the card the player must clearly state the number of dots on the back of his card, and, if necessary, show them.
It is allowed to leave open space between cards. During the game squares may come about to exist that are too small for a card to fit in.
Performing actions
The number of dots on the card played determines the number of actions one may perform. There are three kinds of actions:
- draw a card;
- buy three cables;
- place a cable;
A player is free to determine the order in which he performs any actions.
Example: Jeroen has three actions. He may buy three times three makes nine cables, or buy three cables and place two, or buy three, place one and draw a card, etc.
Drawing a card
A player that wants to draw one or more cards may choose from which pile(s) to draw. He may inspect the side showing the computers and servers, but not the backside showing the dots! As soon as one of the piles is exhausted, the game ends.
Buying three cables
Cables are always bought three at a time. This is done by taking them out of the store (the box) and placing them on the table. A player cannot buy more cables than are available in his store. If he runs out of cables, he cannot get any more.
Placing cables
A cable is placed between the centers of two squares. Diagonal connections are not allowed.
A cable must connect to the existing net of the same colour or to a server. All cables thus connect directly or indirectly to a server. If indirectly, the link is made by cables all of the same colour. Note that some of the cards contain extra servers. Four cables can start from such a server, one at each side. These may belong to different players.
An open square can be connected in four directions. It is allowed to make junctions. Cables of different players may cross, or they may curve away from each other. It is not allowed to place cables in a parallel fashion: only one cable may cross any border of a square.
A square containing a computer may only be connected from one side. A cable connecting a computer thus ends there and cannot be connected to another square. Connecting a computer yields the number of points indicated on the square.
It is not allowed to let a cable run off the cards onto the table, unless there is an empty square which is so small that no card would fit into it. Such an area counts as an open square.
The rulebook illustrates these points with a diagram of a sample net (squares A to D and lettered cables). The diagram is not reproduced here; its captions are transcribed below.
- Cable a is wrong: cables cannot be placed diagonally.
- Cable m does not connect to a server or another cable of the same colour, so it is wrong. Cable p connects to an extra server so it is okay.
- Cable k is wrong: a computer can have only one connection. One of the cables b and d is too much.
- At g two cables are parallel. One of the two cables should not be there. Cables may curve away from each other, like in square A, cross (square B) or split up (square C).
- Square C is too small to contain a card. It thus counts as an open square in which cables can be placed. Cables c, e and f are correct. However, a card could be placed in D, so it does not count as an open square. Cable i thus runs onto the table and may not be placed. The same goes for cable h.
End of the game
The game ends as soon as one of the piles of cards is exhausted. Each player counts the number of points next to the computers he has connected. Deduct one point for each card the player still holds. Whoever scores the most points wins the game.
It is possible that a player runs out of cards before the game ends. This player is then out of the game.
If there is only one player left who has any cards, the game ends. Points are counted as usual.
Playing with a handicap
To make the game more difficult, place some objects on the table before starting the game (e.g. some coins). It is not allowed to place cards over these obstacles. The rest of the game stays the same, but playing this rule yield much more strategic options!