Well, it started on Monday. Pretty cool, so far, given that there are over a thousand students and it’s completely impersonal. The first “class” was more of a blog talking about game design terminology. The “in-class” assignment was to make a race-to-the-finish type game. I have a lot of experience coming up with stuff like this, so it was pretty easy. I ended up making Candy Land + The Prisoner’s Dilemma, and I haven’t played it, so I’m not sure if I overlooked anything. I did add one kinda-innovative element to it though, which is the ability to trick your opponent into sabotaging their own progress. Let me know if you play it!

Game Basics

Everyone assumes “Faerie Land” is a garden. Why? I don’t know. It’s not like they’ve ever been there.

Fae actually live on a giant millipede named Steven. A blind millipede named Steven.

You’re a couple of pixies (of course). And if there’s one thing pixies are good at, it’s not getting things done.
Unfortunately, the great Fae Ball is tonight, and all the other faeries are busy working. Too bad Steve is headed toward a cliff.
Nobody listens to either of you… you’re only pixies, after all. I guess it’s up to you two to tell Mr. “I have no eyes” that he’s about to send the whole world into the abyss.

Steve is soooo long, though, and you only have six turns to get from the royal palace (on his butt) to his ears… or whatever millipedes have.

Oh, and did you ever wonder why pixies are so bad at getting things done? It’s because they can only do things by getting permission from non-pixies. That, and all pixies fight constantly, and pull pranks to make each other fail.

You’ll each have five cards from the deck. Each card represents someone you can get help from.

During a turn, you each put a card down on the table, making sure it’s covered by your hand. When you both have cards down, remove your hands to reveal them.

If your card is face-up, you’re asking for permission, but if it’s face-down then you’ve decided to prank the other player.
If both of you are asking, you both do what is on your respective cards.
If both of you prank each other, nothing gets done (…typical).
If only one of you asks for permission, while the other one pranks. The prankster steals the other pixie’s card and does what’s on it.

After each turn, you both draw another card, and put the cards played this turn in a discard pile.

Now remember, it doesn’t really matter that Steven stops before he gets to the cliff… it matters who tells him! That pixie will probably be the star of the Royal Ball while the other one gets to take coats… or something.
If seven turns go by, and you two haven’t still managed to do such a simple task, the whole world ends, but the one who is furthest from the head has the best chance to jump off (after all, it’s not about if you die… it’s who dies first).

Fine print

If a card would make you go past Steve’s head, that’s the same as landing on his head. (If a card would make you go past the palace, that’s the same as landing on the palace.)

Cards placed face-down are revealed before going into the discard.

If player one lands on Steve’s head, but then switches places with player two, player two wins.

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Game Pieces

Board depicting a giant millipede with no eyes, ten segments and a palace on the segment furthest from the head. It should be clear that the palace is the start, the head is the end, and that each segment is a space. Optional chasm in front of Steve. Optional characters (see cards) on Steve’s back.

Two pixie figurines that can both easily fit on a single segment.

A twenty-card deck of custom cards. Cards need to be small enough to be covered easily by a child’s hand, and similar enough on both sides to reduce the chance of revealing your move accidentally.
Each card has a simple drawing of a magical character and instructions. Bellow is a list of all instructions, and the number of copies of this instruction in the deck:
* Move forward four segments. (1)
* Move forward three segments. (5)
* Move forward two segments. (4)
* Move forward one segment. (3)
* Move backward one segment. (2)
* Move backward two segments. (2)
* Move backward three segments. (1)
* Switch places with your opponent after everyone moves. (2)

EDIT: After light playtesting, I’ve found that the “move backward” cards turn out to be more fun if they read as “the opponent moves forward.” This makes winning the game much easier, and makes it a bit more tense/interesting.