Museum Dynasty Draft

1 Setting

Welcome to the International Museum of Ethereal Curiosities! Within these walls (and sometimes outside of them) you will see and experience sights and sounds beyond imagination. Shadows sing, paintings twist and warp the colours of their canvases, tapestries weave themselves, and that tiny wooden box in the glass case is larger on the inside than the outside. Dreams, nightmares and all manner of non-Euclidean interests inhabit these spaces. No two objects are the same, nor will you be the same once you’ve walked our halls. Welcome, and don't forget to stop by the gift shop on your way out.

2 Gameplay Summary

Each player, initially, is one of the museum's several curators. Curators are responsible for acquiring various "Objects" for display and deciding, as a group, which objects to display in the museum (suffering the various consequences, accordingly) to ensure profits so that the museum does not go bankrupt.

Each player (henceforth identified as "curator") begins the game with three "purchase tokens."

The emperor (henceforth identified as "rival curator") begins the game with zero "purchase tokens."

3 Objects

An "object" must have the following qualities: a "name"; an "image"; a "description" (which will be considered flavour text); and an "effect."

An "object" (plural "Objects") is an item which is "in the museum's collection" or "on exhibit." An object can be both "in the museum's collection" and either "on exhibit," or "off exhibit."

All "objects" that are "off-exhibit" are contained in the museum's "storage facility."

4 Hypothetical Rules

Exhibit X: Any "object" "on exhibit" must have an identifying value of "X," where "X" is a distinct and unique combination of letters and/or numbers (which may or may not include positive and/or negative integers) from all other "objects" currently "on display," which serves to distinguish it for purposes of gamestate and for visitors to the museum. Each exhibit number will track the "object" currently "on exhibit," its "effect," and which players' gamestate is affected by its "effect."

Friendly Ethereal Properties: Each "object" has an affinity for the curator who "purchased" it for the museum. An "object's effect" will immediately become gamestate for all players except the player who initially "purchased" the "object," and the player who proposed to place it "on exhibit."

Profits: If an "object" is "on exhibit" for the duration of an entire week (168 hours after successful passing of the proposal), each player who provided a "FOR" vote during the proposal for placing that "object" "on exhibit" will receive an additional "purchase token." This includes the Rival Curator.

Bankrupt: If the duration of an entire week passes (168 hours) without any curator receiving a "purchase token" by means of the rule "Profits," the museum is considered "Bankrupt," and the Rival Curator may immediately call for a DoV. This is the only way the Rival Curator may declare victory.

5 Hypothetical Actions

Purchase Object: Once within a 48-hour cycle (maximum of two times per week) a player may use one of their three "purchase tokens" to “purchase object” for the museum. The “object” will be designed entirely by the curator meeting all the requirements under the rule, "Objects." Once “purchased,” the “object” is considered “in possession of the museum” but is not considered “on exhibit.”

Showcase Object: Once per week, a curator may propose to put any object currently "in the museum's collection" and not currently "on exhibit," "on exhibit" for the public. This is not considered a proposal and may be done in addition to other proposals.

6 Imperial Style

Provocateur. Adversary. Workload should remain somewhat minimal, primarily ensuring that all objects are tracked correctly and that various important chronological durations are recorded appropriately. All information at game start is public. The players should be able to handle the majority of the workload, purchasing/designing items, placing them into a "designated storage space," when not on display. Regarding scams: the rival-curator wishes to see the museum fail, at least, initially. If play develops in another direction they may be able to find another way forward. I lean toward providing player freedom in this area.

7 Additional Commentary/Game Theory

The initial game loop consists of players "purchasing" items for the museum by creating them which will involve "effects" which will alter the gamestate, but not for everyone. This, combined with various rule proposals will provide an interesting and somewhat combative space to explore; somewhat appropriate for a museum of ethereal curiosities.

It is imperative that the curators begin to create and place at least one object on display so as to prevent the Rival Curator from winning via the "Bankrupt" rule. The catch is that the "effect" each item contains (ethereal or otherwise) applies to all players except the one who designed it and/or the one player who proposed placing it "on exhibit." This may provide some contention as to which objects to display. In addition, this may result in objects "purchased" and designed to counter other objects, etc., resulting in an interesting loop of curiosities meant to outplay each other. In addition, for players to receive additional "purchase tokens," they must either get their "object" "on exhibit," or vote FOR an "object" that does, whose effect may, in fact, be detrimental to them.

There likely needs to be some refinement regarding the "purchase tokens," so as to avoid any infinite loops, though I think I like the conflicting aspects and design space of the initial gamestate.