ec2-3-17-173-211.us-east-2.compute.amazonaws.com | ToothyWiki | SpaceDogsbody | RecentChanges | Login | Webcomic The idea was suggested that SpaceDogsbody could lend itself to having a simpler version created, to be more playable by children and non-gamer family members. This would be a drastic streamlining of the game, removing more than half of the rules and especially complicated bits, while still retaining some of the feel and some of the fun.
So, we'd want to keep:
The random board layout and probably the board size
The mining of resources from asteroids (and the three-at-a-time onboard limit)
Fulfilling missions (probably just Industrial Shortages)
The pirates moving around the board (which is the game's most unique feature)
But remove as much as possible:
Most of the different kinds of space (basically leave a bunch of asteroids, a bunch of mission spaces, and a few stations - or combine the last two)
Most of the upgrades (I think a Laser in some form is probably still worth having)
Most of the complexity of how pirates move
The reputation track, probably
The distinction between onboard cash and bank account
Tourists and passengers
Face-down tiles, and the distinction between green, yellow and red tiles
Specifics would be something like:
Say 40 mission cards, 4 asking for each pair of resources from Cubon (paying 2), Cylium (3), Isolene (4), Starbon (5), Diamantium (6)
25 tiles:
6 stations which provide a mission-card slot and the opportunity to buy a Laser
The Pirate Lair, which starts with 3 pirates on it.
20 asteroids, 2 providing each pair of resources (actually, that's too many: leave some of them down at 1 copy so there's 25 tiles total)
Start of each player's turn, that player chooses a pirate to move and a player to move it towards. It moves one space towards that player. No restrictions on closest player, or whether the target already has a pirate in their space, or which axis the pirate prefers.
Then the player takes 3 actions, from the set of:
Mine one resource
Fly one space
Fulfil a mission / buy a Laser
Moving into a space with a pirate, or a pirate moving into your space, means you have to roll. On a 1-5, pay the pirate $2 or a resource tile.
One laser takes this down to only paying on a 1-2. Two lasers protect you completely.
Strongly urge you to not remove the complexity of pirate move. It's complex; but pretty easy to grasp in its simple form. "They move the long-bit towards the nearest player they can see" Just add "And if it's equal distances, or you can't figure it out, don't worry; move them whichever." Adding "No need to sweat it" probably simplifies it sufficiently in the rare edge cases. The full rules have it spelt out, after all. --Vitenka