Ambagibus

            Ambagibus is a two-dimensional, one to two-player puzzle game. The objective is to use all your cards by starting and closing off as many mazes as you can. The game space is continuous because the player can start their labyrinth anywhere on a flat surface, and the labyrinth can expand in any direction depending on the player’s decisions. At the same time the placement of cards (which are new sections of the labyrinth) is discrete since new sections can only be added to the open paths already in the game space that have the lowest numbers.

           

            In a single player game all the cards are shuffled and are your deck. You begin by selecting the top card and placing it in the game space. This card determines the start of the labyrinth.

            The same steps are taken for a multi-player game but the deck is split between players. Each player makes his or her own mazes. The number of mazes determines the winner. In event of a tie the winner is who ever has the lowest points (each open path is numbered 1-4, adding the numbers on each unclosed path gives the player their points)

* Behavioral Rule: I observed when playing multiplayer is that we each waited on each other to have a turn before going even though the rule never said to have individual turns nor does a persons turn effect the other player.

* House Rule: since games could be short, when playing multi-player we played had three rounds and used the 'best two out of three' rule.

          The core mechanic of this game is selecting and placing cards from your deck to alter the path of the labyrinth (you cannot look at your deck). 

          As mentioned before, the open paths are labeled 1-4 on each card and there can be 1-4 open places on each card. You must play on the lowest numbered open paths and connect the lowest numbered path on your new card to it (Figure 1). When doing this you cannot block off other open paths already in the game space with bricks on the cards (Figure 2). If there are no available moves for the card you drew it goes to the bottom of your deck. The same happens to a ‘Cave in’ or ‘Bomb’ card if selected first, there must be other cards in the game space to play them.

             

(Figure 1.)

(Figure 2. The image above depicts an illegal move. The selected card is blocking off a pathway with the brick.)

            The objects in this game are the cards. There are three different card types: Labyrinth segments, Bombs, and Cave ins.

          Labyrinth segments: the attributes of these cards are dynamic. They can have 1-4 open paths. These attributes can have 4 possible states, a number between 1-4 within each open path.

          Bombs: Their attrabutes are static. The card covers an already existing piece of the labyrinth and opens it up for another piece to go there (Figure 3a, 3b, and 3c).

          Cave-in: These cards also have static attributes. These cards are placed onto a piece of the labyrinth with one or more open paths. By placing this card the path is closed.

(Figure 3a. Bomb cards go onto existing segments of the labyrinth.)

(Figure 3b.)

(Figure 3c. The segments that are bombed are open and other cards can be placed on top of them.)

Operative Actions

          The player has selected a labyrinth piece. The resultant actions of this are that the player is able to open new paths, the player is able to steer the labyrinth in a new direction, or the player closes off an existing path.

          The player draws a Bomb card. The resultant action is it opens up a section of the labyrinth.

          The player draws a Cave-in card. The resultant action is that a section of the labyrinth has been closed off.

          The game is largely based off chance and which card you will draw next. But there is mental skill involved. If you have a few different places open the player has to make a decision about which space would be best to play on. Or if you select a Cave in or Bomb card you must decide which path would be worth closing or opening.

Chances of drawing each card:

*Each card is unique in the numbering of paths.

Cave In- 5%

Bombs- 5%

Four open paths- 7.5%

Three open paths- 27.5%

Two open paths (corner)- 30%

Two open paths (straight)- 15%

One open path- 10%