Looney Labs Icehouse Mailing list Archive

RE: [Icehouse] Treehouse Rules handout - please proof!

  • From"Dan Isaac 2" <disaac2@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • DateTue, 20 Jun 2006 00:40:01 -0400
Lot's of feedback...

It does seem odd to have a list of things you can do, before you even get an
idea of what you can do. (Although I do see the reasoning [layout], and the
"Actions explained on page 2" arrow does help. But it still seems odd.

I definitely like all of the explanatory images, and do think that they need
to be in boxes to distinguish one state from the next. However, there are
some places where this was not kept consistent such as HOP (first tree),
SWAP, and AIM

Although I do like the trio-states in boxes, I think that most if not all of
the other text should not be in boxes. Too many boxes all over the place.
Specifically Goal, Lines, Gaps, Stacks, Winning, Ties, & If 2 Players.
(Exceptions: Stuff You Need, TIP, HOP, ...)

In the Setup section, there are some terminology issues. It might be a good
idea to state what a trio is (collection of 1 Large, 1 Medium, and 1 Small
piece). It should be kept consistent that "Tree" is a formation of pieces,
as is the initial layout of the House, and that "House" and "Trio" are not
formations, but rather collections of pieces.
Perhaps:
	Each player gets a trio of pieces
	(1 Small, 1 Medium, and 1 Large piece)
	and arranges them in the "Tree" formation.
	[image]
	One extra trio is placed in the center of
	the table in the formation shown.
	[image]


The Goal is not quite correct, as you are modifying your trio (not just your
tree), and you may also change the House to look like your trio to win.
Besides this info is repeated in the Winning section. I would remove this or
combine it with the Winning and Ties sections either here or at the end of
the page.

I like the Game In Progress image and how it illustrates how the pieces must
stay in-line with the House as well as illustrating various possible . This
image should be kept with the text about keeping pieces in-line.

Gaps: The gaps between pieces [in a trio] are all...
Is this "Gaps" section even needed? You never mention the confusing "line of
1-3 spaces" in these rules, which I believe is what caused the confusion
about gaps to begin with.

Stacks: Is this section even needed? The first line is pretty much taken
care of by the action rules such as Tip. Otherwise it could be put into the
Can't Do section. The second part is already covered in the Tip section.

How To Play:
Roll the die.
The Action you roll determines what you get to do.
...
Perhaps make a note that you can choose to do nothing if you can't perform
the Action on your own trio. (Is that true?)

Perhaps the "Things You Can't Do" section should either be incorporated into
the Actions sections (With an icon to highlight them and show that they
can't be done) or else into a Notes section along with some of the other
items such as Lines, Gaps, Stacks, 2 Players, D6, etc.

Winning: the These don't image has a floating pip that should be on the
white small piece.
Ties: Don't need to explain how a tie occurs. What if a third player causes
the House to match the other two players trios? How about...
If two players win at the same time, the player whose turn it is wins.

If 2 Players: Call this section "2 Player Game". Shouldn't mention colors
(never mentioned anywhere else. Just say trios instead.

Tip Action: Knock over a stack or [a solitary] upright piece.
Should you also reference the note about all pieces being in-line with the
House?
Could consolidate the two sets of images by basically just using the second
set of images.

Hop Action: An upright piece jumps up, landing upright somewhere else in the
trio.
Should have a box around the Tree starting position to be consistent with
many of the other series of images. They should probably also have the "OR"
image between them.
I like the second set of illustrations here, but feel that it would be
better if the A, B, C, & D images were in order. They should probably also
have the "OR" image between them.

Swap Action: Should have a box around the Tree starting position to be
consistent with many of the other series of images.

Dig Action: ...that piece is turned upright on top of the digging piece.
Again would prefer if the A, B, C, D, & E images were in order.

Aim Action: Should have boxes around the three images to show that they are
not just one big trio.
Could start with an image of a piece pointing left and show that it can be
changed to point right or upwards.
Should probably consider removing the left, right mention as this is the
only place those directions are stated. Perhaps just say that it must remain
in line with the House.

Wild Action: Could possibly stress more that in this instance you get to
choose where you apply the action.

I guess that's about all I have for now.

- Isaac

> -----Original Message-----
> From: icehouse-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> [mailto:icehouse-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Carol
> Townsend
> Sent: Sunday, June 18, 2006 10:23 PM
> To: Icehouse Discussion List
> Subject: [Icehouse] Treehouse Rules handout - please proof!
>
>
> Hi folks!
>
> We need just a quick bit of help here.
>
> Please go to the Wunderland website (www.wunderland.com) and look in
> the top bit of stuff called "What's New" - you'll see a couple of
> links to the current take on what a handout/brochure/tip-sheet thingy
> is for Treehouse.
>
> PLEASE - look these over ASAP and post any comment, corrections,
> concerns or compliments (wow... that was alliterative...)  to the list
> here.  This synergy is amazing - we went through a bunch of great
> revisions of the original Treehouse rules in record time because you
> folks on this list!
>
> We'd like to get whatever revisions are needed done soon so we can
> make final changes and print it out before Origins!  Which is WAY too
> soon for some of us!!
>
> In case we don't say it often enough, we really appreciate all the
> help we get from all you folks.  Thank you!  We really love our
> fantastic Icehouse community!!  You folks rock!
>
> Carol
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