On Dec 19, 2006, at 7:30 PM, Kimberly Terrill wrote:
Does color matter? When I look at the picture they use all Rainbow sets with the colors in a pattern. Yet when I read the instructions I don't see that color really matters as long as all 3 in a nest are the same color. (or when doing the extra challenges)
Yes, color matters. You get 1 point per piece, but a tree of three pieces of mixed color is worth 5 points, and a tree of 3 pieces of the same color is worth 7 points. So, playing with all the same color wouldn't work, because then there wouldn't be any 5 point trees, and you'd get the 7 point ones too easily. And, of course, the game ends once someone has all 5 colors.
You can certainly play with Xeno pieces, or any set of 5 colors you want (or fewer colors if you're playing mini-Volcano).
The actual arrangement of colors doesn't matter all that much. Different people have different preferences, and different arrangements might allow for slightly different strategies. Try out some different arrangements, and see how they work!
You mention "extra challenges". Are you talking about the solitaire Volcano variants?