A runaway maze game for two to four subatomic particles.
by Jonathan A. Leistiko
accellerator_rules.pdf
Accelerator song
Accelerator song composer
Accelerator is also available in Russian.
Object
Return three electrons to your collector before anyone else does.
You Need
- The Accelerator board (accellerator_board.pdf – This PDF also contains all the pawns and chits you’ll need.).
- 4 player pawns (alpha, beta, gamma, and delta) with a specific facing, so you can tell which direction they’re going.
- 10 deflector chits.
- 18 electron pawns.
- A six-sided die. In this game it’s called the accelerator.
- 6 energy tokens for each player.
All of these pieces (except the die and energy tokens) are available in accellerator_board.pdf.
Setting Up
Set the electrons and deflectors aside were everyone can reach them.
All players start with one energy token.
Choose a pawn and place it in your home space. You may choose any facing you wish to, except for diagonal.
High roller goes first.
Play
On your turn you check for acceleration, then move.
Check for acceleration: Roll the accelerator.
- If the number rolled is greater than your current energy, increase your energy by 1.
- If the number rolled is less than your current energy, add, move, or turn a deflector. This is not optional. You may not affect a deflector that was modified during the previous turn. You may not affect spaces that are occupied by a piece, home, or the reactor. You may not affect spaces that are adjacent to player-controlled pawns. If there are no deflectors to add, then you must move or turn a deflector. You may move a deflector to any square, as long as it is not prohibited by the previous rules.
- If your roll is equal to your energy, then you may gain or lose an energy token. You may leave your energy unchanged if you wish to. You may also add, remove, move, or turn one deflector. This is also optional, but you must obey all normal rules for modifying deflectors.
Move: Move spaces equal to your energy. You must move your full energy.
If your enter a space with a deflector, turn 90 degrees as indicated in the examples below. Your next move continues in your new direction.
If your piece attempts to move off the board, move into the space that does not exist and turn 180 degrees. This counts as a move.
If you pass through the reactor square, take one electron from the reactor and put it under your pawn. Any electrons under your pawn move with you when you move.
If you end your turn on the reactor, then reset your pawn. Any electrons you were carrying remain on the reactor.
If you enter your home space, you can take any electrons you’re carrying and set them aside in your collector. If you do this, reset your pawn.
If you pass through the same square as another player, then swap electrons with that player.
If you end your turn in the same space as another player, then both your pawn and that player’s annihilate in an impressive burst of radiation. You both must reset your pawns; any electrons carried by you or the other player return to the reactor.
Resetting: If you have to reset your pawn, your turn ends. Put your pawn in your home space at the start of your next turn. You may place your pawn facing any direction you wish to.
Play passes clockwise.
Winning
The game ends when one player has three or more electrons in his or her collector. If you have the most electrons in your collector at the end of the game, you win.
Origin and Credits
In 2003, one of the Song Fight contest themes was Accelerator. Seth, a good friend of ours from the Brother Machine collective, entered the contest with this song. Aside from liking the song a lot, I thought (and still think) that the concept behind Song Fight was really cool and decided that I’d use their themes for my own little personal Game Fight. This is my first Song Fight-inspired game. Seth doesn’t know it, but I’ve adopted his song as the “theme song” for this game.
I also think a lot about The Particle Song by Army of Lovers (alternative Particle Song link) when I’m playing this game.
Thanks to Brandon, Mike C. Sharon, Tanjent, Valerie, and Victor for playtesting. Thanks to Tanjent for the win condition. Super-big thanks to M. Shaver and Ed Holzman for post-release questions that resulted in rules clarifications.
A runaway maze game for two to four subatomic particles.
by Jonathan A. Leistiko
accellerator_rules.pdf
Accelerator song
Accelerator song composer
Accelerator is also available in Russian.
Object
Return three electrons to your collector before anyone else does.
You Need
- The Accelerator board (accellerator_board.pdf – This PDF also contains all the pawns and chits you’ll need.).
- 4 player pawns (alpha, beta, gamma, and delta) with a specific facing, so you can tell which direction they’re going.
- 10 deflector chits.
- 18 electron pawns.
- A six-sided die. In this game it’s called the accelerator.
- 6 energy tokens for each player.
All of these pieces (except the die and energy tokens) are available in accellerator_board.pdf.
Setting Up
Set the electrons and deflectors aside were everyone can reach them.
All players start with one energy token.
Choose a pawn and place it in your home space. You may choose any facing you wish to, except for diagonal.
High roller goes first.
Play
On your turn you check for acceleration, then move.
Check for acceleration: Roll the accelerator.
- If the number rolled is greater than your current energy, increase your energy by 1.
- If the number rolled is less than your current energy, add, move, or turn a deflector. This is not optional. You may not affect a deflector that was modified during the previous turn. You may not affect spaces that are occupied by a piece, home, or the reactor. You may not affect spaces that are adjacent to player-controlled pawns. If there are no deflectors to add, then you must move or turn a deflector. You may move a deflector to any square, as long as it is not prohibited by the previous rules.
- If your roll is equal to your energy, then you may gain or lose an energy token. You may leave your energy unchanged if you wish to. You may also add, remove, move, or turn one deflector. This is also optional, but you must obey all normal rules for modifying deflectors.
Move: Move spaces equal to your energy. You must move your full energy.
If your enter a space with a deflector, turn 90 degrees as indicated in the examples below. Your next move continues in your new direction.
If your piece attempts to move off the board, move into the space that does not exist and turn 180 degrees. This counts as a move.
If you pass through the reactor square, take one electron from the reactor and put it under your pawn. Any electrons under your pawn move with you when you move.
If you end your turn on the reactor, then reset your pawn. Any electrons you were carrying remain on the reactor.
If you enter your home space, you can take any electrons you’re carrying and set them aside in your collector. If you do this, reset your pawn.
If you pass through the same square as another player, then swap electrons with that player.
If you end your turn in the same space as another player, then both your pawn and that player’s annihilate in an impressive burst of radiation. You both must reset your pawns; any electrons carried by you or the other player return to the reactor.
Resetting: If you have to reset your pawn, your turn ends. Put your pawn in your home space at the start of your next turn. You may place your pawn facing any direction you wish to.
Play passes clockwise.
Winning
The game ends when one player has three or more electrons in his or her collector. If you have the most electrons in your collector at the end of the game, you win.
Origin and Credits
In 2003, one of the Song Fight contest themes was Accelerator. Seth, a good friend of ours from the Brother Machine collective, entered the contest with this song. Aside from liking the song a lot, I thought (and still think) that the concept behind Song Fight was really cool and decided that I’d use their themes for my own little personal Game Fight. This is my first Song Fight-inspired game. Seth doesn’t know it, but I’ve adopted his song as the “theme song” for this game.
I also think a lot about The Particle Song by Army of Lovers (alternative Particle Song link) when I’m playing this game.
Thanks to Brandon, Mike C. Sharon, Tanjent, Valerie, and Victor for playtesting. Thanks to Tanjent for the win condition. Super-big thanks to M. Shaver and Ed Holzman for post-release questions that resulted in rules clarifications.
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