Difference between revisions of "Lose the Tail"

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|image=Briefcasepursuit.jpg
 
|image=Briefcasepursuit.jpg
 
|players=2+
 
|players=2+
|stuff=If playing with more than two players; a briefcase or similarly large object.
+
|stuff=If playing with more than three players; a briefcase or similarly large object.
 
|crew=None.
 
|crew=None.
 
|preparation=None.
 
|preparation=None.
 
|time=Twenty minutes upwards.
 
|time=Twenty minutes upwards.
 
|place=Ideally: two large, public buildings within walking distance.
 
|place=Ideally: two large, public buildings within walking distance.
|activities=Chasing, sneaking, bluffing.
+
|activities=Chasing, sneaking.
 
|status=playable
 
|status=playable
 
}}
 
}}
  
[[Image:tailmap.png|thumb|An example map, between London's Natural History Museum and Hyde Park. Valid entrances and exits are marked with circles.]]
+
[[Image:tailmap.png|thumb|An example play area, between London's Natural History Museum and Hyde Park. Valid entrances and exits are marked with circles.]]
  
A two-player sneaking-and-tailing game that can be played in any urban
+
A two-player sneaking-and-tailing game that can be played in any urban environment.
environment.
 
  
 
==Two-player rules==
 
==Two-player rules==
  
All you need to play this game are two agreed "safe zones" - one to
+
All you need to play this game are two agreed "safe zones" - one to start in, and one to end in. These should both be a good couple of hundred metres in radius, have clearly defined edges, contain a lot of scenery to obscure players' views, be at least five hundred metres apart, and have two or three exit points. (If there are more than three possible exits, players should agree on three "legal" exits and declare the others out of bounds.)
start in, and one to end in. These should both be a good couple of
 
hundred metres in radius, have clearly defined edges, contain a lot of
 
scenery to obscure players' views, be at least five hundred metres
 
apart, and have two or three exit points. (If there are more than
 
three possible exits, players should agree on three "legal" exits and
 
declare the others out of bounds.)
 
  
The start zone is usually best in a large, public building - the end zone
+
The start zone is usually best in a large, public building - the end zone can be another building, or any public area with a clear boundary. Museums, parks and shopping centres are all good, and a simple agreed block of streets works just as well.
can be another building, or any public area with a clear boundary. (The
 
game has been tested in London from the V&A to the Natural History
 
Museum, and from the Natural History Museum to Hyde Park - the
 
games running for 20 and 25 minutes respectively.)
 
  
Pick one player to be the Quarry and one to be the Tail. Both players
+
Pick one player to be the Quarry and one to be the Tail. Both players start together somewhere in the start zone. The Quarry has to reach the end zone, within a certain time limit, and without the Tail tagging them.
start standing next to one another somewhere in the start zone. The
 
Quarry has to reach the end zone, within a certain
 
time limit, and without the Tail tagging them.
 
  
The Tail can only tag the Quarry outside of the two safe zones. While the
+
The Tail can only tag the Quarry outside of the two safe zones - while the Quarry is still inside the start zone, the Tail can only follow them around, waiting for them to leave. (A good Tail will try to avoid being seen, so that the Quarry mistakenly thinks they've shaken them off, and leaves the start zone.)
Quarry is still inside the start zone, the Tail can only follow them
 
around, waiting for them to leave. (A good Tail will try not to be seen,
 
so that the Quarry will mistakenly believe that it's safe to leave the zone.) If the
 
Tail catches and tags the Quarry outside of the safe zones, the Tail
 
wins the game.
 
  
If the Quarry makes it to the end zone before the time is up, then the
+
If the Tail catches and tags the Quarry outside of the safe zones, the Tail wins the game. If the Quarry makes it to the end zone before the time is up, then the Quarry wins. (If the Quarry never makes it out of the start zone, then nobody wins. Openly walking right behind the quarry for the whole game should not be a strategy.)
game is over and the Quarry wins. If the Quarry arrives before the Tail,
 
they should proceed to a pre-agreed meeting point (a coffee shop might be a
 
good idea here) and wait for the Tail to get there.
 
  
 
==Mobile phones==
 
==Mobile phones==
  
If both players have mobile phones, then the Quarry can announce their
+
If both players have mobile phones, then the Quarry can announce their victory as soon as they set foot in the end zone, so that the Tail isn't prowling around pointlessly for the rest of the game.
victory as soon as they set foot in the end zone, so that the Tail isn't
 
prowling around pointlessly for the rest of the game.
 
  
Optionally, the Tail can be allowed a single "satellite trace" phonecall to
+
Optionally, the Tail can be allowed a single "satellite trace" phonecall to the Quarry, during the game, to ask them where they are. The Quarry should give their exact location, and must be honest.
the Quarry, during the game, to ask them where they are. The Quarry
+
 
should give their exact location, and must be honest.
+
==One-zone variant==
 +
 
 +
A variant we tried out at the BFI [[Sandpit]] was to play the game with only one safe zone, and an objective that requires the Quarry to sneak to a specific location outside the zone, and back again. We ran it with a secret-agent actor that the Quarry had to rendezvous with outside the safe zone, but it could also be played by collecting an object from a specific but large location (a flyer from a large museum, a napkin from one of a chain of cafes), or snapping a photo of an agreed landmark. This variant possibly gives the Tail a bit of an edge, as the Quarry will be covering some of the same ground twice.
 +
 
 +
A simpler variant that occurred to me in 2015: the game ends shortly after the Quarry leaves the safe zone. If the Tail emerges from the same exit ''within twenty seconds'' (ie. they saw them leave and were able to catch up) then the Quarry loses, otherwise the Quarry wins and phones the Tail to tell them as much.
 +
 
 +
==Three-player variant==
 +
 
 +
If you're playing with three people, one player is the Quarry and the other two are the Tails, who are free to coordinate however they wish.
  
 
==Multi-player variant==
 
==Multi-player variant==
 +
 +
For a larger game, just pair people up and have them play parallel games - each Quarry can only be tagged by the Tail assigned to them, but Tails and Quarries are free to share information and assist one another.
 +
 +
==Team variant==
  
 
:''(Note that this variant has not yet been tested.)''
 
:''(Note that this variant has not yet been tested.)''
  
For a game with more than two players, split the players into two teams,
+
For a game with more than three players, split the players into two teams, a Quarry team and a Tail team, with the Tail team being slightly larger. One of the Quarry team should carry a briefcase, an open umbrella, a large manila folder, or some other prop. This prop can be passed between players or even left at a drop-off point, but it ''cannot'' be concealed inside a bag or coat - if it's being carried, then it should be clearly visible.
a Quarry team and a Tail team. One of the Quarry team should carry a
 
briefcase, a large manila folder, or some other prop. This prop can be
 
passed between players or even left at a drop-off point, but it ''cannot''
 
be concealed inside a bag or coat - if it's being carried, then it should
 
be clearly visible.
 
  
The rules are the same as the two-player version, except that the
+
The rules are the same as the two-player version, except that the ''briefcase'' is the thing that needs to get to the end zone. If a Tail player tags a Quarry player who is carrying the briefcase (or manages to pick the briefcase up from a drop-off point), then the Tail team wins.
''briefcase'' is the thing that needs to get to the end zone. If a Tail
 
player tags a Quarry player who is carrying the briefcase (or manages
 
to pick the briefcase up from a drop-off point), then the Tail team wins.
 
  
You'll probably also need an end zone that has more entrances than Tail
+
You'll also need an end zone that has more entrances than Tail players, to avoid a stalemated "one guard per exit" endgame.
players, to avoid an unexciting "each guard one exit" endgame.
 

Revision as of 17:30, 7 September 2015

Lose the Tail
Briefcasepursuit.jpg
Designer: Kevan Davis
Year: unknown
Players: 2+
Stuff required: If playing with more than three players; a briefcase or similarly large object.
Crew required: None.
Preparation: None.
Time required: Twenty minutes upwards.
Place required: Ideally: two large, public buildings within walking distance.
Activities: Chasing, sneaking.
This is a playable game - it's finished, tested and ready to play.
Cc-by-nc.png
This game is made available under an Attribution-Noncommercial Creative Commons licence. (What does this mean?)
An example play area, between London's Natural History Museum and Hyde Park. Valid entrances and exits are marked with circles.

A two-player sneaking-and-tailing game that can be played in any urban environment.

Two-player rules

All you need to play this game are two agreed "safe zones" - one to start in, and one to end in. These should both be a good couple of hundred metres in radius, have clearly defined edges, contain a lot of scenery to obscure players' views, be at least five hundred metres apart, and have two or three exit points. (If there are more than three possible exits, players should agree on three "legal" exits and declare the others out of bounds.)

The start zone is usually best in a large, public building - the end zone can be another building, or any public area with a clear boundary. Museums, parks and shopping centres are all good, and a simple agreed block of streets works just as well.

Pick one player to be the Quarry and one to be the Tail. Both players start together somewhere in the start zone. The Quarry has to reach the end zone, within a certain time limit, and without the Tail tagging them.

The Tail can only tag the Quarry outside of the two safe zones - while the Quarry is still inside the start zone, the Tail can only follow them around, waiting for them to leave. (A good Tail will try to avoid being seen, so that the Quarry mistakenly thinks they've shaken them off, and leaves the start zone.)

If the Tail catches and tags the Quarry outside of the safe zones, the Tail wins the game. If the Quarry makes it to the end zone before the time is up, then the Quarry wins. (If the Quarry never makes it out of the start zone, then nobody wins. Openly walking right behind the quarry for the whole game should not be a strategy.)

Mobile phones

If both players have mobile phones, then the Quarry can announce their victory as soon as they set foot in the end zone, so that the Tail isn't prowling around pointlessly for the rest of the game.

Optionally, the Tail can be allowed a single "satellite trace" phonecall to the Quarry, during the game, to ask them where they are. The Quarry should give their exact location, and must be honest.

One-zone variant

A variant we tried out at the BFI Sandpit was to play the game with only one safe zone, and an objective that requires the Quarry to sneak to a specific location outside the zone, and back again. We ran it with a secret-agent actor that the Quarry had to rendezvous with outside the safe zone, but it could also be played by collecting an object from a specific but large location (a flyer from a large museum, a napkin from one of a chain of cafes), or snapping a photo of an agreed landmark. This variant possibly gives the Tail a bit of an edge, as the Quarry will be covering some of the same ground twice.

A simpler variant that occurred to me in 2015: the game ends shortly after the Quarry leaves the safe zone. If the Tail emerges from the same exit within twenty seconds (ie. they saw them leave and were able to catch up) then the Quarry loses, otherwise the Quarry wins and phones the Tail to tell them as much.

Three-player variant

If you're playing with three people, one player is the Quarry and the other two are the Tails, who are free to coordinate however they wish.

Multi-player variant

For a larger game, just pair people up and have them play parallel games - each Quarry can only be tagged by the Tail assigned to them, but Tails and Quarries are free to share information and assist one another.

Team variant

(Note that this variant has not yet been tested.)

For a game with more than three players, split the players into two teams, a Quarry team and a Tail team, with the Tail team being slightly larger. One of the Quarry team should carry a briefcase, an open umbrella, a large manila folder, or some other prop. This prop can be passed between players or even left at a drop-off point, but it cannot be concealed inside a bag or coat - if it's being carried, then it should be clearly visible.

The rules are the same as the two-player version, except that the briefcase is the thing that needs to get to the end zone. If a Tail player tags a Quarry player who is carrying the briefcase (or manages to pick the briefcase up from a drop-off point), then the Tail team wins.

You'll also need an end zone that has more entrances than Tail players, to avoid a stalemated "one guard per exit" endgame.