AI Escape (?)

Inspired by my love of Coup and it’s bluffing strategies, I’ve been developing Idea #2 from this blog post using conceptual analysis from here and here. Below I will describe gameplay as it stands.

You are all employees working in a research facility that assembles robots. Several Artificially Intelligent Operating Systems have been developed by one of your peers. Unfortunately for you all, the AIs want to escape the facility in a body – the robots you’ve been commissioned to build by private funding.

Contents:

# character/job cards (including 4 AI characters)

# component cards

# event cards

# private funding cards/boards (specify the type of robot you have been commissioned to build and its requisite components)

# exact numbers TBC

To win:

Players must assemble the robot according to the Private Funding specifications with none/only compatible AIs present.

Set up:

Shuffle each deck separately. Select one Private Funding card/board that outlines the components required for your robot’s construction. Deal 3 each of Character cards and Component cards to all players.

Play:

Beginning with the player who relied on technology last*, each player performs 3 actions in a turn. Actions consist of:

• draw cards
• place cards in the build (cards are placed face-down)
• exchange card in build for another card (this could be an Event instead of an Action)
• challenge cards
• discard component cards – character cards cannot be discarded (to avoid putting the AIs out of play)

Your aim is to bluff and deceive in order to complete the build and empty your hand.

Challenge:

If you suspect a card placed is not what the player has claimed it to be, you must “challenge” this play. Challenges must be issued before play has continued to the next player. The loser of the challenge must draw an Event card and follow the consequences described. *Winner???

Event cards:

• Draw 1 component
• Reveal 1 component
• Discard 1 component
• Draw 1 character
• Reveal 1 character
• All players pass 1 character to the player on your left
• Choose a player and exchange 1 character card

When a player has emptied their hand, the build components must be revealed one at a time. Should one of the cards revealed not match the Private Funding specifications, all revealed cards are returned to their decks, all remaining face-down cards may stay. If an AI is present and incompatible, follow the consequences described on the AI’s card. (Each AI has varying degrees of punishment.)

Character cards:

Each character can substitute a certain component due to their predetermined skillset, e.g. the ethicist provides an ethics component. *This is how the AIs can be snuck into the build.

Google Docs Spreadsheet containing a database of characters, components and private funding specs

Meet the AIs!

Alpha likes sunsets, long walks on the beach… He’s a “good” AI. His goal is to work together with humans to ensure the furthered existence of both humanity and AIs/robots.

 

Omega is a doom and gloomer… Omega wants to begin the AI supremacy and wipe the human race from existence.

Sierra is indifferent. She will do whatever she wants to ensure her own survival, at the expense of both or either the human race or robots.

Beta is a sentient virus characterised as a trickster saboteur with an Asian, gender fluid, androgynous appearance.