PHI: a print and play experience

In the game design field, there is a very common practice known as "print and play". As the name suggests, it involves making printable files available online so that people can test your game or enjoy something created specifically for these purposes. In this post, I will introduce a print and play project that my friend Rodrigo Cotellessa and I are currently working on. The project is called PHI; it's an abstract game that I intend to showcase in my online game design portfolio. I will be sharing the prototype files and rules in this post (always click on the images to enlarge them). Once the game's final layout is complete, I will create a new post with the final content. By now, you can download the gaming board by clicking on the image below (it’s an A4 format for an easy black and white print).

Let's talk a little bit about the rules and the creative process.

1.Every game draws inspiration from a place.

The PHI number originates from the Fibonacci series, a sequence in which the sum of consecutive terms equals the next term:
2 + 3 = 5
3 + 5 = 8
5 + 8 = 13
8 + 13 = 21
And so on, to infinity.

However, the PHI number rises from the division of adjacent numbers in this sequence that gradually approach the number 1.618:
3 ÷ 2 = 1.5
5 ÷ 3 = 1.666
8 ÷ 5 = 1.6
13 ÷ 8 = 1.625

The PHI number appears in architecture, nature, geometric design, and many other areas. It is also present in this game. The inspiration and foundation for the mechanics of the PHI game stem from the PHI number.

PHI is a solo abstract game - a themeless game that you play against the board. It's a print and play game created by friends who are passionate about games. Let’s check the rules!

2.Setup

Print the board file available above. Prepare 20 tokens of one color (which will represent your tokens), and 13 tokens of a different color (representing the board pieces). Additionally, you will require five standard D6 dice.

3.Playing

Each round, you must roll the five dice and set aside—at a minimum—one die to create divisions as described on the board. If you roll a 5÷3 combination, place one token on your side; for 8÷5, place two tokens on your side; and if you roll 13÷8, you'll add four tokens. Any unused dice are placed on the side of the board.

Let's consider an example - the rolled dice gave the following result:

The dice separated in this round were 5, 3 and 3:

The remaining two are rerolled:

The die with 5 is set aside, and another one is rolled for the final time:

Here are the generated results, and now it's time to assemble the combinations.

The optimal scenario is an 8÷5, which enables you to place two tokens on the board. However, two opposing pieces will also be placed (due to the two unused dice).

Time for a new round! If the opponent's pieces enter the board before yours, the board wins. The goal is to place all your pieces first. To add a challenge, aim to have the fewest possible opponent pieces entering the board. The fewer, the more epic your victory!

#GoGamers