[Icehouse] IGDC Winter 2008 is ready for announcement tomorrow!

[David Artman]

> From: "Jorge Arroyo" <trozo at makasoft.net>
> One last question: If a game needs to be played by two sides, each with one
> color, but can be played with just 1 set by using 2 colors each, would it be
> allowed in the competition? I'd say it should be because it's not an optimal
> way of playing and can be confusing for beginners... what do you think?

I don't understand your example, so I can't follow the reasoning.

Do you mean "each player needs a full monochrome stash"? That wouldn't
qualify at all.

Do you mean "each player needs two matching stacks (e.g. two blue
stacks)"? That is clearly a case of arbitrarily forcing colors--as you
say (if I am reading right here) one could just as easily play it "blue
and green stacks versus yellow and red stacks." Put it another way: what
if the rule read "each player takes two stacks that aren't the same
color as the other player's stacks"? Now it's even clearer that a given
player's stacks needn't match--there's nothing mechanically significant
about their colors at all (unlike Find The Green Mid).

And, no, I do not think that's the least bit confusing, even for
beginners, particularly if no other pieces are used.

Again, repeat the mantra: "Will this game absolutely require a new
Icehouse System adopter with one set to buy his or her second set?" If
the answer is no, then the game doesn't qualify.

HTH;
David