4D Space

4D Space
Discover, Develop, Delegate, Dominate!

4D Space is a game for 3(?) to 7(?) players about creating and expanding a broad space empire, and kicking your friends in the teeth before they can do the same.

OBJECTIVE
The object of 4D Space is to be the player with the most Victory Points at the end of 8 rounds. Victory Points are gained by collecting money, planets, and technologies, either by earning them yourself, or by trading for or stealing them from other players.

HOW TO PLAY
The game consists of eight round, and each round has four Phases: Discover, Develop, Delegate, and Dominate.
-During the Discover Phase, players bid to be the first to pick from a set of Discoveries available to all players.
-Those Discoveries can be used in the Develop Phase, when players trade with one-another, making deals and promises (some of which they may even keep).
-The Council of Planets meets during the Delegate Phase, as players get a chance to politic and suggest Edicts, rules of conduct to be voted on by all players.
-Finally is the Domination Phase, when players get the chance to conquer the galaxy!

CARD TYPES
There are several different card types in 4D Space, most of which you will find in the Discovery Deck. They are as follows:

*SPECIES*: The alien race you are playing. Each Species gets a certain number of starting Planets, as well as a certain amount of starting money. Some races also have special abilities that change how they play.

*PLANETS*: Planets are the worlds you are trying to colonize and conquer, and your main source of both income and Victory Points. But beware, they can be stolen by other players!

All planets have a number in the top right. This is the amount of money you must pay to Colonize the planet after it is first discovered. All planets also have a number at the bottom right, marked with a D. This is the planet's Defense score, and indicates how difficult the planet is to conquer.

Planets may also have one or more words in bold. These are the Resources they provide, and make it cheaper to create technologies.

*TECHNOLOGIES*: Technologies provide small, persistent bonuses, as well as providing Victory Points. The number at the top right indicates how much money you must pay to activate a Technology you have discovered. If there are any Resources listed in bold italics on the card, you may reduce this number by 1 (to a minimum of 0) for each of those Resources that are on planets you control and have colonized.

Some technologies also have a number with an M. This is how much it modifies your Military score by, which makes invading or defending planets more effective.

*EVENTS*: When you discover an Event, you immediately activate its effects, and discard it. There is no cost to discover an Event.

*ESPIONAGE*: Espionage cards sit the line between Event and Technology. They may have a cost to activate them, like Technologies, but they are negative effects that you inflict upon another player by giving them the card when the Espionage is activated.

BEGINNING THE GAME
To begin the game, each player select an alien species that they wish to play. If more than one player wishes to play the same species, involved players may negotiate as they would during the Develop Phase (see below). If consensus cannot be reached, distribute the disputed race(s) randomly among the disputing players.

Each player takes their species, their Homeworld and Colony World(s), and the amount of starting money listed on their species. Shuffle the Discovery deck, and a pool of tokens, coins, or another way to keep track of money, and place them in reach of all players. You may also want a way to write down any edicts that are passed, as well, especially in a game with more players.

EXAMPLE: The three players in the game are Adam, Bobby, and Ch'xthor. Bobby wishes to play the Ribbots, and no one objects. Adam and Ch'xthor both wish to play the Fargo Whales. Adam offers Ch'xthor $2 of his Starting Money, and promises not to attack Ch'xthor on his first turn, if he can play the Fargo Whales. Ch'xthor accepts, and plays the Bassline instead.

DISCOVER PHASE
To begin the Discover Phase, create the Discovery Row. Do this by drawing a number of cards from the top of the Discovery Deck equal to the number of players *plus one*. Lay them all out face-up in front of all players. These are the cards you are vying for.

Now that the Discovery Row is laid out, turn order must be decided. All players secretly select an amount of money to bid, and then reveal simultaneously. The player with the highest *unique* bid goes first, and play proceeds from their left. If there are no unique bids, the players with the highest non-unique bid may negotiate for who goes first. If an agreement cannot be reached, determine the first player randomly from among the highest non-unique bids.

EXAMPLE: Because there are three players, Adam draws four cards for the Discovery Row. In bidding, Adam and Ch'xthor both bid $2. Bobby bids $0. $0 is the highest unique bid, so Bobby goes first this round.

EXAMPLE 2: In a later round, events have conspired that no one is willing to bid any money to go first, and all three players bid $0. Bobby promises not to attack Adam if he lets Bobby go first. Adam does not believe Bobby, and declines the offer. The player to play first this round is determined randomly.

Now, in turn order, each player chooses one of the cards from the Discovery Row and places it in front of them. If the card has a number in the upper-right corner (Planets, Technologies, and Espionage), place it sideways. This card is not yet active, but you will have a chance to pay to activate it during the Develop Phase. If it does not (Event), instead immediately activate the effects, making any relevant choices, and discard it.

EXAMPLE: Bobby is going first, and scouts an Ice Planet from the Discovery Row. He places it sideways in front of him; though he now owns the planet, he does not yet gain its effects. Ch'xthor scouts the Radical Lasers technology, and places it sidways in front of her. Adam takes the War Bonds Advertisement event, and gains $2 because he is not currently at war.

DEVELOP PHASE
Now begins the Develop Phase, when players can activate Technologies, colonize Planets, conduct Espionage, and trade all of the above with other players in exchange for money, resources, or promises. While deals and promises can be made at any point, this is the only phase where any part of them is enforced.

Starting with the Turn Player, each player may make one deal or offer ot another player. These deals can be for cards, planets, technologies, even resources, espionages (active or inactive), or promises. When conducting these trades, the following rules and guidelines are enforced, upon a deal being accepted:
- If cards or in-game money are traded, they are immediately (and simultaneously) handed over. Cards that were unactivated remain unactivated, while cards that were active remain active.
- If Resources are traded, the receiving player is considered to have that Resource until the end of the phase.
- Promises, whether for actions ("I won't attack you"), resources ("I'll give you $2 next turn!"), or anything outside the game ("I'll pay for the pizza") are unenforced by the rules.
- Real-life money or resources can be traded, but are considered to be promises within the game rules.

The player making the offer and the player receiving the offer may accept the offer, decline the offer, or make a counter-offer. If a counter-offer is made, the first player may again accept, decline, or counter-offer. However, this second counter-offer is final, and must be accepted or declined. Then, the next player gets the opportunity to do the same thing.

EXAMPLE: Bobby suspects Adam is going to try to attack him, so he'd really like the Radical Lasers technology as well. He offers Ch'xthor $2 for the unactivated card. Ch'xthor thinks Adam might just attack her instead if that's the case, so she'd like enough to activate the card as well. She makes a counter-offer of $3 for Radical Lasers. This is too much for Bobby, but he makes a final offer of "$2 for Radical Lasers, plus another $1 next Develop Phase". Ch'xthor accepts this, and hands over the card for $2.

EXAMPLE2: Next round, Bobby is in rough shape. He only has $1 left, but he agreed to give it to Ch'xthor. Bobby backs out on his promise, with no in-game penalty. (But Ch'xthor may not be happy with him!)

Once all players have had an opportunity to make a deal, all players may, in turn order, pay to activate any number of sideways cards in their possession. Technologies and Planets become active, and Espionages are given to any eligible Player, taking effect immediately.

EXAMPLE: Bobby doesn't have much money left, but he pays the $3 to activate his Radical Lasers. He now has +1 Military score. Ch'xthor and Adam have nothing to activate.

DELEGATE PHASE:
You got to trade, now you get to politic.

Starting with the turn player, each player gets an opportunity to propose an Edict, an additional rule of conduct or modification of the rules, or an immediate effect. Edicts can be global (affecting all players), or targetted (affecting only certain players), and they can change or modify certain rules. The only rule about what edicts can be made is that they cannot contradict the existing game rules.

Example Edicts:
- Ch'xthor must give $3 to Adam.
- Bobby cannot trade next turn.
- All players have access to all other players' Resources.
- Adam gains 3 VP if he does not attack anyone else until the end of the game.
- End all current wars.
- No player may have more than $10 at any time.
- Players may not trade Planets.
- All players not at war gain $1 at the start of each round.
- Remove all current edicts.

Once an Edict is put forward, the player arguing it has two minutes to argue their case. No money or cards may change hands at this time, but promises can be made. Once the two minutes is over, all players then vote whether to ACCEPT or DENY the edict. If the majority of players Accept, the Edict is put into place immediately. At a 50/50 split or less, the Edict fails to go through.

EXAMPLE: Bobby is now VERY sure that Adam is going to attack him, and wants to stop him if he can. Bobby puts forth the Edict "Wars cannot be declared this turn", and argues that the first turn is a time for setting up, not for aggression. Ch'xthor also knows what Adam is going to do, and wants to stop him from getting an early lead. She Accepts. Bobby obviously Accepts. Adam Denies, but it doesn't matter- the edict is now in place.

Should a player violate an edict, they are Penalized. When a player performs an act that Penalizes them, they forfeit their chance to present an Edict next round, AND their vote on other propositions. In short, violating a council rule results in having less influence in future council rules.

Instead of proposing an Edict, a player may instead Declare War on another player. This is a declaration of intent to perform military action. In response to a declaration of war, any other player may reactively declare war on either the declarer or the target. Once War is declared, those two players are At War, and take matching At War cards. Those players remain At War until they both agree to peace (most often due to a deal in the Develop Phase), and return the At War cards.

Players At War may invade one-another during the Dominate Phase without penalty (see Illegal War, pg. X) but there are no other inherent effects.

Example: ?????

DOMINATE PHASE:
It's finally time to take over the galaxy! Each player, in turn order, gets an opportunity to declare an Invasion on a specific planet controlled by another player. This begins an Invasion. Before an Invasion begins, either player may ask for help from other players, and those other players can accept or decline, secretly bidding an amount to assist by.

Once an invasion begins, both players secretly bid an amount of money (and add any bids from player assisting), and reveal them simultaneously. Both players then add their Military Scores, half the Military Scores of any players assisting them (rounded down), and in the case of the invaded player, the Defense rating of the planet. If the invader's total is higher, they gain possession of the planet. If it is equal to or lower than the defender's, the invasion has failed to no further effect.

CLARIFICATION: Inactive planets can be invaded, and add their Defense score. They remaine inactive even if the invasion is successful.

ILLEGAL WAR:
If a player declares an invasion on a player that they are not At War with, then the war is an Illegal War. First, resolve as if the invading player had declared war on the invaded player. For as long as those two players remain at war, the invading player is Penalized.

CLARIFICATION: Assisting is never counted as invading, so players do not need to have declared war on someone they are assisting on the invasion of, nor are they Penalized if they assist with an Illegal War.

END OF ROUND:
Once each phase is through, the round is over. Start the next round at the beginning of the Discover Phase and repeat, until the end of the eighth round. Once the eighth round is over, the game is over, and it's time to count VP.

COUNTING VICTORY POINTS
For each of these in your possession, gain that number of victory points.
Planet [+2 VP]
Active Technology [+1 VP]
Two Inactive Technologies [+1 VP]
Money [+1 VP per $3, rounded down]
Other Cards [Varies]
Council Edicts That Grant VP [Varies]

The player with the highest total amount of Victory Points is the winner. If multiple players tie, the player with the most money is the winner. If there is still a tie, it remains, and those players all jointly win.