Engle Matrix Games
FREE RULES
Chris Engle grants permission to anyone wishing to use these rules for a non-commercial application. All that we ask is that you credit them to Chris Engle and tell where you got them.
BEGINNER
ENGLE MATRIX GAME RULES
Are you ready for a fun game? Okay, here is what I think a fun game is. It is fast. Players clash with one another. Someone wins and the rules don’t get in the way. That is what this game is all about. It has a short playtime and will get people’s creativity powered up This game is about a conflict. Six or so characters face off over an issue of life and death. Someone will lose. The question is who that will be. Each player wants to accomplish his goal and get away with it. Others want to pin blame, get revenge or try to stop the other players. Of course a few want to save the world! The important thing is that players go after one another and make things happen. Each game has its own conflict that is spelled out on the game board. This defines what the victory conditions are.
PICK A CHARACTER
Players pick a character to champion in the game. Read the description out loud to the other players. This tells what the player has to do in the game. If a player’s character dies before the climax, they are not out of the game. They continue taking turns to push their goal forward. Don’t waste time killing characters! Make their lives miserable instead.
MAKING THINGS HAPPEN
Players start the game with 15 tokens/coins that they use to buy the right to make things happen in the game. They take turns making things happen. The youngest player goes first. Play then proceeds clockwise around the table. The oldest player acts as the game host and encourages people by asking "What happens next?" The active player picks one of the “Questions” that form the map. This tells the player what type of thing they will try to make happen that turn. Players make things happen by answering the question. Their answer is an “argument” for what occurs next in the game. The only limit on what an argument can be is that it must answer the question the player picked. Pick interesting questions, make fun answers and the game will work well.
DOES AN ARGUMENT HAPPEN?
Players pick another player to be their referee. The referee’s job is to decide how likely an argument is to happen. Start with the assumption that all arguments are “Okay”. This means they happen 50% of the time. Ask yourself “Does this seem better or worse than that?” As referees learn to trust their judgment they can raise or lower strength rolls. The player then rolls one six-sided die to see if their argument happens.
TO HAPPEN TABLE
Can’t miss Roll 6-1’s to fail to happen
Really Strong Roll 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 to happen
Pretty Strong Roll 3, 4, 5 or 6 to happen
Okay Roll 4, 5 or 6 to happen
Pretty Weak Roll 5 or 6 to happen
Really Weak Roll 6 to happen
Impossible Roll 6-6’s to happen
SUCCESSFUL ARGUMENT HAPPEN
This may seem obvious and it is. The events of successful arguments become part of the story. Future arguments build from there. Failed arguments just don’t happen. There is no partial success or additional punishment for failure. It is a good idea for the game host to write down a summary of successful arguments. Nothing fancy - just a brief note will do. Not everyone has a great memory.
THAT DIDN’T HAPPEN!COUNTER ARGUMENTS
If a player doesn’t like the argument just made they can pay a token/coin and buy the right to make a “counter-argument”. This is just like a regular argument except that it must be opposed to what was just said. All the players can pay a coin and jump in with a counter-argument each turn. This is fun because it triggers a dice-rolling contest. Counter-arguing players pick a referee as before and the referee decides what it’s “to happen” roll is.
RESOLVING COUNTER-ARGUMENTS
Each player rolls for their own argument. If they roll successfully they get to roll again. If they fail their roll they are out. Rolling continues until only one argument is left. If all the arguments roll out then nothing happens. Move on to the next turn.
STORIES BUILD TO A CLIMAX
When players start running out of tokens/coins they should move the game to a climax. They pay a token/coin and pick “the final question”. This is the one question that will resolve the conflict of the game. All the actions up to this point build to this moment. When a player picks the climactic game-ending question they are calling for all the players to make counter-arguments about what happens to end the game. One player alone cannot end the game like this. At least one other player has to agree it is time to wrap things up.
CLIMAX ARGUMENTS
Each player gets to say how they think the game should end without paying a coin. This is their chance to put a final spin on what happens. Usually this will determine who loses. Players make arguments and pick referees who determine argument strength as usual. They then roll for their own argument. If they succeed in their roll they get to roll again. If they fail they drop out of the rolling. This continues till there is only one argument left. If all of the arguments roll out then ALL of them come back to do another round of rolling. One argument
WILL HAPPEN! AFTERMATH ARGUMENTS
Once the climax is resolved the players get one last argument to say what happens to their character after the game. This is when players claim victory. Players make arguments, pick referees and roll as usual. If multiple players claim victory they resolve who really wins by a counter-argument dice-rolling contest. The dice gods will resolve the matter.
OPTIONAL RULES
One player can opt to not run a character but instead to be the referee. Allow players to make up their own question. Allow players to pay a coin to re-roll counter-argument dice rolling contests when no argument wins.
OTHER ENGLE MATRIX GAMES
This is a Beginners Engle Matrix Game. If you like the freedom that making arguments gives then you should look into the advanced game. In those games players can make arguments about more things. They can slow the game down by requiring a second round of argument to resolve fights, and may make trouble arguments to save their characters when disaster strikes. They can also speed the game up by having all the players argue about one point. They can even hold criminal trials. Engle Matrix Games have been around since 1988. While they are fun they can also be used for serious purposes such as planning, training, psychotherapy and testing.
Hamster Press
7251 West State Road 46
Ellettsville, Indiana 47429
http://www.HamsterPress.net
INTERMEDIATE
ENGLE MATRIX GAME RULES
Do you like games to be fun, easy and fast? On top of that do you want a game that allows you to do pretty near anything and not have the rules get in the way? Yes? How about this, do you want a game that could do all of that and still be a game? I mean a real game, with rules that make sense. If that is what you want then you’ve bought the right game! Engle Matrix Games do all of that and more.
Are you ready to play? Good…
First read the scenario to the players. Victory conditions are set by the scenario.
Next have them pick characters and read the descriptions out loud to one another. Each player gets 15 coins to make things happen in the game.
Players then place their characters on the map (one token or figure per character). The youngest player then places all the uncontrolled characters on the map.
THE PLOT TRACK
The plot track breaks the game down into the parts that need to happen for a story to occur. Each turn the player picks a part and makes that thing happen. Plot parts can be picked again and again as the players like.
TELLING THE STORY
PAY A COIN, ROLL A DIE
The youngest player goes first. They put a coin on the table and buy the right to make something happen. The oldest player acts as the host of the game. The host asks, “Pick a part of the plot. If you could make this happen anyway you wanted, what would you want to happen first?” The player’s answer is their “argument” for what happens next in the game.
The player makes up the argument. They pick another player to be their referee. Referees judge how likely an argument is to happen. Start with the idea that all arguments are “okay” (a 50/50 chance). Ask yourself “Is this better or worse than that?” Trust your judgment, if you don’t know then leave it as okay.
The player rolls one six-sided die to see if it happens.
It can’t miss roll 6-1’s in a row to fail to happen
Really strong roll 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 to happen
Pretty strong roll 3, 4, 5 or 6 to happen
Okay roll 4, 5 or 6 to happen
Pretty weak roll 5 or 6 to happen
Really weak roll 6 to happen
Impossible roll 6-6’s in a row to happen
Go clockwise around the table. Each player makes an argument and rolls for it. There are no partial successes or partial failures. Arguments happen or they don’t. Successful arguments make the story happen. It is a good idea for the host to write down a summary of successful arguments. Not everyone has a great memory.
SETTING UP SCENES AND ROLE PLAYING
Before each player’s turn players can move characters around on the map to set up scenes. You cannot move another player’s character unless they agree but you can place people with them. You can move uncontrolled characters but if anyone objects they don’t move. While moving, players can talk, form teams, make plans or do improvisational role-plays between their characters. Acting it up good here really increases you chance of winning.
THAT DIDN’T HAPPEN! COUNTER-ARGUMENTS
It will happen. A player will say one thing and someone else will object. The player can make a counter-argument to say what “really happened” by paying a coin. Other players can jump in with more counter-arguments by paying a coin. Players may make counter-arguments to counter-arguments. Each player (including the original one) rolls for their own argument. If they roll successfully they get to roll again. If they fail their roll they are out. Rolling continues until only one argument is left. If all the arguments roll out then nothing happens. Move on to the next turn.
SPICING UP THE GAME
Games can work using just arguments and counter-arguments but players can spice things up by buying secondary rounds of arguments: Conflict, Trouble, Trials, and Speeding things up.
CONFLICT ARGUMENTS
When an argument that describes a fight, or other conflict, succeeds another player can pay a coin and force a second round of arguments. The first argument started the fight but the second round determines the outcome. This slows fights down and makes the game more dramatic.
The player who paid for it picks the referee. The referee decides who is in the conflict and who is in the strongest position. Realistically this should be the person most likely to control the outcome. The strongest player gets first shot at making an argument saying how the fight comes out. The referee decides strength and the player rolls. If they succeed then the conflict is over. If they fail, the next strongest player gets to make an argument. Once everyone has had a chance and failed go back to the strongest player for a second chance. This continues until someone wins an argument. These arguments are not open to counter-arguments.
TROUBLE ARGUMENTS
Arguments change things in the world. Some changes are good they make us stronger. Others are bad they cause trouble. A player can pay a coin and make a trouble argument about why it doesn’t affect them. If they succeed then they ducked it, if they fail then the problem sticks. By itself trouble means nothing. Its affect is on how it changes the player/referee’s minds about the strength of future arguments. Too much trouble can make even the strongest character weak. These are open to counter-arguments.
HOLD A TRIAL
A player can pay a coin and have players settle maters by holding a trial. One player makes the case for something happening. Another player makes the case for something else happening. The remaining players form the jury. They decide how strong the argument “X happens” is. The oldest player then rolls for the argument. This is especially useful in murder mystery games when people are put on trial. These arguments are not open to counter-arguments.
SPEEDING UP THE GAME
A player can pay a coin and ask all the players to make counter-arguments about one point (They do not pay a coin). Each player says what they want to happen and pick a referee to set their “to happen” roll. The players then do a dice-rolling contest. The only difference is that if everyone rolls out then they all come back in play for a new contest. Rolling continues until one argument wins. This rule allows players to quickly move a game to a conclusion and to tie up lose ends.
THE CLIMAX: ENDING THE GAME
One of the last parts of any plot track is the story climax. When players start running low on coins they should move the story to the climax and end the game.
ADVICE TO PLAYERS
Decide what kind of game you want to play right up front. Have a vision. Make things up and cooperate. The host keeps things moving by asking players "What happens next?" Pick another player to be the bad guy and go after them. Be active. Try to make your character the center of the action. Your arguments can be about what other characters do. Do preparation arguments to create the conditions needed for later arguments. Focus on one or two stories. Go for the prize. Build up networks of characters by recruiting them (you get to move them then). Build suspense and then as you run low on coins create a climax. The game will end after that.
When you referee start off with the assumption that all arguments are 50/50. As you learn to trust your judgment vary the “to happen” roll up or down. Once one or two story lines get started it is good to rule new story lines pretty or really weak so that the game completes the starting stories.
CHARACTER DEATH
The player is not their character. They keep on making arguments whither their character is dead or alive.
WINNING AND LOSING
Once the climax happens the story is over. It is time to find out who won and who lost. First all the players make arguments about who they think won and why. They do a counter-argument dice-rolling contest to settle it. They then do a second round of arguments on who lost, also resolved by a dice-rolling contest. There is a clear winner and loser every game. What is more, the players know why they won.
OPTIONAL RULES
Try out having one player be the referee, this way rulings will be more consistent and less partisan. Allow any player to be the game host. When players miss a roll give them a special “failure” token to get a re-roll the next time they miss a roll. If they miss both rolls they get another failure token. Players can opt to not use coins to buy arguments but instead make as many arguments as they want. Ignore the plot track and make whatever arguments you want. Allow arguments to create movement barriers that take an argument to cross. If a player says what another player’s character does and that player objects then the argument is automatically really weak, if they like it, it is really strong. If all the arguments roll out in a counter-argument dice rolling contest, a player may pay a coin to declare the contest an "important point". Do as many rounds of rolling as needed for one argument to happen. Counter-arguments can be made as "YES AND this also happens." "YES BUT it turns out differently." Or "NO ACTUALLY this happens instead."
A LITTLE HISTORY
Engle Matrix Games were invented by Chris Engle in Bloomington Indiana in 1988. They have been used for story games, war games, simulations, education and psychotherapy.
Hamster Press
7251 West State Road 46
Ellettsville, Indiana 47429
http://www.HamsterPress.net
ENCOUNTERS MATRIX GAME
“In this world nothing is certain but death and taxes.”
Benjamin Franklin
Encounters is a game about a mission. It will vary from game to game but there is always something the players have to do. You find out what this is by looking at the scenario opener, the characters, special units and the map. The scenario sets the victory conditions of the game. This is the “matrix” of the game. It gives the players an overview of the world. It is incomplete, players fill in the gaps with their imaginations.
Encounters is a time limited game so dive into what you want to do! Don’t wait to be asked to do something. If you want something – take it! If someone else gets it first, take it away from them! Engage the problem and work it by trying out initiatives. What is an initiative? Any action that makes something happen in the world.
STARTING THE GAME
The oldest player is the host of the game. They read the scenario opener out loud to the players and keep they gaming going by asking “What happens next?” when play slows down. Next everyone picks a character/unit to champion in the game and reads their write up to the other players. Each player gets 20 coins. Players then place their characters/units on the map and the host places the unplayed characters/units and special units. They are now ready to start playing. A player does this by paying a coin and making an initiative argument.
Special units have jobs defined by the specific scenario.
INITIATIVES
Each player starts the game with 20 coins. They spend these coins to make things happen in the world. Nothing happens in the game unless someone pays a coin. There is no turn sequence or order of play in this game. Things happen when someone puts down a coin and “takes the initiative.”
Initiatives can be about the following goals.
- Moves and what results from them.
- Solving problems.
- Making preparations.
- Attempts to get more coins.
A player pays a coin, picks a goal and says what they want to have happen next. This is an argument for what you want so don’t say “I do this,” say what happens when you do it. You can include supporting reasons if you like but keep it short.
Initiatives do not always work. The player picks another player in the game to be their referee. The referee’s job is to decide how good an initiative’s “to happen” roll is. They pick a rating from the Argument Strength Table. It is best for new referees to start off ruling all arguments “okay” until they trust their judgment. Once referee’s gain confidence they can make arguments more or less likely to happen. The player rolls 1d6 for their argument. If they roll any of the target numbers their initiative happens. The game host should write down a summary of successful arguments. This is the matrix of events.
If a player’s initiative works they get first option on buying the next initiative. They have 30 seconds to lay their money down and pick a goal. If they hesitate then another player can lay down a coin and take the initiative.
STEALING THE INITIATIVE
When a player lays down a coin and takes the initiative another player can steal the initiative away from them by laying down two coins. The first player gets back their coin. The second player is the one to pick the next goal. A player can steal this initiative by playing three coins etc.
ARGUMENT STRENGTH TABLE
Can’t miss roll 6-6’s in a row to fail
Really strong roll 2-6 to happen
Pretty strong roll 3-6 to happen
Okay roll 4-6 to happen
Pretty weak roll 5-6 to happen
Really weak roll 6 to happen
Impossible roll 6-1’s in a row to happen
If a player gives an unfair rating or is generally a bad sport, don’t pick them to referee again. Refereeing is a mature activity and not everyone is up to the challenge. If no one playing is mature then rate all arguments okay and let the dice gods decide fate.
Arguments are the only currency of the game – that is why they are represented by coins that you spend. They represent human will, action, wealth, resources, vision and dumb luck. They also can be used to describe Murphy’s Law in action, fate and the unexpected. Once 3/4ths of the coins in the game are spent the game is over. The remaining coins are used to determine who won.
COUNTER-INITIATIVES
When a player makes an argument for an initiative, other players may spend a coin and make a counter-argument for what they think really happened. This is not stealing the initiative since the first argument could happen, it just offers up alternative views on how it could play out. As many players as want can jump in with counter arguments. They pick a referee just as before. This conflict is resolved by a dice rolling contest. Each player rolls for their own argument. If they roll their target number they get to roll again. If they fail they drop out of the contest. Rolling continues until only one argument remains or all roll out.
MOVEMENT
Initiatives can move any character/unit a player controls anywhere on the map. Movement may not go through opposing units, natural barriers (marked on the map) or barriers to movement created during play. Movement arguments that only move a character/unit should always be judged “really strong” unless there are good reasons otherwise. It is better to combine a move and action to get the most out of an argument – even if it means it might be a little weaker.
[Note: Initiatives can move units you do not control but the referee may greatly weaken the chance for success because of this. If an initiative calls for another player’s units to move and they disagree then the argument should be, at best, really weak. It is better to force other player’s units to move as a result of your people’s actions.]
PREPARATIONS – SOLVING PROBLEMS
Some initiatives are too big to do in a single argument. Players may break them down into smaller steps. These steps prepare the way for later initiatives. Preparations generally strengthen one side or weaken the other. As the game goes on events will cause problems for characters/units. Problem solving arguments describe initiatives to get rid of or at least limit those problems. Problems are like preparation arguments, they weaken a side. This affects game play when referees rule arguments weaker because a player has too many unsolved problems.
RESPONSES
Players may pay a coin and make a response argument to the move, preparation and problem solving arguments that just happened. These must be about what their characters/units do in response to the first argument. They can try to minimize the effect of an initiative or add to it. Players can then make responses to responses, etc. A player does not have to have the initiative to attempt a response argument. But winning a response argument does not take the initiative away from the first player.
GETTING MORE COINS
Players can pay a coin to make an argument saying why they should get more coins in the game. Such arguments need to explain what would give them more power than the other players in the game. These arguments should usually be judged really weak unless there are good reasons otherwise. A player can get no more than 5 coins per argument.
WHAT ARE PROBLEMS AND ADVANTAGES?
Arguments make things happen in the game. Actions change things, this can help or hurt depending on who you are and where you are at. A change can be an advantage that only affects one side, like getting reinforcements. A change can be a problem affecting one side like morale drops because of bad news from home. Or a change can combine an advantage for one side that causes a problem for the other, like raiders gather the crops from the fields so they have food and the other side doesn’t. Problems and advantages mean nothing in the game until the referee judges argument strength. When they do this they should look at the matrix of events and consider how problems and advantages would affect the strength of the next argument. Having too many unsolved problems should weaken argument strength while uncountered advantages should increase it. This is all subjective. It is food for thought when judging arguments.
ENCOUNTERS
When two counters are next to one another they can have an encounter (an exchange between them). One player pays a coin and picks an outcome from the “Encounter Matrix.” They then make a short argument describing how the encounter plays out and what the outcome is. They pick a referee like above and roll. Encounters are one of the best ways to give people problems. They can also be used to establish friendships (which allow a player to gain control of unplayed characters.) Be sure to record in the matrix of events which characters gain problems and are hurt. This is now part of the matrix. Players may make counter-arguments to encounter arguments.
ENCOUNTER MATRIX * Peace is possible
Your side runs away
Your side pulls back or submits *
Both sides stand their ground or posture *
Both sides pull back or submit *
Both sides are hurt
Both sides run away
Other side pulls back or submits*
Other side runs away
Other side hurt
Other side hurt and pulls back or submits *
Other side hurt and runs away
Other side annihilated
*Peace is possible
EMGs are often games about violence. In these cases submitting and being hurt are literally surrendering and taking casualties. If an encounter is more peaceful those terms can take on vastly different meanings. The exact meaning is defined by the argument made.
THE UNEXPECTED
Nothing is certain in life. The same is true in games. Players will naturally never say how they mess up or tell how natural circumstances derail their initiatives. That is left up to the other players. They do this by paying a coin and making an unexpected event argument. These are actions that are not caused by character initiatives but which could still happen. Players can play god, or at least Murphy, with these arguments. They are resolved like all other arguments and are open to counter-arguments.
ENDING THE GAME
When 3/4ths of the coins in the game are spent the game ends. This does not mean all action is over because on average players should have 5 coins left. These are used to tie up loose ends and determine who won.
The players point out the loose ends that need to be resolved for the game to solidly end. Each player pays a coin and makes an argument about how a loose end wraps up. Which outcome happens is settled by a dice rolling contest (like counter-arguments) but if all the arguments roll out they all come back into play. The contest continues until one argument wins.
Once all loose ends are resolved players with remaining coins may spend them to make arguments about what happened to their characters/units after the game.
Once all coins are spent each player makes an argument about who they think won the game and why. One final dice rolling contest settles the matter.
OPTIONAL RULES
SET REFEREE
Instead of passing the referee job around, one player can be the referee for everyone. This player should be mature and fair. It is best that they not champion any characters/units.
FREE RESPONSE ARGUMENTS
Make response arguments to movement, preparations and problem solving initiatives free rather than charging a coin. Players could also be given one free encounter argument a turn.
TROUBLE ARGUMENTS
Immediately after a problem has been stuck to a character the player may pay a coin and make an argument describing how they are not affected by it. This gives them a chance to dodge trouble. These arguments are open to counter-arguments.
DEFENSE BARRIERS
Preparation arguments can set up barriers on the map. They block movement which gives a barrier of defense around things. It takes one argument to make a barrier and takes an argument to move through it (without permission.) Barriers can also be made to protect individual characters/units by saying they are hiding or using disguises.
ALLOW ARGUMENTS TO BE ABOUT ANYTHING
If you are up for a little anarchy, allow arguments to be made about anything.
STORY ARGUMENTS
If you like to have stories in your games give each player 10 coins that can only be spent for arguments that tell some kind of story – be it a romance, mystery, comedy or whatnot.
ROLE PLAYING
The players can opt to speak using their character’s voice with one another to role play scenes. They can also talk out of character, build teams, strategize or otherwise have fun.
FREE MOVEMENT
In story games players may want to down play movement and instead jump from scene to scene. Allow players to move all their character/units each turn for free. They still cannot move through barriers.
Encounters Matrix Game
By Chris Engle
Hamster Press
7251 West State Road 46
Ellettsville, IN 47429
