Engle Matrix Games

FREE RULES

Chris Engle grants permission to anyone wishing to use these rules for a non-commercial applications. All that we ask is that you credit them to Chris Engle and tell where you got them.

Engle Matrix Game

Rules

Engle Matrix Games are a simple low-tech game engine that allows players to do an amazing number of things. The rules are written so that you can play the game straight out of the box. Just start reading and you are playing!

EQUIPMENT

Map

Character cards

Rulebook

Scenario

Action matrix

Character sheet

Character counters

Coins

Dice

THE BASIC

GAME

STARTING THE GAME: THE BASIC RULES

1. Lay the map open on a table.

2. Lay out character cards and character counters.

3. Give each player 10 coin (5+ players) to 15 coins (2-4 players), 1 six-sided die and a blank character sheet (for recording the events of the game.)

4. Each player picks a character and places their counter on the map.

5. Read the scenario opener to the players. It is at the back of this book.

6. The players read their character cards out loud to introduce themselves.

7. The oldest player acts as the game host (their record of events is the master record).

8. The youngest player goes first and places the un-played character counters on the map.

9. Before each turn players may move characters to set up scenes and do short role-plays.

10. The active player pays a coin to buy the right to make the first action.

11. Play goes clockwise around the board with a movement phase before each action.

MOVEMENT SETTING UP SCENES

At the start of each turn the players may move the characters they control anywhere they want to on the map. This sets up scenes that might happen. Players may also move uncontrolled characters but if anyone disagrees with the move it doesn’t happen. Players may not move other player’s characters without their consent.

There are some barriers to movement. It takes an action to cross a barrier unless you control it. For instance a police detective may freely move in and out of a jail while an inmate may not.

While moving, players may talk, form teams, plan, socialize or do short improvised role-plays between characters they control. They may write down the results of these role-plays on their character sheets. The whole game can be run by role-plays if the players are cooperative and not competitive. The move/role play phase ends when the host asks the next active player to make an action.

THE ACTION MATRIX AND PLOT TRACK

Players can do anything with an action but nothing is automatic. Outlandish actions likely won’t go off. To help players out, the game comes with an Action Matrix which suggests things they might want to have happen and a Plot Track of questions that shows the order events usually happen in. Players have very few actions to complete the game so don’t waste them! Go straight at the problem! Pull two or three elements from the action matrix to make an action. Do “Action – Result” rather than “I do this, tell me what happens”. Alternately players can pick a plot point and answer the question. Plot track questions can be answered as many times as you like.

PAY A COIN – MAKE AN ACTION – PICK A REFEREE – ROLL A DIE

The youngest player is the first active player. The host starts the turn by telling them “Pay a coin. You’ve now bought the right to try and make something happen. Pick a plot point. If you could answer this anyway you wanted what would you want to have happen first?” The player’s answer is the action they want to have happen next in the game. The host keeps the game moving by ending the move phase. They do this by asking the next active player to describe an action.

Once an action is described the active player picks another player to be their referee. It does not have to be the host! The referee’s job is to decide how likely an action is to happen. They do this by thinking about the action and picking a die roll on the “To Happen” table. The game host can help the referee by saying “Start with the idea that all actions are “okay” (a 50/50 roll). If the characters in the action are not together on the map the action will be worse than 50/50. So what do you think? Is it really likely, pretty likely, okay, pretty unlikely or really unlikely? If you can’t decide then it is okay.” After judging one action the new referee is an expert. You can’t do this wrong!

TO HAPPEN TABLE: Roll one six-sided die

Can’t miss Roll 6 – 1’s in a row to fail to happen

Really likely Roll 2 to 6 to happen

Pretty likely Roll 3 to 6 to happen

Okay Roll 4 to 6 to happen

Pretty unlikely Roll 5 or 6 to happen

Really unlikely Roll 6 to happen

Impossible Roll 6 – 6’s in a row to happen

The active player rolls 1 six-sided die for their action. If they roll any of the target numbers, it happens. The coin is then used up and put back in the box. If an action fails there is no negative result (beyond losing the coin) the action just didn’t happen.

“What if a referee is unfair?” This will happen. Of course referees should be able to say why they decided the way they did but unfortunately they do not have to be fair. If they aren’t fair then don’t pick them again! The referee role will float around from player to player as the game goes on so pick fair ones. If no one is fair (you’ll know this because all actions will be getting “really unlikely” ratings), then make all actions “okay”. Good refereeing is a sign of maturity. Players need to prove their maturity by doing a good job when picked.

It is important to note that actions may make ANY character in the game do things. Players are not limited to what their characters do. Each player is an author in the game.

WRITE A SUMMARY OF WHAT HAPPENED

After the die is rolled the turn ends and each player writes a short summary of that action on their characters sheet. Naturally these descriptions will be slanted by bias so the host’s sheet is the master record unless people write down their actions when they make them.

The next player’s turn begins with another movement/role-play phase.

THAT DIDN’T HAPPEN! COUNTER-ARGUMENTS

It will happen. Players will disagree about what happens next. The active player says one thing and another player will jump in with a “That didn’t happen!” If they pay a coin they may make a counter-argument saying what they think really happened. They do this by describing an action just like the active player did and picking a referee who decides what the “to happen” roll is, as many players as want may pay a coin and make a counter-argument. You may even make counter-arguments to counter-arguments.

Counter-arguments are resolved by a dice-rolling contest. Each player rolls for their own action. A successful roll allows the player to roll again. Players keep on rolling until only one argument is left or all the arguments roll out. Rolling continues even if arguments agree because if that they all roll out nothing happens. After the rolling ends put all the coins in the box.

Counter-arguments may build on other actions. “YES AND…” counter-arguments say everything in a previous argument happens AND something else as well. “YES BUT…” counter-arguments say that part of a previous action happens BUT not all of it. “NO ACTUALLY…” counter-arguments completely throw out the other action and say something completely different happened. It is possible that all the actions will happen if the contest has a lot of “yes and” arguments strung together.

IMPORTANT POINTS

Some counter-arguments are about important points. One of them SHOULD happen. The players declare when this is the case by paying a coin and saying “This is an important point.” This may be done even after the dice-rolling contest is over.

Important point dice rolling contests are done the same as regular counter-argument dice-rolling contests except that if all arguments roll out they all come back into play. Rolling continues until only one action remains. This is the action that happens.

ENDING THE GAME – THE CLIMAX

The game ends when all the players run out of coins. As players start running low on cash they should bring the action to a climax. This may be an arrest and trial, a big fight, an election, or flipping the switch on an experiment. All that is required is that it moves the story to a conclusion. The coins time limit sessions so that games play in two hours.

CHARACTER DEATH

Characters may die in a story but this does not put players out of the game. They only go out when they run out of coins so don’t waste your time killing people. It seldom solves anything. The player will just pick another character to champion.

WINNING AND LOSING

After everyone is out of coins the players do three more rounds of actions. First they do an “important point” counter-argument about who they think won. The dice-rolling contest will settle this question. A second dice-rolling contest determines who lost. Then players get one last action to say what happens to their character after the game. For on going games this sets up the next adventure.

INTERMEDIATE

RULES

Full games can be played using only the basic rules. As players wish they may add in more action types to spice things up.

TROUBLE

Actions can give players advantages but also disadvantages. Both are written on a player’s character sheet. When a character gets a new disadvantage they may pay a coin and immediately make a trouble action which says why the problem does not affect them. They pick a referee and roll as normal. Trouble actions are subject to counter-arguments. If the trouble action works the players draw a line through the disadvantage and write the trouble action below on their character sheet.

When problems mount up they will begin to influence referee’s judgments in setting “to happen” rolls.

CONFLICT

Some actions describe conflicts between characters or with nature. These can be resolved as a normal action with a single roll. If this happens players may jump in with counter-arguments. Alternately any player may pay a coin and say they want a situation resolved using conflict rules. The player who “bought” the conflict picks the referee. The referee decides who is involved in the encounter and who has the advantage. The player with the most advantage makes an unopposed action describing how the conflict plays out. The referee sets the “to happen” roll and the player rolls. If they succeed then the conflict is over. If they fail, the referee decides who goes next. Continue cycling through the characters until someone wins an action. Conflict actions are NOT open to counter-arguments.

It is important for conflict actions to describe what happens but also to say who wins. If an action does not settle the matter the referee may turn to the next player and ask “What happens next?” This lets that player say who wins.

Conflict rules can also be used when an action has a character cross a movement barrier, try to take control of another character, arrest someone, take another character’s things, or hold elections.

SECRET ACTIONS

Players may make secret actions by writing them down. They must use the same referee every turn after this because they will be the only ones who knows the real situation. Naturally having a secret advantage or knowing another character’s secret disadvantage is very powerful. When doing this, players need to openly say they are making a secret action and hopefully give a short teaser of what it might be.

Imagine secrets are like objects on the map. They are surrounded by a barrier so only those in on it can enter. Other players may learn the secret by making an action that says how they learn it. They have to use the referee who knows the secret. If they succeed they get to look at the player’s character sheet. It is never a good idea to allow others to keep secrets for long.

MORE ON COINS

When players pay a coin they pick the rule used to resolve the turn. Another player may jump in, pay a second coin, and change the rule. A third player may change it again. Players may use up all their coins in this way but the last person to put down a coin sets the rule. This is a foolish waste of resources.

ON GOING GAMES

Most Engle Matrix Games are written to be one shot games but if players like they may continue stories over many game sessions. In this case each play session climax is one piece in a much larger story arch. The players all need to know what the over-arching theme is at the start of the campaign. Games may go on as long as players like.

OPTIONAL RULES

Players may chose to incorporate any or all of the following rules.

1. Allow players to decide if an action happens by consensus or by having a set referee decide.

2. Use a set referee to decide “to happen” rolls for all actions. If the referee has a character they need to pick a different player to be their referee.

3. Allow any player to be the game host.

4. When players miss a roll given them a “failure token”. The next time they miss a roll they spend this token to get a re-roll. If they fail that roll the get the failure token back.

4. Players may opt to not use coins or to give players more coins.

5. Ignore the plot track and make up your own action each turn.

6. Allow actions to create movement barriers.

7. If a player says what another player’s character does and they disagree then it is a really unlikely roll but if they agree it is a really likely roll.

8. Allow players to make up new rules for the game in their actions as the game is being played.

9. Require players to write down their actions as they are made.

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 attention. Your actions may be about what other characters do. Do preparation actions to create the conditions needed for later actions. 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 unlikely so that the game completes the starting stories.

THE ACTION MATRIX

The action matrix is a list of suggestions of things you can do in an Engle Matrix Game. It is not complete, do not feel limited by it. The table describes actions and gives a suggestion on what rule to use to resolve it (one action + roll, trouble, conflict, trial).

Movement/Barriers: Players get a free move at the start of each turn but they may move again as part of an action. They may not freely move over barriers, that takes an action.

1. Move to a scene your character is not at and join it. (One action)

2. Cross a barrier. (Conflict)

3. Build a boundary/barrier. (One action)

4. Put a character in jail, i.e. inside a small barrier. (Conflict)

Create: Matrix Games allow you to add things to the game. Create what you need to reach your goal.

1. Create a clue or alibi. (One action)

2. Carry out a plan/tell how it comes out. (One action)

3. Magic/Miracles (Conflict)

Relationships/Control: How characters are connected can be very powerful in determining what happens. You can gain control of characters or make them less likely to hurt you.

1. Establish a friendship or other relationship. (One action)

2. Recruit/take control of a character (Conflict)

3. Steal control of another player’s character. (Conflict)

4. Arrest a character. (Conflict)

Preparations: Some actions are just too big to do in a single turn. Do preparation actions to set them up. This will increase the chance of them happening.

1. Make a plan. (One action)

2. Gather materials. (One action)

3. Do something in secret. (One action)

Strengths/Advantages: You want to gather up advantages and write them on your character sheet. They increase the likelihood of future actions working.

1. Gain an advantage. (One action)

2. Learn a secret. (Conflict)

Weakness/Disadvantage: You want to give other players problems. They get to make a trouble argument to dodge them.

1. Give someone a problem. (One action)

2. Take away someone’s advantage. (One action)

Color: Some actions have no obvious affect on the game. They add cool detail and can be interesting but just don’t fit in a category. They are just color. Don’t be fooled! Color actions are often subtle preparations that become obvious when it’s too late to stop them.

1. Describe some interesting event. (One action)

2. Describe an exchange between characters. (One action)

3. Create suspense by intentionally leaving things out of your actions. (One action)

4. Describe internal monologues. (One action)

5. Describe social events. (One action)

6. Describe locations. (One action)

7. Add unimportant characters to the game. (One action)

Conflict: Conflict is about a lot more than fighting. Any time people disagree or vie with one another there is conflict. The strongest character goes first.

1. Fight. (Conflict)

2. A contest of strength or will. (Conflict)

3. An election. (Conflict)

4. Asking someone out on a date. (Conflict)

Trouble: If you fail to dodge a problem then make a regular action to solve it.

1. Dodge a problem on the turn it comes up. (Trouble)

2. Fix a problem later. (Trouble)

Important points: When players make a set of arguments an important point they give the game a dramatic dice rolling contest and guarantee that one of the actions will happen.

1. Highlight a cool move. (Important point)

2. Ask everyone to make an argument on one topic. (Important point)

3. Tie up loose ends at the end of a game. (Important point)

Trials: When people are arrested and jailed they can’t move due to the barrier of the cell walls but they are not convicted yet! To keep them in prison you have to hold a trial. One person prosecutes, another one defends and the rest of the players are the jury. They decide the “to happen” roll to convict the accused.

1. Hold a trial at the end of a murder mystery. (Trial)

2. Hold a trial to decide if a diabolical plan works. (Trial)

3. Hold a trial to see if an experiment succeeds. (Trail)

PLOT TRACKS

The following are generic plot tracks for certain types of game.

ACTION ADVENTURE

Who has the power?
How do they use their power?
What do you have to do to take their power away?
Who do you make alliances with? What preparations do you make?
How do you weaken your opponents? Strengthen yourself?
What happens in the big show down?
What happens after the dust settles?

SPY INTRIGUE

How are the state secrets protected?
Who do you recruit as agents?
Who do you recruit as secret agents?
What clues show who the spies are? What clues cover up who the spies are?
What plans do you make to get to the secrets? What plans do you make to protect the secrets?
How do you steal the secrets? How do you capture the spies?
How do get the secret out of the country? Who do you arrest for espionage?
What happens at the trial?
Did they get away with it?
What happens after the dust settles?

MURDER MYSTERY

What is found at the crime scene?
What clues are found next?
Who had the means, motive and opportunity to do the crime?
Who gets arrested?
Was the right person arrested?
What happens at the trial? Are they convicted?
What happens after the trial is over?

HORROR

What is the first thing you find when investigating that “odd” happening?
What clues do you find next?
What are the answers to the questions Who did What, Where, Why, When, How and What next?
What is the plot that the clues uncover?
How do you stop it from happening? Or how do you help it happen if you are evil?
What happens in the big fight?
Who was a live at the end?
What happens when the dust settles?

EDUCATION PLANS

Engle Matrix Games are award winning teaching games. They can be used to teach critical thinking skills, creative writing and social studies. Because play is fun it motivates students to engage in the following hard activities.

- Making decisions on what to do.
- Evaluating actions.
- Recording the key points of events.
- Dealing with the emotions winning and losing.

MATERIALS: A game, coins, 1 six-sided die per player, paper, pencils.

ROLES: The teacher acts as game host so they can use the game to spark discussions. The students champion characters and act as game referee when called on. The teacher may stop play at any time to pursue a learning moment.

TIME: A full game can last 2 hours but 30 minutes of play followed by 20 minutes of debriefing will teach more.

HOW TO TEACH THE LESSON: The teacher lays out the game and introduces the students to the task. The teacher reads the scenario opening aloud and assigns characters to students. Each player gets 5 to 10 coins and a die. The students read their character descriptions to one another. They then start describing actions, assessing them and recording the ones that happen.

- Describing actions – The student must exercise creativity. They need to see their goal, break it down into steps and then describe/write down how that plan is carried out. The actions allow us to see their imaginations at work. Teachers may stop the game and ask students why they did what they did.

- Evaluating events – The role of referee passes from player to player as the game is played. The teacher picks who is referee each turn. The referee then decides how likely an event is to happen and writes down their reasoning. The teacher may ask for their reasons for deciding as they did to start a discussion. The teacher may ask the other students to express their opinion and/or give their own opinion to expand the student’s knowledge. Then the dice are rolled so the players can see that sometimes even very strong plans fail.

- Recording events – After each turn all the players in the game write a summary of what just happened. This shows what they actually saw happen but also shows how well they pull out major topics and themes which can be compared to the active player’s intentions and the referee’s judgments. This highlights how well students can identify critical facts and themes and how well they can summarize.

The game continues till the players run out of coins or 30 minutes have passed whichever comes first. The students may make counter-arguments and the teacher may declare topics “important points.”

GRADING

Exact lessons will vary based on the age of the participants but teachers can evaluate individual performance based of on the actions presented by each participant, the quality, accuracy and insight of the event summaries and how well the player participated in discussions.

DEBRIEFING

Most of the learning from the game happens during the debriefing period. The teacher asks the students what they learned and then reviews the important education moments they spotted.

The game does not have to be played to a conclusion to teach lessons. Telling a whole story may take three or four play sessions. If there is no time for this then do a single session and have a longer debriefing. Ask the players to imagine what would have happened next.

Hamster Press

7251 West State Road 46

Ellettsville, IN 47429

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