The Dead Eye Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Game Overview
• Game Objective
• Set-up
• How to Play
  • Turn Overview
  • 1. Destination
  • 2. Encounter
  • 3. Outcome
  • Bad Outcome
  • Good Outcome
  • Use Partz
  • Events
• End of the Run
  • Succeed in the Run
  • Fail in the Run
  • Prepare the Next Run
• Saving the Game
• Game End
  • Reset the Game
• Card Effects
• Example of Play
• Sundry
  • Appendix
  • Sorting and Shuffling Considerations
• Credits
  • Inspiration
  • Production
• Turn Overview (Player Aid)

Game Overview

Cards in The Dead Eye represent Encounters that can have one of two Outcomes: Good or Bad.

A Good Outcome is triggered by a buildup of valuable Juice, while a Bad Outcome is triggered by a buildup of dangerous Heat. Once an Outcome triggers, your Heat or Juice level drops.

Your starting deck includes 6 Encounters with Juice and 6 Encounters with Heat, plus 2 special Event cards.

As you play through the deck, some of these Encounters will trigger; while others will fuel your Heat and Juice levels.

Some Outcomes may cause you to lose resources to the discard pile, while others will allow you to acquire the card, removing it from the deck.

There are 5 types of Encounter:

• A Distance Encounter rewards Distance points when acquired.
• A Delay Encounter penalizes your Distance points total when acquired.
• A Safe Hvn Encounter rewards Safe Hvn. It is a special kind of encounter that only occurs on a Destination card.
• A Parts Encounter rewards a useful item when acquired. These items have special power when used.
• A Twist Encounter rewards a special effect that is described on the card.

In addition to the Encounters, there are 2 special Events:

• Rest will allow you to activate all your acquired Parts.
• Tox is a slow clock of doom that wears away your Strength each time you cycle through the deck.

Game Objective

The game is played in a series of "runs". The object of a run is to reach Safe Hvn. To do this, you will need to acquire Distance (points), which will allow you to unlock and target new Destinations. One of these Destinations will offer Safe Hvn. The object of the game is to reach the final Safe Hvn and escape the Dead Eye before your resources have run out.

Set-up

1. Place the game board in front of you. The center of the board is where you will place the Encounter. Heat and Juice will build up in stacks to the left and right of this card. Around the edge of the board are icons showing the placement of other cards. Distance (points) are added to the Distance stack at the top left of the game board. The area below the board is known as the Rig. This is where you will stash useful Parts.
2. Deal 5 Strength cards face-down to form your Strength pile and 5 Hope cards face-down to form your Hope pile with the discard pile between them.
3. Place the 12 unused Strength and Hope cards in a zip bag along with the Reserves card (used to help identify this set of cards later) and return to the game box unseen.
4. Take the Destination cards to form the Destinations deck. (Do not shuffle.) Leave space above the deck to place unlocked Destinations.
5. Take the 14 core cards to form your starting draw deck. The draw deck is held in your weak hand.
6. The chaos wastelands of the Dead Eye are filled with electro-statik! Use the stereoscopic 3D Spex to augment your adventure. (The game does not require the wearing of 3D spex.)

How to Play

In The Dead Eye, you determine which card you face by drawing cards one at a time from the deck until you either choose to face the Encounter shown on the card or it triggers by itself and hence cannot be Evaded.

Turn Overview

1. Destination. Check if the reveal condition of the topmost Destination card is met.
   • If so, reveal the Destination and add it to the Target Zone. Repeat if the reveal condition of the next Destination card is met, and so on.
2. Encounter. Check if the Encounter slot is empty.
   • If so, fill the Encounter slot either with a Destination, or with the next card from the draw deck.
3. Outcome. Check if there is an Outcome. Bad Outcomes take priority over Good Outcomes.
   • a. If there is an Outcome, resolve the Outcome. This may cause the current Run to succeed or fail.
   • b. If there is no Outcome, choose to either:
     • Evade the Encounter (by returning it to the Target Zone if it is a Destination, or by adding it to the Heat or Juice icon stack).
     • Face the Encounter and add the next card from the draw deck to the Heat or Juice icon stack.

At any of the points marked with the wrench icon, you may use Partz. At the points marked with the Event icon, an Event card may be drawn. When you draw an Event card, place it in the Encounter slot, on top of any Encounter card that might be there already. Resolve the Event or postpone it. When the Event is resolved, discard it.

When you need to draw a card and the draw deck is empty, shuffle the discard pile to form a new draw deck.

1. Destination

Check if the reveal condition of the topmost Destination card is met.

If so, reveal the Destination and add it to the Target Zone. Repeat this step if the reveal condition of the next topmost Destination card is met, and so on.

Start of the game: the topmost Destination card reveal condition states, "No Distance." As this is the start of the run and you have acquired no Distance, reveal the "Rek" Destination and add it to the Target Zone.

Every Destination has a Distance Requirement. This is the minimum Distance that must be reached before you can choose to target the Destination.

First game example: the Distance Requirement for the Rek is 2. As you have not reached 2 Distance you cannot target the Rek.

2. Encounter

Check if the Encounter slot is empty. If so, fill the Encounter slot with a Destination or with the next card from the draw deck.

3. Outcome

Check if there is an Outcome. A Bad Outcome will take priority over a Good Outcome.

a. If there is an Outcome, resolve the Outcome. This may cause the current run to succeed or fail.

b. If there is no Outcome, choose to Evade the Encounter (by returning it to Target Zone if it is a Destination or by adding it to the Heat or Juice stack), or choose to Face the Encounter by drawing the next card from the draw deck.

Compare the amount of Heat in the Heat stack to the number of icons on the upper left-hand side of the Encounter. If Heat is equal to or greater than the number of icons, there is a Bad Outcome.

Compare the amount of Juice in the Juice stack to the number of icons on the upper right-hand side of the Encounter. If Juice is equal to or greater than the number of icons, there is a Good Outcome.

If there was no Outcome, you may choose to Evade the Encounter, by returning the card to the Target Zone if it is a Destination, or add the card to the Heat or Juice stack.

Note: Destinations can only be in the Target Zone, the Encounter slot, the Rig or the Distance stack; they are never added to the draw deck or discard pile. If a Destination would be placed in the draw deck or discard pile, return it to Target Zone.

If you choose to Face the Encounter, draw the next card from the deck and add it to the Heat or Juice icon stack depending on the icon shown on the card.

Bad Outcome

First, resolve each icon from top to bottom. There are two types of icons:

• Discard Heat. Remove a card from the Heat stack and place it in the discard pile.
• Postpone Heat. Remove a card from the Heat stack and return it to the bottom of your draw deck.

Then, resolve any Bad Effects (see Card Effects below). Finally, if the Encounter is not acquired via a card effect, either return it to Target Zone (if it is a Destination), or place the card in the discard pile.

If any Heat remains in the Heat stack, leave it there.

Good Outcome

First, resolve each icon from top to bottom. There are two types of icons:

• Discard Juice. Remove a card from the Juice stack and place it in the discard pile.
• Postpone Juice. Remove a card from the Juice stack and return it to the bottom of your draw deck.

Then, resolve any Good Effects (see Card Effects below). Finally, if the Encounter is not acquired via a card effect, either return it to Target Zone (if it is a Destination), or place the card in the discard pile.

If any Juice remains in the Juice stack, leave it there.

Use Partz

You may use the power on any of your Partz that are activated. After using the power, the Part is deactivated and the card is turned side-ways. Partz are always acquired deactivated unless stated otherwise. Partz must be activated in order to be used (see Events below).

Example: A Good Outcome with the Bot results in you acquiring Laz. Laz is acquired deactivated. Once activated, Laz can be used to discard one Heat from the Heat stack. When used, Laz is again deactivated.

Events

There are two important Event cards in your deck - Rest and Tox. When you draw an Event card, place it in the Encounter slot, on top of any Encounter card that might be there already. Resolve the Event or postpone it. When the Event is resolved, discard it.

The Rest Event allows you to activate all your deactivated Partz, turning the cards to their correct orientation. If you have no Partz to activate you ignore the Event. Unless your deck is empty, you may postpone the Rest Event before its effect triggers by discarding Hope.

The Tox Event is the slow portent of doom! Every time you draw Tox you will need to discard a Strength resource. Unless your deck is empty, you may instead postpone the Tox event before it triggers by discarding Juice.

End of the Run

Succeed in the Run

When you acquire a Destination card with Safe Havn you succeed in the run. Remove all revealed Destinations and place them in the zip bag with the Retired card.

Fail in the Run

If you are required to discard a Strength or Hope card and are unable to do so, you fail in the run. Return all the revealed Destinations from the current run to the top of the Destinations deck with the lowest numbered card at the top of the deck.

Prepare the Next Run

Separate the 5 Strength, 5 Hope and 14 Core cards into their respective decks. (Any excess cards added via effects are randomly removed and returned to the zip bag with the Reserves card.)

Shuffle your Strength and Hope piles and remove one Strength and one Hope card. Place the removed cards unseen in the zip bag with the Retired card. (Retired cards will not be used again until you reset the game.)

Add one Strength and one Hope card to your Strength and Hope piles from the un-used cards in the zip bag with the Reserves card. Shuffle the Strength and Hope piles.

Shuffle your 14 core cards.

Start the next run or save the game.

Saving the Game

If you decide not to continue the game immediately, you can save your game by placing your 14 core cards, 5 Strength and 5 Hope cards, and the remaining Destination deck, in the zip bag containing the Saved card. When you next play, follow Set-up using these cards.

Game End

When you acquire a card with Safe Havn and the Destination deck is depleted, you have successfully escaped the Dead Eye and won the game.

If you are unable to add a new Strength and Hope card from the reserves when you prepare for the next run, you permanently succumb to the Tox and lose the game.

Reset the Game

Removing all cards from all zip bags and separate cards into their respective backs.

Arrange the Destination deck in order with the lowest number card on the top of the deck.

Shuffle the 12 Strength cards, 12 Hope cards and 14 Core cards.

Proceed with Set-up.

Card Effects

Acquire the card as Safe Hvn. Acquired Safe Hvn is added to the Distance stack. When you acquire Safe Hvn you succeed in the run.

Acquire the card as Distance. Distance is added to the Distance stack. Distance is cumulative.

Acquire the card as Delay. Delay is added to the Distance stack. Delay is a penalty and is deducted from your Distance total.

Acquire the card as Parts. Acquired Parts are added to the Rig. Parts are acquired deactivated unless otherwise specified. Deactivated parts are turned side-ways.

Lose Hope. Discard a Hope card from the Hope pile, turning the card face-up and adding it to the discard pile. If you are unable to do so, you fail in the run.

Tip: the reverse of a card with Hope will include Juice. Pay attention to the top of your deck to anticipate the next outcome.

Lose Strength. Discard a Strength card from the Strength pile, turning the card face-up and adding it to the discard pile. If you are unable to do so, you fail in the run.

Tip: the reverse of a card with Strength will include Heat. Pay attention to the top of your deck to anticipate the next outcome.

Lose Distance. Discard Distance from your Distance stack. You cannot choose to discard Delay. If you have no Distance ignore the effect.

Lose a Part. Discard a Part card from the Rig.

Deactivate a Part. Deactivate a Part, turning it sideways. If you have no activated Parts, ignore the effect.

Activate a Part. Activate a Part that is deactivated, turning it to its vertical orientation. If you have no deactivated Parts, ignore the effect.

Special effect. Refer to text in the bottom center of the card.

Repeat effect (until unable to repeat). E.g. Deactivate all Parts.

Example of Play

The Encounter slot is empty. You have a choice to fill it with a revealed Destination or the next card from the draw deck. The Target Requirement for the revealed Rek is 2 but you have no Points, so the Encounter at the Rek may not be targeted. You turn over the first card of the draw deck and add it to the Encounter slot as a new Encounter.

The Encounter with Gap has a Heat threshold of 1. Your Heat level is currently 0. Therefore, there is no Bad Outcome. The Juice threshold is 2 and Juice level is 1. Therefore there is no Good Outcome. As there is no Outcome, you have the choice to Evade or Face the Encounter. You decide to Face the Encounter as a Good Outcome will be worth 1 Point - you need to reach at least 2 points in order to target the Encounter at the Rek destination and acquire the Map. Press on Pilgrm!

You turn over the next card in the deck. As you are now facing an Encounter, the drawn card is added to an icon stack. The card has a Juice icon, so is added to the Juice icon stack. The Heat threshold is 1 and the Heat level of 0. There is no Bad Outcome. The Juice threshold is 2 to a Juice level of 1. There is no Good Outcome. As there is no Outcome, you have the option to Evade or Face the Encounter. If you draw Heat there will be a Bad Outcome and you will lose one Strength, but if you draw Juice a Good Outcome will reward 1 Point.

Pedal to the gas, Pilgrm!

You turn over the next card in the deck. It has a Juice icon so is added to the Juice icon stack. The Heat threshold is 1 and the Heat level of 0. There is no Bad Outcome. The Juice threshold is 2 and the Juice level is 2. There is a Good Outcome! The good outcome is resolved from top to bottom on the right-hand side of the card. First, one Juice from the stack is discarded. Then, one Juice from the stack is postponed and returned to the bottom of your draw deck. Lastly, the good effect on the bottom right of the card is resolved - the card is acquired and added to the Furtha stack and is worth 1 Distance point.

The Encounter slot is empty. You have a choice to target a revealed Destination or the next card from the draw deck. The Target Requirement for the revealed Rek destination is 2 but you have only 1 Point, so the Encounter at the Rek may not be targeted as your next Encounter.

You draw the next card from the draw deck. It is the Tox event. This card is not added to your Encounter slot but resolved immediately. You must lose one Strength to the discard pile. You could instead choose to postpone this event by returning one Juice to the bottom of the deck. As you do not have any Juice in the Juice stack, this option is not available.

Sundry

Appendix

Activate. Turn a de-activated Partz card 90 degrees counter-clockwise. The card is now ready to use.

Cax. Part. If there are less than three cards left you may only scan as many as remain. The scanned cards go back in the same order.

Holo. Part. This power can be used to recycle the current Encounter card or the Event card (Tox or Rest).

Postpone. Place a card on the bottom of the draw deck.

Rek. Destination. Trigger: There are no Heat trigger icons on this card. All Heat icons accumulate. Only Juice triggers.

Run. The game is divided into a series of "runs". The game can be saved between runs. A player has seven attempts to complete three successful runs in order to win the game.

Scan. Look at the front and back of a card.

Sorting and Shuffling Considerations

Unlike most games, cards with non-identical backs can be shuffled into the same deck in this game. The backs of the cards carry a clue on what is coming up next mechanically. (E.g. a Strength symbol on the back of the card will tell you that the Encounter of the reverse has a Heat icon.) When shuffling the deck, all Hope, Strength and Core cards in the discard pile are shuffled together.

It is not permitted during the game to scan the back of cards other than the top card of the draw deck, unless allowed by a card effect.

When shuffling the discard pile to form a new draw deck, it is encouraged that you do not pay attention to the back of the cards.

Credits

Inspiration

The Dead Eye is a tribute to the past works of the many artists and worlds. They are credited here both for the inspiration and as suggestions for those who wish to explore the genre further.

In no particular order, this creative work draws inspiration amongst others, George Miller's "Mad Max", Frank Herbert's "Dune", Alejandro Jodorowsky's "Dune", Sergio Leone's "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly", Alan Grant and Mike McMahon's "The Last American", Ridley Scott's "Alien" and "Blade Runner", Fleetway's "2000AD", Wayne Reynold's "Dungeons and Dragons Dark Sun", Hunter S. Thompson's "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas", Naughty Dog's "The Last of Us", Pierre Boulle's "The Planet of the Apes", Cormac McCarthy's "The Road" and "Blood Meridian", Tim Winton's "The Shepherd's Hut", Nick Cave's "The Proposition", David Michôd's "The Rover".

Production

Art and graphic design: Rob van Zyl

Game design: Simon McGregor

Writing: Rob van Zyl, Simon McGregor, John Dunning

Proofing: Chris Marling, Nate Roeder, Robert van Zyl, Simon McGregor

Playtesting: Adhil Patel, Chris Marling, Andrew Klein, Greg-cheetham Slade, Simeon Peerutin, Marc Yunnie, David Constantaris, Jonathan Maingaard, Josh Hansen, Margaret McKenzie, Dylan Posthumous

Produced by Rob van Zyl.

Thank you to friends, family and all our fans for helping in the creation of the world of the Dead Eye.

First Edition English (2020)

Pleasant Company Studios (Pty) Ltd

Turn Overview (Player Aid)

1. Story. Check if the reveal condition of the topmost Destination is met.
   • If so, reveal the Destination and add it to the Target Zone. Repeat if the reveal condition of the next card is met.
2. Encounter. Check if the Encounter slot is empty.
   • If so, fill the Encounter slot, either with a Destination, or with the next card from the draw deck.
3. Outcome. Check for an Outcome. Bad Outcomes take priority over Good Outcomes.
   • a. If so, resolve the Outcome. This may cause the current run to succeed or fail.
   • b. If no Outcome triggers, choose to Evade the Encounter (by returning it to the Target Zone if it is a Destination, or adding it to an icon stack), or Face the Encounter by adding the next card from the deck to an icon stack.

At any of the points marked with the wrench icon, you may use Partz. At the points marked with the Event icon, an Event card may be drawn. When you draw an Event card, place it in the Encounter slot, on top of any Encounter card that might be there already. Resolve the Event or postpone it, before you proceed any further with your Encounters. When an Event is resolved, discard it.

When you need to draw a card and the draw deck is empty, shuffle the discard pile to form a new draw deck.

When you acquire a Destination with Safe Havn you have succeeded in the run.

If are required to discard a Hope or Strength resource and are unable to do so, you have failed the run.

When you acquire a Destination with Safe Havn and their are no more cards in the Story deck, you have won the game.