EXIT: The Game – Adventures on Catan
EXIT: The Game – Adventures on Catan Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Game materials
97 Cards
- 30 Help cards
- 33 Answer cards
- 25 Riddle cards
- 9 Helpers of Catan cards
Also included:
- 1 Decoder disk
- 8 Foldouts
- 12 Strange items
- 16 Resource tokens (2x Brick, 2x Wood, 5x Wool, 4x Wheat, 3x Ore)
- 7 Roads
- 1 Two-piece ram standee
- 1 X token
- 1 Pencil
- 1 Landscape
In addition, you will need writing implements (ideally a ball-point pen, a pencil, and an eraser), one or more sheets of paper, a pair of scissors, and a watch (ideally, a stopwatch). As an alternative, you can use the digital timer with the atmospheric soundtrack. Just select the game in the Kosmos Helper App and click on the hourglass.
Game setup
Assemble the two-piece ram standee as shown.
Hint: You will need a little more table space for this EXIT game than usual.
Now place the strange items, the resource tokens, and the foldouts at the edge of the table. Make sure that the STOP signs on the foldouts are face up.
Sort the cards into three piles in accordance with what is written on their back sides:
- Riddle cards (A to Y)
- Answer cards (1 to 33)
- Help cards
Be sure not to look at the front sides of any of the cards yet.
Sort the help cards according to their symbols. Place cards with the same symbol on top of one another, with the "1st Clue" card on top of the "2nd Clue" card, and the latter on top of the "Solution" card. Then place them at the edge of the table.
New: This EXIT game has nine Helpers of Catan cards. Place these cards in a stack. Make sure that the card with the heading "Helpers of Catan" is on top of this stack.
Where is the game board?
This game has no game board! You will have to figure out for yourselves what you need to find in the game and what the locations look like. At the beginning of the game, you will only have the decoder disk and the "Start" foldout available to you.
As the game continues, you will add riddle cards and other items — either to be found in illustrations or referred to in the text. Whenever this happens, you can take the corresponding items and look at them. In this game, you will find the riddle cards alphabetically from A to Y.
Example: You see riddle cards A to E on the START foldout. You may immediately take these cards from the deck and look at them.
You may only look at an answer card after you have entered a code on the decoder disk and have been directed to a corresponding answer card.
You may also only use the strange items when you are explicitly told that you have found them. Until then, they must stay on the edge of the table!
Course of play
Your goal is to uncover all of the secrets of the island of Catan — the faster the better! That would definitely be easier if your progress weren't being impeded by riddles at every turn!
IMPORTANT: You can write on, fold, or tear the materials … All of this is allowed, and sometimes even required. You can only play the game once — after which you will know all the riddles, and you won't need the game materials any longer! This enables the game to contain the most interesting variety of riddles.
Solve the riddles in order as the game progresses. Each riddle is assigned a symbol, and you can only advance if you are able to find the correct three-digit code. When you see a riddle, take a close look at all of the corresponding foldouts and the riddle cards. Put your heads together and try to solve the riddle and figure out the three-digit code. Then, enter this code on the decoder disk.
On the outer edge of the disk, there are ten different symbols pictured. Each symbol stands for a riddle and one of the codes you are looking for. Pay close attention to which symbol is shown on the cards and on the foldouts! If you think you have cracked one of the codes, enter it under the corresponding symbol on the decoder disk. A number will then appear in the viewing window of the smallest wheel of the disk. This number indicates the number of the answer card that you are then allowed to look at.
Example: You believe that the code 1 2 3 is the solution to the riddle with the ram symbol. Enter this combination of numbers under the ram symbol on the decoder disk. In the little window, you will see the number of the answer card that you are then allowed to take from the stack and look at. Here it is 23.
Is the code incorrect?
If so, the answer card will tell you that ("Don't tell me the robber stole all of your good riddle solving skills … Unfortunately, this code is not correct!"). Double check that you entered the code that you intended under the correct symbol. If that doesn't help, take another look at the riddle to see if you can come up with a different code.
When you are done, place this card right back in the stack of answer cards!
Is the code possibly correct?
In that case, you will get an answer card with an overview — a card headed "The code may be right. Where can you see the code symbol?" and showing a grid of example images with numbers next to them.
Where can you see the symbol?
On the answer card with an overview, you will find an example image for each riddle arranged in order. Each riddle is marked with the corresponding symbol.
In this example, the rudder of the ship is marked with the ram symbol. Look for the rudder with the ram symbol on the answer card with an overview. It will then direct you to another answer card. In this example, you are directed to answer card 2. Take this card from the stack. Only this second answer card will tell you if the code is really correct.
Is the code really correct?
If so, the second answer card will tell you how to continue. You will find one or more new riddle cards that you are allowed to immediately take from the stack of riddle cards and look at.
Is the code actually incorrect?
Well, in that case you will land on a second answer card with an X. Check the number code sequence and compare the symbol on the decoder disk with the symbol on the riddle cards. If the code is still wrong, take another look at the riddle to see if you can come up with a different code.
IMPORTANT: You must solve the riddles in order! In other words: You can only continue to the next riddle if you have cracked the previous code and the game tells you that you are allowed to proceed!
Don't forget!
- The riddles are depicted in order on the answer cards with an overview — starting in the left column from top to bottom, and then continuing down the right column.
- Whether right or wrong, return all answer cards to the answer card stack when you are told to do so.
- All codes can be solved logically. You shouldn't just try entering all possible combinations into the decoder disk.
Need help?
The game can provide you with assistance if you get stuck. For each code, there are three help cards that can be recognized by the symbol on their back sides.
In addition to giving you an initial useful clue, each "1st Clue" help card also tells you which game materials you must have found in order to be able to solve the corresponding riddle.
The "2nd Clue" help cards will give you more concrete assistance in finding a solution to the corresponding riddle.
The "Solution" help cards will tell you the proper approach and give you the solution to the riddle.
Don't be shy about using help cards if you get stuck. Place all used help cards in a face-up discard pile.
When does the game end?
The game ends when you have solved the last riddle and uncovered the secrets of Catan. A card will tell you that.
Assessment
Solving all the riddles is a great achievement! If you also want to assess how well you did with the riddles, you can take a look at the table below. When calculating the number of help cards used, count only the ones that gave you new hints or solutions!
| No Help Cards | 1–2 Help Cards | 3–5 Help Cards | 6–10 Help Cards | > 10 Help Cards | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| < 60 Min. | 10 Stars | 9 Stars | 8 Stars | 6 Stars | 5 Stars |
| < 90 Min. | 9 Stars | 8 Stars | 7 Stars | 5 Stars | 4 Stars |
| ≤ 120 Min. | 8 Stars | 7 Stars | 6 Stars | 4 Stars | 3 Stars |
| > 120 Min. | 7 Stars | 6 Stars | 5 Stars | 3 Stars | 2 Stars |
The game begins
What are you waiting for? Start the stopwatch or timer! You may now open the "Start" foldout. We hope you have a lot of fun with EXIT® – The Game: Adventures on Catan!