The Search for Lost Species
The Search for Lost Species Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
- 1 Game Board
- 1 Pad of Note Sheets
- 4 Player Screens
- 8 Scientist Pawns
- 1 Expedition Leader Pawn
- 7 Mountain Tokens
- 18 Town Cards
- 6 Lost Species Cards
- 40 Sighting Tokens
- 30 Timing Tokens
- 4 Camera Trap Tokens
- 4 Town Tokens
- 1 Constructible Boat Token Holder
- 4 Lory Diamond Tokens
Setup
Board Setup
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Place the map board in the center of the table. Orient the board so that each player views it from one side indicated by a cardinal compass point: north, south, east, or west.
The gameboard has two sides, with a different island on each side. The long, narrow island is slightly easier, so you may want to play that side first.
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Choose a Lost Species to search for, selected from the Lost Species deck. Players may agree on one or randomly choose a card. Place the Lost Species card for this game on the board. Return the rest of the Lost Species cards to the box.
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Shuffle the deck of town cards and place it face-down on the town deck space. Reveal four town cards and set them in the available spaces.
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Place the mountain tokens so that each one is laid over a mountain range illustration between two hexes on the map.
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Separate the timing tokens by type into their sections in the Constructible Boat Token Holder.
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Place the Expedition Leader pawn on the first wood-grained space on the time track, marked with the number 1 at the top. This space is sighting phase 1.
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Each player chooses a color. Take your two scientist pawns. Place one of your pawns in the start space of the time track, lined up in random order. The other pawn will be placed on the map when the app instructs you. Each player starts in a different part of the island.
Player Setup
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Give each player a pencil and a note sheet matching the side of the board they are sitting on. For example, the player sitting on the South side of the board should have the "South" note sheet.
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Give each player a player screen matching their chosen player color. Position your player screen so that it hides your note sheet.
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Give each player 1 camera trap token, 1 town token, 1 lory diamond token, and 10 sighting tokens which match their player color. Put your tokens behind your player screen.
Solo Mode. For a 1-player game, complete steps 1-10 here, then follow the instructions in the solo rules and the app.
App Setup
Each player needs to have access to an electronic device. Each player can use their own device –OR– share a device with one or more other players. If two or more players are sharing the same device, complete these setup steps for the first player, then tap the "Add player to this device" button and complete the steps again for the additional players.
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Install and launch the companion app on all devices that will be used during the game. To install the app on a device, visit the app store from the device and search for "The Search for Lost Species" and download. You may want to set your device to "airplane mode" to prevent distracting notifications.
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Select your choice of Lost Species at the top of the screen. Tap either the Easier (narrow) island in the upper left or the Harder (round) island in the lower right to start a new game. A game code will appear on your screen.
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On each other device, tap "Enter code" from the app's initial screen. Enter the game code generated by the first device and the tap the "Join Game" button.
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Verify that all devices display the same game code. Then press the "Continue" button.
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Enter the side of the board you are sitting on.
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Choose your difficulty level. Each player receives a certain amount of starting information, based on the difficulty level they choose. Follow the instruction in the app to receive your starting information. Record it on your note sheet.
- If you have never played the game, we recommend the "Beginner" level.
- If you have played the game before, you may wish to try the "Experienced" or "Genius" level for a tougher challenge! Different players may choose different levels of starting information to compensate for relative experience with the game.
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Write the research & conference topics on the right side of your note sheet.
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Place your scientist pawn on the board where the app tells you.
Tap START GAME to begin!
Basics of Wildlife Expeditions
The Island
On the island there are 16 numbered areas, which is where you conduct surveys and place camera traps. Each area either contains one of the animals sought by the expedition -OR- is truly empty (has none of those animals). Each numbered area is one of 3 terrain types: rainforest, swamp, or hills. All of the areas that touch water are coastal areas. There are also mountains that separate areas from each other. Areas separated by a mountain are not considered to be adjacent.
In addition to the numbered areas, there are 2 towns where you can get help from local residents and learn more about the island.
Map legend: Rainforest (terrain type), Swamp (terrain type), Hills (terrain type), Towns, Coastal Areas, Mountains, Not Coastal.
Note: Green boxes contain thematic information. They do not contain gameplay instructions.
The Lost Species in this game were all originally found in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. They are found in forests throughout the region. There are hill forests, rainforests, mangrove swamp forests and peat swamp forests.
There are over 17,000 islands in Indonesia, which is the fourth most populous country in the world. About 6,000 of those islands are populated. Indonesia shares the island of New Guinea with Papua New Guinea, which also has a number of islands to the north and east of New Guinea.
Animals
There are five animal types the expedition is trying to find: lories, cuscus, toads, pythons, and the Lost Species itself. Each animal type has certain logic rules that dictate where animals of that type can be found in relation to other animals or areas.
Lories — 4 Total
Together they form one of these shapes. The shape can form across mountains.
The four lories are always in a diamond shape on the map. The diamond shape can cross mountains. If a lory is in area 1, the other 3 lories must be in the A areas, the B areas, or the C areas.
The lory diamond token can be used on your note sheet to help you visualize possible options for lory placements on the map.
Lories and lorikeets are a subfamily of parrots found in Australia, New Guinea, Southeast Asian islands and some Pacific islands. They eat mostly nectar and pollen from flowers and juices from fruits.
Cuscus — 3 Total
1 or 2 areas from both other cuscus. None are adjacent to the python.
If a cuscus is in area 14, the other 2 cuscus must be in areas within 1 or 2 areas of it. If cuscus are in areas 14 and 1, the final cuscus must be in an area within 1 or 2 areas of both. Remember, areas separated by a mountain are not considered to be adjacent.
Cuscus are arboreal marsupials living throughout Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. Cuscus eat leaves, nectar, fruits, and flowers, and occasionally small animals and eggs. They move slowly through the trees and generally sleep through the day. Their predators are pythons, hawks, and owls.
Toads — 2 Total
Adjacent to at least 2 truly empty areas.
If a toad is in area 6, areas 5 and 7 must both be truly empty, because those are the only two areas adjacent to the toad. If a toad is in area 14, at least two of the adjacent areas must be truly empty. Areas 5 and 13 are not adjacent to the toad because they are across mountains.
Several species of toads, including the Asian Common Toad and the Cane Toad, are invading Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. These invaders eat so much that they outcompete many native species. In addition, they are poisonous and can kill animals that bite, lick, or eat them. This is represented by the empty areas adjacent to them in the game.
Python — 1 Total
Not adjacent to any cuscus.
If the python is in area 7, no cuscus can be in any area adjacent to it. Remember, areas across mountains are not adjacent. If a cuscus is in area 13, the python cannot be in any area adjacent to it. Areas across mountains are not adjacent.
Pythons, such as the Reticulated Python and the Amethystine Python, can be found throughout Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. The Reticulated Python is the world's longest snake and is an excellent swimmer, eating mostly small mammals and occasionally birds.
Wild animals can be found throughout the islands in Southeast Asia and new species are still being discovered. However, wild animals are quickly losing habitat to deforestation. While the game refers to 1 python or 2 toads, each of these in-game areas corresponds to a real-life habitat where scientists would find many of these animals residing.
Lost Species — 1 Total
There are several Lost Species, but only one will be used in each game. Each Lost Species has a different core logic rule. Refer to the Lost Species card to see the rule for your current game.
In surveys and camera traps, the area containing the Lost Species appears empty.
Truly Empty Areas — 5 Total
There is a distinction between areas that appear empty and areas that are truly empty. There are 5 areas that are truly empty. The area containing the Lost Species appears empty in surveys and camera traps, but of course it isn't truly empty; it contains the Lost Species!
Time Track
The time track runs around the outer edge of the map board. As players take actions, they advance their pawns clockwise on the time track. The player whose pawn is farthest back on the time track is always the active player.
Expedition leader spaces on the time track are filled with a wood-grain background and are only used by the expedition leader pawn.
Sightings
Players can report sightings about which animal they think is located in a certain area. The expedition leader (not a player) then takes time to confirm those sightings, and eventually the sightings are proven to be either correct or incorrect. At the end of the game, players score points for their correct sightings.
Gameplay
Gameplay Sequence
Gameplay in The Search for Lost Species does not proceed in a fixed turn order. Instead, turn order depends on the positions of the player pawns on the time track.
The player whose pawn is farthest back on the time track is the active player. On the active player's turn, they take one action, then advance their pawn based on the time cost of the action, usually moving it past other pawns as they do so.
Once the active player's turn is over, the player whose pawn is now farthest back on the time track becomes the new active player. Players continue taking turns until one player correctly locates the Lost Species.
Turn Overview
When you are the active player, carry out the following three steps, in order:
- Take One Action – Choose one of the five available actions.
- Advance Your Player Pawn on the Time Track – Move your pawn based on the time cost of the action.
- Activate and Advance the Expedition Leader (if necessary) – Only do this when the expedition leader pawn is furthest back on the time track. First activate the expedition leader's space, then move the pawn to the next expedition leader space on the Time Track (one of the spaces filled with wood-grain color). The expedition leader is not a player, it is a pawn that activates certain events.
1. Take One Action
- Survey by Foot or Survey by Boat – Select an animal type and move over a range of contiguous areas on the island. The app reveals how many animals of that type are located in that range.
- Camera Trap – Move to and select one area on the island. The app reveals which animal is located in that area –OR– that the area appears empty.
- Visit a Town – Move to a town. First, take a town card. Then select one of the available research topics. The app reveals the information for that topic: a logic rule that applies in this particular game.
- Locate the Lost Species – Select the area that you believe contains the Lost Species -AND- identify the contents of two adjacent areas (its habitat). The app reveals whether you are correct or incorrect.
Note: When moving on the island, you may always move into, through, and end your turn in the same area as any number of other players.
Note: Each action requires you to interact with the app. On your note sheet, record the information revealed by the app, along with any deductions you can make from that information.
Survey by Foot or Survey by Boat
One particular animal type has drawn your interest. Survey a range of areas to find out how many animals of that type are located in that range.
Survey by Foot
- Move your pawn on the island 1-3 areas. You may double back over the same areas.
- Survey for one animal in all areas entered.
- Each move is from one area to an adjacent area.
- You may not cross a mountain. You must go around it.
- You may start a survey by foot in a town.
The time cost of this action is 3 time.
Note: Surveys by foot can span a range of 1 area. For example, you could start in area 1, move into only area 2, and do a Survey by Foot in area 2 only. (Consider using the Camera Trap action instead.)
Survey by Boat
- Move your pawn 4-6 areas following the coastline. You may double back over the same areas, but you must survey a minimum of 4 different areas.
- Survey for one animal in all areas entered.
- Each move is from one area to an adjacent area.
- Your movement must start on, move to, and end only on the coast.
- Do not count a town you pass as an area.
- You may start a survey by boat in a town.
The time cost of this action is 2 time.
Example. The Red player starts in area 7 on the coast. They survey by boat, moving to 6, then 5, then 4, then 3, then back to 4 and finally back to 5. They moved 6 total spaces, only along the coast, and surveyed at least 4 different areas. This is a legal move. In the app, they will select survey by boat for areas 6, 5, 4, and 3.
Example. When surveying by boat, you must follow the coastline. You cannot move directly across the island, and cannot skip areas.
All Surveys
From the game menu screen within the app, press the "Survey by Foot" or "Survey by Boat" button. Select the range of all contiguous areas on the island you moved into, then select an animal type (or choose to survey for empty areas). Announce your selections to the other players.
The app now reveals how many animals of that type are located in that range. This is private information; record it on your note sheet, but do not announce it to the other players.
Note: The first area in your survey is the first area you move into, not the area in which you start your turn.
Important! Remember that the area containing the Lost Species appears empty in surveys. If you survey for empty areas, the area containing the Lost Species may be included in the count.
Camera Trap
Your search has led you to a particular area that you feel holds key information. Use a camera trap in that area to discover which animal it contains.
Move your pawn on the island up to 3 areas, following adjacency rules, and end in the area where you want to use the camera trap. You may not cross a mountain. You must go around it.
Place your camera trap token on the map in that area. You cannot do a camera trap action again until you get your camera trap token back from the expedition leader's camera phase.
From the game menu screen within the app, press the "Camera Trap" button. Select the area where you are on the island. Announce that you are using a camera trap in this area.
Restriction. You must have a camera trap token to take this action.
Important! Remember that the area containing the Lost Species appears empty in surveys and camera traps. If the area you set the camera trap appears empty, that area could be truly empty or it could contain the Lost Species.
The app now reveals which animal is located in that area –OR– that the area appears empty. This is private information; record it on your note sheet, but do not announce it to the other players.
The time cost of this action is 4 time.
Visit a Town
Local residents can assist you in your efforts. Visit a town to get help and to learn about the animals on this island.
Move your pawn on the island up to 3 areas, following adjacency rules, and end in a town. The town counts as one of the areas for the purposes of moving to it.
Place your town token on the town. You cannot visit a town again until you get your town token back from the expedition leader's town phase.
From the game menu screen within the app, press the "Visit a Town" button.
The time cost of this action is 1 time.
Restriction. You must have a town token to take this action.
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Choose 1 Town Card. First select a face-up town card from the board (a local resident or group offering their help). Replace the card you took with the top card from the town deck. (If there are no cards remaining in the deck, shuffle the discard pile together to create a new deck.)
- Keep "game end" and "always" cards in front of you for the entire game.
- "1x" cards can only be used once and must be discarded when they are used.
- "Instant" cards are resolved immediately when taken, and then are discarded.
A detailed explanation for each card is on the back cover of the rulebook (see Card Explanations, below).
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Research 1 Topic. After choosing a card, select one of the available research topics in the app. Announce your selection to the other players.
The app then reveals a logic rule about that research topic that applies in this particular game. This is private information. Record it in the designated space on your note sheet, but do not announce it to the other players.
Note: Research topics are unique for each game code. In a game, each research topic reveals only one piece of information, and it is the same for all players. Once you research a specific topic, there is no reason for you to select that research topic again.
Locate the Lost Species
This is it! All of your hard work may be about to pay off. Could you have found the Lost Species?
From the game menu screen within the app, press the "Locate the Lost Species" button. Select which area you think contains the Lost Species, then select what you think is located in any two adjacent areas (its habitat). Remember that areas separated by mountains are not considered adjacent.
The app now reveals whether or not you correctly located the Lost Species and its habitat. Do not announce the area where you looked, but do announce whether you succeeded or failed.
The time cost of this action is 5 time.
Important! You can do this from anywhere on the map. Do not move to where you think the Lost Species is, or it will reveal that location to the other players.
Important! To correctly locate the Lost Species, you must know what area it is in AND what is in any two adjacent areas (its habitat). If you get any of these pieces of information wrong, the app will tell you that you failed to locate the Lost Species, but will not tell you why.
Important! If you correctly locate the Lost Species on your turn, you trigger the end of the game. After advancing your pawn, skip directly to End of the Game.
2. Advance Your Player Pawn
In this step, move your player pawn clockwise on the time track.
Advance your pawn on the time track equal to the time cost of the action you chose. The time costs for all possible actions are noted below, as well as on the player screens. Skip over any expedition leader spaces and do not count them as spaces when you move on the time track.
If your pawn ends its advance in a space that already contains one or more other pawns, place your pawn ahead of the other pawns, but still in the same space. (This means that those players take their next turns before you do.)
Example. It's the purple player's turn. They choose to do a Survey by Boat, which takes 2 time. They move their pawn on the time track 2 spaces and place it in front of the orange pawn which is already on that space.
Action time costs:
| Action | Time Cost |
|---|---|
| Locate the Lost Species | 5 |
| Place a Camera Trap | 4 |
| Survey by Foot | 3 |
| Survey by Boat | 2 |
| Visit a Town | 1 |
Using Your Note Sheet
- When you determine something is not possible in a sector, cross it out.
- When you determine what is in an area, circle it, and cross everything else out.
- Record research and conference information you know in the "Research & Conference Notes" section.
- Use the far-right "Action / Result" columns if you want to record the actions your opponents take.
- Each animal type has a shorthand letter on the note sheet: L (Lories), C (Cuscus), T (Toads), P (Python), E (Truly Empty Areas), ? (Lost Species).
- Use a distinctive mark to record starting information you were given at setup.
- Record the Lost Species logic rule you learn in the designated space.
- Circle the areas where you are the first (or tied for first) to have a confirmed sighting, on the score chart at the bottom of your note sheet.
3. Activate and Advance the Expedition Leader (If Necessary)
Only if the expedition leader is now the pawn furthest back on the time track, perform the phase (or phases) associated with the space the leader is currently on.
Then move the expedition leader forward to the next expedition leader space.
Town Phase. Return all town tokens on the map to their players.
Camera Phase. Return all camera trap tokens on the map to their players.
Conference Phase. During this phase, all players receive the same new piece of information about the location of the Lost Species.
Within the app, press the "Lost Species Conference" button, then select the option which matches the current conference (either 1 or 2).
The app now reveals the information for that conference: a logic rule that applies in this particular game. One player may view and announce this to all players, or each player may view it separately in the app. Each player should record this information in the designated space on their note sheet.
This phase is only performed the first time that the expedition leader reaches each conference icon. If it reaches the same conference icon again, there is no need to reveal the same conference information again.
Sighting Phase. During this phase, there are two steps. In the first step, players can report sightings (and after some time the expedition leader will check if they are correct). In the second step, some sightings reported earlier might be confirmed.
Each sighting phase space is marked with a number and shape indicating which sighting phase it is. When resolving the sighting phase there, place timing tokens matching that shape and number. Sighting phase spaces later on the track, marked with a lower number and a checkmark shape, confirm sightings placed under timing tokens matching that shape and number.
1. Report Sightings
A. Select Sighting Tokens – All players simultaneously select the sighting tokens they wish to place, and flip them so that the animal icon is face-down on the table. Each player may select 0, 1 or 2 tokens to place. No matter how many tokens they selected, each player then slides their hand (with the selected tokens beneath it) on the table from behind their player screen to in front of their player screen, covering their tokens so that no one else can see how many tokens they selected.
B. Place Sighting Tokens – Each player then places their selected tokens face-down in an area they believe contains that animal type. This is done in player order (back to front), as indicated by the time track.
Note: You cannot place a token in an area if the animal in that area has already been confirmed.
C. Place Timing Tokens – Place a timing token on top of each new stack of sighting tokens placed this phase. Use timing tokens matching the top number & shape with the brown arrow next to it (before moving the leader). If you do not see any timing tokens with that number, flip some of the timing tokens in the boat token holder over.
Example. It is sighting phase 2. During sighting phase 1, the orange player reported a sighting in area 3. Now, the red and purple players report a sighting in the same area. Therefore, a new stack is created, and a timing token for sighting phase 2 (star shape with 2 in the middle) is placed on top of the new stack. For purposes of scoring, the red and purple sighting tokens are considered to have been placed at the same time. Purple also places a sighting token in area 4. A timing token is placed on top of that stack.
Additional Rules & Clarifications
- Multiple players can place sighting tokens in the same area during the same sighting phase. When this happens, those tokens are stacked. For scoring purposes, they are considered to have been reported at the same time.
- You can place sighting tokens in any area of the island, including areas that are not near your pawn, as long as the animal in that area has not yet been confirmed.
- Once you have placed a sighting token in an area, you cannot move that token to a different area. If you run out of sighting tokens for animals of a certain type, you cannot report any more sightings for animals of that type.
- You cannot place two identical sighting tokens in the same area, but you can place two different tokens in the same area, as long as you do not place those two different tokens during the same sighting phase.
- You can pick up and secretly view your own placed tokens at any time if you have forgotten what you placed in an area. You must put the tokens back exactly where they were. Be careful to only view your color tokens.
2. Confirm Sightings
For each area that has a timing token matching the bottom number & shape with the green checkmark next to it, confirm the sighting. If this applies to multiple areas, confirm each of those areas, one at a time, in numerical order.
A. Reveal Sightings – Reveal all sightings that are under the current timing token in this area, flipping them face up. Do not reveal (yet) any sightings that are under timing tokens matching future sighting phases.
B. Review Sightings – Press the "Confirm Sightings" button within the app. Select the area being reviewed and the animal shown on one of the tokens being reviewed. Then press the "View Results" button.
C. Resolve Sightings – The results screen reveals whether the sighting is correct or incorrect. Announce this information to all players. Resolve the sighting, based on whether it is correct or incorrect (see below).
Correct Sighting
The animal located in this area is now confirmed.
Players who placed a correct sighting under the current phase's timing token score a bonus point for being the first to find this animal. They should circle the area's number on the bottom right of their note sheet.
On the map section of their note sheets, all players should circle that animal icon for this area and scratch out all other icons in that area. Players may no longer place new sightings in this area.
Flip face-up all sighting tokens in this area under future timing tokens to see whether they are correct or incorrect.
Remove all incorrect tokens from the game. The players who placed incorrect tokens must each advance their pawn one space on the time track for each of their incorrect sightings as a penalty.
Leave all correct sighting tokens in a single stack in this area. The players who placed them score points for them at the end of the game. Remove all timing tokens from this area.
Example. It is sighting phase 3. The orange player's sighting of a cuscus has been confirmed as correct. The orange player circles area 3 on their scoring sheet because they were the first player to correctly report the animal in area 3. Next, the timing token for phase 4 will be removed and the red and yellow player's sighting tokens will be revealed to see whether they are correct. If correct, they will be added to the stack with the orange player's token, but red and yellow will not circle area 3 on their notesheet. If red and/or yellow is incorrect, the incorrect tokens are removed from the game and the player(s) suffer a 1 time penalty.
Incorrect Sighting
The animal in this area remains unknown, but the reported animal is definitely not there. On their note sheet, each player should cross out that animal icon for this area.
Do not reveal any sighting tokens under a timing token not matching this phase. They remain face-down for now.
Remove the incorrect token from the game. The player who placed it must advance their pawn one space on the time track as a penalty.
If multiple sighting tokens are under a timing token matching this phase in this area, repeat this process for those sighting tokens.
Note: If multiple players receive a time penalty for an incorrect sighting in the same area at the same time, advance their pawns in player order (back to front) so that their position in turn order, relative to each other, does not change.
Example. In this example, it is currently sighting phase 3. The orange player's sighting of a cuscus has been confirmed as incorrect. It is removed from the game and the orange player suffers a 1 time penalty. Leave all other sighting tokens in that area where they are. They will not be revealed until sighting phase 4.
End of the Game
Game-End Condition
The end of the game is triggered when one player correctly locates the Lost Species. The player who triggered the end of the game still advances their pawn based on the time cost of that action (5 time).
Important! The player who triggered the end of the game by correctly locating the Lost Species should not announce the correct location of the Lost Species to the other players.
Final Scoring Opportunities
Once the end of the game has been triggered, no more turns are taken. However, each other player gets one final opportunity to score points if their pawn is at least one space back on the time track from the pawn of the player who located the Lost Species.
Based on how far back on the time track their pawn is from the pawn of the player who located the Lost Species, each player may either report sightings or attempt to locate the Lost Species. These final opportunities occur in player order (back to front), as indicated by the time track.
(For scoring purposes, sightings reported during these final scoring opportunities are considered to have been reported at the same time.)
Report Sightings – If you are 1, 2, or 3 spaces back on the time track, you may report one sighting. If you are 4 or 5 spaces back, you may report up to two sightings.
OR
Locate the Lost Species – Follow the normal steps for this action. If correct, you score 4–12 points, based on how far back you are (see Final Scoring, below).
Important! Players do not advance their pawns during these final scoring opportunities, no matter which option they choose. For final scoring purposes, the other players' pawns should remain where they were when the Lost Species was correctly located.
Reveal Animals
After all final scoring opportunities have occurred, press the "End Game & Reveal All" button within the app. The screen displays the contents of each area. Announce these displayed results to all players.
Flip all remaining face-down sighting tokens in all areas face-up. Then check these sightings against the displayed results. Remove all incorrect sightings from the game, but leave all correct sightings where they are. Any correct sightings that were placed first (or tied for first) in an area receive leader bonuses.
Final Scoring
Once the game has ended, tally up final scores. Each player tallies their own final score, recording their points in the score chart at the bottom of their note sheet.
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Leader Bonuses. Score 1 for each area where you were the first player (or tied for first) to report the correct sighting about the animal in that area. Include areas that were revealed at the end of the game after the Lost Species was found.
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Correct Sightings. Score points for each correct sighting you reported, as indicated by the chart:
Animal Score Lories 2 each Cuscus 3 each Toads 4 each Python 5 -
Town Cards. Score any game-end town cards you have collected.
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Locating the Lost Species. Score 12 if you were the first player to correctly locate the Lost Species.
If you correctly located the Lost Species but were not the first player to do so, count on the time track how many spaces back your pawn is from the pawn of the player who correctly located the Lost Species first (i.e., 1–5 spaces). Score points based on how far back you are:
Spaces Back Score 1 space back 4 2 spaces back 6 3 spaces back 8 4 spaces back 10 5 spaces back 12
Winning the Game
Tally the final scores. The player who scored the most points has contributed the most to this expedition and is the winner!
If there is a tie… The tied player who scored the most points for locating the Lost Species is the winner.
If there is still a tie… The tied player who scored the most points for leader bonuses is the winner.
If there is still a tie… The tied players rejoice in their shared victory.
Important Terms
This section offers definitions of the spatial terms you need to know in order to make deductions based on the information you receive during the game.
Animals
Adjacent To. When an animal is "adjacent to" another animal, it is located in an area that has one side touching an area containing the other animal. If there is a mountain between two areas, they are not adjacent to one another.
Example: Areas 2, 3, 4, and 15 are all adjacent to the toad in area 14.
Animals Total vs Animal Type. "Animals total" refers to an exact quantity of animals of any type. "Animal type" refers to animals with the same name.
Example: The Lost Species in area 2 is adjacent to 3 animals total (2 lories and 1 cuscus). It is adjacent to 2 animal types.
Compass Direction
To the SE (or Other Stated Direction). When an animal is "to the SE" of a second animal, it is in one of the areas in a straight line in that direction from the second animal. This includes going through mountains. The directions E and W can never be used in research clues, but 6 directions can be: the cardinal directions S and N, and the ordinal (or intercardinal) directions SE, SW, NE, and NW.
Example: Areas 13, 14, and 4 are SE of the toad.
Mountains
Adjacent to the Mountains. If an animal is "adjacent to the mountains", it is in an area with a mountain on at least one side of the area.
Across a Mountain From. If an animal is "across a mountain from" another animal, both animals have the same mountain between them.
Example: The cuscus and toad are across a mountain from each other. The cuscus and python are also across a mountain from each other, but a different mountain. The toad and python are not across a mountain from each other.
Terrain
In the Same Terrain As. When an animal is "in the same terrain as" another animal, they are both in the same terrain type. They do not have to be in a contiguous connected stretch of that terrain.
Example: Areas 2 and 4 are both part of the same terrain (rainforest) even though they are not adjacent to each other.
1 or 2 Areas From. When an animal is 1 area from another, it is adjacent. When an animal is 2 areas from another, it is adjacent to an adjacent area. When counting distance (as at all other times), mountains interfere with adjacencies.
Example: All checked areas are 1 or 2 areas from the cuscus in area 14.
Lost Species Profiles
The Lost Species cards depict real animals and plants that have not been reliably seen for decades. Only one is used in each game.
Aru Flying Fox
Pteropus aruensis Last seen: 1877 — Indonesia, Aru Islands
Similar in appearance to the Black-Bearded Flying Fox, the Aru Flying Fox has only ever been seen on the Aru Islands in Indonesia. An expedition in the 1990s was unsuccessful in locating any individuals, but a toothless jawbone discovered in 1992 could represent this species. Hunting likely played a role in its decline, since it is a large and colorful bat. Also, large-scale sugarcane plantation development on the Aru Islands threatens 92% of the primary tropical forest, which could devastate the habitat for this species.
www.iucnredlist.org/species/136504/21974958
Wondiwoi Tree Kangaroo
Dendrolagus mayri Last seen: 1928 — Indonesia, West Papua, Wondiwoi Peninsula
The mystery surrounding this Lost Species has taken on legendary proportions. When the kangaroo was found in the Wondiwoi Peninsula of West Papua in mossy montane forests at an elevation of 1,600 meters, scientists couldn't figure out how it came to inhabit the higher parts of the Wondiwoi Peninsula—the answer remains elusive as an enduring "zoo-geographical mystery." Everything we know about the Wondiwoi Tree Kangaroo comes from a single individual, an adult male collected in 1928 by one of the world's leading evolutionary biologists, Ernst Mayr.
Update: In 2018, a tourist in West Papua took low-quality photos of a species that could possibly be the Wondiwoi Tree Kangaroo.
www.rewild.org/lost-species/wondiwoi-tree-kangaroo
Zugs' Monitor
Varanus zugorum Last seen: 1980 — Indonesia, Halmahera Island
With the exception of one or two individuals imported for the pet trade, Zugs' Monitor is completely unknown. It is rarely—if ever—seen by locals, and scientists know nothing about its ecology or natural history. It comes from the Moluccan Islands of East Indonesia, where the number of new Varanus species discovered has increased significantly in recent years. The rainforests of Halmahera Island are a biodiversity hotspot and home to several endemic species.
https://www.rewild.org/lost-species/zugs-monitor
Attenborough's Long-beaked Echidna
Zaglossus attenboroughi Last seen: 1961 — Indonesia, Papua, Cyclops Mountains
If Attenborough's Long-beaked Echidna is still out there, it is one of just five surviving species of monotreme, an ancient clade of egg-laying mammals found only in Australia and New Guinea, whose origins go back to the Jurassic era some 160 million years ago. This species is the smallest and likely most threatened of three long-beaked echidna species, and is known only from a single individual collected by a Dutch botanist during an expedition to the Cyclops Mountains in 1961. Interviews with locals suggest that the animal may still be present in the mountains.
www.rewild.org/lost-species/attenboroughs-long-beaked-echidna
East Sepik Monkey Grasshopper
Biroella rammei Last seen: 1913 — Papua New Guinea
The East Sepik Monkey Grasshopper occurs in the northwestern part of Papua New Guinea. These interestingly named hoppers are fast moving and winged, and haven't been seen in over 100 years. Other Monkey Grasshoppers are very colorful, but the last seen specimen of the East Sepik Monkey Grasshopper is mainly brown. The major threat to this species is deforestation.
www.iucnredlist.org/species/107450293/107451545
Siau Scops-owl
Otus siaoensis Last seen: 1866 — Indonesia, Siau Island
These very small owls are only found on Siau Island, Indonesia. They have ear tufts and yellow eyes. The only known species of owl to inhabit this island, they would likely dwell in low-density forests. Much of their natural habitat has been destroyed due to logging and they have not been seen in the wild in modern times. There have been some local reports including a 2017 video of an owl caught in a building in Siau that may be of the species.
www.iucnredlist.org/species/22728599/134199532
Card Explanations
Instant. Take this action immediately when you take this card, then discard the card.
Always. You get this benefit for the rest of the game. Keep the card visible in front of you.
1x. Keep this card visible in front of you. When you take the action, discard this card.
Game End. You get these points for your confirmed sightings and for your sightings that are revealed at the end of the game.
- Town Elder — Do a second research now. Announce both first, then view both. The second research does not cost any time.
- Pathfinder — Your surveys by foot only cost 2 time.
- Rainforest Expert — One camera trap in the rainforest only costs 2 time.
- Hills Expert — One camera trap in the hills only costs 2 time.
- Swamp Expert — One camera trap in the swamp only costs 2 time.
- Trailblazer — One survey by foot only costs 1 time.
- Messenger — Report 1 sighting now. For the sighting you report, use a timing token matching the expedition leader's current location (or the next numbered location if the leader is not on a numbered location). So if the expedition leader is standing on sighting phase 1 or on sighting phase 3, use the matching timing token.
- Rainforest Protectors — Score +1 per correct sighting in the rainforest.
- Swamp Stewards — Score +1 per correct sighting in the swamp.
- Hill Guardians — Score +1 per correct sighting in the hills.
- Marsupial Conservationists — Score +1 per correct cuscus sighting.
- Predator Preservation Group — Score +3 per correct python sighting.
- Invasive Toad Fighters — Score +2 per correct toad sighting.
- Birders — Score +1 per correct lory sighting.
Credits
Game Designers: Ben Rosset & Matthew O'Malley Developers: Gil Hova & Wei-Hwa Huang Senior Producer of Board & Card Games: Dan Bojanowski Associate Producer of Board & Card Games: Jimmy Le Director of Visual Design: Anita Osburn Illustrators: Stephanie Dziezyk & Anh Le Graphic Designer: Anita Osburn Editor: Scott Thomas Production Artist: Todd Crapper & Noelle Lopez 3D Artist: David L'Huillier Initial App Development: Matthew O'Malley & Randy Hoyt App Development: Bezier Games, Inc.
Playtesters: Shelley Rosset, Margaux O'Malley, Matt Austin, Chris Matthew, Tyler Lipchen, Shannon Lentz, Jeff Chin, Andrew Nerger, Dan Germain, Nick Schrag, Brian Blankstein, Justin Vickers, John Shulters, Sarah Graybill, Elizabeth Hargrave, Brian Brubach, Dominic Crapuchettes, Melanie Goodrich, Don Gilstrap, Adrian Gilstrap, Valerie Schrag, Justin Taylor, Jeff Schaefer, Twan Wildenborg, Joshua Calandrillo, Jeroen Prinsen, Samuel L. Haist, Marcus E. Burchers, Joe Rakstad, David Sims, Joey Hurley, Jessica Hopko, Kirk Hopko, Landon Dickens, Joshua Adkins, Gregory S. Holmes, Seth Albert Losey, Melissa Millar, Miranda Robinson, Gregory Millar, Liam Millar, Matthew Carter, Thunyaporn Thongthai, Daren Tan, Dan Lysne, Jarosław Wójcicki, Dan Noar, James Barrett-Morison, Nathan Popham, Justin Brady, Jacob Hajski, Matthew Losee, Lauren Christman, Wojciech Giżyński, Alexander Mont, Rocco Privetera, David Gordon, Henry-Michael Brown
The game designers would like to thank all of the playtesters who helped this game to exist, their families and friends for their unconditional support, and Randy Hoyt and John Shulters for their advice and their stellar work on The Search for Planet X.
Renegade Game Studios: President & Publisher: Scott Gaeta; Vice President Sales & Marketing: Sara Erickson; Controller: Robyn Gaeta; Director of Operations: Leisha Cummins; Associate Project Manager: Katie Gjesdahl; Director, Strategic Partnerships: Erika Conway; Sales Manager: Kaitlin Ellis; E-Commerce: Nick Medinger; Sales & Marketing Program Manager: Matt Holland; Community Manager: Jordan Gaeta; Senior Producer of Board & Card Games: Dan Bojanowski; Associate Producer, Board & Card Games: Jimmy Le; Associate Producer, RPGs: Kevin Schluter; Lead Developer, World of Darkness: Juhana Pettersson; Product Developer, RPGs: Jason Keeley; Senior Game Designer: Matt Hyra; Game Designers: Dan Blanchett, Christopher Chung; Director of Visual Design: Anita Osburn; Creative Director, Games: Jeanne Torres; Creative Director, RPGs: Sarah Robinson; Creative Production: Todd Crapper, Noelle Lopez, & Gordon Tucker; Video Production Associate: Katie Schmitt; Customer Service Manager: Jenni Janikowski; Customer Service: Bethany Bauthues; Finance Clerk: Madeline Minervini
Renegade Game Studios would like to thank fans of The Search for Planet X for making this game possible! Special thanks to the Re:wild organization whose mission is to protect and restore the wild to build a thriving Earth where all life flourishes.
For additional information or support, please visit us online: www.renegadegames.com
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