Time Collectors Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
• Set-Up
• Aim of the Game
• How Each Turn Unfolds
  • Phase A: Adjusting the Time Machine
  • Phase B: Travelling Through Time
  • Example: Moving Along the Time Line
  • Phase C: Closing the Time Loop (End of the Turn)
• End of the Game
• The 5 Types of "Riches of the Past" Cards
  • Wonders
  • Plant Species
  • Animal Species
  • Minerals
  • Knowledge
• The "Achievement" Cards
• Summary

Components

• 50 "riches of the past" cards
• 9 "wonders" cards
• 9 "plant species" cards
• 9 "animal species" cards
• 9 "minerals" cards
• 14 "books of knowledge" cards
• 8 "achievement" cards
• 16 ten-sided dice (4 dice per player)
• 4 personal collection boards
• 1 "time line" board
• 4 "turn order" cards
• 4 player pieces
• 24 "time crystals"
• 1 scoring booklet
• 4 screens

Set-Up

1. Place the "time line" board in the centre of the table.
2. Give each player: 4 dice, 1 screen, 1 personal collection board and 1 player piece of the corresponding colour. The pieces are placed at the date 8053 on the "time line" board (the "present day" of the game), in the starting position opposite the "present day" counter.
3. Distribute one "time crystal" to each player and place the remaining crystals in their designated space on the "time line" board.
4. Shuffle the 50 "riches of the past" cards and form a pile. Place it next to the left-hand end of the "time line" board, face up. Take the first 4 cards from the pile and place them, one after the other, face up, in the designated positions on the "time line" board in ascending order of time.
5. Shuffle the "achievement" cards and pick the first 5. Place them, face up, in their locations on the "time line" board. Put the remaining cards back in the box – they won't be used.
6. Place the 4 "turn order" cards within reach next to the "time line" board.

Aim of the Game

Travel through time using the dice and the "time crystals" to build the best collection of riches from the past, accumulating more points than your opponents. The game ends when a player has collected at least 10 "riches of the past" cards on their personal collection board.

How Each Turn Unfolds

Phase A: Adjusting the Time Machine

1. All the players throw their 4 dice at the same time, keeping their results secret with their screen.
2. Simultaneously, all the players now rearrange their dice, without changing their values, by choosing the order of the 4 numbers to make a four-figure year. For example, the year 984 is made as follows: 0984.
3. When all the players have made their date, the second phase of the game can begin.

ATTENTION: At this point in the game, you cannot change the values of your dice!!

Phase B: Travelling Through Time

All the players reveal the dates they have made with their dice. The "turn order" cards are then distributed based on the dates, with the number 1 card being given to the player with the highest date, the number 2 card being given to the second highest date, etc. These cards are optional and players can do without them, especially in a 2-player game.

In ascending order of the "turn order" cards (from 1 to 4), each player takes their turn by placing their piece on the "time line" board to collect the riches of the past they find there (see the box on the following page for an explanation of how to move). If a player is moving to an exact key date, they place themselves on the tile opposite the counter of the date in question. If they are moving into an era between two key dates, or into the future, they place themselves on the tile facing the card representing the era in question or on the "future" tile.

1. When a player's turn comes, if they want, they can decide to modify the date they initially made.
   • If they spend 1 "time crystal", they can change the number on ONE of their dice.
   • If they spend 2, they can change the values of TWO dice.
   • YOU CANNOT CHANGE MORE THAN TWO DICE.
2. The player then puts their piece on the tile corresponding to their final chosen date: either on an exact key date (1984, 3961, 6257 or 8053) or an era between two key dates (before 1984, between 1984 and 3961 etc., or after 8053).
3. If a player moves to the same date or era as another player on the same turn, they have to give them a "time crystal" as compensation for interrupting their research. If there was already more than one player on the date or era, the player moving there can decide who they'd like to give a "time crystal" to. If the player moving there has no crystals left, they can move there for free (though fellow researchers may turn up their noses at them!). If the player chooses to stay on the same date/era the following turn, they don't have to give any crystals to other players who have joined them in the meantime.

Rare cases of temporal rifts: When the dice are revealed, if 2 players have made exactly the same date, they create a time rift and each lose 1 "time crystal". If a player has no crystals left, the rift costs them nothing. Either way, all players start the turn again at Phase A.

4. Once in position on the "time line" board, the player can decide, if they want, to discard the "riches of the past" card(s) that they're supposed to collect. This involves spending 1 "time crystal" to discard the card in front of their piece and replace it with the top card from the pile. They can do this as many times as they wish, paying one "time crystal" each time.

   NOTE THAT THIS OPERATION IS NOT POSSIBLE WHEN THE PLAYER IS SITUATED ON AN EXACT KEY DATE.

Spent "time crystals" are put back in the stock on the "time line" board. Using the crystals strategically is the key to victory. Without "time crystals", it is impossible to change your dice or discard cards.

At the end of the game, each crystal in a player's possession gives them one point.

5. When the player has collected their 1 or 2 "riches of the past" cards, they must place them on their personal collection board. Once placed, the card can no longer be moved. Note that each collection board has two spaces reserved for a specific type of card. No other type of card can be put there. The card spaces have "time crystals" on them. When you place a card on one of these spaces, you earn a crystal from the stock, which you can then use from your next turn.

Example: Moving Along the Time Line

1. When positioned between two key dates or before 1984 on the time line, the player collects the "riches of the past" card in front of them, unless they decide to discard it and replace it with the top card from the pile. In this case, they collect the new card.
2. When positioned on one of the first three key dates (1984, 3961, 6257), the player collects both the "riches of the past" card on either side of the date counter, without being able to discard them.
3. When positioned on the "future" tile (when the date is higher than 8053), the player wins two "time crystals" and can discard any card on the "time line" board and replace it with the top card from the pile.
4. When positioned on the key date 8053, the player collects the adjacent card, replaces it with one from the pile, and applies the future effect (discarding 1 card and claiming 2 crystals), or the other way round (applying the future effect, then collecting the adjacent card).

When the card pile has run out, a new pile is made by shuffling the discarded cards.

The "achievement" cards: Once every turn, under the right conditions, each player can collect an "achievement" card from the "time line" board as well as their "riches of the past" cards. They can place them next to their personal collection board and keep them until the game ends. If a player meets the conditions for several achievements in the same turn, they can only claim one, but they can choose which one it is. On the next turn, they can claim another if nobody else has claimed it yet.

Phase C: Closing the Time Loop (End of the Turn)

When the player with the first "turn order" card has finished their turn, they put it down next to the "time line" board and the next player takes their turn. When all the players have finished their turn, everyone counts how many "riches of the past" cards they have on their personal collection board. If at least one person has 10 or more cards on their board, the game is finished and everyone counts their points.

End of the Game

If at least one person has 10 or more cards on their personal collection board, the game is finished and everyone counts up the scores as shown on the grid in the score book, counting up:

• "wonder" cards
• "plant species" cards
• "animal species" cards
• "minerals" cards
• "books of knowledge" cards
• "achievement" cards
• And finally, 1 point for each spare crystal

The player with the highest score wins the game. In case of a tie, the player with the most crystals wins.

The 5 Types of "Riches of the Past" Cards

Wonders

• 1 card: 3 points
• 2 cards: 7 points
• 3 cards: 12 points

You can combine the points from two collections.

Example: 3 (from one set) + 1 (from another set) = 12 + 3 = 15 points

Plant Species

To earn points, plants need space so they can grow. They earn 4 points as long as there are no other plants next to them (above, below, left, right).

Animal Species

To earn points, animals need to be placed next to each other (above, below, left, right).

You can earn points from up to four animals. Beyond four, each extra animal needs to be placed on your personal collection board, but does not earn you any points.

• 1 (isolated card): 3 points (the pain of loneliness)
• 2 cards next to each other: 6 points
• 3 cards next to each other: 12 points
• 4 cards next to each other: 20 points

Note: the animal scoring graphic in the printed grid shows the isolated-animal value as "-3", while the text reads "3 points (the pain of loneliness)". The text is transcribed as printed; the graphic may indicate a penalty of -3.

Minerals

There are 3 types of minerals.

To earn points from a "mineral" card, it needs to be combined with 1 or 2 "mineral" cards of different types.

• 1 card: 0 points
• 2 cards (2 cards of 2 different types): 8 points
• 3 cards (3 cards of 3 different types): 16 points

You can combine the points from two collections. Each card can only be used in one collection at a time.

Example: 3 different minerals (16 points) + 2 different minerals (8 points) = 16 + 8 = 24 points

Knowledge

The books of knowledge give points depending on certain other cards you've collected during the game. If you have 2 identical "books of knowledge" cards, their effect is combined.

• 2 points per wonder
• 2 points per plant species
• 2 points per animal species
• 2 points per mineral
• 2 points per different type of "riches of the past" cards
• 2 points per book of knowledge, including the one from this card
• 2 extra points per "time crystal" you have left at the end of the game

The "Achievement" Cards

The "achievement" cards are placed next to the personal collection board and are not counted in the 10 riches of the past cards needed to finish the game.

• Can be won when a column of the personal collection board is completely filled with cards. Gives 2 points.
• Can be won when there are 4 "wonders" cards on the personal collection board. Gives 3 points.
• Can be won when there is 1 "animal species" card on the personal collection board. Gives 2 points.
• Can be won when the player has 5 "time crystals". Gives 3 points.
• Can be won when there is a line of the personal collection board completely filled with cards. Gives 3 points.
• Can be won when there are 3 "books of knowledge" cards on the personal collection board. Gives 4 points.
• Can be won when there are 3 "plant species" cards on the personal collection board. Gives 3 points.
• Can be won when there are 4 "minerals" cards on the personal collection board. Gives 5 points.

Summary

1. Throw the dice and arrange them in the order of your choice to form a date.
2. Reveal the dice and determine the turn order, from the biggest date to the smallest.
3. Change the numbers on up to 2 of your dice (1 crystal per die) and place your piece on the time line. Pay one crystal to another player in order to join them at the same date or era during the same turn.
4. Optionally discard the target card (1 crystal per discarded card) and collect card(s) or crystals corresponding to your location.
5. Place your treasure on your personal collection board and earn 1 "achievement" card if the conditions have been met.
6. Continue taking turns until at least one player has at least 10 "riches of the past" cards on their personal collection board. Then the game is finished, and it's time to count up the points.