Bios Genesis
Published 2016
Designer: Phil Eklund
Artists: Karim Chakroun, Ron Miller
Publishers: Sierra Madre Games & Fox in the Box
Website
Vassal Module updated with permission from Phil Eklund.
Vassal Module:
Current file updated by Samuel Williams: Samuelw3 gamersam@samuelw3.com
Please submit corrections, requests, and updates to Samuelw3.
Description:
In Bios: Genesis, one to four players start as organic compounds shortly after Earth's formation, represented by up to three Biont tokens. The Amino Acids command Metabolism, the lipids create cells, the pigments control energy absorption and storage, and the nucleic acids control templated replication. Their goal is a double origin of life: first as Autocatalytic Life (a metabolic cycle reproducing, yet not replicating, its own constituents), and the second as Darwinian Life (an Organism using a template to replicate in an RNA world). Players can play cooperative, competitive, or solitaire.
Notes designer Phil Eklund, "This subject is the most difficult and ambitious I have ever attempted, and it has taken many years to get it to work right." With Bios: Genesis, Bios: Megafauna, and Origins: How We Became Human, Eklund takes players through almost the whole breadth and scope of life on Earth.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1k8_ya9OkaaFF1MteOpTF349yHz-m_uRpiVVBZVMrgXA/edit
Setup and Play Notes
- To Setup a new game: Choose New Game from File menu. Follow prompts and it will layout board and cards based on the number of players and type of game. Choosing fewer players will update the Catalyst Limit reminder. Choosing a short game will remove 4 additional events.
- Turn Order: A2 of rules states "The leftmost icon indicates the color of the first player, who is the first to perform his actions in each phase. Then Play goes clockwise." The player name pieces are setup in random order every time a new game is started. A new turn order can be randomly generated based on the number of players. 1 player will generate four pieces.
Notes:
- Events Right click on event button to discard previous event, draw new events and after shocks. The water world card will toggle a continent landform layer and later aftershocks will toggle this back off automatically. Drawing new events also toggles all landforms to inactive. Waterworld will be toggled automatically, but can be activated manually using the continent landform.
- Refugia: Right click refugia to add manna automatically. Mutations can also generate organs with a right click. Life forms and Microorganisms can toggle an 'extinct' flag.
- Drag microorganisms, viruses, and lifeforms to player boards as needed.
- HELP In the Help & Quick Reference tab are lots of helps and guides and reminders.
Compatibility
- This module is compatible with Vassal Version 3.2.17 or later.
- Games saved Genesis Version 2.0+ are compatible with this game. Earlier versions will NOT be compatible..
Updates History:
- Future Updates-?
- 2.0 Jan 2019- MAJOR update to 2nd edition graphics, updated setup/play functionality. Just about everything changed and lots of automation was added.
- v.1.5 Updated artwork to final version, corrected snail card, with thanks to Alexandre Santos for finding the errors.
Added a quick reference chart for symbols.
- v.1.4 Updated help file and posted to Vassal Engine website with permission from Phil Eklund.
- v.1.0 Beta Created by Samuel Williams.
