Downturn

Number of Players:  2-4 Players (optimally 2 or 3)
Time to Play:  60-120 Minutes.
Ages:  12 and up.

Background:

The Global Financial Meltdown of 2008 is widely considered the greatest shock to the world financial system since the Great Depression fueled by a perfect storm of speculation in the housing market, the mismanagement of hedge funds and a lax regulatory atmosphere. In short, pure unbridled greed.

This game allows you to enter the mayhem as a speculator with immense influence in the affairs of major United States banks heavily invested in real estate throughout the country. Your aim is to invest in these regional banks and build them up. If the banks get large enough, you begin to score points for your efforts. However, as the game wears on, events in the world threaten your more ambitious investments and other major financiers may also decide to make risky investments that run counter to your interests. Likewise, it is also possible for the end of the bubble to never come in this game - and the same investments that can bring about your own downfall may very well make you a very rich person indeed.

The game takes place over four turns or quarters. The game ends prematurely if three banks fail or the financial system fails.

How It Compares To Other Games:

Downturn is a game that has elements of 1960 (a political game) and 1830 (a train game) along with a few other splashes from other games.  There is a significant amount of tension in the game as players decide when to cooperate with others and when to tank the market.  Resource management is required to use your Personal Shares and Event Cards to their full potential and there is a fair amount of bluffing and push-your-luck in here as well.  The game appears to have excellent replayability as the Event Cards and player attitudes create varying degrees of tranquility and panic.   

Status/Availability:

As of 7/29, I am in the process of final playtesting and artwork for the game.  It has been playtested extensively and should be fairly stable to download.

It is expected to be complete this summer and available for purchase in Winter 2009.

Components:

• Rules (10 pages on letter-sized/A4 paper)
  
• Event Cards and Bank Cards  (7 pages on letter-sized/A4 paper)
• Game Board (The board consists of four 8 x 10 sheets of paper.  It will fit on letter-sized or A4 paper.  Trimming is recommended.)
  
• Shares and Turn Markers
• Cubes (Markers for green, yellow and red if you don't have enough cubes or markers for the game otherwise). 

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(Note:  The picture below represents a relatively recent prototype and will be updated.)