MACROSCOPE

OBJECTIVE OF MACROSCOPE: The objective of Macroscope is to be the player with the most Victory Point Crystals when the game comes to an end.   

NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 2 to 6 Players 

MATERIALS: 1 Game Round Tracker, 1 Marker, 2 Dice, 200 Double-Sided Picture Cards, 12 Tokens, 10 Blue VP Crystals, 54 Yellow VP Crystals, and Instructions 

TYPE OF GAME: Dice Rolling Game 

AUDIENCE: Ages 8 and Up 

OVERVIEW OF MACROSCOPE 

In Macroscope, the students will attempt to guess the big picture while only being provided with a small piece of it. As the players roll dice, they will determine how many tokens that will be able to remove, allowing them to have access to parts of the picture. Once a player guesses the image correctly, they will be awarded points, depending on how many tokens they had to remove before guessing.  

SETUP 

To begin setup, place the macroscope in the middle of the playing area. Place the deck of picture cards inside the macroscope, ensuring that the card with the pizza on it is on top. No player should look through the cards, as it may spoil the fun. Once placed inside, the perforated lid is placed on top. Ensure that the black arrow is able to be seen, as this will determine the orientation of the pictures found on the cards.  

A token should be placed in each round window within the macroscope randomly. The top card is then carefully removed, and it should be placed in the small, assigned space of the box. The game round tracker should then be places beside the macroscope, with one marker placed on the first space. The dice are placed ins the middle of the playing area, within reach of the players. Each player will begin the game with two yellow victory point crystals, and the rest are placed in a reserve.  

The game is then ready to begin. 

GAMEPLAY 

The starting player is randomly chosen by the group, and gameplay will rotate clockwise around the group. All players should be able to see the macroscope at all points during the game. During their turn, the players will begin by rotating the macroscope to ensure that they can see it with unobstructed vision. Players should ensure that the arrow on the card is facing away from them.  

The player will then roll the dice, and for each one, they are able to remove a token that matches the number from the macroscope. The players may remove any token if there are none that match. The player will then have the chance to decide if they will attempt to guess the photo or remove another token from the macroscope. The players should collect a yellow crystal for each of the windows that they have opened, placing them directly in front of them.  

Players are permitted to make a guess during another player’s turn, but only if that player decides that they do not want to make a guess. Players are allowed to look into the macroscope at any point they want. When a player wishes to make a guess, they will announce it to the group and say their guess aloud. Players are permitted to challenge the guess if they believe they are incorrect. To do so, the player must pay the first player two yellow crystals. 

The player who guesses correctly will receive a certain number of victory points that is equal to how many tokens still remain on the macroscope. Players will lose the same number of victory points if they do not guess correctly. The round comes to an end when a player guesses the image correctly. Once the round is scored, the card is placed back in the box, ensuring that the backside stays hidden. After the beginning of the new round, the round marker is moved up one space.  

END OF GAME 

Once a player reaches the ten place on the game round tracker, the game comes to an end. The final round will be played in order to determine the winner and give every player one more chance to increase their point values. The player with the most points will be determined to be the winner.  

Ellie Phillips
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