Decrypto
| Decrypto | |
|---|---|
| Game data | |
| author | Thomas Dagenais-Lespérance |
| graphic | Fabien Fulchiron , Manuel Sanchez , NILS |
| publishing company |
Le Scorpion Masqué , Asmodee , u. a. |
| Publishing year | 2018 |
| Art | Communication game |
| Teammates | 3 to 8 |
| Duration | 15 to 45 minutes |
| Age | from 12 years
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| Awards | |
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Decrypto is a communication game of game designers Thomas Dagenais-Lesperance , which in 2018 in the Canadian game publisher Le Scorpion Masqué appeared internationally at various publishing houses in English, German and French, and shortly thereafter. In the game, two teams play against each other and the aim is to transmit encrypted codes to your own team partners, which must not be intercepted by the opponents.
The game was nominated for the multiplayer prize at the International Gamers Award in 2018 and was voted second at the Swiss Gamers Award 2018. In 2020 it won the MinD game award in the 'short games' category of the highly talented association Mensa in Deutschland e. V.
Theme and equipment
In the game, two groups play against each other, whereby the individual team members each try to transmit encrypted codes to their teammates without them being intercepted by the opposing team. They also try to intercept messages from their opponents themselves.
In addition to the instructions, the game material consists of:
- 110 double-sided key word cards with messages to be transmitted,
- 2 screens with 4 decryption windows each,
- two sets with 24 code cards each in black and white,
- 4 interception markers and 4 misunderstanding markers,
- an hourglass, and
- a pad with 50 notepads.
Style of play
preparation
Before the game, two teams of two to four players each form. The respective teams sit down at one side of the table and are given a viewing screen, which they set up in front of them, and a note sheet on which they can later write down notes. In addition, both teams receive 4 key cards each, which are inserted into the windows of the viewing screen. In addition, each team receives one of the code card sets, which is shuffled and placed face down in front of the team. The interception and misunderstanding markers are placed in the middle of the table with the hourglass.
Game flow
The game is played in several rounds, with an encryptor being determined at the beginning of the round. The role of the encryptor is to transmit a code to the rest of the team without it being intercepted by the opposing team. The white team begins, followed by the black team.
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Order of the game rounds
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Each round of the game begins with the team's encoders pulling a code card with a three-digit code from their deck of cards and keeping it secret from their fellow players. The two encryptors now write their instructions in the corresponding fields on the notes, using the respective instructions on the key cards. As soon as an encryptor has noted his clues, he turns the hourglass over, the opposing encryptor then has 30 seconds to write down his terms.
After both encryptors have noted their clues, the white encryptor reads his clues aloud and gives the note to his team. The opposing team writes down the clues on the back of their notes and both teams try to decipher the clues and thus the code. Both teams write down the suspected code in the first column of their notes after the clues (although the opposing team can only make a valid guess in the second round based on the clues from the first round). As soon as both teams are finished, the team opposing the encryptor first reads out its guess and tries to intercept the code. Then the white team reads out their decrypted code. After both teams have submitted their results, the cipher reads out the result and shows the other players his code card.
If the opposing team has guessed the code correctly, it receives an interception marker, if the code is incorrect, nothing happens. If the cryptographic team has guessed the wrong code, it receives a misunderstanding marker, if the code is correct, nothing happens. The correct code is noted next to the assumption and the information can be assigned to the respective digits. The code card is then returned to the deck of cards that is shuffled.
After the white team has completed its round, the black team's round follows. When both teams have played their first round, new encoders are determined who each draw a new code card and play the second round.
End of game and evaluation
The game ends after the round in which a team either has two interception markers and thus wins the game, or if a team has two misunderstanding markers and thus loses the game. Alternatively, the game ends after the eighth round if neither team has received two identical markers by then. In the event of a tie, i.e. if a team has two interception markers and two misunderstanding markers, or both teams have two markers of one type each, the winner is determined from the sum of the interception markers available minus the sum of the misunderstanding markers. If there is still a tie after that, the teams try to guess the code words of the other team and the team with the most correct answers wins.
Special rules for three players
In a three-player game, one player competes against two, with the single player taking on the role of interception specialist. In each round, the two team players playing together take turns as encryptors. The interception specialist tries to collect two interception markers within 5 rounds and thus win the game, there are no misunderstanding markers. If the interception specialist does not manage to get two interception markers by the fifth round, the team wins.
Publication and reception
The game Decrypto was developed by the Canadian game designer Thomas Dagenais-Lespérance and published in German, French and English in 2018 by the Montréal- based game publisher Le Scorpion Masqué . In the same year it was published internationally by various publishers, an Italian and Spanish version was published by Asmodee , a version for the United States by Le Scorpion Masqué together with IELLO . There are also versions in Dutch, Russian, Romanian, Portuguese, Korean, Chinese, Polish, Hungarian, Greek and Bulgarian.
The game critic Udo Bartsch describes the game as "appealing" and compares it to the game Codenames . However, he criticizes the game instructions and the game material. He wrote:
“With all the thoughtful effort, it is fun to come up with the umpteenth paraphrase forever. You are happy when your opponents feel wonderfully in the fog because you have led them exactly there. And one ponders and speculates what is hidden behind the terms of competition - with philosophically quite interesting findings. (...) In fact, DECRYPTO even conveys a more espionage atmosphere than the CODENAMES, which is only supposed to act as agents. "
The game was nominated for the multiplayer prize at the International Gamers Award in 2018 and was voted second at the Swiss Gamers Award 2018.
supporting documents
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i Decrypto , game instructions, Le Scorpion Masqué 2018.
- ↑ Decrypto , versions at BoardGameGeek. Retrieved February 22, 2020 .
- ↑ Udo Bartsch : Decrypto on Reviews for Millions, June 9, 2018; accessed on February 22, 2020.
- ↑ 2018 nominees at the International Gamers Award ; accessed on February 22, 2020.
- ↑ Results 2018 at the Swiss Gamers Award ; accessed on February 22, 2020.
Web links
- Decrypto in the Luding games database
- Decrypto in the game database BoardGameGeek (English)
- Decrypto at Le Scorpion Masqué