Maximum Verbosity

by Aric Caley

1.2K23

Intro: Maximum Verbosity

This is a game invented many years ago and played with my friends. It has been lost to obscurity until now! Back then, there were not handy services (that I know of) where you could easily have real playing cards printed up. The original game was printed on an inkjet printer using floppy disk labels and then stuck onto regular playing cards. This time I will use some heavy card stock and a much better inkjet printer.

Unlike the original, I enlisted an artist to draw up some fun pictures for the cards and used a more interesting font.

The original game design is credited to Adam McEwan. The artwork is courtesy of Otahak

STEP 1: Print Cards

Here is the card distribution:

You Lose! 1 You Win! 1 You 8 Win 4 Lose 4 No 5 Yes 5 Way 4 No Way 2 Yes Way 2 NO! 2 SHHHH 2 Maximum Verbosity 2 Rotate Left 2 Rotate Right 2 Can't Win 1 Can't Lose 1 Steal a Card 2 Steal Hand 2 Make a rule 1 End a rule 1

Attached is a PDF so you can print these out on cardboard stock and cut them out. Alternatively you could print onto paper and then glue those onto real playing cards, or even use a sheet of labels (but you would have to reformat it from what I have).

I used a "Guillotine Paper Cutter" to get accurate cuts, and even then it's hard to get them all exactly the same. I plan to submit all the artwork to professional printer that makes game cards, but this costs about $14 in single quantities.

Also attached are all the toons if you want to make your own format.

STEP 2: Color Cards (optional)

My son decided to color the cards. Adds a nice touch doesn't it?

STEP 3: Play the Game

The game is very simple to play. Indeed that is exactly point, to create a most simple but fun to play game, without a lot of setup or complicated rules.

Object of the game is to play “You Win” on yourself, or, to play “You Lose” on everyone else.

Anytime anybody plays a card, another player can counter that with a “yes” or “no” card.

You can “trump” a yes or no card with “No Way” or “Yes Way”.

Playing a “NO!” card ends the turn.

You can combine two cards to make “No Way” or “Yes Way”, or to make “You Win” or “You Lose”

If you have the “Can’t win” card you cannot win, even with the You Win card(s). If you have the “Can’t Lose” card you cannot lose, even if somebody plays “You Lose” on you (show them your card!)

If the “SHHH” card is played and you talk, you lose. Maximum Verbosity lets you speak again.

Rotate Left and Right means you must hand all your cards over to the person next to you. This is a good way to get rid of a “Can’t Win” card.

If somebody plays “Steal Card” they can randomly take a card from the other person’s hand.

If the "Make a Rule" card is played, you may make up any rule you wish. If any player (including you) violates this rule, you lose. Playing "End a Rule" will stop this rule from being used again.

Game play begins with dealing 5 cards to each player, face down.

At the beginning of each player’s turn, you must either play a card or draw a card.

Play continues until somebody successfully plays “You Win”.

3 Comments

Aric Caley 4 years ago

So the kids play tested the same in their youth group. They enjoyed it and came back with some improvements to the game/cards which I will be incorporating in an update.

filmaker2000 4 years ago

What does the "maximum verbosity " card do when played.