My City

2020

My City is an immersive legacy board game where players shape their cities from preindustrial times through industrialization. Each decision creates a unique, personalized gaming experience.

30
minutes

2 - 4
player(s)

10+

Medium Light

About the game

‘My City’ is an innovative, legacy-style board game that invites you to become a city planner and architect in your own right. Each game session, you will work on constructing and refining your city, making strategic decisions that will shape its development over time.

The game is set in a vibrant and expanding city. Each player has their own game board representing a city grid. The goal is to fill the board efficiently with various colored buildings and green spaces while avoiding the placement of undesirable features such as rocks and trees which could hinder your city’s development.

Game components Unboxing the fun!

‘My City’ is an engaging board game that includes several components. Each component has a specific role in gameplay and interacts with the game in unique ways. Here is a detailed list and description of each component:

1. Game Board: Each player receives a game board that resembles an empty plot of land on which the city will be built. The board has a 10×10 grid with some spaces occupied by trees and rocks which players have to consider when placing tiles.

2. Building Tiles: There are a total of 24 different building tiles, composed of 8 types in three different colors: red, yellow, and blue. These tiles are used to construct the city on the game board. The shape and size of each tile vary, and players must strategically place them on their board to score points and avoid penalties.

3. Scoring Track: The scoring track is used to keep score throughout the game. Players move their scoring marker along the track based on the points they earn during each round.

4. City Cards: There are 8 city cards that determine the order in which the building tiles are drawn and played. They add an element of randomness and strategy to the game.

5. Scoring Markers: Each player has a scoring marker in their chosen color. The scoring marker is used in conjunction with the scoring track to keep tally of each player’s points.

6. Rulebook: The rulebook provides detailed instructions for playing the game, including how to use each component, scoring methods, and gameplay variations.

7. Stickers: These are used in the legacy version of the game. Players use these stickers to permanently alter their boards, creating a unique gameplay experience in each session.

8. Envelopes: There are 24 sealed envelopes in the game, each containing additional rules, components, and stickers for the legacy version of the game. These envelopes are opened progressively as players complete games, adding new elements and twists to the gameplay.

Every component in ‘My City’ interacts to create a dynamic and strategic game. From the placement of building tiles on the game board to the scoring markers moving along the scoring track, each component plays a key role in creating a unique city-building experience for players.

Game setup Lay it out, line it up, let’s go

My City is an exciting legacy-style board game where players develop a city on their own playing board through the ages. Here is a detailed guide on how to set up the game:

Step 1: Distribute Player Boards

Each player receives a player board, which represents their city. This board is divided into several small squares – each square signifies a plot of land where buildings can be constructed.

Step 2: Assign Player Roles

Every player takes on the role of a city planner with the aim of developing the most prosperous city. There are no specific player roles with different abilities in My City; instead, all players have the same possibilities and starting conditions.

Step 3: Prepare Building Tiles

Sort the building tiles by color and shape, and place them in separate piles beside the game board. There are three types of building tiles: residential (red), commercial (blue), and special buildings (yellow).

Step 4: Set up the Progress Board

Place the progress board in the middle of the table. This board is used to track the progress of all players throughout the game. The progress markers for each player are placed at the start of the progress track.

Step 5: Prepare Resource Cards

Shuffle the resource cards and place them in a pile next to the progress board. These cards represent the various resources used to construct buildings. Each round, a card is drawn to determine the type of resource available for that turn.

Step 6: Set Up the Initial Resources

Depending on the number of players, each player starts with a set number of resource cards. In a 4-player game, each player starts with 2 resource cards. In a 3-player game, each player starts with 3 resource cards, and in a 2-player game, each player starts with 4 resource cards. These cards are chosen at random from the resource pile.

Step 7: Determine the First Player

The youngest player becomes the first player and receives the first player marker. This player will be the first one to select a building tile and place it on their board during the first round.

Step 8: Set Up Random Elements

Throughout the game, certain random elements are introduced. These can include the appearance of natural disasters, the availability of new building types, or changes in the market economy. These events are determined by the draw of an event card at the start of each round.

After the setup is complete, players can start building their city and strategically planning their development to earn the most points and create the most prosperous city.

Game flow Round and round we go

My City is a legacy-style board game, where the game evolves over multiple rounds and the decisions players make in one game carry over into future games. Here’s a detailed breakdown of how a game of My City is structured:

At the start of each game, players will have their own city boards, and a deck of cards will be shuffled and placed face down in the center of the table. This deck contains cards for every building type in the game. Players also receive a set of building tiles that match the building types on the cards.

The game is divided into multiple rounds, and each round consists of three phases:

Card Drawing Phase: In this phase, the top card from the deck is revealed. All players must find the building tile that matches the building type shown on the card.
Tile Placement Phase: After the correct tile has been identified, players must place the tile on their city board. The placement rules are as follows:
- The tile must be placed adjacent to a previously placed tile.
- The tile can’t be placed on a space with a tree, rock, or river.
- Once placed, a tile can’t be moved.
Scoring Phase: After all the cards from the deck have been drawn and all the tiles have been placed, it’s time to score the game. Points are awarded for the number of buildings in the city, with bonus points for meeting certain conditions, like having the most buildings of a certain type or having the fewest empty spaces. The player with the highest score wins the round.

After the scoring phase, the game is reset for the next round, but with an important twist: players will add or remove certain elements from their city board based on the results of the previous game. This is the “legacy” aspect of My City, and it’s what makes each game unique and unpredictable.

Overall, My City is a game of strategic tile placement, where players must balance the need to score points in the current game with the longer-term goal of building a city that will be successful over multiple rounds.

Players'turn One turn to rule them all

‘My City’ is an engaging board game that involves strategy, planning, and a bit of luck. During a player’s turn, several actions can be taken which will affect the overall gameplay. Here’s a detailed breakdown of what happens during a player’s turn:

1. Drawing a Building Card:

At the start of each player’s turn, a building card is drawn from the stack. The type of building on the card determines what kind of action the player can take during their turn.

2. Placing a Building:

After a building card has been drawn, the player must place a building tile that matches the building on the card onto their city board. The building tile must be placed so that it covers the exact number of squares as shown on the card and follows these rules:

The first building must be placed adjacent to the river.
Every subsequent building must be placed adjacent to a building already on the board.
Buildings cannot overlap or hang off the edge of the board.

3. Filling Up Spaces:

Some building tiles will not fill up all the available spaces on the city board. Players can choose to fill these spaces with trees for extra points, but must be careful as this uses up valuable resources.

4. Gaining and Losing Points:

Each player’s turn ends with the calculation of points. Players gain points for each building they have placed and each tree they have filled up. However, they lose points for each empty space left on their city board. The player with the most points at the end of the game wins.

5. Strategic Choices:

Throughout the game, players will need to make strategic choices about where to place buildings and when to fill up spaces. These decisions can greatly affect the final score. For example, placing larger buildings can earn more points but also use up more space, potentially leaving fewer options for future turns. On the other hand, filling up spaces with trees can earn extra points but uses up resources that might be needed later.

By understanding these actions and strategic choices, players can develop their own unique strategies and playstyles, making ‘My City’ a dynamic and engaging board game experience.

End of the game All good games must come to an end

‘My City’ is a competitive legacy board game where players develop their own city on individual city boards. The game ends after a series of 24 episodes, with the player who has the most points at the end of the 24th episode being declared the winner.

The victory conditions for each episode can vary, but generally, players score points based on the buildings they have placed on their city board. The specific conditions for scoring points are as follows:

Building Placement: When a building is placed on a player’s city board, they score points equal to the number of spaces the building covers.
Forest Spaces: At the end of each episode, players also score one point for each uncovered forest space on their board.
Progress Tokens: Progress tokens are awarded at the end of each episode based on the order in which players completed their city. The first player to complete their city receives the highest value progress token, the second player receives the second highest, and so on.

Before final scoring at the end of the 24th episode, players must take the following actions:

Count Building Points: Players should count up the total number of points they have scored from placing buildings on their city board over the course of the 24 episodes.
Count Forest Points: Next, players should count up the total number of points they have scored from uncovered forest spaces on their city board over the course of the 24 episodes.
Count Progress Token Points: Finally, players should add up the total number of points they have scored from progress tokens over the course of the 24 episodes.

After these actions have been taken, the player with the highest total number of points is the winner. In case of a tie, the player who has won the most individual episodes is the winner. If there is still a tie, the player who placed the most buildings on their city board over the course of the 24 episodes is the winner.

Scoring Did you outsmart your rivals?

In the board game ‘My City’, players create their own city on individual city maps. Scoring is based on the placement of buildings and other items on the map. Let’s break down the full scoring system.

Scoring during the game:

Building Placement: Each building placed on the board awards points. The points a player earns are equal to the number of squares the building covers.
Tree Spaces: Players earn points by not covering tree spaces. Each tree left uncovered at the end of the game awards one point.
Rocks: Players lose points for not covering rock spaces. Each rock left uncovered at the end of the game subtracts one point from the player’s total score.

Scoring at the end of the game:

Empty Spaces: At the end of the game, players lose a point for each empty square on their city map.
Development Tracks: Players earn points equal to their position on the development track. They advance on this track by placing certain buildings on the board.

Tie-Breaking Rules:

If there is a tie at the end of the game, the following rules are applied in order until the tie is broken:

The player who has used fewer buildings to reach their score is the winner.
If there’s still a tie, the player with the fewest empty spaces on their city map wins.
If a tie persists, the player who went first in the game is the winner.

Particular Cases and Exceptions Wait… is that legal?

My City is a competitive legacy game where players develop their own city on their own game boards. Through the game, players enhance their board with new buildings, and the rules of the game change as players make choices. There are several special rules and exceptions to be aware of:

1. The Legacy Rules:

Building Placement: Once a building is placed on the board, it cannot be moved or replaced. It’s important to think strategically about where you place each building as this can affect your score.
Progression: The game progresses over 24 different games. After each game, players will open new envelopes that change the rules and introduce new elements.

2. Scoring Exceptions:

Empty Spaces: At the end of each round, players lose a point for each empty space that is not covered by a building, but only for spaces that could have been covered. Some spaces are blocked by rocks and trees and do not count as empty spaces for scoring purposes.
Forest Spaces: Each forest space that is not covered by a building scores one point at the end of the game. This is an exception to the general rule that empty spaces lose points.

3. Special Rule Clarifications:

City Building: One of the most common questions about the rules of My City relates to the placement of buildings. Buildings must be placed next to another building or next to the river that runs along the edge of the board. You can’t place a building in the middle of empty spaces.
End of Game: The game ends when all players have placed all of their buildings or can’t place any more buildings. It’s possible for one player to finish before the others.
Legacy Rules: When you open a new envelope and add new rules to the game, the old rules still apply unless the new rules specifically say to ignore them. This can sometimes lead to confusion, so it’s important to keep all of the rule sheets and refer back to them as necessary.

Tips and tricks Play smarter, not harder!

My City is a legacy game where players develop a city on their own playing board through the ages. Here are some advanced strategies, beginner tips, common mistakes to avoid, and ways to optimize gameplay.

Advanced Strategies:

Always plan your city layout for future turns. This involves considering which buildings will give you the most points in the long term, rather than focusing solely on immediate gains.
Consider the order in which you place your buildings. Some buildings provide bonuses when placed next to certain other buildings, so strategize accordingly.
Utilize the forest spaces wisely. Although they are worth negative points at the end of the game, they can be crucial for fitting in more valuable buildings.

Beginner Tips:

As a beginner, it’s important to focus on minimizing empty spaces. Each empty space on your board at the end of the game costs you a point.
Make use of the game’s progressive nature. Each game will help you learn and strategize better for subsequent games.
Try to complete rows quickly. Completing a row will give you immediate points, and it also allows you to start the next round.

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

A common mistake is not making efficient use of the available space. Remember, each empty space will cost you points at the end of the game.
Don’t underestimate the value of forests. Although they are worth negative points, they can provide crucial space for more valuable buildings.
Avoid getting too focused on one strategy. The game requires flexibility, as the buildings that are available to you will change each round.

Ways to Optimize Gameplay:

Learn to balance your focus between scoring immediate points and planning for future rounds.
Pay attention to what buildings your opponents are focusing on, and adjust your strategy accordingly. This can be particularly important in later rounds of the game.
Try to maintain flexibility in your city layout. This will allow you to take advantage of new buildings as they become available.