Project overview

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Update 28.12.2022. This project is still accepting late pledges.

Dear Late Backer

Steamfall has undergone a significant improvement since the base game release. The Genesis expansion introduces a gameplay overhaul which is reinforced by the brand new Master Rulebook. The Master Rulebook brings all of the 4 scenarios under an unified and streamlined ruleset. The Genesis expansion also doubles the content of the base game, while introducing several re-balanced cards.

The Master Rulebook may be reviewed here:

More information about the gameplay overhaul can be found here:

The Master Rulebook and the 64 card promo pack is included for free with every order.

 
Crisis at Steamfall is a multi-faceted, action-building game that throws you into a uniquely-generated city where you will pursue extensive options for developing your character. Build a path toward success in the city by creating synergies between abilities, items and companions. Each card is skillfullycrafted for maximum replayability. 
Integrating Genesis with the base game creates an updated and extensively-refined experience, aimed at medium-weight players who love to create and optimize their action engines with crazy card combinations in a highly thematic environment. Designed for unlimited replayability, the characters vastly vary in both theme and mechanics, opening up new and different gameplay opportunities each game. 
Now improved/enhanced by an exciting new expansion and extra swag from Kickstarter-exclusive addons. 
Please note that the expansion alone is priced as low as possible to show appreciation to returning backers.

 Competitive story mode and general gameplay 
The map is set up from a number of tiles that is determined by player count. The tiles are surrounded by face down secret location cards which offer different opportunities and resources and may hold secret information to whoever claims/visits them.
Player Setup
Each player receives a unique character, a journal deck, some starting tokens, and the option to choose one side of their starting ability card.
The game commences as soon as all players choose their story path by picking a journal card.
 Journal objectives 
The journal deck is where your character's unique story begins. Each round, you will guide your character through a branching story and pursue objectives and abilities that will help to focus your efforts.
Every choice you make provides a new objective and rewards you with different abilities for your character. By completing these objectives, you can gain one extra ability card each round. This gradually builds your character's potential over the course of the game. Each character's journal is unique to them and offers multiple upgrade options that allow you to exploit the situation on the map or simply follow your chosen thematic narrative.
This choice also creates events that enter play each round, delivering more depth and affecting the board state for other players in an indirect manner.
 
Unique character development 
At the core of the game is an action-building mechanic that allows you to spend insight, a resource earned by exploring and exploiting the city, to build up action columns. Every addition you make is important, as it will stay for the rest of the game and will allow you to specialize in a particular aspect of the gameplay.
During your turn, you can activate one of the columns to gain all of its actions. Specific actions like exploring, manipulating objects, interacting with civilians or using items will allow you to gain an advantage over other players, or to help them in cooperative mode.
Items and item modifications
Collect items and later upgrade them with random nonsense to create envy-inducing inventions.
The Genesis expansion emphasizes the item-modification system with enhanced, streamlined rules, a new workshop board that separates base items from add-ons, and a ton of new item cards to support this refined idea. Building and modifying items will give characters an advantage on the board by allowing them to manipulate the game mechanics in their favor. 
The new item board makes drawing base items and add-ons less random.
Civilians
Escorted civilians act as companions, providing special abilities and a quest you can follow for victory points.
This game is a medium to heavy weight and is focused on providing a dense amount of meaningful, highly-tactical decisions over the course of 2 hours either in competitive or cooperative game modes.In competitive mode, direct negative interaction is reduced to a minimum, and randomness is held in check, revealing itself only through the random drawing of cards that have multiple applications.
Cooperative play
The new cooperative mode is a refined version of the free Incredible Invention expansion that was released for the base game.
This lighter mode has proven to be incredible fun and our personal favorite. Players race against the clock to fulfill an escalating requirement each round, while trying to overcome unforeseen complication cards that throw a monkey wrench into players' plans and force them to think creatively about finding a cooperative solution.
This mode makes use of the new economy, item-modification mechanics and a majority of the content of the game.
The release version includes a rebalanced starting ability card for each of the 7 characters as well as variants to include events from the base game to enrich this new game mode with existing content.
The original co-op mode from the base game has also received some balance updates, conforming it to the updated rules of the game.
Solo play
There is a lot to enjoy here for the solo gamer. Both of the new modes are solo-friendly, with dedicated variants for play with a single character.
The Incredible Invention can be played using a solo variant of the Invention card and a solo version of the starting abilities. This mode provides a tight win-or-lose scenario in a mode that scales perfectly for a single-character play.
The Genesis story mode for a single character is under development, featuring special map modifiers that, in place of other players, ensures the board state remains dynamic and prevents obvious scoring strategies from crystalizing. You will guide your character through his or her branching narrative as you strive for a top victory point score in an infinitely replayable thematic puzzle.
Rules and rulebooks

Update 17.05.2020:
All backers of the bundle and expansion will receive one ‘master’ rulebook for Steamfall.
This new rule book will be the updated base game rulebook merged with  the new Genesis expansion rulebook. It will be restructured to clearly  present all of the four game scenarios under a unified and updated core  rules section. All of this will be supported by an included FAQ, a game  effect section describing cards with more nuanced effects, and a chapter  of single-character scenario scripts for solo play. There will be no rulebook in the expansion box.

The current Master Rulebook version is available here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1c8op-J0IP6huuBkDb94xQZJdkaH-YEqw/view?usp=sharing

In addition to the refined ruleset, we are committed to ordering at least one ‘How to Play’ video from popular YouTuber, who will film the content with a final production copy of the game.

Shipping
 
Shipping is conducted via a public post service, which has proven to us to be very reliable and should remain reliable despite the global situation.
Redistribution in the USA will be performed by Quartermaster Logistics.


About the author
BD Games is a one person company founded by the designer, Tom Stasiak, who stubbornly publishes his own games. Accompanied by a loyal illustrator and a fantasy author, Tom focuses on designing thematic, skill-based games that have infinite replayability. The enterprise is conducted so 100% of money earned is channeled into developing new games.

Base items

Add-ons

Other