Hi all,

25 June 09 : version 1.15 www.filedropper.com/arkham-rules-v115

This is a major update, this time with an annotated version, which I wanted to do for a long time. Annotations are printed in file "arkham-rules-v1.15-all-annotated.pdf" as footnotes. The idea is to justify all rules that are not explicitly given in the rulebooks with a reference or a link to the FAQ, the official Kevin W answers mostly inthe official answer thread or sometimes in other posts (for instance at BGG). I have tried to be as concise and exhaustive as possible, but may have missed some, so please let me know if you find some more.

Changelog:

* added the annotations: rules that are not explicit in the rulebook and were officially clarified in the FAQ, or by Kevin W in the forums (FFG and BGG) are now given in reference as footnotes. Annotations are a branch in the LYX file, allowing to switch them on and off easily for those who want to produce their own rules PDF.
* various minor corrections in the text

I still haven't made corrections requested by jgt7771 and I apologise for this. I have postponed them to the next version, in which I will play more with the layout, colours (text and background) and reorganise the branches.

I hope this will be helpful and you'll find it informative and interesting.

11 June 09: new version 1.14
Now includes all expansions up to Innsmouth

I have updated my modular reference sheets and made them available at this address: http://www.filedropper.com/arkham-rules-v114


Yet another reference sheet? I know there are many of them, but this one was carefully crafted and I tried to be as exhaustive as I could as it includes game mechanism from all expansions, the latest FAQ and the collected rules clarification from Kevin Wilson at FFG forums (which also corrected a FAQ entry). Moreover, it adds another feature: modularity (see above).

1) Although I provide PDF files, I also provide the source file format is LYX, which is a frontend for the LATEX format, a documentation format that leads to very neat layouts with almost no work on the layout itself. PDF files can then be directly generated from the LATEX source. LYX is Free software, available at: http://www.lyx.org/

2)This work is actually based on a original file by Warren Cheun, who released it in 2005, although this reference sheet has now greatly diverged from the original source. I tried to contact him but could not reach him, however, by releasing the source file he seemed to be ok that others continue his work. He was the first author of the lyx file, even before the first FAQ was published, and I thank him for the starting material. I then decided to include all rules clarifications and specific mechanics from each expansions. I need also to credit Peter Hansson (spindisc) from BGG forums for the KH rules additions.

3) Modularity: thanks to the branching system in LYX/LATEX, rules for specific expansions are in separate sections. Using LYX, you may therefore activate none, all or part of the 3 expansions, and therefore generate a PDF corresponding to the base game only, to the base game plus any or all of expansions. I include two PDFs: the basic only and the basic plus all expansions, but using LYX you may be able to generate all combinations.

4) Colours indicate the ruleset: basic in black, red for Dunwich, green for CotDP, yellow for KiY, blue for KH, magenta for BGotW and cyan for IH.

Please let me know if you see errors. I tried to craft it as carefully as I could. It is based on several sources:
- the rules from the second edition of the basic game
- the rules from DH, CotDP, KiY, KH, BGotW and IH
- the latest FAQ, v1.2
- the collected rules clarification on the FFG forum, answers to questions made by Kevin Wilson, available at new.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_foros_discusion.asp

Please let me know of any problem and do not hesitate to comment.

Cheers,
Zeb

Future releases / TODO:

• add BGotW
• create an annotated version: when a rule is not obvious, justify it with a FAQ/official answer from the forum

Good job! I only found a very minor mistake and thought it'd help to point it out.

On Page 3 it says " +1 per unpaid/defaulted Bank Loan", and it should be -1 .

Thanks for the correction.

I also wonder something in the case when an investigator is sent to another location during the Arkham Encounter Phase (2. 3. (a) ii C.): I wrote "Take Clues if any". Actually, official rules say clues can be picked up only at the end of the Movement phase (after Combat if any), or during the Mythos phase if clue appears at the same location than an investigator. As debated in boardgamegeek.com/thread/378518 , there is no explicit rule saying it is possible to pick them up during the Encounter phase, although mechanically it may make sense. I shall probably remove this entry as long as there is no confirmation in a future FAQ.

Update to version 1.13:
http://www.filedropper.com/arkham-rules-v113

* Added rules from BGotW (magenta)
* Corrected an error in scoring and some typos

Note I forgot to remove "Take clues if any" in the Encounter phase. This is still in debate anyway and mostly house ruled (hardcore players will rule they should pick up clues at the end of the Movement phase only).

I have almost finished a new version, including Innsmouth. I'll post it soon.

The next aim is to create an annotated version, where I will justify some entries with the official FAQ and answer material (and also possibly add as annotations rulings that are still unclear or for which an official answer is still pending).

Also, In a later version I will probably change the splitting by extensions, which is not satisfying. For instance, aquatic rules concern both KH and IH, or spawn monsters are both DH and IH (and possibly other expansions). Therefore, the colour code (and the branching in the Lyx version) is not entirely sensible. I'll review this.

When I see the length of the complete rules (integrating all expansions) I realise how complicated this game can be, or at least how many things need to be managed when playing.

I have a couple of things:

1) Any way you could make the PDF white-text-on-black-background? On a black background, almost all colors can pop out. It is EXTREMELY difficult to see the King in Yellow, as well as discern a good difference between Black Goat and Dunwich "reds". Might I suggest a purple? Or maybe an darker (orange-er) yellow?

2) Tasks require you to spend the entire Arkham Encounter Phase in the locations listed, not just end your movement there. (Missions do too, but that's covered by being at the location to sacrifice during the following Upkeep Phase.)

Fantastic job!!! VERY nice to have handy for the rookies.

Major update to version 1.14:
http://www.filedropper.com/arkham-rules-v114

* Added rules from Innsmouth Horror (cyan)
* Had to distinguish the Arkham Jail from the Innsmouth Jail!
* Removed "Pick up clues" during Arkham Encounter phase, as it has not been definitely ruled (this reference sheet only contains rules that have been officially ruled by the authors)
* Corrected some typos
* Provided as usual the lyx file (that can be used to generate PDFs for all combinations), the PDF for the base game and all expansions, and also for Innsmouth alone, as it is quite popular at the moment

Please let me know if there are any problems.
Hope this helps and happy reading!

jgt7771 said:

Hi,

Thanks a lot for this comment and the correction

Point 2 is well taken, I'll precise it for version 1.15. Was it addressed by Kevin, or is that in the FAQ?

Point 1: you're perfectly right for the colours, that's a problem I have tried to address for a while. A black background is a good idea, although inkjets may have trouble with it (and this may be expensive). Regarding the yellow, what I can also suggest is that you play with the colour correction in your printer driver. But indeed, I'll have to find a way to make it more discernable.

Cheers!

PS: when I look at the full rules version, I wonder if that would more scare the rookies than help them !!!

zeb said:

Actually, it's in the Dunwich Manual, Page 5, Tasks and Missions. First paragraph of the rightmost column.

I'll see what I can do about my printer.

Hi,

25 June 09 : version 1.15 www.filedropper.com/arkham-rules-v115

This is a major update, this time with an annotated version, which I wanted to do for a long time. Annotations are printed in file "arkham-rules-v1.15-all-annotated.pdf" as footnotes. The idea is to justify all rules that are not explicitly given in the rulebooks with a reference or a link to the FAQ, the official Kevin W answers mostly in the official answer thread or sometimes in other posts (for instance at BGG). I have tried to be as concise and exhaustive as possible, but may have missed some, so please let me know if you find some more.

Changelog:

• added the annotations: rules that are not explicit in the rulebook and were officially clarified in the FAQ, or by Kevin W in the forums (FFG and BGG) are now given in reference as footnotes. Annotations are a branch in the LYX file, allowing to switch them on and off easily for those who want to produce their own rules PDF.
• various minor corrections in the text

I still haven't made corrections requested by jgt7771 and I apologise for this. I have postponed them to the next version, in which I will play more with the layout, colours (text and background) and reorganise the branches.

I hope this will be helpful and you'll find it informative and interesting.

For those who may have problems using the link, I also posted the material at BGG files section: boardgamegeek.com/filepage/27852