Catch the Thief [Concluded]

[Ibn-Khaldun]

I'm bored. Sue me..

Anyway, I had an idea for a small game.

Basic Rules:

• We need 3-4 players. ! Thief() and 2-3 Policemen().
• This game will be played in a table format(See example below).
• The Thief must get the "treasure" and the Policemen must capture the Thief.
• From FPS games - NO BASE CAMPING!
• Starting positions will be sent to me via PM.
• The Thief must send it's move orders to me via PM. His smilie is not shown on map unless Policemen is 2 squares away from him(must have a clear sight). Policemen will move their smilies themselves.
• The Thief can move up-down, left-right and diagonally. Policemen can move only up-down and left right.
• One of the Policemen will be Chief and he can place 3-4 alarm systems. If Thief steps on one of them his position is revealed.
• If Thief catches the "treasure" and manages to escape he will win. If Policemen catch the Thief they will win.
• To catch a Thief, Policemen have to enter the same square where the Thief is or successfully surround the Thief and prevent him moving.

Exaple: Museum
O - Pillar
- Cristal Skull
E - Exit
X - Alarm system (Not shown on map)

Museum After placing your "smily"

.. and this will go on like this until the Thief is catched or he manages to escape.

So, anyone up to this?

Edit: If this is not appropriate game for Gameroom then feel free to move it!

[Askthepizzaguy]

That's interesting; could take a while to play as there will be a large number of moves, presumably. I'd be willing to play.

[Centurion1]

Im willing to play. Its a novel idea, what would turn lengths be like?

[Ibn-Khaldun]

If we can fill all the roles soon and all players are online then turn will last as long as all Policemen have made their moves and Thief have sent me PM with his moves. Otherwise we should go with 12-24 hours a turn.

If you like to join then which character would you like to be?

@ATPG, If Thief at the start of the game places himself right next to Policemen then .. the game will not last long!

[A Very Super Market]

Sounds like a cool idea. I'll join.

Edit: Whoa, did the forum format just change?

[Centurion1]

You can play me as any character, im not gunning for anything really specific

Edit: I think the format DID just change, eek it scares me

[Ibn-Khaldun]

Yes, this new format is scary.

Centurion1 - I'll give you a Policemen role then

EDIT: A quick look to Watchtower and this is what I got.

[Ibn-Khaldun]

So, if no one else joins then I'll distribute the roles.

Here they are:
A Very Super Market - Chief
Centurion1 - Policeman
Askthepizzaguy - Thief

I'll send PM to You with the first map of the room and other instructions.

[Centurion1]

Okay ill be waiting for the pm.

Thanks for the link, i personally prefer the old format. (guess i am a creature of comfort)

[Ibn-Khaldun]

PM's have been sent.

[Askthepizzaguy]

Oh, what a nice exhibit.

[Ibn-Khaldun]

Night at the Museum: Turn 0

Night at the Museum was quiet. Two Policemen guarding the Mask of Tutankhamun were sleepy. Guarding a god knows how old mask is not that interesting you know!


E - Exits
O - Pillars
- The mask of Tutankhamun

The Policemen can now make their moves. Just copy this table and post it with your characters new position. Alarm Systems have been placed and the Thief is in the room.

[A Very Super Market]

Oh, what a nice exhibit.

Me and Centurion know who each other's roles.

Vote: AtPG

Time for a flawless townie victory.

[Ibn-Khaldun]

I would like to see all of you making your move in the next 12 hours or so.

Also, voting will not help you catch ATPG you know!

[Centurion1]

__ __ __ __ E __ __ __
__ __ O Me O __ O __
E __ __ __ __ E
__ __ O __ O __ O __
__ __ __ __ E __ __ __

Basically i moved up one

[FactionHeir]

Just commeting on the game:
It sounds very familiar to a certain board game I used to play a decade or two ago. Was also about a thief needing to get past policemen in a museum who could put down alarms etc. Forgot the name, loved it.

[Ibn-Khaldun]

Really? I can tell you that this is not that game because I didn't know there was a similar game.

Anyway, I'm waiting ATPG's PM(with his move) and AVSM move.

[Askthepizzaguy]

AVSM hasn't moved yet. Isn't it his move?

[A Very Super Market]

Night at the Museum: Turn 0

Night at the Museum was quiet. Two Policemen guarding the Mask of Tutankhamun were sleepy. Guarding a god knows how old mask is not that interesting you know!


E - Exits
O - Pillars
- The mask of Tutankhamun

The Policemen can now make their moves. Just copy this table and post it with your characters new position. Alarm Systems have been placed and the Thief is in the room.

I changed it

[Ibn-Khaldun]

Night at the Museum: Turn 1

Policemen started their routine patrol in the room when suddenly they heard a loud sound. Someone had activated the Alarm system!


X - Alarm System
E - Exits
O - Pillars
- The mask of Tutankhamun

[Centurion1]

Ah well avsm i believe it is time to trap our intruder

[Askthepizzaguy]

Your moves, guys.

[Centurion1]

I move up one space. AVSM i think you should move left one space

[A Very Super Market]

Night at the Museum: Turn 1

Policemen started their routine patrol in the room when suddenly they heard a loud sound. Someone had activated the Alarm system!


X - Alarm System
E - Exits
O - Pillars
- The mask of Tutankhamun

I think AtPG is making a break for it. Ack.

[Askthepizzaguy]

From the placement of the alarms and the starting positions of the police, I'm not sure it's even possible to win the game. I think I can even prove it.

Since the pillars block off access to the mask on the north and south, and the police occupy east and west, and they have access to the diagonal squares, all they would have to do is move back and forth and they automatically win.

Can anyone refute that?

[Centurion1]

I dont believe you can move diagonally in this game. i think you could manage to worm your way out. i can see one path.... (not that i am going to tell you)

[Askthepizzaguy]

I can move diagonally.

It might be possible for me to escape however if the policemen are stationed to the east and west of the mask it is impossible to take it and flee.

It takes one turn to move into one of the squares surrounding the mask.
It takes one turn to capture the mask.
It takes one turn to move away from the mask towards the exit.

The police can cover those squares in 2 turns. On one turn, they cover the east and west squares, and on the next turn they can see the thief, and capture him if he lands on the mask or an adjacent square. That would make the game unwinnable.

[A Very Super Market]

Yeah, but we need to keep moving. You can outmaneuvre us.

[Centurion1]

Exactly no one is requiring you to make your move the very first turn. you can retreat and move in for the kill a second time. plus we aren't allowed to camp we Have to move one space

[Askthepizzaguy]

It might have been possible without the pillars there, but there is no way to take the mask and then escape.


As it stands, you have a mate in one if I move anywhere but directly north or directly northeast. You have a mate in four if I move directly north. I believe you have a mate in three if I move directly northeast.



1. anywhere besides north or northeast: adjacent policeman captures thief.

2. ATPG moves north:

Centurion moves east, AVSM moves north.

Only legal ATPG move: east.

Centurion moves east, AVSM moves south.

IF ATPG moves east, Centurion moves east, AVSM moves east.

Only legal ATPG move: south

Centurion moves east, AVSM moves east with mate in one.

3. ATPG moves northeast:

Centurion moves east, AVSM moves east.

IF ATPG moves southwest towards the mask,

Centurion moves east, AVSM moves west to guard the mask and block off escape routes, and mate in one to follow.

IF ATPG moves east,

Centurion moves east, AVSM moves east with mate to follow. As soon as ATPG is either on the top-right or one below the top-right square, it is impossible to escape due to the policemen controlling the top two squares on column 6 and the last two squares of the middle row. All escape routes are blocked and mate to follow in two.




Also, due to the pillar configuration, as I said, no matter where the thief starts, the policemen starting on the squares east and west of the mask, presumably with alarms diagonal from the mask (not that they are even required), a simple shuffling back and forth to their original squares prevents the required four moves to take the mask and escape from the mask square and the six squares surrounding it. At the starting position, this is a solved game for the policemen.