Episode 281: SETI – Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence

Rules Gist: SETI

Designed by Tomáš Holek

Published by: CGE

1-4 players

In SETI, you take on the role of a space agency, launching missions into the stars, scanning planets, and collecting data in the ultimate search for extraterrestrial intelligence. The game is played over five rounds, and the goal is simple—explore space, advance scientific research, and rack up the most points. In SETI the board game is the solar system made up of 3 solar system discs with the sun at the center and the discs rotate each round, meaning planets, stars, and other celestial bodies are constantly shifting.

Each turn, you’ll take one main action, plus any number of free actions before ending your turn. Play will continue like this until you run out of resources and must pass, ending your involvement for that round. For the main actions which you have to pay resources for: You can:

Launch Probes - Placing one of your probes into space starting at EARTH.

Scan the stars for signals - send a signal from EARTHs sector into the solar system by placing your disc in the sector, and gaining data. If your disc fills that last slot of the sector and you have the majority of markers there, you get resources and red life traces for an alien.

Land on planets - If your probe is on a planet in the solar system you can send it to that planets ORBIT or you can land it on the planets surface.Doing so will get you additional resources and yellow life traces for an alien.

Analyze your data - when you have collected enough data you can run your computer to mark a blue life trace for an alien.

Play powerful cards -pay the cost of the card and complete its effects. Some cards have missions, ones that activate once you’ve satisfied the condition and ones that can be triggered. There are also end game scoring cards as well.

Research new tech - Pay six publicity, rotate the solar system, and choose a tech to upgrade your space agency’s abilities (techs enhance actions for probes, signaling, and running your computer).

Throughout the SETI Board Game, you’ll collect life trace markers by scanning, landing on planets, and analyzing different locations. Once you gather enough clues, you can make an official discovery—unveiling an alien species that not only scores you points but also introduces new twists into the game. There are five alien species with only two being played in a game.

There are also gold milestones (4 will be used in each game) which you will be able to place a marker on and score at the end of the game. There are other intricate rules we didn’t mention but I think you get the GIST. Let’s launch back into the studio to see which pegheads phoned home in SETI Board Game.