This is a documentation for Board Game Arena: play board games online !

Gamehelpomega: Difference between revisions

From Board Game Arena
Jump to navigation Jump to search
← Older edit
VisualWikitext
Publish omega rules from repository GAMEHELP.wiki
Publish omega rules from repository GAMEHELP.wiki
 
(2 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
= Omega =
==Goal==


''A strategy board game of intuitive arithmetic for 2 to 4 players by '''Néstor Romeral Andrés'''. Published by '''nestorgames'''.''
'''Omega''' is a combinatorial abstract strategy game for 2–4 players designed by Néstor Romeral Andrés. Place stones onto a hexagonal grid to cultivate separate connected groups of your colour. Your final score is calculated by '''multiplying the sizes of all your separate connected groups together''' — the highest product wins!


== Overview & Objective ==
==Components==
In '''Omega''', players place stones onto a hexagonal grid to form connected groups of their color.
The player with the highest final score wins!
Your final score is calculated not by simply counting stones, but by '''multiplying the sizes of all your separate connected groups'''.


== Components & Players ==
{| class="wikitable"
* '''Board''': A hexagonal grid of varying sizes (Standard: Side 5 with 61 cells).
! Component !! Icon !! Description
* '''Stones''':
|-
** '''White''' (Player 1)
| '''White Stones''' || [[File:Omega_stone_white.png|28px|middle]] || Player 1 stones.
** '''Black''' (Player 2)
|-
** '''Red''' (Player 3)
| '''Black Stones''' || [[File:Omega_stone_black.png|28px|middle]] || Player 2 stones.
** '''Blue''' (Player 4)
|-
| '''Red Stones''' || [[File:Omega_stone_red.png|28px|middle]] || Player 3 stones (used in 3–4 player games).
|-
| '''Blue Stones''' || [[File:Omega_stone_blue.png|28px|middle]] || Player 4 stones (used in 4 player games).
|-
| '''Hexagonal Board''' || — || Hexagonal grid of cells in various sizes (Standard: Side 5 / 61 cells).
|}


== Turn Structure ==
==Setup==
Players take turns according to the color order: '''White → Black → Red → Blue'''.


On your turn, you must place '''one stone of each active color in play''' onto any unoccupied hexagonal cells on the board:
* Players are assigned colours in fixed order: [[File:Omega_stone_white.png|18px|middle]] '''White''' → [[File:Omega_stone_black.png|18px|middle]] '''Black''' → [[File:Omega_stone_red.png|18px|middle]] '''Red''' → [[File:Omega_stone_blue.png|18px|middle]] '''Blue'''.
* '''2-Player Game''': Place '''1 White''' stone and '''1 Black''' stone.
* The board starts completely empty.
* '''3-Player Game''': Place '''1 White''', '''1 Black''', and '''1 Red''' stone.
* '''Pie Rule (2-player option)''': Player 1 places 1 White and 1 Black stone. Player 2 then chooses whether to play normally or swap colours to take over White's position.
* '''4-Player Game''': Place '''1 White''', '''1 Black''', '''1 Red''', and '''1 Blue''' stone.


''Note: You first place a stone of your own color, followed by one stone for each opponent in turn order.''
==Your turn==


=== The Pie Rule (Swap Option) ===
On your turn, you must place '''exactly one stone of each active colour in play''' onto unoccupied hexagonal cells:
In a 2-player game (when enabled), Player 1's opening move provides a first-move initiative. To guarantee balance:
* '''2 Players''': place 1 White [[File:Omega_stone_white.png|18px|middle]] and 1 Black [[File:Omega_stone_black.png|18px|middle]] stone.
* Player 1 makes the opening turn (places 1 White and 1 Black stone).
* '''3 Players''': place 1 White [[File:Omega_stone_white.png|18px|middle]], 1 Black [[File:Omega_stone_black.png|18px|middle]], and 1 Red [[File:Omega_stone_red.png|18px|middle]] stone.
* Player 2 may then choose to either:
* '''4 Players''': place 1 White [[File:Omega_stone_white.png|18px|middle]], 1 Black [[File:Omega_stone_black.png|18px|middle]], 1 Red [[File:Omega_stone_red.png|18px|middle]], and 1 Blue [[File:Omega_stone_blue.png|18px|middle]] stone.
# '''Play Normally''': Place 1 Black stone and 1 White stone, OR
# '''Swap Colors (Pie Rule)''': Take over the White color and its placed stones! Player 1 now plays as Black.


== Game End ==
You place your own colour first, followed by each opponent's colour in turn order. Because you place stones of all colours, you can place opponents' stones to disrupt their structures or force unwanted merges!
The game ends when, just before White's turn, there are not enough empty cells remaining to complete another full round where every player places their required stones:
* '''2 Players''': At least '''4 empty cells''' are needed for a full round (2 players × 2 stones).
* '''3 Players''': At least '''9 empty cells''' are needed for a full round (3 players × 3 stones).
* '''4 Players''': At least '''16 empty cells''' are needed for a full round (4 players × 4 stones).


When fewer empty cells remain at the start of a round, the game ends immediately. A few cells will remain empty at game end.
==End of the game and scoring==


== Scoring ==
* '''Game End Trigger''': The game ends immediately when, just before White's turn, not enough empty cells remain to complete another full round (requires at least N × N cells for N players: 4 cells for 2P, 9 for 3P, 16 for 4P). A few empty cells will remain at game end.
At game end, all connected groups of stones (chains of adjacent stones sharing a hexagon edge) of each color are counted:
* '''Multiplication Scoring''': Every distinct connected group (stones of the same colour sharing an edge) is counted. Your score is the product of all your group sizes multiplied together:
* A single isolated stone counts as a group of size '''1'''.
: '''Score = size of group 1 × size of group 2 × … × size of last group'''
* Each distinct connected cluster of stones forms a group of size '''N'''.
* ''Example'': Groups of sizes 3, 4, and 5 score 3 × 4 × 5 = '''60'''. A single giant group of 12 stones scores only '''12'''.
* '''Your score is the product of all your group sizes multiplied together:'''
* '''Winner''': The player with the highest final product wins!
$$\text{Final Score} = \text{Size}(\text{Group}_1) \times \text{Size}(\text{Group}_2) \times \dots \times \text{Size}(\text{Group}_k)$$
* '''Tie-breaker''': If tied, the player who played '''latest in turn order''' wins (Blue > Red > Black > White), compensating for opening turn advantage.


=== Scoring Examples ===
==Variants (table options)==
* If White has groups of sizes '''3''', '''4''', and '''5''':
** Score = $3 \times 4 \times 5 = \mathbf{60}$.
* If Black has one large group of '''12''' stones:
** Score = $\mathbf{12}$.
* If Red has groups of sizes '''1''', '''2''', '''2''', '''4''', and '''3''':
** Score = $1 \times 2 \times 2 \times 4 \times 3 = \mathbf{48}$.
* If a color has no stones on the board, its score is '''0'''.


=== Tie-Breaker ===
* '''Pie Rule (Swap)''' (Option 100, 2 players only):
If two or more players are tied with the highest score, the winner is the tied player who played '''latest in round order''' (Blue > Red > Black > White). This compensates for earlier turn advantage.
** '''Enabled''' (default): Player 2 may swap colours on their opening turn.
** '''Disabled''': standard play without swap option.
* '''Board Size''' (Option 101):
** '''Standard (Side 5, 61 hexes)''' (default): tournament board (approx. 30 turns).
** '''Mini (Side 3, 19 hexes)''': ultra-fast game (approx. 9 turns).
** '''Short (Side 4, 37 hexes)''': quick game (approx. 18 turns).
** '''Large (Side 6, 91 hexes)''': pro game (approx. 45 turns).
** '''Expert (Side 7, 127 hexes)''': deep strategy with massive products.


== Board Sizes & Options ==
==Controls on BGA==
When creating a table on Board Game Arena, you can select the following board sizes:
* '''Mini (Side 3 / 19 hexes)''': Ultra-fast blitz game (~9 turns).
* '''Short (Side 4 / 37 hexes)''': Quick tactical game (~18 turns).
* '''Standard (Side 5 / 61 hexes)''' ''(Default)'': Official standard tournament board (~30 turns).
* '''Large (Side 6 / 91 hexes)''': Spacious board for deeper group development (~45 turns).
* '''Expert (Side 7 / 127 hexes)''': Advanced tactical play with massive scoring potential.


== Strategy Tips ==
* '''Placing stones''': click unoccupied hexagonal cells on the board to stage each required stone in sequence.
* '''Multiplication vs. Addition''': One giant connected group of 10 stones yields only '''10''' points. But three separate groups of 3, 3, and 4 stones yield $3 \times 3 \times 4 = \mathbf{36}$ points! Aim to maintain multiple healthy groups rather than merging everything into one blob.
* '''Confirming & Resetting''': once all stones for your turn are staged, click blue '''Confirm turn'''. To clear staged stones and start your turn over, click red '''Reset turn'''.
* '''Weaponized Placement''': Because you must place stones of your opponents' colors, you can use their stones against them! Force their distinct groups to merge into one, shrinking their multiplier, or trap their single stones in dead corners.
* '''Pie Rule''': on Player 2's opening turn (if enabled), click '''Swap colors (Pie Rule)''' to swap colours with Player 1.
* '''Avoid Isolated Singletons''': A single isolated stone of size 1 multiplies your score by 1, contributing almost nothing to your growth while taking up board space.
* '''Tooltips''': hover over the turn order badge in player panels to view tie-breaker rules.
* '''Mind the Endgame Threshold''': Count the remaining empty spaces as the board fills up. Knowing when the final round will trigger lets you execute crucial connections or sabotage merges just in time.
* '''Preferences''': Colorblind support (Preference 100, default: Off): adds distinctive symbols onto stones.
 
== Credits ==
* '''Game Design''': Néstor Romeral Andrés
* '''Publisher''': [https://nestorgames.com nestorgames]
* '''Digital Adaptation''': Jayadev Haddadi

Latest revision as of 13:34, 2 November 2026

Goal

Omega is a combinatorial abstract strategy game for 2–4 players designed by Néstor Romeral Andrés. Place stones onto a hexagonal grid to cultivate separate connected groups of your colour. Your final score is calculated by multiplying the sizes of all your separate connected groups together — the highest product wins!

Components

Component Icon Description
White Stones Player 1 stones.
Black Stones Player 2 stones.
Red Stones Player 3 stones (used in 3–4 player games).
Blue Stones Player 4 stones (used in 4 player games).
Hexagonal Board — Hexagonal grid of cells in various sizes (Standard: Side 5 / 61 cells).

Setup

  • Players are assigned colours in fixed order: White → Black → Red → Blue.
  • The board starts completely empty.
  • Pie Rule (2-player option): Player 1 places 1 White and 1 Black stone. Player 2 then chooses whether to play normally or swap colours to take over White's position.

Your turn

On your turn, you must place exactly one stone of each active colour in play onto unoccupied hexagonal cells:

  • 2 Players: place 1 White and 1 Black stone.
  • 3 Players: place 1 White , 1 Black , and 1 Red stone.
  • 4 Players: place 1 White , 1 Black , 1 Red , and 1 Blue stone.

You place your own colour first, followed by each opponent's colour in turn order. Because you place stones of all colours, you can place opponents' stones to disrupt their structures or force unwanted merges!

End of the game and scoring

  • Game End Trigger: The game ends immediately when, just before White's turn, not enough empty cells remain to complete another full round (requires at least N × N cells for N players: 4 cells for 2P, 9 for 3P, 16 for 4P). A few empty cells will remain at game end.
  • Multiplication Scoring: Every distinct connected group (stones of the same colour sharing an edge) is counted. Your score is the product of all your group sizes multiplied together:
Score = size of group 1 × size of group 2 × … × size of last group
  • Example: Groups of sizes 3, 4, and 5 score 3 × 4 × 5 = 60. A single giant group of 12 stones scores only 12.
  • Winner: The player with the highest final product wins!
  • Tie-breaker: If tied, the player who played latest in turn order wins (Blue > Red > Black > White), compensating for opening turn advantage.

Variants (table options)

  • Pie Rule (Swap) (Option 100, 2 players only):
    • Enabled (default): Player 2 may swap colours on their opening turn.
    • Disabled: standard play without swap option.
  • Board Size (Option 101):
    • Standard (Side 5, 61 hexes) (default): tournament board (approx. 30 turns).
    • Mini (Side 3, 19 hexes): ultra-fast game (approx. 9 turns).
    • Short (Side 4, 37 hexes): quick game (approx. 18 turns).
    • Large (Side 6, 91 hexes): pro game (approx. 45 turns).
    • Expert (Side 7, 127 hexes): deep strategy with massive products.

Controls on BGA

  • Placing stones: click unoccupied hexagonal cells on the board to stage each required stone in sequence.
  • Confirming & Resetting: once all stones for your turn are staged, click blue Confirm turn. To clear staged stones and start your turn over, click red Reset turn.
  • Pie Rule: on Player 2's opening turn (if enabled), click Swap colors (Pie Rule) to swap colours with Player 1.
  • Tooltips: hover over the turn order badge in player panels to view tie-breaker rules.
  • Preferences: Colorblind support (Preference 100, default: Off): adds distinctive symbols onto stones.
Retrieved from "https://en.doc.boardgamearena.com/index.php?title=Gamehelpomega&oldid=32285"