Atmosfear (App)/Rules

*Note: The rules are largely the same as the 2004 game.*

## WHAT IS ATMOSFEARTM?

ATMOSFEARTM is an interactive board game controlled by a App. Once you start the game the countdown to zero will begin, and you must not stop, pause or interrupt the game in any way. Your host, THE GATEKEEPER, considers it cheating and he really doesn’t like cheats! This is his game with his rules and he must be obeyed.

**ATMOSFEARTM is a race against THE GATEKEEPER, your opponents and against time itself.**

## CREATING THE PERFECT ATMOSPHERE

ATMOSFEARTM is best played at night. Dim the lights and design your own eerie environment.

Turn up the volume on your home entertainment system. The ATMOSFEARTM App has 5.1 surround sound that will raise the hairs on the back of your neck.

## SETTING UP THE APP

The game requires one portable device (mobile phone or tablet) to run the game. This is the "Main Device".

Players may also install thw App on their own portable devices, and keep these "Extra Devices beside them, in case the Gatekeeper has a personal message for them.

First download and install the ATMOSFEARTM App

* Download on the App Store
* Get it on Google Play

Set your devices to **Do Not Disturb**.

Mirror the **Main Device** to your TV screen via Apple TV\* or Chromecast\*\*

Launch the App on all devices.

On the **Main Device**, open the side menu to set up your preferences for sound and subtitles.

Now press PLAY on all devices and follow the prompts.

\*for iOS devices only.

\*\*for Android devices only.

## SETTING UP THE GAME

Set up the board in front of the TV so that all players have a clear view of the screen.

Place the 6 sets of 6 colored keys on the board in each of their realms of corresponding color.

Place the Black Key on the black stone on the outer track.

Shuffle and place all the TIME and FATE cards in two piles, face down, beside the board.

Each player must write their **greatest fear** on a slip of paper and place it, folded, in the Well of Fears. Do not reveal it to any opponent. Place the Well of Fears in the center of the board.

Choose the character you will play by selecting a playing piece.

Anne de Chantraine, The Witch
Orange

Baron Samedi, The Zombie
Green

Countess Elizabeth Bathory, The Vampire
Red

Gevaudan, The Werewolf
Blue

Helin, The Poltergeist
Purple

Khufu, The Mummy
Yellow

Put your playing piece on your headstone. This is your starting place.

One player hands out the key racks, without looking at the numbers. The number on the rack you receive becomes your number for the duration of the game.

**Everyone now has a character and a number.**

When everything is set up and all players undrestand the rules of play, you are ready to play the game.

**Tap SUMMON GATEKEEPER on the Main Device screen**

This will summon THE GATEKEEPER. When he asks who is playing, tap on the characters to tell him which characters are in the game, and which are not. He will also elect the Chosen One.

Finally he will ask the Chosen One to start the game by rolling the dice... and the countdown to zero will begin.

## THE AIM OF THE GAME

The object of ATMOSFEARTM is to win the game befoore the countdown reaches 0:00.

To do this you must collect at least one colored key from each of the six Realms then race to the **Well of Fears** in the center where you must face your **greatest fear**. If your own fear is drawn from the Well then let THE GATEKEEPER know the good news by quickly tapping the BLUE BUTTON below the timer on the device screen and then tap on "I faced my fear!" button to confirm your victory. The countdown stops and you are the winner.

But if the countdown reaches 0:00 THE GATEKEEPER wins – and you lose!

## RULES OF PLAY

### The Gatekeeper

You can only move around the board when THE GATEKEEPER is **not** on screen.

Whenever he appears everybody must stop, listen carefully and do exactly what he says.

If he calls on you, you must answer “YES! MY GATEKEEPER!”. Failure to do so could result in punishment.

If he demands you roll a certain number before you can play again, you must wait for your turn to come around each time before attempting to roll that number. You can only make one attempt each time your turn comes around.

### Moving around

Starting from your own headstone, roll the dice and move **clockwise** around the board on the outer track.

You can choose to roll one or two dice each time, unless instructed otherwise by THE GATEKEEPER or a Fate card.

### The Inside Track

The Inside Track consists of the six radial tracks leading to the Inner Ring surrounding the Well of Fears.

**On the Inner Ring only,** you can travel clockwise or anticlockwise to reach the Well of Fears. You cannot change direction of travel on the Radial Tracks.

You can use the Inside Track as a shortcut at any time, but if THE GATEKEEPER catches you there without all six keys, watch out!

### Winning AtmosfearTM

As soon as you have at least one key of each color, head straight for the Well of Fears in the center.

During your journey in toward the Well, if you lose one of your six different colored keys, you must travel back to the outer track and continue playing to regain that key.

You do not need to roll an exact number to land on the stone at the entry to the Well of Fears. When you finally reach the Well you must wait there until your next turn.

On your next turn the Chosen One will open the Well, take out a fear and read it aloud. **If it is not your fear** it must be returned to the Well and you must return immediately to your headstone. You do not lose any keys so you can then try and make your way to the Well again.

However if it is your greatest fear, quickly tap the BLUE BUTTON below the timer on the main device screen then tap "I faced my fear!" to stop the clock and you are the winner!

Remember: do not close or exit the App.

### Keys

When you land on a stone marked with a key you may take a key from that realm. For example if you land on the stone marked with a yellow key in Khufu’s realm, you can take one of the yellow keys. If all six yellow keys have already been taken, you cannot pick up a key from anywhere else.

Whenever THE GATEKEEPER instructs you to "take a key" you must collect it from the realm you are in, unless he specifically instructs you to take it from somewhere else.

Place the keys in your rack facing towards you. Hide the colors from your opponents to protect any valuable ones against loss, in a duel for example.

You can collect as many of each key as you like, but you need at least one key of each color to win the game.

Once all the keys of a color have been taken from the board you can only obtain them from your opponents by winning duels, through Time and Fate cards, or by instruction from THE GATEKEEPER.

### The Black Key

If you land on the Black Key you **must** pick it up.

This key is cursed. As long as you have it you **cannot** win the game, even if you have one key of each color.

To be rid of the Black Key you can try to lose it in a duel. If your duelling opponent rolls the higher number, hope that it is the cursed key they choose from your rack (see Duelling below).

You can pass the Black Key to another player when your pieces both occupy the same stone. Simply hand it to them and declare that **they** are now cursed.

If you are handed the Black Key while waiting on the stone outside the Well of Fears, on your next turn you must roll the dice and continue moving around the board.

The black key can **not** be removed from the game. If the Gatekeeper instructs you to remove a key from the game, it must be one of the 6 coloured keys.

### Headstones

When you land on your **own** headstone you may roll the dice. If you roll your own number you can take a key from your realm.

Note that if you are sent back to your headstone by either THE GATEKEEPER or another player, this action is not permitted.

When another player lands on your headstone you may also roll the dice. If you roll their number you can take a key from that player.

### The Black Hole

The two stones on the outer track marked with black swirls are Black Holes.

If you land on a Black Hole, or are banished to one by THE GATEKEEPER, you are temporarily out of the game. You cannot duel or respond to THE GATEKEEPER.

You can be freed from the Black Hole in the following ways:

* Each time your turn comes around, roll the dice. If you can roll your own number you are released and can continue playing on your next turn.

* THE GATEKEEPER releases you.

* You have a Fate or Time card that releases you.

* You have the key from your own realm (Eg You are Elizabeth Bathory and you have a red key.) You can always be released from the Black Hole as long as you hold this key.

In each case, you must always move first to the nearest Black Hole and wait there for your next turn before you can be released.

### Duelling

When you land on a Duel stone (a stone marked with the crossed daggers icon) you can call a duel with another player. Roll one die each and the player who rolls the higher number takes a key from the loser.

You must have a least one key before you can duel.

### Flight

When you land on a Flight stone (the wings icon) you can move immediately to any other Flight stone on the board.

### Fate Cards

When you land on a Fate card stone (a skull icon), or if THE GATEKEEPER tells you to take a Fate card, you must pick up a Fate card, follow the instructions immediately then return the card to the bottom of the deck.

### Time Cards

When you land on a Time card stone (a clock icon) pick up a Time card. The time on the card relates to the time on the screen. If the time has expired the card can no longer be used. Otherwise, wait for the time to appear on the screen then activate the card immediately.

### The Chosen One

The Chosen One is selected by THE GATEKEEPER to act as his eyes and ears and perform other special duties from time to time.

It is the job of the Chosen One to:

* make sure that players adhere to the rules,

* adjudicate on any disputes, and

* whenever a player reaches the Well of Fears, remove a fear and read it out loud.

If it is The Chosen One who is waiting at the Well, the player on their left must select and read out the fear.

**Now, turn the volume up and the lights down and experience ATMOSFEARTM!**