Biome Evolver by For The Culture
A downloadable project
Biome Evolver by For The Culture
For The Culture Team:
Game designer - Melubuhle Gula-Ndebele
Narrative and Research - Philadelphia Makwakwa
Narrative and Art - Aneeqa Martinson
Early stage Game dev/Design - Mamello Raboroko
Ubuntu meets climate justice - restore South African biomes through ancient wisdom and collective action.
Game Overview
Biome Evolver is a climate justice strategy game where 2-6 players restore South African biomes using traditional knowledge and Ubuntu principles. Players cannot win alone - victory requires balancing environmental health, social equity, and economic sustainability across their entire community.
What Makes This Game Special
- Ubuntu Philosophy at its Core: "I am because we are" drives every mechanic - you literally cannot win by ignoring others
- Authentic Traditional Knowledge: Recipe cards based on real indigenous practices like rooibos harvesting and traditional fire management
- Climate Justice Focus: Events affect players differently based on resource equity, mirroring real-world climate impacts
- Collaborative Victory: Most balanced player across Equity + Economy + Ecology wins, not highest individual score
- Educational Impact: Transform climate anxiety into understanding of collective power in just 90 minutes
How It Works
Players restore degraded South African biomes through sustainable building projects. When climate disasters strike, you must choose whether to help struggling players - those who share resources during crises earn strategic bonuses. The game teaches that environmental sustainability and social equity aren't competing priorities, but interconnected necessities.
Game Components:
- 7 Biome Cards (Savanna, Fynbos, Grassland, Forest, Thicket, Nama-Karoo, Succulent Karoo)
- 26 Recipe Cards (sustainable building projects)
- Ubuntu Cards (traditional wisdom benefits)
- 20 Event Cards (climate challenges)
- 4 Trump Cards (force trading)
- 70 Resource Cards (Wood, Glass, Plastic, Compost)
- 60 Score Tokens (Equity, Economy, Ecology)
Players: 2-6 Age: 10+ Time: 60-90 minutes Complexity: Medium strategy with educational focus
Download
Install instructions
link to drive to download game from - https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1WdOFlhlldjU2_qR54CHN0ljL19TOzTb7?usp=dri...
Print-and-Play Instructions
What You'll Need to Print
Download the complete Print-and-Play package which includes:
- Card Sheets (40 pages) - All game cards on standard letter paper
- Game Board (1 page) - Beautiful central play area featuring authentic South African biome flora
- Score Tokens - 3 types, 20 pieces each, can be made from home(possibly using prestic or play dough)
- Rules & Cultural Guide (PDF) - Complete rulebook with traditional knowledge context
Printing Requirements
Paper & Settings:
- Card Sheets: Print on cardstock (110-160gsm recommended) or regular paper + card sleeves
- Game Board: Print on regular paper (can be laminated for durability)
- Score Tokens: Print on cardstock for easy handling
- Print Settings: 100% scale, no page scaling, color printing recommended
Ink-Saving Tips:
- Black & white version available with pattern coding instead of colors
- Print draft quality for playtesting, high quality for final version
Assembly Instructions
Cards (30-45 minutes):
- Cut carefully along the cut lines - use a paper cutter or ruler + craft knife for best results
- Card Protection: Insert into card sleeves (63.5mm x 88mm poker size) if using regular paper
- Organization: Sort cards by type using the card designs:
- Recipe Cards (26 cards) - Building projects
- Ubuntu Cards (varies) - Cultural knowledge benefits
- Event Cards (20 cards) - Climate challenges
- Trump Cards (4 cards) - Force trading
- Resource Cards (140 cards) - 5 each resource per biome
- Biome Cards (7 cards) - Player assignments
Game Board:
- Trim along outer edges carefully - the board features beautiful South African biome imagery
- Layout: Central card placement areas with Resource & Trump deck space, Equity/Economy/Ecology token areas, and Events & Recipes deck space
- Optional: Laminate for durability and easy cleanup
- Player areas: Empty card slots around the perimeter for biome assignments and completed recipes
Score Tokens (15 minutes):
- Make individual tokens
- Sort by color(colours of your choosing): Red (Equity), Yellow (Economy), Green (Ecology)
- Storage: Use small bowls or containers for easy access during play
Additional Materials Needed
From Your Home:
- Spinner or 6-sided die (for turn actions)
- spinner only needs 3 values, Resource, Skip turn and Special card
- the die even numbers is resources, odd numbers is special card and roll a 6 is skip a turn
- Small containers (3) for score token pools
- Optional: Card sleeves for durability
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