Overview
Compete with companies to build the best dinosaur park. Everything should go smoothly because, as we all know, nothing bad happens when humans try to control dinosaurs.
DinoGenics is a worker placement game. Each player has their own dinosaur park to build and places workers on the mainland (central board) to improve it. Over 7 rounds, players compete to build park facilities and dinosaur habitats to gain reputation and money.
How to Play
The game takes place over 7 rounds. Each round has two phases: Open Season and Upkeep. During Open Season, players take turns placing workers at different locations on the Mainland Game Board. When all workers have been placed, the round ends and Upkeep begins.
Open Season
- Determine Order: In Season 1, the first player is chosen randomly. In other seasons, the player with the highest reputation goes first.
- Assign Visitors: The first player gets the visitors shown. (Not done in Season 1)
- Assign Bonus Visitors: The first player may take the first 2 visitors. Then each player, in turn order, selects one visitor to place in their park until no visitors or hotel spaces remain. (Not done in Season 1)
- Receive Credits: 1 credit for each visitor. (Not done in Season 1)
- Breaking News: Discard the old Breaking News card, and put the upcoming one into play. (Not done in Season 1)
- New Facilities: New facilities are drawn for the City Center. (Not done in Season 1)
- Worker Placement: Players take turns placing workers on unoccupied locations on the Mainland Game Board.
Upkeep
- Feed All Carnivores: Feed goats to all carnivores in your park.
- Roll for Rampage: Roll the Rampage die for each unfed carnivore and dinosaur in an improper habitat.
- Determine Visitor Points: Visitors leave the park and you receive 3 points for every two.
- Determine Park Points: All players score points earned from dinosaurs and park facilities.
- Gain Resources: Players receive 1 credit for each Stegosaurus in their park. Other facilities may also provide resources.
- Workers Return: Each player's workers are returned from the Mainland Game Board to their Park. Depending on the round, a new Worker may be gained.
Locations
| Site Name | Action | Spaces |
|---|---|---|
| Site A | Draw 2 DNA cards | 2 (3 with 4+ players) |
| Site B | Draw 3 DNA cards, discard 2 and keep 1 | 2 |
| Agency | Draw 2 Manipulation cards and discard 1 Scandal | 1 (2 with 3+ players) |
| Boneyard | Draw up to 2 DNA cards. Take 1 Scandal for each card. | 1 (2 with 4+ players) |
| City Center | You may do 2 of the following actions:
|
3 (4 with 3+ players, 5 with 4+ players) |
| DinoGenics IOM | Exchange the required number of DNA cards to place that dinosaur in your park. Increase reputation and dinosaur value. | 3 (4 with 4+ players) |
| Farm | Gain 3 goats | 2 (3 with 4+ players) |
| Ferry | Gain 4 credits | 2 |
| Outsource | Pay 2 credits to do the action at any occupied Action Space | 1 |
| Time Share | Gain 1 credit and 1 visitor (if space available) | 1 |
| Uplink | Play a Manipulation card | 1 (2 with 3+ players) |
| Refinement (Wild Mode only) | Pay 1 credit and 1 DNA card to gain 1 Refined DNA token | 1 (2 with 3+ players, 3 with 5+ players) |
Rampage
The Rampage die is rolled when a dinosaur is placed in an improper habitat or during the Upkeep phase for each insufficiently fed carnivore and each dinosaur not in a proper habitat. Rampages may result in damage that causes another dinosaur to Rampage. But each dinosaur can only Rampage once during either phase.
Causes:
- Pen is too small
- Pen not fully enclosed (exception: Brontosaurus)
- Pen holds 2+ species (exception: Ankylosaur)
- Brontosaurus in pen
- Non-Brontosaurus in open space
- Pterodactyl not in Biodome
- Carnivore not sufficiently fed during Upkeep
Possible results are:
- Rampage Fatality (dinosaur skull): Remove one visitor, gain one Scandal, damage one structure accessible to the dinosaur (33% chance)
- Rampage Slash (slash marks): Damage one structure accessible to the dinosaur (50% chance)
- Naive Visitor (happy face): Gain one credit if your park has at least 1 visitor. Otherwise, no effect. (16% chance)
A dinosaur will always destroy a fence that has the most direct route to freedom (open space), meaning it will target a border fence first.
Scoring/End of Game
After seven seasons are complete, final scores are tallied.
Facility Points: Each undamaged facility scores the number of points shown in the lower right corner. The player scores additional points from the Carnivore Biome, Herbivore Biome, DNA Archive, and/or Stegosaurus Monument.
Dinosaur Variety: 3 points for each unique species in a valid habitat.
Remaining Credits: 1 point for every 3 credits
DNA Cards: 1 point for every 2 DNA cards
Scandals: -6 points for every Scandal
After scores are calculated, the player with the most is the winner. On a tie, the player with the highest Reputation wins.
Errata and Variants
Biodome
You can place two compatible dinosaurs into a Biodome, not just pterodactyls. This means 2 dinosaurs of the same species or 1 ankylosaurus and any other dinosaur (even a T-Rex). The Brontosaurus cannot be placed in a Biodome. You do not need to place fences around a Biodome.
Corporate Espionage/Corporate Bailout
Corporate Espionage cards are Manipulation cards (denoted by a black hat) that negatively affect other players. The Corporate Bailout variant makes the following changes:
- Corporate Espionage cards are removed from the deck.
- The first player receives 1 bonus visitor instead of 2.
- In Seasons 4, 5, 6, and 7, before drawing the next Breaking News card, the player with the least amount of points draws 1 DNA card. That player may pay 2 credits to keep it or gain 2 credits by selling it to the market.
Corrupted Venues
In this variant, the Breaking News deck contains the card "Scientific Leaders Gather as Abomination Stalks the Night". If drawn, this card has the potential to add Corrupted Tyrannosaurs to players' parks, which can be challenging. Recommended for experienced players only.
Wild Mode
Wild Mode adds 4 new dinosaurs and one new location: Refinement. In the Refinement space, pay 1 credit and 1 DNA card to gain 1 Refined DNA token.
Refined DNA tokens are like "wild" DNA cards. They can be substituted for DNA cards during dinosaur creation, but at least 1 card must be for the created dinosaur.
- Gallimimus (omnivore) - If you have one Gallimimus in your park already, new Gallimimus only need 1 DNA card
- Therizinosaurus (herbivore) - Gain 3+ VP per season if dinosaur is in pen of 4+ spaces
- Carnotaurus (carnivore) - Gain 2VP when you place an herbivore or omnivore in your park
- Compsognathus (carnivore) - During upkeep, you may spend 1 or 2 goats to increase this dinosaur's reputation (max 6)
