Introduction: In chemistry, intricate patterns of atoms are the foundation of all compounds. In this game, they are battle plans. By forming interwoven strings of linked icons, players strive to expand their influence across the board while choking off the expansion of their rivals. Careful planning and a keen eye for opportune moments will decide the winner in this “elemental” strategy game.

Players: 2+

Materials:

• One sheet of standard letter-sized (A4) paper.
• Pens or markers of different colors, one per player.
• A penny or other small coin, for size comparison.

Setting Up: Lay the paper in the center of the play area and distribute a marker to each player. Designate a first player; play proceeds to the left.

How to Play: In Molecule, players take turns drawing and expanding molecules. Molecules are formed of atoms – an icon composed of a number contained inside a circle – and each atom is worth its stated number of points to the player who drew it. Each molecule consists of a linked web of atoms in the following manner: each atom can support a number of connecting atoms whose total value is equal to its number. For example: an atom of size 3 can support connecting atoms totaling 3, be they three size-1 atoms, one size-1 and one size-2, or another size-3.

Links and Chains: Connections are formed by drawing a new atom next to an existing atom such that the two circles touch but do not overlap. No atom may be drawn that intersects any other atom or the edge of the paper, and except in special circumstances no atom may be drawn that does not connect to an existing atom. Also: when drawing atoms, the circle must be equivalent in size to the penny (hence in the inclusion of it as a tool for size comparison) – approximations are expected. Molecules may have any configuration the players wish as long as the component atoms all connect without overlapping. This means it is possible for an atom to support more connections than will fit around its circumference.

On their first turn, each player draws an atom of size 5 anywhere on the paper. This molecule is now owned by that player (as is every molecule begun by a size-5 atom of their color). On all subsequent turns, players draw one new connecting atom anywhere they choose, of any size up to 4. If at all possible, the player must connect the new atom to an existing atom in a molecule they own. If no such placement is possible, the player may choose:

• Draw a new size-5 atom anywhere on the board, unconnected to any existing atom or molecule.
  
• Draw a connecting atom on an opponent’s molecule of size 1.

Connecting atoms to opponent-owned molecules is allowed as long as the player has no available moves remaining. Atoms played in this way are worth no points, and the opponent may not use them to draw and connect new atoms of their own. They do, however, count when determining how many connections an atom can support.

Winning the Game: Play continues until no more atoms can be fit on the paper or all players are unable to play. At the end of the game, each player scores points equal to the total value of all the atoms in all the molecules they own. The player with the most points wins.

Next: Designing “Molecule”:

This game grew from two new constraints I placed on myself following last week’s resolution to find a new paradigm besides playing cards. I sought a new kind of play surface or token set that would be equally cheap, easy, and accessible. Playing cards are advantageous because virtually every household in the Western world can be assumed to have at least one deck. I needed something that would be just as universal, something that did not require special preparation or purchase by the user, nor fabrication by myself. The watchword of these designs is simplicity, after all.

My first thought was to try and use some ubiquitous object with similar everpresence to the average home — something like loose change or coins. With multiple denominations, sizes, and sometimes colors, coinage makes a ready-made set of tokens or tiles that can be given arbitrary value and used in a formal system… not unlike the system of currency they are already part of However, I felt that coins were still ultimately limited by their shape and weight, and that they would no make a good paradigm all on their own. I needed something else that had the advantages of coins but with a little more versatility.

Thinking so much about coins I almost missed the forest for the trees. Just as common to the average home is paper goods and office supplies. Give each player a pen and use a blank sheet of paper as the board! All that is required is a system that has players creating the board as they go, so no extensive preparation is needed. Keep representational drawing to a minimum and focus on diagrams, and the game should be as easy and painless to set up and play as unpacking a deck of cards.

From this emerged the simple mechanic of what amounts to a collaborative bubble diagram. Similar to Dot the Dot, players fill in the board as they play, vying to claim the dwindling space. It may be one of the simplest designs I’ve made, even with the requirements about size and connection placement. I’m curious to see if the restrictions on atom size will turn out to be balanced, but I am especially eager to see how this kind of “draw the board” dynamic will turn out.