Solo Hunt or Gather with a Ghost Player Automa

Background: What is an Automa?

The Automa (Italian for automaton) approach to solo variant development is one that preserves the feel of the multiplayer game. The player runs a simple script for the robot (which I'll be calling "ghost") opponent's turn which will simulate the interaction points between players. No decisions are required, and minimal book keeping. The ghost does not follow all the same rules as a human player, but at the end the player will win or lose, this isn't one of those "trying to beat your highest score" things.

Here is some more background reading:

• The Automa Approach I: A method for making solitaire modes for multiplayer games
• The Automa Approach II: Guidelines and tips for making solitaire modes for multiplayer games
• The Automa Approach III: A concrete example of making a solitaire mode for a multiplayer game
• The Automa Approach IV: Making a solitaire mode for a game with mechanical interaction
• The Automa Approach V: Making a solitaire mode for a game with social interaction

The Rules: First Take

Ghost Player turn:

1. Score points and end turn, or…
2. Switch active character
3. Draw a tile
4. If it is the correct type, collect it and claim a space
5. Wrong type, place it face up on the board

At the end of the solo player's turn, discard any non-event tiles that were face down at the start of your turn. Turn any face up tiles left by the ghost face down.

• The ghost characters stay in the village, with the inactive character on its side.
• Collected tiles are placed face up in the village.
• When the ghost player places on the board, whether claiming a space or the wrong type, they pick a space as close to the village as possible, and as close to one of the player's claimed spaces.
• The ghost player has no carrying limits.

Ghost Player Scoring

If any of the ghost player's tiles in the village are valued higher than the bottom two, the ghost scores. After scoring one tile, if another tile also meets the minimum scoring value, it is also scored.

Playtest Report

First Impressions

This is going to work. I played through a full game and with some on the fly corrections ended up feeling like the real multiplayer game. It needs some adjustments to increase the interference on the board and raise the ghost player's scoring ability. The biggest concern was a bit of book keeping: it was hard to remember to claim a space for the ghost player.

Questions that came up

How to choose which character the ghost starts with?
Who goes first? (Human player this time)
If the ghost player scores a Season Goal, which track does it go towards?
Ghost draws event? (Ended turn)
How many points does the ghost start with? (None this time)

Events

Celestial Phenomenon: count the ghost as a player when an event refers to player count.
Potlatch: remove this.

Goals

Pathfinders: too easy, and always forgetting to claim spaces for the ghost.
Wanderers: was able to score one more point than it would have by returning home with gatherer.

To try next

1.  The ghost player automatically claims a space at the beginning of each turn it explores.
2. The claimed space should be next to one of your space and as close to the village as possible (flipping those priorities and emphasizing interference.)
3. The ghost may only want to score when a resource is in one of the top two spots in the market.
4. I need to screen all the goals and events for solo play appropriateness. This could happen during playingtesting for more context.
5. Another difficulty level I could adjust is what happens when the ghost draws an event.