Play Book Tag discussion

Main Objective: Be the first one to reach the end of his or her game board.

How It Works:

Each person will design and post their own game board consisting of 100 books that they hope to read. Administrators will roll a set of virtual dice and post your randomly generated roll on PBT. Whichever book you land on, you must read. Certain rolls will give players advantages and disadvantages. The first person to the end of their game board wins a prize (or if no one reaches the end, the person who is furthest along on December 20th at noon EST will be declared the winner). Subsequent finishers receive varying levels of participation points depending on when/if they finish. There will also be a consolation prize for the person who reads the most books on their board. There will also be a special consolation prize for the person who progresses the least on their board, but has read at least 3 titles for the challenge.

Game Board Design Rules:

1. You must compile a numbered list of 25, 50, or 100 titles that you want to read. These should be books that you either own or can readily get your hands on quickly. If you choose to use 100 unique titles, your game board is complete. If you select 50 titles, you will repeat each title twice to create your 100 titles. If you only have 25 titles, you will repeat each title four times.

2. The order of the titles can be any order that you like.

3. You need to post your game board in the thread designed for the game.

4. All books must be over 150 pages (as denoted by the hard cover version).

Rules:

1. You start the game by playing the first roll you are assigned.

2. The first move is to the book number that comes up on the dice. So if you got a 7, you are on the 7th book on your list. You must read the book that you land upon. To complete the book, it must be read and a review posted.

3. When your first book is halfway completed, you may request a new roll to see what your second book will be. You may NOT start the second book until the first one is finished. Rolls for all players will be done once daily. Roll requests must be posted on a designated thread by 3 pm EST in order to receive a new roll sometime that same evening.

4. Special Dice Rolls

The following rolls lead to unique actions.

If you roll:

1-1: The current leader must move back 3 spaces on their game board and read the book where they have landed next.

Any combination totaling 7: You move 7 spaces and stay on that space, but you may read the book you land on OR one book forward or one book back - - your choice.

6-6: Don't like the book you will land on? You may roll again.

3-1: You get to take pick someone's next move on the board. The admins will use random.org to decide who will be moved. You get to decide which book they must move to next on their game board - - backward or forward -- within a 15 book radius. So you can move your opponent up to 15 spaces back or up to 15 spaces forward to the book of your choosing. Should you be reluctant to move another player ,or if you do not respond to an administrator's request to designate the move, random.org will move the player - odd rolls will move the player backward and even rolls will move the player forward.

2-1: You may use up to 3 of your participation points to move yourself ahead up to 3 spaces.

6-5: You must read a book that's on someone else's board and NOT on your own before you may roll again.

4-4: Receive 4 participation points for the next book you read/review.

2-3 Get an extra "swap" that you may use anytime during the game.

6-4 Earn a surprise advantage to use anytime during the game

5. If you read a book that fits the monthly tag, you will earn 3 participation points. You must finish and review the book during the month of the particular tag.

6. Swaps. If you cannot get a hold of a particular book, or really, really don't want to read the one you land on, you may swap it out for a book of equivalent length or longer. You have TWO swaps to use for the entire game.

Please NOTE your swaps on your game board when you use them by labelling them with the word SWAP. I will be printing all of the game boards so there will be a record of your original.

7. IF your game board is not 100 unique titles, and you happen to land on a title you've already read -- you may read the book one space behind you, but you do not move your space on the board. If you already have read the book one space behind you, you will continue to look at titles moving backward one space at a time until you hit a book you haven't read. You will read that book (and please denote it in the space where you landed). If you have read EVERY book on your board, there will be a process by which you supply new titles for the number of spaces remaining, and we will randomize those titles creating a new board for you going forward.

8. To end the game, you may roll off the end of the board.


Link to Rules for Subsequent Boards after Clerk:

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Anita will you be posting a "master" gameboard somewhere with the positions of people once their books are completed?

I love the idea of a master game board, but not sure I can keep up with it daily. Any suggestions???

Anita wrote: "I love the idea of a master game board, but not sure I can keep up with it daily. Any suggestions???"

Maybe a post with just a list of numbers 1 through 100, with each player's name next to the number. At top of column you can post date updated.

I.e. using made up names

Start 1/2/23

1.
2. James
3. Kevin
4.
5. Tiffany

When you edit to update, it looks like this using same fake names;

Updated 1/5/23
1.
2.
3. Kevin
4.
5.
6.
7. James Tiffany

With the update date at the top, everyone knows it isonly 100% accurate as of that date.

Obviously it isn't as nice looking as a real gameboard, but I have already been visualizing either the Game of Life or Candyland board images in my mind as the rolls go out and folks move ...or don't. Not quite sure what that says about me 🤣

Theresa wrote: "Anita wrote: "I love the idea of a master game board, but not sure I can keep up with it daily. Any suggestions???"

Maybe a post with just a list of numbers 1 through 100, with each player's name ..."

I was thinking along these same lines, but was worried about not being up to date. Your idea of marking the date of the last update seems like a reasonable compromise. Just not sure I can update daily for as long is it takes.

Anita wrote: "Theresa wrote: "Anita wrote: "I love the idea of a master game board, but not sure I can keep up with it daily. Any suggestions???"

Maybe a post with just a list of numbers 1 through 100, with eac..."

I certainly don't expect daily updates, and I am sure none do. I personally don't need to monitor that closely - but then I am in Camp Caboose. It seems to be racing along with many reading a book in a day or two and requesting new rolls, but I am sure it will slow.

Truthfully, if someone wants to monitor it that closely, perhaps that person could volunteer to maintain a Daily Update Board using the roll postings to update.

Theresa wrote: "Truthfully, if someone wants to monitor it that closely, perhaps that person could volunteer to maintain a Daily Update Board using the roll postings to update. ..."

I think this is a good idea if there is someone who wants to volunteer to do it.

What about something like this?
https://miro.com/app/board/uXjVP0n--j...

Diana H. wrote: "What about something like this?
https://miro.com/app/board/uXjVP0n--j..."

Oh that's cute! But I think it's easier to read using the format Theresa suggested.

I'm NOT volunteering to do this ... too much effort. And I'm really just interested in where I am (still at the starting gate ... so team Caboose with Theresa)

Since I am reading an extra book due to the 5-6 roll, where would you like that noted? Should I add it to my gameboard as #101 or just state the information in my review? Thanks.

Ellen wrote: "Since I am reading an extra book due to the 5-6 roll, where would you like that noted? Should I add it to my gameboard as #101 or just state the information in my review? Thanks."

If you could please just note it (and any specifics) at the very end of your board. Not noted as 101 or anything - - Just the date, the roll, and the extra book you read/what board it was from and the review.

Thank you!!

Diana H. wrote: "What about something like this?
https://miro.com/app/board/uXjVP0n--j..."

Thanks for sharing this! I don't think I would use this for this particular game, but it's definitely of interest to me, and I will explore it more. The big benefit is it can be collaborative. Great Tip!!!

Anita - the 'gameboard' you set up is great! Thank you!

Team Caboose - we have a good sized group - 🥳

Theresa wrote: "Anita - the 'gameboard' you set up is great! Thank you!

Team Caboose - we have a good sized group - 🥳"

Thanks for chiming in with your thoughts. Appreciated!! We may even have a volunteer to handle it, but I'll do what I can even without a volunteer. I wish we could collaborate on a single post.

Anita wrote: "Theresa wrote: "Anita - the 'gameboard' you set up is great! Thank you!

Team Caboose - we have a good sized group - 🥳"

Thanks for chiming in with your thoughts. Appreciated!! We may even have a v..."

I'd be happy to help with it, Anita! I just don't know if it has to include all requested rolls or only those with books read.

This challenge is way more work for the Mod than either of the ones from last year. I salute you but am glad I'm not the one trying to manage it!

Diana H. wrote: "Anita wrote: "Theresa wrote: "Anita - the 'gameboard' you set up is great! Thank you!

Team Caboose - we have a good sized group - 🥳"

Thanks for chiming in with your thoughts. Appreciated!! We may..."

So awesome of you to offer to pitch in, but we have a great volunteer who has stepped up. I'm delighted!! And grateful. But it is super kind of you to offer.

Robin P wrote: "This challenge is way more work for the Mod than either of the ones from last year. I salute you but am glad I'm not the one trying to manage it!"

It's definitely active! Thank you!!

Thanks for setting it up!

If my skill were up to date, I would volunteer to create a spreadsheet and put it on google docs, so each of us ( or anyone) could do the updates. This would take the burden off Anita.

This is what I envision:
The 100 Positions on the y axis (100 rows)
On the x axis, each persons name might have 2-4 columns for check marks or the date.
*Landed (the dice brought them to the spot)
*Halfway (requested next roll)
Read
*Reviewed

I have more ideas if anyone can set it up.
I can volunteer to help with updates periodically, based on the roll reports, and reviews. * this data can be seen by any of us, so it’s not necessary for each person to know how to do it. We’d have to think about how to account for special roll cases.

NancyJ wrote: "If my skill were up to date, I would volunteer to create a spreadsheet and put it on google docs, so people could update their own positions. (Or friends or volunteers would update them based on th..."

Unfortunately, while I like the idea of everyone updating their own positions, I don't think it's going to work. People who aren't spreadsheet savvy can easily undo a ton of work, and it will be tough to re-create.

Fortunately, we have a great volunteer in Joanne, and I'm delighted to have her assisting me.

I do have a spreadsheet in the background where I'm recording rolls, things earned, participation points used, etc.

Anita wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "If my skill were up to date, I would volunteer to create a spreadsheet and put it on google docs, so people could update their own positions. (Or friends or volunteers would update t..."

Yep. We have one in another group, and many cells are locked, but I agree it could get hairy if people make mistakes.

Cheers to JoAnne as Anita's volunteer assistant! She has mad spreadsheet skills that we all saw in Poll Tally.

Anita - you have a fabulous assistant here!

Theresa wrote: "Cheers to JoAnne as Anita's volunteer assistant! She has mad spreadsheet skills that we all saw in Poll Tally.

Anita - you have a fabulous assistant here!"

I am super lucky, happy, and grateful for her help!!

Anita wrote: "Theresa wrote: "Cheers to JoAnne as Anita's volunteer assistant! She has mad spreadsheet skills that we all saw in Poll Tally.

Anita - you have a fabulous assistant here!"

I am super lucky, happ..."

We are ALL lucky to have her here!

Anita wrote: "Fortunately, we have a great volunteer in Joanne, and I'm delighted to have her assisting me."

You're certainly right there, Anita. Joanne is a whiz at spreadsheets and tallies. She'll be a great asset to you for this game!

Woo hoo, Joanne! chiming in on her FAB spreadsheet skillz ;)

LoL-ain't much gals, sorry to disappoint, but you are all lovely to say thanks

Hi, I just wanted to mention there are shelves set up for each of our year-long games/challenges, so I invite everyone to add their books.

I am usually happy to do so, but with the way the threads are set up (with people simply editing their initial post), it's very tricky for me to do so - for both games this year.

I may or may not make an attempt at the end of the year, but I don't think there's an easy way for me to do it periodically throughout the year.

(It does also help when I notice - in the title of your review thread in the regular folders - an indication that your book was read for one of the games. I do add those.)

If anyone wants to know how to add their books to our group bookshelf, just let me know (or post here and I can provide step-by-step instructions.

The shelves are the titles of the challenges: happy-15th-birthday-pbt and subdue-the-shelf.

For those who want to give it a try, thank you for your help with this!

Answering /AJ, for Anita-yes request a roll and Anita will get you on the board for today.

That would be a question for Anita-However, I think you would be able to keep going, without the benefit of changing your official score from your first go. Again though, that is a Mod decision.

AJ wrote: "Thanks Joanne

I also have another question, should we happen to finish the board pretty quickly would we be allowed to either "keep going around" (so to speak) or would we perhaps be allowed to do..."

Lol, I haven't quite decided what we will do when the first finishers complete their board, but it seems popular so I think we will find some way to continue. I am open to suggestions!

I plan to keep going. If it's unofficial, I can just do my own rolls so Anita doesn't have to do additional work.

A monopoly based reading challenge I did last year in another group had the game do 20 rounds or something like that before it ended. The rewards were all emojis you collected, each round increasing the number and type you did, but it wasreally cool to just keep going. I read a lot from my TBR for that game.

And Autodidacts in the History Walk last year did a voluntary 3rd round sticking to the rules just not reporting it officially. It was a really fun round - it sort of felt like we had really figured it out by end of second round, and we just took off and flew through time in third. We also did short reads comparec to many groups. Don't think we even tried to win most pages.

I think having some kind of additional rounds would be cool. The cabanna boys and the caboose are available all year.

Welcome back, AJ! I have assumed tbe honeymoon was never ending...no time to read 😘

Sending hugs and love to you, your sister and family. That has to be so difficult. I send hope and positive healing energy ger way and trust she can strengthen and heal every day.

As you say, on the plus side, you are happy in your life and congratulations on on getting that degree! It is a real milestone.

You do know you are always a member here and you have been missed!

Books can serve many purposes when going through difficult stressful times, not just an escape. Keeping reading in your life even if one book a year as you say is good. Though you really don'thave to give up the lazy watching tv. I have those bouts often enough.

One suggestion - have you thought of reading to your sister when she is bedridden? Even if just a few pages now and then? Something to consider...and it keeps you reading too.

Happy to hear, AJ, that your married life is lovely. Sad to hear about your sister and send you prays and hugs. As Theresa said, you are always welcome here, even only to just chat

Sending healing thoughts and prayers to your sister, AJ. And you are always welcome HERE ... we're your "family" too!

Sorry to hear you have been through such a scary time, AJ. I understand about the reading. I don't know if you like audiobooks at all but they are sometimes easier to take in, especially if it's something lightweight as a distraction. My husband and I did both read to our daughter the last few months. She would usually fall asleep which was fine. We read things that were upbeat or quirky, essays or articles. Nothing serious or complicated.

AJ, so sad to read about your sister. Sending healing thoughts her way.

We have missed you here at PBT. Glad to see you back and keep us updated.

AJ I'm so sorry to hear about your sister. So many terrible things related to covid have happened to so many innocent people. I hope she recovers but I'm positive your love and support are very integral to her future and her recovery.

Oh, AJ. I hope your sister will still recover fully. Or at least, I hope things get easier for her soon.

AJ - sending love for your sisters healing. Welcome back.

Oliver/Lynda - glad you came through the cataract surgery so brilliantly.

Is there a place to view the Spreadsheet? Where would I find this thing? Off to de-highlight. I got a lesson "got schooled" in the art of de-highlingting. One at a time, baby!

Amy wrote: "AJ - sending love for your sisters healing. Welcome back.

Oliver/Lynda - glad you came through the cataract surgery so brilliantly.

Is there a place to view the Spreadsheet? Where would I find t..."

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

I found it - its Message 45 on the Subdue Tracking Thread! Anita just schooled me too! One bold at a time! Seems I am not alone. Kind of middle of the pack. The Baggage Car has some pretty good friends around. Eventually the Caboose Range will catch up with me.

Oh and BnB just posted the real thing! Gotta check this out.

Oh - thanks for pointing this out Amy - I'm heading over to unbold my first book.

Booknblues wrote: "..."

Thanks for that link! And thank you to whoever (Joanne?) added me in. :-) Even though I'm not really competing. It's nice to be able to see where I fall.

Anita wrote: "Lol, I haven't quite decided what we will do when the first finishers complete their board, but it seems popular so I think we will find some way to continue. I am open to suggestions!"

Start a new thread for roll requests for those who are keen to continue around the board? Keep all the original rules of play etc. Happy to look after this thread & rolls, if you like :)

Tien wrote: "Anita wrote: "Lol, I haven't quite decided what we will do when the first finishers complete their board, but it seems popular so I think we will find some way to continue. I am open to suggestions..."

That's a super sweet offer, Tien!!!! Thank you!!

We will definitely do something, and I appreciate you chiming in and kindly offering to assist.

It will be in fantastic hands with Tien too.

Just to let you know. Rumor has it she knows a bit about setting up and running challenges. Some in PBT may have run into her work elsewhere.