Mary Gentle has written many books, one of which is Golden Witchbreed. This describes an alien post technological society (Orthe) whose social structures are mostly based on clans and the regions containing those clans.
Within that society the most popular game is called ochmir. Well, I say popular... as it is described, the game is so much a metaphor for the entire social framework of Orthe that it is intrinsic to being an Orthean to play ochmir. An appendix describes the game in almost, but not quite, sufficient detail to make a set. The three handed rules are particularly patchy.
One of my many longstanding projects is to:
- figure out some likely rules for ochmir
- write an interactive board which will allow the rules and piece proportions to be varied and explored
- write a computer opponent.
Someone I have corresponded with has made a board and reported that it is an interesting game to play.
I'm still really surprised that there is not more on the web about this game, though. Google comes up with merely a handful of references, and two of those are to passing references I've made myself -
I'll publish my notes first, though.
Posted by Dunx at January 10, 2003 01:27 PM