Carcassonne Central

This variant is completely untested and basically just off the top of my head so feel free to criticize harshly...

Each player gets one token that represents an upgrade to their Meeple. The token could only be played during the "Move the Wood" portion of the turn and you could not combine it with any other Move the Wood action. When upgrading, you would place the token next to/under any one of your Meeples already deployed.

The effects of the upgrade depends on the Meeple it was attached to:

* Regular Meeple - it would give the Meeple +.5 to its strength when scoring (effectively letting that player win all ties when scoring)

* Large Meeple - same as regular Meeple

* Mayor - the Mayor gains +.5 to its strength when scoring. However, the strength of a Mayor in a completed city with no pennants still  remains zero.

* Builder - when the player is allowed to pull a second tile due to the Builder, the player may look at the second tile and, at the player's option, may return the tile to the draw pile/bag/tower and pull another. If the player choose to do this, he/she must use the replacement tile drawn (even if it is the same as the one replaced). Additionally, the player needs to show the tile being returned to the pool to all the players prior to replacement.

* Wagon - When the feature the wagon is on is scored, the player may move the wagon as normal or may move it to a feature on an adjacent (not diagonal) tile instead. The wagon still cannot be moved to a farm and the feature to which it is moved must still be incomplete and unoccupied.

* Pig - The meat from these pigs is unusually juicy and succulent (or for vegetarian players, the pig's manure is unusually fertile  :) ). When a farm containing this pig is scored, the player receives one point per every two completed cities (rounded down) that border the farm. This is true even if the player with the pig is not the owner of the farm.

* Barn - same as the pig. This is true even if the farm the barn is on contains multiple barns.

The tokens can only be used once per game.

This idea has a lot of potential. I like the idea of the .5 upgrade strength. The Builder upgrade seems rather powerful, IMO, as is the Pig and Barn upgrades.

The first question that popped into my head (and the major flaw) you have answered at the very end, thankfully. The question was; 'what happens after you have used the token?'. I would definately say that it would be a one time use only token, which you have pointed out anyway :)

I had originally thought the Builder could provide a third tile but I thought that would be even more unbalanced. In my version, although you know what tile you are getting rid of, you still don't know what you will get. You could go out of the frying pan and into the fire.

As for the Pig and Barn, I wanted to come up with something a bit different than +1 point per city since the pig and the pig farm tile do that anyway. I didn't want to let the Pig be a factor in determining the strength because I felt that would stray too far from the rules. Additionally, I thought giving +.5 to the strength of the Barn would be too overpowering.

Perhaps the Pig and Barn could be lowered to +1 point per every four cities?

Here's a crazy idea: An upgraded pig or barn provides a second tile when the farm they are on is extended.

Might be too powerful for the barn, but seems reasonable for the pig. Maybe have the barn only give an extra tile if you can make it obsolete a farmer?

I have no insight on the builder upgrade, though.

Actually, now I look at it, perhaps the Pig and Barn scoring is not that bad after all :)

I know many folks do not like expansions that are "confrontational" but you could also combine this with a variant to downgrade your opponent's meeples.

* Regular Meeple - it would give the Meeple -.5 to its strength when scoring (effectively letting that player lose all ties when scoring)

* Large Meeple - same as regular Meeple

* Mayor - the Mayor loses .5 to its strength when scoring. However, the strength of a Mayor in a completed city with no pennants still  remains zero.

* Builder - when the Builder's owner is allowed to pull a second tile due to the Builder, the opposing player who played the token to downgrade the Builder may look at the second tile and, at that player's option, may return the tile to the draw pile/bag/tower and force the Builder's owner to pull another. If the player choose to do this, the Builder's owner must use the replacement tile drawn (even if it is the same as the one replaced). Additionally, the player needs to show the tile being returned to the pool to all the players prior to replacement.

* Wagon - When the feature the wagon is on is scored, the Wagon's owner must return the wagon to their pool (the wagon got stuck in a rut or lost it's wheel).

* Pig - The meat from these pigs is unusually nasty and dry (or for vegetarian players, the pig's manure is unusually unfertile). When a farm containing this pig is scored, the player deducts one point per every two completed cities (rounded down) that border the farm. This is true even if the player with the pig is not the owner of the farm.

* Barn - same as the pig. This is true even if the farm the barn is on contains multiple barns.

Hmm.... is there a new token for this variant?  If there's a new token, this will be termed an expansion in my book (instead of a variant)

I've added it to the List of expansions/variants in Development as an expansion, but I can always change that.

I like this expansion and making it work on an opponent's meeple might be good as well.

Yes, there would be a need for a token for this expansion (or two tokens if you are including the "downgrades" to an opponent's tokens). My graphics skills are minimal at best so if I was playing this at home, I would just use mini poker chips to indicate upgrades/downgrades.

Why not simply using wooden tokens in the player-colors like this one:

(http://bedi-spielematerial.eu/images/product_images/popup_images/103_0.JPG)

When placed under a meeple of the same color it's an upgrade, when placed under a meeple of a different color it's a downgrade. You wouldn't want to upgrade another player's meeple, right?

I think this is a good idea and the disc is probably the easiest way to go if not the best.  Another option that might be little more tricky would be to make a small token like a trade good token or one of the Catapult tokens to put under the follower.  Perhaps with a muscular flexing arm.

What if the builder's power is this:
If two builders are in the same city/road and one of them gets upgraded, the other builder is kicked out of the city/road. No builder may be added to a city/road that already has an upgraded builder on it.

Thoughts?

That seems reasonable to me.

What happens if two different players use the downgrade token on the same Follower and it's the only follower in that feature?  Would it still score posts with a stength of 0?

Can you just pick a meeple to upgrade at random, or do you need to expand the feature where the meeple resides to upgrade him?

The player may choose any meeple to upgrade (or downgrade).  This actions takes the place of deploying a follower.

And for my question above (which I had forgotten about), I found the answer in the CAR.  Under Abbey and Mayor, if a mayor is in a city with no pennants, then the mayor is worth zero, therefore no one actually owns the city and no points may be awarded.  I'd imagine this would be the case for any follower that is worth zero.

Is this a variant or an expansion (since you have extra tokens to mark whose upgraded)?

Also, I see the tokens can only be used once per game but does it stay with the follower for the rest of the game or just until they are scored and returned to the player's supply at which point they are discarded?

Novelty did post a comment in this thread that it is an expansion, it looks like the topic never got moved though.

Here's an overview of what we have so far, the text in purple are my comments:

REGULAR & LARGE FOLLOWERS
+ Upgrade gets +.5 strength
- Downgrade gets -.5 strength
I like these.

BUILDER
+(1) May choose to redraw a tile when taking the additional turn.
I like this option best, I don't think that it's too powerful.
+(2) Opponents' builders are removed from the same feature as an upgraded builder.
I don't care for this option, I rarely ever see features that have more than one builder in them.
- Opponent may tell you to redraw a tile when taking an additional turn.
I like this option. Another option that I like is that a downgraded builder can place a 2nd tile, but not take a 2nd action, but it wouldn't match the upgrade very well.

PIG & BARN
+(1) Extra 1 point for every two completed cities on farm.
I'm not sure how much I like this option, but it might be alright considering your token will be there for the rest of the game.
+(2) May place an extra tile if you extend the farm.
This option seems a bit powerful as it is quite easy to add to a farm.  Perhaps it would be acceptable if you're not allowed to place a follower or take an action with that tile.
- Lose 1 point for every two completed cities on farm.
Again, I'm not sure how much I like this option.

MAYOR
+ Upgrade gets +.5 strength (still zero if no pennants)
- Downgrade gets -.5 strength (still zero if no pennants)
These seem fine, as they match the regular and large followers.

WAGON
+ May move as normal after completing its feature, or to an unoccupied and incomplete feature on an adjacent tile.
- Wagon is returned to your supply after completing its feature.
These options sound acceptable to me.

OTHER RULES
(1) Each player gets one upgrade token.
A downgrade token was never mentioned. My thought would be to paint wooden discs (as suggested by Laserschwert) and perhaps paint a white "X" on the back to signify the downgrade.
(2) Each token may only be used once in the game.
I would think that if you use rule 3 (below), then you could use the token as many times as you want. Otherwise it would suck if you used your token on your pig and the then the dragon comes along and eats your pig, then you just lost your one chance to do anything with your token.
(3) A token may be placed instead of deploying a follower (or other action).
It should probably be added that only one token may be placed on any one follower, pig, builder or barn.

Just throwing some more ideas into the kettle:

PIGS AND BARNS
Since I don't particularly like the upgrade/downgrade options for these, we could just say that these pieces can't be up/downgraded.

OTHER RULES
(4)If playing with the Princess & Dragon, an upgraded meeple is immune to the dragon while a downgraded meeple can't contain the fairy.
(5)The fairy can protect a meeple from being downgraded.
(6)Towers can not capture an upgraded meeple, but can capture a downgraded meeple that is 1 tile further away from the tower's current capturing area.
(7)Catapult can not affect an upgraded meeple, when using the Knock Out token, then the a downgraded meeple is removed the board if the token touches the tile that the meeple is on.
(8)Upgrading a follower on the Wheel of Fortune will double the points you get.  A downgrade will lose 3 points.

Any other thoughts or comments are welcome.

Coming back to this finish this expansion.  There is an overview posted by me above.  I haven't heard any replies, so if anyone has any comments they'd like to add, please do.  Here's what I'm thinking of using when I write up this expansion:

REGULAR & LARGE FOLLOWERS
+ Upgrade gets +.5 strength
- Downgrade gets -.5 strength

BUILDER
+ May choose to redraw a tile when taking the additional turn.
- Opponent may tell you to redraw a tile when taking an additional turn.

MAYOR
+ Upgrade gets +.5 strength (still zero if no pennants)
- Downgrade gets -.5 strength (still zero if no pennants)

WAGON
+ May move as normal after completing its feature, or to an unoccupied and incomplete feature on an adjacent tile.
- Wagon is returned to your supply after completing its feature.

PIG & BARN
These special figures can not be upgraded or downgraded.

OTHER RULES
(1) Each player gets one upgrade token in his color at the beginning of the game.
(2) If the follower that your token is placed under is removed from the board, then you may take your token back into your supply.(3) A token may be placed instead of deploying a follower (or other action).
(4)If playing with the Princess & Dragon, an upgraded meeple is immune to the dragon while a downgraded meeple can't contain the fairy.
(5)The fairy can protect a meeple from being downgraded.
(6)Towers can not capture an upgraded meeple, but can capture a downgraded meeple that is 1 tile further away from the tower's current capturing area.
(7)Catapult can not affect an upgraded meeple, when using the Knock Out token, then the a downgraded meeple is removed the board if the token touches the tile that the meeple is on.
(8)Upgrading a follower on the Wheel of Fortune will double the points you get.  A downgrade will lose 3 points.
(9)A follower may not have more than 1 upgrade or downgrade token under it.
(10)Upgrading a follower in a castle (from the Bridges, Castles and Bazaar expansion) or in the City of Carcassonne (the Count expansion) has no effect.

First of all, this does include a new piece (token), so that would make this an expansion.  So if someone could be as kind as to move it to the expansion forum, that would be great.

Secondly, I've written up the 1st draft.  I've made a additions that aren't mentioned above, as well as taken out other things that I mentioned.  It'd be nice to have some other opinions considering this is supposed to be a group expansion.  If no one thinks that there should be any changes or additions, then it's ready to be checked for spelling and grammar.

http://gwommy.tripod.com/carcassonne/MeepleUpgrade.pdf (http://gwommy.tripod.com/carcassonne/MeepleUpgrade.pdf)

Moved.  Finally.  Erm... which month's collaborative expansion was this for?

It's from January...

http://www.carcassonnecentral.com/forum/index.php?topic=1164.0 (http://www.carcassonnecentral.com/forum/index.php?topic=1164.0)

I found a couple of spelling mistakes you might want to correct.
Under section 2. Deploy a Follower:


And:

Mistake fixed. Thanks!

Anything else or should I prepare the final copy?

I'm just wondering if this expansion should be renamed Followers upgrade.  It seems rather weird to have meeple near the top of the rules document, but followers in the main body.

Huh...I never thought about changing the name.  I think I agree with you, Meeple Upgrade isn't really that great of a name.  But then again, I don't like the sound of Followers Upgrade either. 

What about "Job Enhancement", "Promotions", "Job Development", or "Advanced Workers"?  Cast your vote or come with a better name! =)

I like promotions

I'd agree - promotions & demotions sounds much better.

I've just had another read-through of the rules & have a question: under section 2. Deploy a follower it says:

What is meant by "or any other related action"? Does that mean that you may place a follower and then place a disc under a meeple instead of, for example, drawing another tile (when using the builder)?

If it is only supposed to be played instead of placing a meeple then perhaps this might be better:
  Instead of deploying a follower a player may choose to place their disc under a follower or special figure already in play.

Sorry I haven't been able to contribute.  I've been out of town for a while and am going to be away for the next 3 weeks again. 

Howabout Power Up as an expansion name? :p

Expansion name: Job Enhancement or Development, Promotions, Power up .....

Is Carcassonne not a Game of the Past?

Dragon, Duke, Sourcerer ... I never heard from a Knigth figthing with a Filofax or PC.

For the Medieval I think better use:

Rise & Fall or Favor & Disfavor

Good point, Markus, must investigate....

According to dictionary.com, the word, promotion, originated between 1400-1450.  That's period enough for me.  So "Promotions" sound good to me. 

I'm on vacation right now, so I'll update that when I get home next week.

This has been updated. I've created a new link to reflect the new name, Promotions!

http://gwommy.tripod.com/carcassonne/Promotions.pdf (http://gwommy.tripod.com/carcassonne/Promotions.pdf)

==EDIT==
So, unless anyone has anything else, this is ready to be uploaded to the server.

Gwommy, sorry but I just read this.

Does "A downgraded follower or special figure cannot contain the fairy." mean that the fairy cannot be upgraded or downgraded, or that the fairy cannot be on the same tile (or is it feature) with a downgraded follower?

That is worded awkward. It means you can't place the fairy on a follower that is downgraded.

When you get the time, could you clarify that in the rules?  Then I'll upload it to the public uploads page... when Gantry... if I'm able to.

I think the wagon downgrade explanation is incorrect.  It is the same as what you have listed for the upgrade.  I believe it was supposed to be that the wagon returns to the supply after scoring and loses its chance to move.  Maybe I missed a change on what the downgrade does but its not making sense to me as currently written.

Corrections have been made, same link as above.

BlueDogs.  Parked until Gantry fixes the server side things to enable upload...