Hi to all StreetSoccer fans!

Coach, the stadium soccer game, is planned to release. The graphics artist progressed far. Field, scoreboard, clock, dug-outs, advertisement boards, yellow cards, stretcher, etc. almost finished. First complete teams too (Holland and Germany). Looks brilliant. An abstract looking prototype you see at:

http://picasaweb.google.com/101474624645229908922/HeidelbergerBurgevent2011?authkey=Gv1sRgCNyZwILmyr69Nw&feat=directlink#5622948262172957714

(In the corner is a sheet with a few of the player prints in real size. Board will be bigger than on the photo, ca. 60x40cm. Very big, with 2 folds, alike StreetSoccer board, to make it a nice flat field. So the box will be very long.)

The heart of Coach is the same as in StreetSoccer. Both games developped parallel over the past 30 years. Each year Coach changed. StreetSoccer too, but the release version in 2002 was good and only a few details changed after that. With Coach I think I now reached the same phase. It is fun for soccer fans, but suitable for the 'consumer market' too.

The main rules in Coach are the move/kick/pass rules same as in StreetSoccer. Last days at a gaming weekend a few newbies and children played this big game with only those main rules mainly and had lots of fun that way. But all the cool additional rules add to the fun/depth/dynamics of Coach.

Hereunder the main additions to the StreetSoccer game you know.

- 1. Bigger field:

13x10 instead of 10x6.

- 11 vs. 11 players: (as long as there are no red cards)

Divided in goalie, defenders, midfielders, forwards.

- Selection of 20 players:

2 goalies, 6 Def./Midf./Forw. Which is important for your line-up and if you substitute. (And you can miss disqualified/injured players in tournaments.)

- Substitutes:

You can bring in substitutes, they must warm-up first (except if a player gets injured).

- Interceptions: (This rule I must submit for the coolest game rule ever contest.) You can try to intercept passes in spaces were the ball passes your player (adjacent, not diagonally). Of course without much control (think of how it is in real soccer) over the direction and speed of the ball: the ball will move on with almost the same speed (number of remaining ball steps + 1) in the direction the intercepting player moves to. If the interception succeeds (1/3 chance), the opponent gets a move direct again. If it fails, your player still moves to the interception spot and you continue with a normal move. (Sounds easy, but leads to tricky choices!) (BTW: This rule doesn't work in StreetSoccer.) This rule adds lots of tactics and dynamic. Sometimes pinnball-situations occur, like in real soccer. Last weekend almost an own goal was scored (the goalie saved), while the interception try was the best choice for getting the lowest chance on a scored goal.

Of course this can lead to Corners, Throw ins and Goalie kicks.

- Moving to a passed ball:

A player who didn't move or kick the ball, can run 1 or 2 spaces towards the passed ball (if becoming your closest player to the ball). So that's like running to/after a pass, more team play, also makes the game more dynamical.

- Fouls:

A foul, followed by free (or penalty) kick, yellow card (on player), injury (tape on player) can occur. As coach you don't control your players always … You can provoke fouls. :)

- Shoulder-push: (is that the English term?)

Alike a foul, but with a 1 on your dice. (Not a foul because it's not a fast attack.) Then you push the opponant at the ball 1 space aside.

- Goalie rules:

Different to StreetSoccer, the goalie may use his hands. Chances for saves (the 4-sided dice on the photo) depend on the speed of the shot on goal and the distanse for diving.

- Tournament rules:

Yellow/red cards, injuries and more.

- It's the year 2020:

If shortcuts are made in the rules (for making it a fun boardgame instead of a 1-on-1-simulation) that are the soccer rules in 2020.

All is set up for the release. But I need your help. If you still read here, then I'm talking to you. :)

What I need help for:

Rulebook:

The rules are logical, if you like soccer it's easy and cool to learn. But this simulation makes the rulebook longer than in any of my former games. I made a rulebook, but work at the examples now and want to split texts by color codes in “Mandatory texts before the first game” (like the run/kick/pass rules), “Read when it occurs” (like what to do if the ball rolls over the sideline) and “Optionally leaving out” (like fouls if people learn the game in a first match (let's call the version without fouls women soccer)).

To make the release superb, it needs much proofreading.

Which isn't easy if you didn't play the game. The solution: Ale in Italy made a computer version of the game which works like playing it on a table. You need to download a program in which you can play it online with an other online player as if you sit at the same table. So you see what the other player moves by his mouse. Random dice are in the program. Players get centered to the middle of spaces and you can show the path players and ball moved. But it is not like SS here! You can only play when one knows the rules, like playing on a table instead of computer. It works well for learning the game. A few bugs must get solved (players with card or injury disappeared in last version, and substitutes were not clear), but we can use that well. Downloading and starting the program+module is a bit inconvenient for a 'medium-computer-user' like me. If you think you are more 'digibetic' than me, then it may be a problem to start up a match.

Translations:

Most translators I worked with in the past, don't like soccer, or hate it. The soccer terms, chapter heads etc. should look cool for soccer fans. And translating will be hard to do good if you didn't play the game. So … I hope StreetSoccer fans will do the translations. Languages as in 'all' Cwali-games: UK-DE-FR-NL. (Again, playing the online version will help. BTW: That is a non-publish version, just for helping for the boardgame release.)

Booth:

I hope you can help me with learning others this game. In the Essen-fair-booth where it will get released. For StreetSoccer in 2002 I had 1 table in the (smaller) Essen-booth. The explainers that year mostly hate soccer inclusive that game. And I couldn't spend much time on explaining too (I must do other things in the booth most of the time). StreetSoccer got the lowest ratings in polls I ever had with my games, sales were low.

Coach can take 30 minutes if both players know the game well. But for newbies the first game will take an hour. And the explainer will get lots of questions. It's not a game you explain before the start and then go to an other table to explain there. What we will do is “learning by doing”. People will start by rolling the dice at the start of a turn in a game situation during a match. During the moves you explain the rules. That way people should get the feeling of the game. Complete match is okay once they got the rules or prepared by reading before the fair.

So if you are StreetSoccer fan and you look like the explain-girls in the Amigo-booth, then let me know.

Sponsors:

There are advertisement boards around the field. If you want your company name/logo or whatever as sponsor on the coolest game ever, then you can by spending EUR 100,- as sponsor. Those boards are 10mm high, and say 5cm long per sponsor (depends a bit on space and what looks nice). Small, but also cool and funny. As sponsor you get the game, signed with thank-word (if I must send it, it's EUR 100,- excl. delivery costs). If you don't have a company, you could do your favorite charity fund, or the sports club where you play, or a fictive company. It's 2020, so who knows what are normal sponsor names by that time! I see that Cwali is famous in 2020, Powerboats too.

Send me a message when you want to help.

Thanks in advance.

Corne

Hi Corne,

yes i will help on any rules translations and proofreadings for English version.

Having Playtested and played Coach at home for the last few years, I can say that this game will make alot of us streetsoccer fans here very very happy…

I only wish I could attend ESSEN, but,just cant this year. Im sure there will be players who'll step up and pitch in for the Fair.

gl

jimo

First pictures of *Champions 2020*, under construction, with explainations, you can see at http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/102159/champions-2020 .