Qwen 3 Invented a Mars Scavenger Board Game

We asked Qwen 3, one of the most advanced AIs available, to do what only true board game designers dare attempt:

AI Invented Board Game

Invent a completely original tabletop game from scratch.

The result?
A gritty, chaotic, strategy-packed survival experience set on a collapsing Martian colony full of rogue AI, acidic lakes, drone wars, and cutthroat bartering.

Promt For AI Board Game ♟️

👉 [Invent a complete and original board game from scratch, as if you were a professional game designer. Include a name, theme or setting (sci-fi, fantasy, absurd, educational, etc.), the objective of the game, and the full set of core rules. Explain how a typical turn works, how players win, and what kind of decisions they must make. Describe the main components (board layout, cards, tokens, dice, etc.), and how they interact. The game should be playable by 2 to 6 people, last between 30 and 90 minutes, and offer some mix of strategy, luck, and creativity. Make it imaginative, balanced, and compelling—something that could genuinely be published.]

🧵 Qwen 3 Complete Answer

What did the AI say?

Name: Void Martians: Salvage Tycoon
Theme: Sci-Fi/Industrial Absurdism
Setting: A terraforming colony on Mars in 2149, where rival scavengers race to salvage ancient alien tech buried beneath the surface while surviving corporate drones, rogue AI, and Martian wildlife. The tone blends gritty industrial decay with surreal Martian landscapes and dark humor.

Objective
Be the first player to accumulate 50 credits by salvaging alien artifacts, completing corporate contracts, and outmaneuvering rivals.

Core Components
Modular Hex Board: Represents Martian terrain (deserts, canyons, ruins, acid lakes). Boards connect randomly to form the playing field.
Salvager Meeples: 6 unique characters (e.g., “Wreck-Diver Lena,” “AI-Hunter Z3N”). Each has a special ability (e.g., +1 dig, bypass acid damage).
Tech Tiles: 30 alien artifacts with randomized powers (e.g., Gravity Lens , Oxygen Sponge ).
Contract Cards: Missions like “Deliver 3 Organic Samples to Sector B” or “Sabotage a Drone Hub.”
Resource Tokens: Oxygen, fuel, scrap metal.
Event Deck: Covers acid storms, terraformer malfunctions, and drone ambushes.
Action Dice: Six-sided dice with icons for digging, moving, trading, or fighting.
Player Boards: Track oxygen levels, cargo hold (max 5 items), and credits.
Setup
Assemble the board randomly. Place tech tiles face-down on ruin hexes.
Shuffle contract cards and deal 2 to each player. Keep 1 secret goal.
Each player starts with 3 oxygen, 2 fuel, and 1 scrap.
Turn Structure
Players take turns in clockwise order. A turn has 3 phases :

1. Deploy Action Dice
Roll 3 dice. Assign each die to one action :

Move: Spend fuel to traverse hexes. Acid lakes damage oxygen.
Dig: On a ruin hex, spend 1 oxygen to reveal a tech tile or buried scrap.
Trade: Sell salvage to corporate hubs (convert to credits) or barter with rivals.
Sabotage: Use scrap to trigger traps on opponents (e.g., drain oxygen).
Fight: Roll dice to battle drones or raid rivals. Winner steals cargo.
2. Resolve Events
Draw an event card if entering a new hex or at the end of every round. Examples:

“Corporate Dropship” : New drones spawn to guard ruins.
“Oxygen Leak” : All players lose 1 oxygen unless repaired with scrap.
3. Survive
If oxygen = 0, lose 2 credits and reset to 1 oxygen.

Winning the Game
Primary: Reach 50 credits.
Secondary: If the tech tile pile depletes, the richest scavenger wins.
Key Decisions & Strategy
Risk vs. Reward: Digging in ruins risks awakening Martian predators.
Contracts: Prioritize high-credit goals but balance travel costs.
Tech Synergy: Equip artifacts like Heat Shield (ignore acid) or Drone Hacker (disable rivals’ bots).
Bluffing: Trade worthless debris to rivals or hoard scrap for surprise sabotage.
Creativity & Luck Elements
Creative Tactics: Use terrain (e.g., lure drones into acid lakes).
Tech Tiles: Randomly powerful (e.g., Quantum Pocket lets you steal a die re-roll).
Chaotic Events: Adapt to shifting threats like terraformer beams altering the board.
Balance Highlights
Handicap: Trailing players gain free scrap per contract completed.
AI Drones: Neutral threat that escalates as tech is looted, forcing conflict.
Variable Player Powers: Each salvager’s ability opens unique strategies (e.g., Z3N can chain hacks for free digs).
Playtime & Scaling
2–4 Players: Competitive free-for-all.
5–6 Players: Teams recommended.
Games last ~60 minutes. Expansions could add Martian monsters or terraformer alliances.
Void Martians blends tense resource management, chaotic Martian physics, and cutthroat bartering—a love letter to both Terraforming Mars and King of Tokyo , with a dash of Firefly whimsy. Now get digging, before the acid storms—and your rivals—eat your oxygen. 🚀⛏️

AI Invented a Mars Scavenger Board Game

🧪 Name: Void Martians: Salvage Tycoon

  • Theme: Sci-Fi / Industrial Absurdism
  • Setting: Mars, year 2149. Terraforming is failing. Tech relics are buried.
  • Rival scavengers race to survive — while backstabbing each other for profit.

🧠 “Like Terraforming Mars had a love child with Mad Max and gave it a rusted oxygen tank.”

🎯 Objective

Be the first to collect 50 credits by salvaging ancient alien tech, completing shady corporate contracts, and sabotaging your rivals.

🧩 Core Components

  • Modular Hex Board: Builds a unique Martian terrain every game
  • Salvager Meeples: 6 unique characters with asymmetric powers
  • Tech Tiles: 30 mysterious alien items (e.g., Gravity Lens, Oxygen Sponge)
  • Contract Cards: Missions like “Deliver spores” or “Sabotage a drone hub”
  • Resource Tokens: Oxygen, fuel, scrap metal
  • Event Deck: Random hazards—acid storms, AI uprisings, air leaks
  • Action Dice: Roll for move, dig, trade, sabotage, or fight
  • Player Boards: Track oxygen, cargo capacity, and credits

🌀 Setup

  • Hex map assembled randomly
  • Tech tiles placed face-down on ruins
  • Each player gets 2 contract cards (choose 1), and a secret goal
  • Start with 3 oxygen, 2 fuel, 1 scrap metal

🔁 How a Turn Works (3 Phases)

  1. Deploy Action Dice 🎲
    • Roll 3 dice → Assign to actions:
      • Move (costs fuel, acid hexes hurt)
      • Dig (reveal tech or scrap)
      • Trade (sell salvage or barter)
      • Sabotage (set traps with scrap)
      • Fight (battle drones or steal from rivals)
  2. Resolve Events ⚠️
    • If you move into a new hex or end the round, flip an event card:
      • “Oxygen Leak” → lose 1 O2
      • “Corporate Dropship” → new drones spawn
  3. Survival Check
    • Oxygen at 0? Lose 2 credits and reset to 1 oxygen

🏆 Winning

  • First to 50 credits wins
  • Or if tech tiles run out, the richest scavenger claims victory

🧠 Strategy Highlights

  • Risk vs. Reward: Ruins hide high-value tech… and Martian predators
  • Tech Combos: Equip artifacts like Drone Hacker or Heat Shield
  • Sabotage: Fake trades, oxygen traps, surprise raids
  • Contracts: High payout but require fuel and route planning
  • Bluffing: Sell junk to desperate players, hoard cards for a last-minute sprint

🎲 Balance & Replayability

  • Handicap System: Behind? You gain bonus scrap
  • Neutral Drones: Threat scale with player greed
  • Player Powers:
    • Wreck-Diver Lena: extra dig
    • Z3N the rogue AI: hack bonuses
    • Dust-Priest M0NK: immune to events

🧨 Chaos, Creativity, and Crunch

  • Random tech powers: Each game feels fresh
  • Chaotic event deck: Adapt or suffocate
  • Team Mode for 5–6 players: Adds diplomacy + betrayal
  • Expansions teased: Martian monsters, political alliances, and space cults

🎮 The Verdict

Void Martians: Salvage Tycoon is a love letter to every strategy nerd who ever wanted to fistfight a drone over scrap metal while dodging acid storms. It’s:

  • Part Eurogame
  • Part Madcap combat
  • And 100% space-capitalist chaos

Now get digging—before the next terraformer flare fries your last oxygen cell. 🚀⛏️