How to play
MooTTM,
MetaMooTTM, and UltiMooTTM each consist of 1008 difficult questions about the semantics, etymology, and
grammar of the English language.
MooT is the original and easiest version of the game, MetaMooT is harder, and UltiMooT is the most difficult of the three.
Each game also contains one 12-sided die and a crib-board-like score-keeping board. Because each question demands
prolonged thought and discussion, the game should be played in teams with
team-mates who like to talk.
The following describes the two ways
that it can be played.
A. Collectivist Version (fewer than 4 players)
1. Everyone is on the same
team -- i.e., the collective. Place the red marker on the square
labeled RED and the blue marker on BLUE. Using the red marker, the
collective plays the left side of the board up to 30 and blue plays
the right.
2. A member of the collective
rolls the die and selects a question that matches the number rolled
(see Card Values below).
3. Without looking at the
answer, the member reads the question out loud. For example:
It perhaps derives from the German "pochen", to brag as a bluff. What game's name is it?
(The answer is poker)
4. All members now discuss it until an answer is agreed upon.
5. If the answer is correct,
move the red marker forward the amount shown on the die. If the
answer is incorrect, move the blue marker forward the same
amount.
6. Repeat steps 2 to 5 until
one of the markers has gone completely around and off its section of
the board -- i.e., past 30.
If the red marker finishes first, the
c ollective wins.
B. Corporate Version (4 or more players)
1. Divide the players into
two teams. Place the red marker on the square labeled RED and the
blue marker on BLUE.
Red plays the left side of the board up to 30
and blue plays the right.
The team that goes first plays red, the
other team plays blue.
2. The red team rolls the
die; a member of the blue team then selects a question that matches
the roll -- see Card Values below -- and, without looking at
the answer, reads the question aloud.
3. The red team discusses the
question and arrives at an answer, the player who rolled the die
having the final say.
4. If the blue team believes
that the red team is incorrect, they can challenge by saying "We're
challenging" and then submitting a different answer.
However, if they
either can't agree upon an answer or believe that the red team is
correct, they can waive the challenge.
Note
that the only time teams lose points is if they challenge and are incorrect.
5. A player now reads the
answer out loud. If the red team is correct, they move their marker
forward the amount shown on the die; if incorrect, their marker is
not moved.
6. If the blue team
challenged and was correct, they get the points; if incorrect, they
lose the points. If they didn't challenge, their position remains the
same.
7. Repeat steps 2 to 6 with
the blue team rolling the die and the red team
challenging.
8. Repeat steps 2 to 7 until
one team wins by going completely around and off its section of the
board -- i.e., past 30 (or past 60 if you are playing two times around the board).
Card Values
red = a roll of 1 to 3
green = a roll of 4 to 6
yellow = a roll of 7 to 9
blue = a roll of 10 to 12
Playing Notes
1. If you don't like my rules, make up your own.
2. All interpretations are
based upon definitions found in the 9th edition of the Concise
Oxford Dictionary.
3. All etymologies are
derived from the Oxford English Dictionary, unless otherwise
cited.
4. The higher the roll, the
more difficult the question.
5. The best length for a game is twice around and then off the board -- i.e., the
first team to get more than 60 points wins.
Levels of Difficulty
If you find that your team is winning easily at Collectivist, you can
increase the level of difficulty by doubling the points given for
incorrect answers.
For example, if you roll a 4
and then get the question right, red moves 4, but if you are wrong,
blue moves 8.
If you are still easily beating the game, you can further
increase the difficulty by tripling (then quadrupling, etc.) the
points given for incorrect answers.
Time Limits
There are no time limits for
answering questions. However, as a rule of thumb, if the other
team is starting to get angry, your time is nearly up.
If you'd like a really great visual for keeping track of what colours match which die rolls,
click here to display the PDF file, then print it off.
All MooT, MetaMooT, and UltiMooT questions and rules are © Jon Steeves 2023. All rights reserved.