RingRival

RingRival (subtitled Ring Harbour Salvage) is a turn-based tactical competition set on a ring-shaped spaceport. Four salvage workers spend twelve shifts racing to survey sealed cabins, collect cargo, and outscore their rivals. The harbour is a closed loop of twenty-four positions — every move changes not just your position, but the relative distances between all four workers.

The core tension is spatial: claim a good spot, but watch who moves it. A cabin that looks safe on your turn might be nudged, towed, or swapped away before you can salvage it. The game rewards both careful route planning and opportunistic disruption.

Before each game you assemble a crew of four from four distinct roles. You control between one and four workers directly; the rest follow automated behavior patterns based on their role and current board state.

• Surveyor. Scouts sealed cabins and claims the first survey bonus. Excels at early reconnaissance and route optimization.
• Tow Mechanic. Shifts cabins and nudges workers to shake up the board. The only role that can physically relocate cargo containers and alter the spatial landscape for everyone.
• Order Broker. Takes extra orders and turns route efficiency into profit. Focuses on completing delivery contracts for bonus points.
• Gear Buyer. Chooses between two supply options and finds the right gear for the job. Specializes in equipment acquisition and tool management.

The battlefield is a continuous ring of twenty-four numbered positions. Workers travel along ring segments in order, advancing their voyage step by step. Key locations include:

• Depot. Starting point and safe zone. Workers at the depot are protected from forced movement.
• Sealed Cabins. The primary scoring objective. Surveying a cabin reveals its contents — common components or rare cores — and awards first-visit points.
• Return Threshold. Completing a full circuit and returning to the depot triggers a return bonus, but requires twenty-four circuit progress and five cargo items or three completed orders.

Movement is constrained by gear and worker capabilities: basic moves cover 0–2 spaces, thrust tickets extend range up to 5 spaces (including ring-road boosts), and booster jets provide extra mobility. The ring topology means every move is simultaneously a forward advance and a change in relative position against every other worker.

Each worker carries a personal equipment deck of up to six cards, keeping five at turn end. Gear defines what a worker can do on their shift:

• Thrust Ticket. Move up to 5 spaces including ring-road boost. The basic mobility tool for rapid repositioning.
• Tow Line. Force an opponent within 6 spaces to move 1–4 spaces. Workers at the depot are protected. A direct disruption tool for sabotaging rival routes.
• Booster Jet. Move yourself an extra 1–2 spaces. Self-propelled mobility override for breaking through blockades.
• Cash Out. Convert held cargo into points. Timing matters — selling too early leaves potential value on the table; too late and a rival might steal the cargo first.

Equipment is gained through cabin rewards, shop purchases, and role-specific abilities. Managing hand composition across twelve shifts is as important as board positioning.

After all four workers complete Shift 12, total score is calculated from three sources:

• Banked points — earned from completed orders and first-visit surveys, permanently locked in.
• Final cargo value — remaining cargo in hold at game end. Ordinary components worth 1 point; Rare Cores worth 2.
• Return bonus — awarded for completing a full circuit and returning to depot with sufficient cargo and orders.

Sold cargo and cargo contributed to public jobs leave your hold permanently. The tension between banking early points and holding out for higher-value cargo is the central economic decision of every game.

The game features a fully bilingual interface (Chinese / English toggle) with contextual help panels. The Harbour Guide breaks rules into five sections — Goal, Turns & Movement, Cabins & Orders, Tricks & Teamwork, and Returns & Controls — ensuring players can learn the game without leaving the match.

An action log records every move with 58+ entry types, from basic movement and cabin reveals to teamwork agreements and equipment usage. This log serves as both a tutorial feedback loop and a replay system for post-game analysis.