Constellation
One player charts a hidden pattern among the stars and gives a single clue. Can the rest of the group divine its shape? A cooperative guessing game of cosmic intuition.
What is Constellation?
Constellation is a cooperative guessing game set among the stars. Each round, one player — the Lead Astronomer — secretly selects stars on a shared night sky to form a constellation that represents a word. They then give the group a single one-word clue, and everyone else has five minutes to figure out which stars form the hidden pattern.
It's a game about communication through constraint. The Lead Astronomer can't point, explain, or give hints beyond their one clue. The rest of the group has to think creatively, discuss possibilities, and ultimately commit to their guesses before time runs out.
The Point of the Game
This is a cooperative game — everyone wins or loses together. The group earns points based on how accurately the apprentice astronomers can identify the hidden constellation. Over five rounds, you're trying to build the highest collective score possible.
Each player takes a turn as the Lead Astronomer, so everyone gets to both create constellations and guess them. The challenge is finding the perfect clue — specific enough to guide your team, vague enough to fit the star pattern you've drawn.
How It Works
- Configuration — The group chooses a difficulty level (easy, medium, or hard) and a language for the word pool. Higher difficulty means more stars and more traps on the board.
- Drawing the constellation — The Lead Astronomer sees a word and selects stars to form a shape that represents it. They then type a single clue (max 15 characters) to guide the group.
- Finding the constellation — The apprentice astronomers have 5 minutes to discuss and select the stars they think form the hidden constellation. They can see each other's selections in real time.
- Reveal — Stars are revealed one by one. Correct guesses earn points, wrong guesses lose points, and special stars (North Stars and Dark Stars) have bonus effects.
- Next round — A new Lead Astronomer is chosen. After five rounds, the group gets a final rating based on their total score.
Rules at a Glance
One Clue Only
The Lead Astronomer gets exactly one clue — a single word, up to 15 characters. No follow-up hints, no gestures, no "it kind of looks like..." Just one word to guide the group.
Special Stars
The star field contains regular stars, North Stars (+5 bonus if guessed correctly), and Dark Stars (-10 penalty if selected). Choosing carefully matters.
Five-Minute Timer
The guessing phase lasts five minutes. The group can discuss and adjust their selections freely during this time, but once the timer ends, whatever's selected is final.
Scoring
Correct constellation stars: +2 points. North Star bonus: +5 points. Wrong guess: -2 points. Dark Star: -10 points. Your round rating depends on the total.
Difficulty Levels
Easy has fewer stars and fewer traps. Hard has a larger star field with more Dark Stars scattered throughout. Choose based on your group's appetite for challenge.
Late Joining Welcome
Players can join a Constellation game in progress. They'll participate as apprentice astronomers from the current round onward — no need to wait for the next game.
Ready to read the stars with your group?
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