The Cones of Dunshire (game)

"Cones Of Dunshire" prototype

The Cones of Dunshire is a board game created by Ben Wyatt. It involves an elaborate series of rules and playable characters. It first appeared in "The Cones of Dunshire" (Season 6, Episode 9).

Creation

Ben creates the game during the time off he has between leaving his job at the Sweetums corporation and taking a new job at Tilton & Radomski Accounting, the firm that tried to hire him several times before. When Ben attempts to explain how the game is played to Leslie, he realizes how convoluted the rules are, which will likely make the game unpopular. He states his intention to throw the game in trash.

Later, Ben leaves the game as a parting gift for his friends at the accounting firm (because Ben has quit again), who find the complicated rules intriguing.

Expansion

The professionally-produced "Cones of Dunshire"

Later, Ben is surprised to discover that the entrepreneurs at Gryzzl are playing a professionally-produced version of his game. He announces that he is the person who invented it, and challenges the Gryzzl executives to a game. Ben wins, gains free Wi-Fi for the town of Pawnee, and is recognized as "The Architect".

At the After-party of the Unity Concert at Tom's Bistro, Ben is approached by Barney from the accounting firm. Barney announces that the accountants at Tilton & Radomski had patented the game in Ben's name, and provides Ben with the paperwork establishing him as the game's rightful creator and license-holder. Ben is pleased, as the profits from the game will help him and Leslie in raising their three children.  Out of gratitude, Ben agrees to come work at the accounting firm again, though he realizes almost immediately that he can't and withdraws the offer (disappointing Barney once again).

Game Play

The game is for 8-12 Players. Playable characters include:

2 Wizards
1 Maverick
1 Arbiter
2 Warriors (the game CAN be played with only one warrior, but it's not as good)
1 Corporal
1 Ledgerman (Basically the scorekeeper, gets to wear a hat)

Other characters include Shamans, Farmers, Alchemists, Abbotts, Brinksmen, etc.

The game is a combination of luck and strategy. The object is to accumulate cones. 4 cones wins. In order to get a cone, players must build a civilization.

Sequel

In the episode One Last Ride (Part One), it is revealed that Ben has created a sequel to the game in the year 2022. The new game is called The Cones of Dunshire, The Adventure Continues: The Winds of Tremorrah. The only known character from this version is The Lamplighter.

Gameplay Magazine described the rules for gameplay as "punishingly intricate". It was not stated if this was the first or only sequel to the original game.

Real Life

The game company Mayfair (producer of the popular table-top game "Settlers of Catan") was charged with creating the prop version of "Cones of Dunshire" for the show. They produced a game that was playable (though extremely complicated).

Though "Cones of Dunshire" is not mass-produced, a version of it was made available to play for attendees at GenCon in 2014, a gaming convention held in Indiana. Proceeds for the exclusive round of "Cones" were donated to charity.

Actors Adam Scott and Aziz Ansari recorded a special introductory message for the players in character as Ben and Tom.