SETI: Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence

To set up SETI, first place the main game board, which features a rotating solar system, in the center of your play area. Each player receives a player board, starting resources (money, energy, data), and a hand of cards. Place the Sun token in the central slot of the solar system, and each player places their probe token on Earth. Shuffle the various decks of cards (project cards, mission cards, technology cards) and place them in their designated spots on the board. Distribute the data tokens, influence markers, and other game components within easy reach of all players. Ensure the round tracker and starting player token are also in place.

The primary objective in SETI is to accumulate the most prestige points by the end of the game. You achieve this by successfully launching probes to explore the solar system, landing on planets and moons, scanning for alien signals, analyzing the data collected, and researching advanced technologies. Discovering alien civilizations and completing missions will be key sources of prestige, as will strategically building your agency's capabilities and influence.

A player's turn consists of performing one main action and any number of free actions. Main actions include: playing a card from your hand by paying its cost and resolving its effect; launching a probe from Earth; orbiting a planet or moon; landing on a celestial body; scanning for signals based on your technologies; analyzing data to convert it into research; or researching a new technology by paying its cost. Free actions, which can be performed multiple times, include placing data into your computer, completing a mission, discarding a card for its free-action corner effect, buying movement for your probe, buying a card from the display or deck, and exchanging resources at a 2:1 ratio.

Prestige points are primarily earned during gameplay. You gain points for successfully discovering alien civilizations, completing mission cards, and being the first to reach certain milestones on the research tracks. At the end of the game, additional prestige points are awarded for specific conditions based on the end-game scoring cards you have acquired and the technologies you have researched. The player who has accumulated the highest total prestige points from all sources is declared the winner.

The game of SETI is played over five rounds. Each round continues until all players have chosen to pass. Once all players have passed, the round ends, and players collect income based on their player board's income track. The starting player token then moves to the next player, and a new round begins. After the fifth round is completed, final scoring takes place, and the player with the most prestige points wins the game. The game features a dynamic solar system that rotates, affecting probe movement and data collection opportunities.