Subscribe to download
BiOS: ORIGINS 2E (Ascetic Mod)

Game Created, Owned, and Published by Ion Game Design/Sierra Madre Games

---

Unofficial Minimalist TTS Mod with limited scripting
The original asset art belongs to game creators; most models, assets, art were imported from Bios: Origins 2nd Edition (Official Scripted) by SamuelW.

---

This unofficial version replicates the physical 2nd edition in scaling and appearance. There is little automation or scripting in this version as a deliberate style choice -- only a few elements are scripted to help with TTS quirks. Components are organized in a minimal and as straightforward way as possible.

This version also contains the custom map hexes and the current printed physical version cards + officially released errata up to this date (Sep 2021). (Note: Errata is pending release and update ~Oct-Nov 21).

Bios: Origins is the third game in the Bios trilogy. The action starts much earlier than most Civilization games: 200,000 years ago or even earlier. One to four players represent the human subspecies extant at that time: Sapiens, Neanderthal, Denisovans, & Hobbits. Take them on an adventure to enlarge your brain, acquire language, discover new worlds, domesticate strange beasts (such as riding war kangaroos or mammoths), discover the wonders and terrors of religion, dive for pearls, challenge the gods, enslave rival hominins, and perhaps enter the Enlightenment. Although wars of conquest and religion are possible, most of the fighting will be internal. You have only limited control of over your ruling class, and if your priests are in control and do a poor job, they will get killed and usurped by merchants or warlords.

Win by specializing as cultural, political, or industrial civilization. This means, unlike most civilization games, that a cult figure on a mountaintop in New Zealand can win over an Emperor that has swept the globe with his armies.

The game integrates with Bios:Genesis and Bios:Megafauna, so that you can start as a variety of intelligent but not-quite lingual marine or terrestrial creatures. Two maps and 26 hex chits are included, to accommodate variable landforms and cratons on habitable Earth, Mars, or Venus. Solitaire and cooperative variants are included.
The materials in this mod represent the 2nd edition format.

Optionally, the results from Bios: Megafauna, the previous game in the Bios series, can be carried over into this one.

You can use the BiOS:Earth scripted sheets to help carry over game progress. These are not included by default in this mod (get it from my Genesis or Bios:Earth mod), but the sheets are fully compatible with this mod.

This version exists separate from the official version and others as a minimal format that focuses on the physical game components. With an overall lack of scripts, buttons, and bags, the components all resemble the process of playing the game in the physical world. The room setting consists of playing in the beginnings of an ancient structure.

Some SMG/Ion games have had some troubled history with errata. There were issues with initial print runs of this game with some inaccuracies on some cards. An errata update pack began to be sent out, but this, too, had some errors. Ion's official stance on the current Origins errata is as follows:
1) Digital card copies of acknowledged errata were posted online (now no longer on Ion's site). This included some changes to mostly foundation cards.
2) Bios Errata pack will be provided in late 2021 that should clarify/replace some erroneous cards.

The official Origins mod has a digital deck and a physical deck for foundations, There are some discrepancies between these decks and physical + errata cards.

As for cards contained in this mod:
1) I ensured all cards match the physical printed versions for a 2021 printed copy.
2) I then used the official errata files that were published online to modify/'correct' the physical copy cards.

As for whether this is accurate to design intention, I'm uncertain, but this does reflect the current public, officially acknowledged errata situation.

This version contains the custom hex tiles required for a custom world variant setup.

As a deliberate style choice, this version has very little scripting. Scripts do exist for initial setup of factions (so player colors are not locked into the same turn order) and for card layout in each players' tableau since some cards are supposed to splay under a placard. No setup scripts exist; refer to Samuelw's mod if you want more scripting conveniences.


Game can be purchased from Ion's store[ionsmg.com].

I own nothing related to this mod. This is a simple re-organization of existing assets. I am not affiliated with Ion Games Design in any form. The credit for the bulk of the work belongs to those below:

GAME MAKER:
Ion Game Design & Sierra Madre Games
Game Design: Phil Eklund / Sierra Madre Games
Many others have contributed; refer to game's documentations for full credits.

TTS OFFICIAL MOD
Samuel Williams
Designer of many TTS mods to include many TTS official versions of SMG/Ion games.

ROOM/PROP MODELS
Various models from TTS mods on workshop; I apologize that I forget to take notes on who made these models. I did no modeling for this mod.