Survivor Freedom

I waive all rights to this idea.  I would just like to see it implemented.  You are free to use any or all of the ideas without any obligation to me.  I would love to consult on it but that is not a condition.

Survivor – Freedom

  • Initially there are no teams.  Upon arrival each contestant is on their own.
  • Each is deployed to the playing area near sundown and far enough apart from each other that they are unlikely to find another during the night.  This necessitates a camera per player
  • When the sun rises, a conch shell or set of drums sounds at the central gathering place. Contestants are likely to be drawn to the sound.  The gathering sound is made until everyone arrives.  Those that do not arrive by a specified time  (long enough that they can easily get there, if they want to) are eliminated
  • When they arrive, they can join a team or start a new one.
  • There are two types of teams:
    • Social – These teams are made up of those that spend their time together during the non-challenge times – they share a camp and food.
    • Challenge – These are the people that compete together for reward or immunity
  • Social and Challenge teams are separate.  There can be an unlimited number of social teams.  The number of challenge teams varies based on the challenges.   When there is a prime number of players (3, 5, 7, 11, etc) then it is an individual challenge.  The idea is to make it  such that there is always an equal number of people on the teams and that everyone always participates in the challenges.
  • Teams are dynamic — meaning that each time a team forms, it might have different members.  Players can join or leave social teams as they please at each realignment.  Once they commit to a team, they are only obligated to stay on the team until the next realignment.
  • Realignments are common, perhaps every few days.
  • Challenge teams are formed just before each challenge.
  • During the team formation stage, any individual can start a team by claiming one of the scepters and moving to one of the leader stones.  Others can then move and associate next to that player and, thus, join the team; or, they can claim their own scepter and start their own team.   Challenge teams may be limited on how many can be on a team.  There are no limits on the number of people on a social team; it can be as few as one or as many as everyone.
  • Various scepters have different powers, dependent on the circumstance.  Some entitle the team to a larger quantity of food.  Another allows the leader of the team to block one person from joining their team.  Other entail advantages in the challenge, camp selection, etc.
  • Camps – Some camps have more food than others.  Some have better shelter. Some have a limit on the number of people who can be there.  Others have access to an expert.
  • Challenges – as there will often be multiple teams in challenges, there are also a range of possible rewards.  As a team completes the challenge, they are entitled to the next selection of the available rewards.  These might include:
    • Adding a person, of the winning team’s choice, to the next tribal council.
    • Send one of your team members to tribal council.
    • Send all of your team members to tribal council.
    • Send all but one of your team members to tribal council.
    • Attending tribal council as an observer with immunity.
    • Each member may individually claim the camp of their choice.
    • Chose the next type of challenge.
    • Designate one person to give a one night immunity to.
    • Extra food rations.
    • Saddlebags for members of another team in the next challenge.
    • The closure of a camp to anyone.
    • The removal of a scepter from play for the next realignment.
    • Secretly designate a camp as cursed – meaning (maybe they have to wait until last for picking a challenge reward next time, no matter in which place they finished; maybe a random member or two get sent to tribal council without immunity, even though their team wasn’t destined to have to go; maybe all other teams get a surprise reward that the cursed team won’t get to enjoy…)
    • Etc
  • There is a social tribe realignment after each tribal council.
  • Social teams – The leader of each team must select one person from their team to attend tribal council along with those determined by the Challenge team results.  Teams of one will designate themselves.
  • If there is ever one person at tribal, that person is eliminated.
  • Eliminated players ghosts might make two designations for each tribal council.   If there are 5 or fewer attendees to the next tribal council, they can designate any one person, of the group’s choice, to join the next tribal council.  If there are five or more attendees to the tribal council, they can give immunity to any one person attending tribal council.  That person leaves the council upon being spared.  Eliminated players make the decision as a group.  If there is not a consensus, then the group takes no action.
  • If there is ever a tie at tribal, then the eliminated players select the player that will join them.  If there is still a tie, all tied players join the eliminated.

Survivor Freedom gives players much more freedom to choose who to associate with.  It adds more strategy to the game.  Conflict is still very much a part of the game in the team selection process. The awards for challenges create conflict and eliminated players still play an active role in the game even though they are not eligible to win.