how to play on assignment with national geographic

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On Assignment with National Geographic (1990) Board Game

On Assignment with National Geographic is a board game released in 1990 that allows players to experience the thrill of being a National Geographic photographer on assignment. Designed by Alison Wilbur Eskildsen and Mary Elizabeth Molloy, the game incorporates educational elements and trivia based on the iconic magazine’s content. Players travel to various locations, collect photographs, and compete to create the best story for their assignment.

Game Components of On Assignment with National Geographic

• Assignment cards
• Photograph cards
• Story cards
• Player tokens

How To Setup On Assignment with National Geographic

• Place the game board in the center of the table.
• Shuffle the assignment cards and place them face down.
• Each player chooses a player token and places it on the starting space.
• Deal each player a photograph card.
• Roll the dice to determine the starting player.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Players take turns traveling to different locations on the board, collecting photographs, and completing assignments. The objective is to create the best story by combining the photographs and assignment cards in a creative way. Players must use deduction skills and knowledge of National Geographic content to succeed.

Player Experience

• Educational and informative gameplay
• Engaging trivia based on National Geographic content
• Encourages creativity and storytelling
• Appeals to fans of the magazine and travel enthusiasts
• Limited replay value for experienced players
• Components may feel dated compared to modern board games

Personal Thoughts on On Assignment with National Geographic

On Assignment with National Geographic offers a unique experience for players interested in exploration and photography. The game’s blend of educational content and deductive reasoning makes it a valuable tool for learning about different cultures and environments. While the game’s components may feel slightly outdated, its thematic appeal and engaging gameplay make it worth considering, especially for those who appreciate the National Geographic brand. Overall, On Assignment with National Geographic is a solid choice for families, educational settings, and anyone looking for a fun and informative board game experience.

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Michail, a seasoned tabletop enthusiast, dives headfirst into worlds of fantasy and strategy. Whether commanding a party of adventurers through perilous dungeons or engaging in tactical showdowns on the board, Michail is the maestro of the tabletop realm. Michail's gaming table is a realm where the clatter of dice and the shuffle of cards create a symphony of strategic chaos.

Hobby: Miniature painting guru, turning pewter into masterpieces Preferred Game: Dungeons & Dragons, but always up for a board game brawl

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On Assignment with National Geographic (1990)

Answer geography questions and fill portfolios with pictures from around the world.

Designer: Margaret McKelway

Artist: Alison Wilbur Eskildsen , Mary Elizabeth Molloy

Publisher: National Geographic Society

• How to Play
• Ratings & Comments
• Traveling to your assigned destinations on the Map Board
• Being the first to fill your portfolio with the 6 photo cards in your portfolio
• Getting rid of photo cards that don't fit your portfolio list, as they count against you at the end of the game
• Demonstrating your knowledge of geography by answering continent card questions for tokens
• Getting lucky breaks (drawing even chance cards)

This is basically an educational game of trivia about geography, which includes a great number of cards depicting nice NatGeo photos of every country around the world. The use of clues make it suitable for most ages. However, the clues are not easy and young children will struggle to answer the majority of the questions.

Classification

• Educational
• Environmental
• Exploration
• Open Drafting

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National Geographic Education Blog

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Geography Games Part 1: Board Games

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6 thoughts on “ Geography Games Part 1: Board Games ”

• Pingback: 11 Things We Learned This Week | Nat Geo Education Blog

“Geografacts” was a great game based on the “Trivial Pursuit” model.

Wow, I’ve never heard of On Assignment before, and I’ve been working at National Geographic for more than 4 years. Thanks for the comment, Sandy, glad you like the game! Sarah Jane

Around 1991 I purchased this now-outdated but really wonderful NatGeo game called On Assignment with National Geographic. In this game you are a photographer for National Geographic and you travel around the world. The board is a world map. There is a deck of cards with photos and the card you draw determines your assignment (if I remember correctly). You have to go to that location, take that picture, and add it to your portfolio. There is also a deck of geography questions. It’s recommended for ages 8 and up.

Great suggestion Catholicguaze. We were thinking of doing a post on creating entirely new games, but retrofitting well-known games is a great idea. I’ll see if I can get some of the interns to join me for a game of “Geography Chess.” Also, check out Chinese Chess, Xianqi, which has a bit of a city plan built. -Cedar

Chess can actually be a very geographical game. In Iraq a few people and myself modified the rules to create rivers and fords (block off a middle row and only allow to squares to be accessible). This forced strategic thinking on chock points. We also played a version of chess where there was an “oasis” (a square that one side had to control or start losing pieces due to the unit dying in the desert heat).

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On Assignment with National Geographic

By: National Geographic Society

Type: Boxed Game

Product Line: Board Games (National Geographic Society)

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About this item

• Become a National Geographic Photographer and Travel the World!
• Includes a full-color Map Board featuring the entire globe
• A strategy game that teaches geography
• For 2 to 4 players or teams ages 8 and up
• Game assignments are based on actual photographer experiences!

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On Assignment with National Geographic Board Game

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Description

• Become a National Geographic Photographer and Travel the World!
• Includes a full-color Map Board featuring the entire globe
• A strategy game that teaches geography
• For 2 to 4 players or teams ages 8 and up
• Game assignments are based on actual photographer experiences!

Welcome to the National Geographic! You have joined one of the most prestigious organizations in the world of photojournalism. You'll have opportunities to travel the globe, capturing its wonders on film. When you shoot a story for National Geographic, a knowledge of geography is almost as important as a camera, so you'll need to know more than most photographers about the places you cover. A skilled eye is necessary to get the right pictures for each story. You also may find yourself faced with some unusual challenges-- situations National Geographic photographers have actually experienced. The object of the game is to be the winning photographer by earning the most points. Game play involves traveling to your assigned destinations on the Map Board and earning Photo Cards for your Portfolio. You must demonstrate your knowledge of geography by answering Continent Card questions along the way. For 2 to 4 players or teams ages 8 and up.

• Number of Game Players: 2-4
• Assembly Required: No
• Batteries Required: No
• Batteries Included: No
• Remote Control Included: No
• Manufacturer recommended age: 8 years and up
• Manufacturer reference: 1
• Product dimensions: 45.72 x 27.94 x 5.08 cm; 3.63 Kilograms
• : 12 April 2018
• Brand: National Geographic
• Genre: Strategy
• Number of players: 2-4
• Minimum age recommendation: 96
• Item dimensions L x W x H: 45.7 x 27.9 x 5.1 centimetres

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National Geographic Photographer and Speaker

How does the national geographic assignment process work.

National Geographic magazine (NGM) assignments can take two or more years, span entire continents, and involve 40,000 or more images.

The story process is the method behind the chaos, charting the course from idea to printed page.

The first step in getting a story approved is doing a one-pager. It’s a single page straight-to-the-point write-up that (a) tells why a story is important, (b) explains what will make it unique, and (c) gives justification for National Geographic spending the resources to pursue the story at this point in time. Every pitch must meet those three criteria or it won’t even get out of the gate.

I generate some of my own story ideas (stories I pitched on amphibian decline and on the endangered Attwater’s prairie-chicken got picked up), but in most cases though, I hear of a story that is being considered and I request it. While I don’t always get what I ask for, it helps to let them know that I’m interested in a particular topic. I’ve also had stories assigned to me about which I know nothing. At that point it’s good to quickly pay attention and do as much research as possible to get up to speed quickly.

The next step is to research the topic and come up with a general list of situations to photograph, known as a coverage plan. The research phase is critically important. I’m in charge of making sure I know what I need to know before going out into the field.

On each story, I’m assigned a photo editor at the magazine. Often they help me come up with ideas and make sure they’re all worth going after.

I get lots of help from scientists and experts who know the subject I’m working with, people who live in the areas I’ll be in, and people who have worked with a subject/area previously. The photo coordinators at National Geographic are also a big help when it comes to arranging visas, hunting down phone numbers, and doing the several dozen other tasks that go along with putting story research together. They’re lifesavers.

The way I research is to read up on a topic, find out who I need to talk with to learn more, and then make phone calls. Sometimes our line is busy all day, and in the days before unlimited calling plans I’ve had more than one $1,000 phone bill. Talking to those in the know is one of the best ways to prepare.

Once the shoot list is done, I work with my editor to put together a budget for the story. When that’s approved, we nail down travel and logistics, and I’m off to shoot.

I seldom travel with the writer. I have do so on a few stories simply because it was convenient, but the writer and I have each generated our own coverage plans and we each follow them. We talk often about what we’re doing so that we don’t miss anything important. I may not photograph much of what the writer mentions in the text; NGM’s stories are designed so that the text and the pictures complement one another. Doing this—rather than repeating subjects in writing and photographs—allows readers to get more information.

Halfway through an assignment, I go in to the Geographic’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., to meet with my editor and the higher-ups at the magazine to assess progress on the story. The photo editor and I put together a “halfway show” of the best pictures we’ve gotten so far. My editor and I both discuss the story’s progress with those at the meeting and they decide whether or not the story will be finished.

When the story is completed, we put together a final show—the best of the best from the whole assignment. Then the editor and others sift through these to find the images that will be published.

On an average assignment, I’ll shoot anywhere from 20,000 to 40,000 images. Only a small number (anywhere from 10 to 20 depending on the story) will be published.

On some assignments, I’ll go back for the layout process. That’s when the text and pictures are assembled in final form for the magazine. After that, I help with fact-checking, writing captions (or legends, as they’re referred to at NGM), and tying up any loose ends. I know of no other magazine that so heavily involves the photographer in both the editing and layout process.

A story is usually published one year after it’s shot, and during that time I’m bound by contract to keep the details of it confidential. When the story is finally printed, it feels great to see a completed project.

I know of no other magazine besides National Geographic that works this closely with photographers, or gives them as much time in the field.

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How to Safari Like You’re On Assignment for National Geographic

Jamie Ditaranto

Jamie Ditaranto is a traveler in a love triangle with writing and photography. Follow the drama on Twitter @jamieditaranto and Instagram @jamieditaranto .

Ditaranto joined SmarterTravel in 2015. She loves ecotourism, cities with history, and discovering local hangouts. Though she likes all the continents equally, she holds a special place in her heart for rainy little islands.

Her work has also appeared online at USA Today, Huffington Post, Business Insider, and other publications. You can check out her photography on her website .

The Handy Item I Always Pack : "My instant camera comes in handy for giving instant gifts to new friends."

Ultimate Bucket List Experience : "Befriending penguins in Antarctica."

Travel Motto : "You have to get the hard places out of the way first."

Aisle, Window, or Middle Seat : "On short flights, the window. For long flights, the aisle."

Email Jamie at [email protected] .

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The one thing I always bring with me when I travel is my bottomless pit of questions. No matter where I am, I want to know what it is, how it is, why it is—and if I’ve already seen a picture of it on the Internet, where it is and if I can get there by sunset.

Normally you find travelers like me sitting at the front of the bus chatting with the tour guide while the rest of the group is trying to sleep. Normally, but not on my recent trip to South Africa’s Kruger National Park. Oh, I was still sitting behind the tour guide as the van wound through Blyde River Canyon—I just wasn’t the only one asking questions.

While we drove in and out of the fog on our way to Kruger National Park, remarking on the red mountains and lush vegetation rushing by outside our windows, the inside of the tour van buzzed with excitement. Because this wasn’t any old safari—it was a safari with National Geographic.

These kinds of trips usually run at a heavy price point—too heavy for most budget-minded travelers. But NatGeo recently partnered with G Adventures to launch a new and more affordable line of tours— National Geographic Journeys with G Adventures . In Africa, these journeys start at just $1,999 per person for 2016 departures.

RELATED: 5 Exciting National Geographic Journeys with G Adventures Trips in 2016

Through the Glossy Pages

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Entering Kruger National Park felt like driving through the golden frame and into an actual National Geographic magazine, the kind I used to read as a kid. We’d just crossed into a national park the size of Israel, where animals I’d previously only seen behind bars roamed without constraint. We followed the road through a wide-open landscape, scanning the bush for animals, stopping occasionally when a colorful bird flew overhead.

It was impossible not to immediately notice that many of the trees were either bent or appeared to have been snapped in half. “That’ll be the elephants,” said my guide Johan, a cheery man who had been cracking dad jokes throughout the trip. “When they’re under a lot of stress, they take it out on the trees.” He said this too casually to be joking, but what, I wondered, could stress out an eight ton elephant?

I wondered about the duality of these creatures that are so divinely large yet also have such bad days that they’re prone to tantrums.

As we came upon the first animals—mischievous baboons, zebras that looked like delicate figurines (though they were surprisingly gassy), and giraffes teetering between regal and positively awkward—we made no noise except for the clicking of our cameras.

But when the first elephant appeared, we momentarily forgot about any promises we might have made to keep quiet, though we quickly shushed when we came across an old bull rubbing his trunk against the tree bark. His face was weathered and his left tusk worn down nearly to the end, a sign of his old age and left-handedness, Johan informed us. We snapped away as the elephant sauntered from one tree to the next, hunting for the tastier leaves before disappearing into the bush without a sound.

Exhilarated, we drove on, scanning the plains and focusing in on every bush. Our eyes tricked us, turning tree trunks into giraffe necks and boulders into buffalo. Our drive through Kruger would be like this the whole time, long bouts of scenic anticipation punctuated by incredible moments like feeling how an elephant’s trumpet shook the air or watching a wildebeest’s silhouette balancing the horizon line as if it were a tight rope. As we drove back through the gates of Kruger on our exit, we could hardly believe it was only our first drive.

Kings of the Jungle

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Our next game drive took us to Karongwe Reserve. Privately owned and much smaller than the national park, Karongwe offers an immersive experience in the heart of the reserve where guests can watch for wildlife from the front decks of their tents.

Each reserve has its own rules, and before we set out in the uncovered vehicle, our driver (Solomon) and tracker (Thomas) began with the two most important: Don’t get out of the car and don’t stand up. The animals see the jeeps as one big creature; when you stand up, you change the shape of the car. It’s surprising to them, like seeing an elephant grow a second head. You really don’t want to surprise a predator like that.

Being in a smaller reserve meant the guides could communicate with other groups about sightings, and our first drive at Karongwe did not disappoint. Within minutes, we glimpsed the elusive rhino through the trees and had a lone buffalo walk right toward us.

We drove along the twisting dirt roads through the jungle-like terrain, past empty watering holes, and across a dry sandy riverbed. Then, tipped off by another group, Solomon took us off-road and through a clearing right up to two resting lions. They stared lazily at us, blinking and then shutting their eyes. They’d spent the past four days mating, but for now were laying side-by-side, back paws touching as if playing a game of footsie.

There’s no closing time in this private reserve, so we stopped to watch the sun set behind the Drakensberg Mountains. Someone pulled out a phone and played “Can You Feel the Love Tonight,” and Solomon and Thomas poured rich South African wine into aluminum cups. I had no complaints.

Walking on the Wild Side

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The next morning, like all mornings at Karongwe, began before sunrise with a knock at the door. Though there was no telling which animals awaited us, I knew the day would be special because I’d be meeting Grant Beverley, a cheetah specialist from the Endangered Wildlife Trust, an organization funded by National Geographic. That would come in time for our evening game drive, when he’d speak to us about cheetahs and the threats they face. Little did I know the lesson would begin much earlier in the day.

The drive began peacefully enough as the morning light broke through the trees and we came across a giraffe lazily chewing on breakfast. We drove on for a while until Solomon stopped the car and asked us to follow him and Thomas into the bush. Of course, if they wanted us to step out into the brush, I knew it couldn’t be anything dangerous. I hoped for an elephant graveyard, but expected a tortoise. I figured if we’d be getting up close to anything still living, it would have to be slow-moving.

That’s when I saw the cheetah and the carcass.

Solomon motioned me forward. My eyes asked a thousand questions but I was too frightened to speak. I stopped 12 feet away from the cheetah as he tore away at what was left of an impala. Standing so close to the world’s fastest animal is a bit like bungee jumping, but much more terrifying. Bungee cords are designed to hold you, and they don’t have a mind of their own. Cheetahs are designed to kill and can do whatever they please.

I’ve never been more afraid, but Solomon and Thomas assured me that cheetahs only hunt smaller prey like the impala. As long as I didn’t crouch for a photograph, he wouldn’t be interested in me. The cheetahs at Karongwe are part of an ongoing study and are used to people standing close to them. I watched him until he leaned back like a house cat and panted like a dog as the afternoon heat set in, full and content.

Looking Closely

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When you hear about poaching from afar, the figures lose their emotional impact. They just seem like a bunch of numbers. But by the time we met up with Grant Beverley from the Endangered Wildlife Trust, I’d encountered so many of the creatures at risk that the numbers both captivated and horrified me.

Two rhinos are killed in Kruger National Park every day, and the hunting industry has encouraged the practice of “canned hunting” (in which tourists can pay thousands of dollars to shoot a lion in a small enclosure, with the lion often drugged beforehand). Cheetahs and other animals are bred in captivity and sold for exorbitant prices abroad to either be kept as pets or used in recreational hunting.

Grant Beverly spoke to us with incredible passion—for the animals, for his research, for the problems threatening African wildlife. He joined us on our next game drive and for dinner, too. Having access to his experience and knowledge in the midst of our explorations is one of the unique benefits of traveling in partnership with National Geographic.

I think it’s impossible to speak about a safari without also speaking about the individual encounters that make it special. Whether it was watching a baby rhino roll freely in the mud as his mother kept watch, spotting the glowing red eyes of the nocturnal bush baby staring from the darkness, or catching a leopard fast asleep with his paws dangling from the branches of a jackalberry tree, those transcendent moments can’t be summed up in a single description.

Each encounter is its own story. While the giraffe looks off in the other direction, apathetic to your camera, the lion will stare back with the full weight of his golden eyes. And when the herd of elephants walks in front of you, eating, humming, and playing freely with one another, you may realize—as I did—that you’ll never again be able to bear the sight of these creatures behind bars.

More from SmarterTravel:

• 10 Best Bucket-List Safaris in Africa
• What It’s Really Like to Sleep in a Treehouse Hotel
• Packing Guide: South African Safari

Jamie Ditaranto traveled to South Africa as a guest of National Geographic Journeys with G Adventures . Follow her on Twitter @jamieditaranto .

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Los Angeles Angels | Angels’ Mike Trout to leave rehab assignment…

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Subscriber only, los angeles angels | angels’ mike trout to leave rehab assignment for re-evaluation, the angels hoped trout would play two or three games at triple-a and be back in the majors by the weekend, but that is now on hold. trout felt knee discomfort after playing two innings on tuesday night..

Manager Ron Washington said on Wednesday morning that there was a chance that Trout could return to the Triple-A Salt Lake lineup as the DH that night, but a few hours later the plan had changed.

The Angels had hoped that Trout could play two or three games in Salt Lake and be back in the lineup in Anaheim by this weekend, but all of that is now apparently on hold.

After the Angels’ game in Seattle ended on Wednesday afternoon, Washington said he had heard no other details on Trout.

“Nothing other than he’s coming back to L.A. to be reevaluated, so we’ll see what goes on with that,” Washington said.

Trout has been out since April 29 because of a torn meniscus. The three-time American League MVP underwent surgery a few days later. The rehab has taken weeks longer than expected, and the latest setback is another disappointment for a player who has now missed significant time with injuries in each of the last four seasons.

Trout, who hit .220 with 10 homers and 14 RBIs in 29 games before he was injured, played in just 82 games because of a broken hamate bone last season, spent five weeks on the IL in 2022 with a back injury and missed most of the 2021 season with a strained calf muscle.

Trout played two innings on Tuesday night, striking out once and handling three routine fly balls. He then left the game.

Salt Lake manager Keith Johnson told the local media on Wednesday that Trout felt something during his at-bat.

Later in the evening, Trout told Washington that he felt better, prompting hope that he could return to the field the next day.

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