There was also a boxed set called variously The Factory Set and One With Everything which contained one of each card from the main set of the limited edition, multiples of the Illuminati cards, and a few cards previously only available in magazines. INWO was released as a 412-card main set in double starter decks (suitable for two players) and sealed packs, in both limited and unlimited editions. However, intrigue, negotiation, deal-making, and deviousness are also important elements. As with most CCGs, deck building, aggressive play, and sheer luck are keys to winning. INWO is often said to be more difficult to learn than most CCGs, but it is infused with much more humor, similar to other Steve Jackson games. You seek to control a predetermined number of Groups (such as the Boy Sprouts (a spoof of the Boy Scouts), the Men in Black, the CIA, etc.) and/or complete a Plot to achieve your goal before your opponent(s). The premise is that you play one of the Illuminati groups (the Adepts of Hermes, the Bavarian Illuminati, the Bermuda Triangle, the Discordian Society, the Gnomes of Zürich, The Network, the Servants of Cthulhu, Shangri-La, and the UFOs) bent on world domination.
The various cards are printed with two differently colored backs and are collectively referred to as simply 'Groups' and 'Plots'.
Cards come in several types, including Illuminati, Plots, Groups, Places, Personalities, Resources, and New World Order cards.
