Starting Development on #FreeTCG (Tabletop Simulator / Patreon)

[Alzorath]

As some of you know, I've been making videos for Shadow Era, among other TCGs, for several years now (since 2012), and have followed the rise/fall of a lot of games, tested out a lot of different games (many that don't even show on the channel) - a couple of you probably also know I've developed board games in the past as well, and dabbled in TCG elements.

I've decided to start a new project called "#FreeTCG" via my Patreon ( http://www.patreon.com/alzorath ) - Subscribers to my channel will still get regular updates, but Patreon followers will have early access and see the videos before everyone else (usually about a week gap). Right now it's very early in development, but definitely would appreciate feedback and such.

Since a lot of people here are people I consider friends, this is the link to the latest Patreon video for it (set to officially release publicly next week) - covering the resource system. I will be trying to work on a parallel series to discuss the thought processes behind the design decisions and important factors in designing your own game on both the macro (game rules) level as well as micro (individual pieces/objects) level.



Patreons will have first dibs on the "test plays" (alongside a few developer friends and some real-life friends) - where we will test the design in Tabletop Simulator as well as balance later on. It will be a while before I have images for it (since art is expensive), but I will be trying to work in some of my own pieces as possible (but most of my time is going to be spent designing the actual cards)

[FDL]

Cool. Good luck.

One thing I like with Magic's mana system is that it put the risk-taking in the player's hands (how greedy can I be?) vs the designer's hands (what pool am I willing to give them) in closed-class games (like SE or HS).

Combining 'colors' with the consistency of SE resources is interesting.

I'd be wary of having cards that generate more than 1 resource though. Resource advantage without a relevant tempo cost is dangerous. See Gaderi in SE or Modern's Eldrazi these days.

[Alzorath]

Cool. Good luck.

One thing I like with Magic's mana system is that it put the risk-taking in the player's hands (how greedy can I be?) vs the designer's hands (what pool am I willing to give them) in closed-class games (like SE or HS).

Combining 'colors' with the consistency of SE resources is interesting.

I'd be wary of having cards that generate more than 1 resource though. Resource advantage without a relevant tempo cost is dangerous. See Gaderi in SE or Modern's Eldrazi these days.

Ah, thanks for the feedback, and yea, I was planning to have the majority of permanents be 1 supply (50-70% depending on color) a good portion (20-30%) being 2 supply, and a very small portion (5-15%) being 3 supply - since activating the cards (flipping them) removes them from the resource pool permanently. I may need to tweak these numbers to favor the 1 supply even more (I do plan to have cards that specifically can make it a pain to keep the big resource suppliers, 2 or higher, a bit riskier than the 1 resource suppliers)

I've only tested with the 1 and 2 resources so far, and I will definitely need to do serious testing on the "cost-balance" point - since it's likely to be a bit more off-expectations compared to MtG or SE standards. I may end up cutting the 3 resource concept entirely, or making it into a permanent that costs resources to flip and only then can provide 3 (and has summoning sickness, and exposed to more threats)

(and from playtesting 2 cost 2 supply cards probably won't be a thing, or if they are, they'll be 1/1 haste guys or the like, essentially over-costed trick cards better left as suppliers)

[Kip thorp]

Love it man, but I'm not a huge video watcher, I prefer to play test and concept.

But since it's you. I'll subscribe.,

[MOHAMOON]

It reminds me of duel masters,,and btw how effective the draw engins are?and their required percentage in a deck? (As we can see here like SE ur hand can be emptied fast if u draw 1 card each turn) other thing as we can also see that fatty allies cost large amount of resource to enter play(may even risk all of ur resources to play one ally) so how hard it would be for the opponent to remove that ally (pardon me if there is any language mistake)

[MOHAMOON]

By this kind of resource system there would be many strategies of alligned allies(one element) and combined allies

[Alzorath]

It's still in the early stages, though my plan for card draw engines is to have them be a bit more conditional - more like MtG draws, I feel that the draws in SE (while they lend to faster games) give too much of a permanent sway in power making games a lot harder to 'come back from behind' than other TCGs (there will be some passive draw engines, but they'll be less efficient than SE most likely - to make an SE relation: basically there probably won't be any Blood Frenzy's or IGG equivalents, but there may be WotF or Blood Moon style draws - with limited trigger situations or limited duration)

and Duel masters is one of the few TCGs I haven't tried... (looking at it now, I have played a "ripoff" of it that uses the shield mechanic and such - though I may have to see how the resource system works out for it, since it seems similar - can't say I'm a fan of "shield" systems or the "huge number flare" stuff :P)

[MOHAMOON]

That's intresting,,I look forward to seeing ur other videos 😊