Trading Card Games Part 2: Design and Development

Hopefully by now you have Watched my video featuring a basic overview of card games, and have also read My article concerning the proper Mindset when creating a Trading Card Game. Now that we have gotten ourselves in the proper focus for creating a card game, we can go over the finer details.

Now, I don't know the formula to make a perfect card game; if I did, I'd be on a yacht in the Caribbean right now, but I have played Trading Card Games for half my life, and I have noticed certain things about popular games, as well as things that tend to bog down games that do poorly.

Some rules that are in every successful card game are:

1) "At the start of your turn, draw a card", a standard for every popular game, where you draw the top card of your deck. So ingrained is this symbolic start of the turn that seasoned gamers do it unconsciously, whether the rules call for doing it or not. Messing with this step is likely to cause confusion, so it tends to be best to accept "At the start of your turn, draw a card" as something that will happen. (Magic, Yugioh, Pokemon, too many others to count; violators are Monsuno, Magi-Nation, and Chaotic)

2) There are certain cards that can only be played once per turn, usually resource cards such as lands and energy, or one monster per turn in games without such resources. Those things that can only be played once per turn are there in order to keep the game from rushing by too quickly and allow a slow buildup of power. (Resources: Magic, Pokemon, WOWTCG, Monsters: Yugioh, Cardfight!! Vanguard (When playing Vanguards))

3) The fewer extra doodads you need, the better. I'm talking about things like coins, dice, damage counters, dark-boxes, life counters, you name it. An ideal game can be played with just the decks(Kaijudo, Cardfight!! Vanguard), it's okay to need a coin and a calculator or another way to record life points(Magic, Yugioh,), additional damage counters and other such items which can be easily obtained but take up space are okay but pushing it(Pokemon, Magi-Nation, WOWTCG), and requiring large and expensive devices that can only be obtained through special purchase such as a card dispenser, video game, or smart phone is just too much(Redakai, Eye of Judgment).

The sorts of rules I have listed below, aside from rules that are in opposition to what I have mentioned above, tend to hinder a game's performance.

1) A restricted number of actions per turn(Harry Potter, Monsuno, Humaliens). Aside from a few things they can only do once a turn, such as play their once-per-turn card or perform their once-per-turn attacks, players should have the freedom to do as many things each turn as their resources allow, not some arbitrary number. Drawing cards and Once-Per-Turn actions are pretty much all the restraint you will hopefully need.

2) A static army that cannot be replenished(Monsuno, Redakai, Chaotic). Drawing a card is like the cavalry arriving, so having a set number of characters causes a slippery slope once one of them goes down and eliminates swarm strategies(play lots of little monsters and overwhelm with numbers). It takes a lot of the excitement and malleability out of the game. An Avatar is the only exception, since this is supposed to be you (Magi-Nation, Bleach, WOWTCG).

3) A lack of Deck Control outside of Mad-Draw or Mad-Discard. More on that, later(Redakai, Monsuno, tons of other games).

Now, not to say that these are absolutes for your games, they are just the sorts of things that tend to have a positive or negative effect on their performance and fun-factor. Otherwise, go wild! I'd like to see what sorts of creative solutions that designers come up with for the next big thing in card games. Just remember to have the proper mindset when putting your rules into words(Check out the tutorials for Ophidian 2350 for some particularly tasteless writing).

While developing your game, some of the more important things to keep in mind is your presentation and use of identifiers as well as how your various aesthetic choices affect the game.

Playing Cards use identifiers, as well!

Identifiers: Identifiers are the things that help tell a card apart: card types, the card's name, elements, clans, Archetypes, keywords, powers, even the way the card is placed on the table. These identifiers can also be rendered with words, numbers, or icons. One can figure out the logistics of identifiers even from a deck of ordinary playing cards which rely on the identifiers of "Element" and "Power". The 10 of Spades, for example, is a card with the "Spade" element, which is represented by an Icon, and a "Power" of 10.

The Card's Name is a basic identifier, as it can distinguish what a card does and someone can simply hear the name to know what it is before a description is required. Iconic and important cards should have the simplest names to learn. There is also a trend of sub-names or "versions" of cards with the same name. These are often used in licensed card games or cards with an ongoing storyline to represent the growth or changes a character experiences during the run of the series.

The Card Type: Also fairly straightforward, "Is this a monster? Is this a spell? Is this a resource?" but should also be easy to identify so that players know what they are holding when they glance at the card.

Charizard has Fire Element icons.

"Element": This is a trickier one. A card's "Element" represents its affiliation with other cards, like the Suits in regular playing cards, and are often determined with icons. There are two things that are usually done with Elements: Either a restrictive system is put into place, where cards of a certain element can only be combined with and use the resources of other cards of that element(Like the colors in magic or the types in Pokemon), or a constructive system where one can play any cards they want, but receive a better strategy if they combine cards of the same element together(Such as with Yugioh). Either way is totally viable, with the Restrictive system usually being better for games that use resource cards.

Spellstutter is in the "Faerie" and "Wizard" clans.

"Clan": Clan is sort of a twist on elements, an extra layer that can be shuffled around over them. While Element refers to a card's primary affiliation, a "Clan" is a different and more secondary category as far as restrictions are concerned. For example, a Fire Dragon would be of the Fire Element, and a Water Dragon would be of the Water Element, but both belong to the Dragon "Clan". A card might be of a certain element, but instead affects cards of a Clan, regardless of element. Strategies can be developed around these "Clans" that cross over elements and stir the pot to get players to explore further possibilities than playing a game with just one Element.

Naruto has LOTS of Keywords in red.

Keywords: Keywords are basic, usually one-word descriptions which refer to even simpler traits of the card. Keywords can be used to quickly detail a special ability ("Flying" in Magic. Creatures that can Fly cannot be stopped by creatures that can't) or have no in-game ability but are instead used to set up triggers with cards that reference those keywords (The various keywords listed on Naruto cards).

A card from the "Fortune Lady" Archetype.

 Archetypes: An "Archetype" is a unified group of cards that work together to form a strategy. The identifiers that I mentioned above are the building-blocks of archetypes. Cards can reference other cards of the same archetype by name (Yugioh's archetypes use the actual card name), Clan (Magic had a block that was all about different creature types, such as "Fairie" and "Merfolk"), Element (Pokemon's types) and even Keywords(Naruto). If you build some strategies around some of these identifiers, you can have a more cohesive game from the start. Keep in mind what each of these identifiers mean and if their archetypes emphasize them properly. A fire deck probably shouldn't cause floods and a Wizard group might not want much hand-to-hand combat.

"Light" lets you search the deck.

Deck Control: One of the big reasons that Identifiers exist and something I pound on with every TCG I go over. Deck control is the ability for a player to get what they want out of the deck, often by playing cards that allow them to search their decks for another card or affect what they will draw next. Deck control gives players the feeling that they are in control of the game, not merely the victims of the whimsy of the top card. Then again, being able to grab anything you want from your deck is obscenely powerful(even with a life-point loss, you get the better deal), so using Identifiers and timing to restrict the deck control is how you temper this ability. Archetypes run on Deck Control and players love having expanded options and a feeling that they are controlling the flow of the game.

Aesthetics: Aesthetics refers to the use of imagery, colors, layout and feel. This is how you place your identifiers and text on the card in a way that is comfortable to read as well as give a general feel of your game.

Art is important for Bushiroad games.

Artwork: A good piece of card art can also act as an identifier, allowing players to understand what they have drawn before they even process the name. Your most iconic cards should have the clearest and most recognizable artwork. Another question is what sort of art should you use, particularly if you are a licensed game. Should you use screenshots from the work, borrow official art, or have new artwork created? Screenshots and official artwork are certainly cheaper and take less time, but a vibrant art world also draws people to the game.

Also, don't forget that whole "decency" thing I was talking about in the previous article.

Yugioh has a simple layout.

Layout: The layout is where everything is placed, what text is used, how much space the text boxes and artwork take up, and how you use border colors. Do you use a somewhat dry, but easily understood traditional layout, experiment a little or, if you have truly spectacular artwork, make the artwork fill the card and put the identifiers over it. Is color used to determine Card Type(Yugioh) or Element(Magic, Pokemon, Chaotic uses BOTH)? A good general rule-of-thumb is to put the most important identifiers: Name, Element, Requirements to Use, and basic power levels, on the corners and the top and left edges of a card, as this allows someone to keep an eye on what they are holding in their hand at all times without having to page through it every time they do anything.

Concerning layout, something you do want to copy is the card size of competing brands, as a host of products have already been made to support cards in those sizes such as sleeves and boxes. If someone can pull out their old sleeves to use with your game, that is one less barrier to entry.

Magi-Nation uses Pop Culture.

Feel: Your layout and look should also cater towards the mood you are trying to establish and add vibrance to the game's universe. A Gothic Horror game might make heavy use of black and other gothic symbolism. This also accounts for "Flavor Text", some little bonus text on the card, printed in italics, that serves no further purpose than to give the game a little more attitude. Does you flavor text tell more about the game's universe, or does it reference pop-culture? Is it serious or funny? It can be as complex as a tale about why a card has an ability, or a one-liner that one would use when the card is played.

Also, one of the most important things during this development process, is to find the fundamental difference between your game and other games that already exist. Like I say in my video, the important thing is to see what others have done successfully and figure out something different. Who knows what the next big Card Game could be and what its connection is? Aside from the Big Three card games(Magic, fine on it's own; Pokemon, tie-in game; Yugioh, Merch-Driven), some other things that have been tried with less success are: An Internet connected game(Chaotic), a Video-game powered game(Eye Of Judgment), Smart Phone-powered games(Nuko, Power Rangers), use of clear plastic cards(Redakai), use of folding or opening cards(Quickstrike), punch-out miniatures cards(Pirates), oddly-shaped cards(Hecatomb), Cards that merge into a bigger card (Magic, Pokemon, Yugioh), etc.

Not to say that those are not applicable to your designs, just don't count on them to be the magic bullet that gives your game the edge, as your game will be inevitably compared to others. Msot importantly, have fun and figure out a game that works for you.

Again, we visit Redakai and see how they are doing: well, after developing it as a toy with gimmicks, it's time to cover up said gimmick's shortcomings with design! The game has several elements, but those elements serve little purpose and do almost nothing for the game. One is locked-in with a static army, as well. Due to the see-through card mechanic, the cards have to be stored in a dark box so one cannot see what is coming next; the characters are placed into a tray so that the various stats and gaps align properly, the hand is placed into an opaque card-holder so your opponent cannot see your hand, and the power tracker is attached to it. All of this bulky stuff destroys Redakai's portability. Well, a portable case was made but, uh-oh, nobody checked to see how many cards it actually held! Oh-no, it doesn't hold enough cards! Why did nobody notice this?!

Getting more serious for a moment; the instant that I discovered that the Redakai "X-Reader Case" (The dark box REQUIRED to play the game) was six cards short of being able to hold the bare minimum number of cards needed to play a full game, I was horrified. I realized then that Spin Master had not thought their game through. Either somebody had okayed the design, knowing that it could not hold enough cards, or nobody bothered to ask. Either possibility is equally terrifying.

Pay attention to what you are making and don't end up like Spinmaster. If someone requires more to play your game than a pencil and paper and whatever they can dump out of their wallet, either think things over or make sure that they actually work. You have to consider everything, which is where our next article will come into play.

Happy designing!

5 Free Children's Apps with NO In-App Purchases!

So I have found the iTunes App Store being glutted with supposedly "Free" games that can be played for a while, but then require "In-App Purchases" in order to have additional features unlocked. I am actually playing a game called "Heroes Call", a sort of Diablo-clone app that has a rare in-game currency called "Gems" which can be purchased in lump sums for use in the game with real money. These gems can be used to purchase special weapons and armor or be used to speed up the wait time to the next mission, which for me at level 9-and-a-half is two hours. Now, I play this game on my breaks at work which come roughly every two hours, so that isn't an issue for me (it is also possible to play the previous levels all you want). The equipment I have also does me fine and dandy, so I don't feel the need to purchase gems.

However, I can understand how a bored child without a job or school can get suckered into getting their parents to buy them these virtual items with real cash, many of which can cost more than many pay apps and perhaps even more than a console game! Heroes Call doesn't pressure me to buy these gems like I've heard some of these freeium games do such as Monster Galaxy Zodiac Signs which tries to peg you for cash right out of the gate. I find these sorts of price-gouging disappointing as the desire for cash-flow outweighs the need to make a great game. Skylanders at least gave you a real-life, nicely-painted solid piece of something for the $9 you put down on its "Sorta-In-Game-Purchases".

So, in response, I have made a list of five free, child-friendly game apps that have no in-game purchasing in them at all.  Now, keep in mind that, inevitably, most apps that are put out, whether they are pay or free, exist for the purpose of making money unless they are a utility such as a QR code scanner. They might be demo versions of larger games or glorified ads for a movie or TV show, but in the end they are not intended to cost as much as these in-app-purchase programs which can sell premiums of up to $100!

NOTE: These are for the iPhone and such, I don't know if they are on Android.

1) Jake's Neverland Pirate School (Disney)

An app made to tie in with the new kids series on Disney Channel, this app is quite large (200+mb) and has all the bells and whistles to boot. It even works on the iPad! In this game, kids can steer a pirate ship, fly around neverland with Pixie Dust, search for treasure with their spyglass and know what a "Concertina" is (I certainly didn't). Upon completion, kids get a Pirate Diploma that they can decorate and print out to post on the fridge. Neato! Disney actually has a fair number of free apps out there, but this one in particular is quite well done and is a complete game, not just a trial version.

2) Angry Birds FREE (Rovio)

Come on, you guys knew this was coming. Angry Birds is likely one of the most popular apps of all time, and the free version is no exception. Angry Birds FREE currently has 24 levels kids can play and uses most of the birds. They also sometimes add more levels to the free version (my version used to have just 15 levels, but it's been updated a few times since then) making it a worthy addition to your app collection. Now it DOES contain advertising and suggests buying the full version, but Angry Birds is a cheap app and once you get you mileage out of the free one (I haven't worn mine out, yet) you can get the full version. The actual Angry Birds has some in-app purchases, however... Mighty Eagle anyone?


3) AppBlaster Alien Attack (Apptoyz)

This app is unique in, while the company who made it is willing to fork it over for free, it is actually meant to sell a piece of hardware, a $20 gun thing that lets you hold your iPhone in the proper firing position to use it. Now, you don't actually need the App Blaster device to play the game. The app is similar to a free program you can get on the Nintendo 3DS, where you engage in combat with aliens who come at you from all sides while using your camera to make the background. This app shows up from time to time elsewhere, but this is the only 100% free one I've found, aside from...


4) "SuperHero Augmented Reality" OR "Webslinger" (Sony Pictures)

These apps recently came out for free at Walmart and does involve a little trek around the store to take pictures of the ads that unlock additional features, but at least they don't charge you for that. The Avengers "Superhero AR" App has a game which is similar to Alien Attack, only you play as your favorite Avenger (once you unlock them). The game starts with Hawkeye unlocked and I think you can unlock Black Widow with the picture up there, so even though most of the signs have been taken down, the game is still sorta playable.

Its replacement is "Webslinger" for the Amazing Spiderman. While still sort of unreleased as more content will be added later this month, it looks like it might be as fun as Avengers AR and might be worth a look.


5) Where's My Water? Free (Disney)

Another demo version of a pay game. In this one, you try to maneuver pools of water into the tub of an alligator by getting rid of sewer sludge and manipulating spouts and locks. The free version has 24 levels while the pay version (which is just $0.99) boasts it has 200. Another one where you exhaust the demo version before getting the full thing.


Honorable Mention) Sol Free

An Honorable Mention because, while free, it's...solitare...









So, while not many of them are perfectly free games, at least they don't lure you in with candy then mug you in the back ally like a lot of these "freemium" apps do. I'd say keep a handle on what your children are downloading and make sure you check and see if the supposedly "free" app has any freemium features on them by checking the app in iTunes on your home computer, which lists all of the in-app purchasing content in the sidebar to the left. I think freemium games should at least get their own section as even movie tie-in games like Madagascar are adding in-app purchasing features now. There is the ability to disable in-app purchases on your phone, but to avoid the hassling of whiny kids who want you to unlock the in-app purchases and then pay for them, simply do not allow any games with those features on your phone and don't expect your child to show restraint if you do put one of those apps on there.

EDIT: Sorry, I had to correct something. The name of the Walmart Spiderman App is actually "Webslinger", but it works much the same way as the Superhero AR app.

Also, I have pictures of the ads to unlock The Hulk and Thor in SuperHero AR with a salvaged piece of the set. Could someone try out their iPhones and tell me if they work? Click the pic, then follow the instructions in SuperHero AR.