I have one big critique about the game from the videos I have seen thus far:
Most animations are too self-indulgently long.
The basic card playing animation takes about 4 seconds to be played from hand, then another 2 seconds to turn into a unit on the board or whatever spell effect. (Note, when I say seconds, I usually mean "Mississippi seconds", so not super accurate, but I don't think I am too far off)
The "Your Turn" animation takes about 2 seconds.
The mulligan animation is really long since each of the cards look mulliganed one by one.
Attacking the core seems fine, but attacking other characters seems a really long animation because of how damage doesn't wear off and how the "damage step" works.
The "upkeep" Faeria looks like it takes 1 full second.
If you compare the time for actions in Faeria to comparable ones in games such as Hearthstone, the timings are all much longer. (Except for a few of the HS triggered ability animations, but those are actually a common complaint among HS players). I think a lot could be improved by making the flow of play quicker and more streamlined rather than stop-go, stop-go. "Easy fix" (no it's not) is to make most of the animations I mentioned 40-50% shorter. Don't think you'd want to go faster than that though. Since there is really only one thing to focus on at any one time and that there is an easy wasy to look at cards if you want more information, you get a bit more of an affordance in how long you need to show the players cards before they "get it."
Creating land seems to be a resource that you should be spending as much time as you are since it is such and important thing, but since players have the ability to view your opponents cards after they play them with the trackers on the left (and by the nature of being creatures on the board), it's not as important to make sure the player reads it every time it is played.
By the way, Yak Attack is a wonderful card; Is that one of yours?
This is the first time I've really looked into Faeria with any depth. I'm super excited for the game going public and will almost certainly be downloading it. I do have some design questions for you though.
1. Why only 4 colors? I'm not against the idea but it feels odd to me. Was it just to make the interface work better, so you can have all turn actions fit neatly onto a hexagon?
2. What mechanics are in place to ensure the game actually ends? In magic and mos other card games, as the game gets longer, players gain access to more and more powerful effects. In Faeria, it seems that players have access to whatever power level of card they like, they just have to make fewer powerful plays per turn.
3. Is there a draft like format? Balanced competitive limited formats are the thing I like most about Magic, and the thing I liked most about hearthstone when I played.
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Every time I read a comment about "Well if this card had card draw/trample/haste/indestructible/hexproof/life gain...", I think "You're missing the point." They're armchair developer comments that fail to take into account the card's role in the greater Limited and Standard environment. No, it may not be as good as whatever card you're comparing it to. There's a reason for that. Not every burn spell is Lightning Bolt, nor does it need to be or should be.
- Manite
3. Is there a draft like format? Balanced competitive limited formats are the thing I like most about Magic, and the thing I liked most about hearthstone when I played.
2. What mechanics are in place to ensure the game actually ends? In magic and mos other card games, as the game gets longer, players gain access to more and more powerful effects. In Faeria, it seems that players have access to whatever power level of card they like, they just have to make fewer powerful plays per turn.
As the board fills up your are more likely to use the draw card card or +1 faeria options on the power wheel, escalating the game slightly. Also there are a large number of designs that bring the game to a conclusion such as the Green legend I think we talked bout or the cycle of super expensive 8/8's that get cheaper based on how many times things happen. (1 cheaper for each event you have played this game, 1 cheaper for each enemy unit that has died this game etc etc.)
Finally the faeria collection requires you to have a board presence, meaning as both players get a larger board presence that it is easier to cast larger units, swinging the game in one direction or another to a conclusion.
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Are you designing commons? Check out my primer on NWO.
Interested in making a custom set? Check out my Set skeleton and archetype primer.
I also write articles about getting started with custom card creation.
Go and PLAYTEST your designs, you will learn more in a single playtests than a dozen discussions.
My custom sets:
Dreamscape
Coins of Mercalis [COMPLETE]
Exodus of Zendikar - ON HOLD
Most animations are too self-indulgently long.
The basic card playing animation takes about 4 seconds to be played from hand, then another 2 seconds to turn into a unit on the board or whatever spell effect. (Note, when I say seconds, I usually mean "Mississippi seconds", so not super accurate, but I don't think I am too far off)
The "Your Turn" animation takes about 2 seconds.
The mulligan animation is really long since each of the cards look mulliganed one by one.
Attacking the core seems fine, but attacking other characters seems a really long animation because of how damage doesn't wear off and how the "damage step" works.
The "upkeep" Faeria looks like it takes 1 full second.
If you compare the time for actions in Faeria to comparable ones in games such as Hearthstone, the timings are all much longer. (Except for a few of the HS triggered ability animations, but those are actually a common complaint among HS players). I think a lot could be improved by making the flow of play quicker and more streamlined rather than stop-go, stop-go. "Easy fix" (no it's not) is to make most of the animations I mentioned 40-50% shorter. Don't think you'd want to go faster than that though. Since there is really only one thing to focus on at any one time and that there is an easy wasy to look at cards if you want more information, you get a bit more of an affordance in how long you need to show the players cards before they "get it."
Creating land seems to be a resource that you should be spending as much time as you are since it is such and important thing, but since players have the ability to view your opponents cards after they play them with the trackers on the left (and by the nature of being creatures on the board), it's not as important to make sure the player reads it every time it is played.
By the way, Yak Attack is a wonderful card; Is that one of yours?
1. Why only 4 colors? I'm not against the idea but it feels odd to me. Was it just to make the interface work better, so you can have all turn actions fit neatly onto a hexagon?
2. What mechanics are in place to ensure the game actually ends? In magic and mos other card games, as the game gets longer, players gain access to more and more powerful effects. In Faeria, it seems that players have access to whatever power level of card they like, they just have to make fewer powerful plays per turn.
3. Is there a draft like format? Balanced competitive limited formats are the thing I like most about Magic, and the thing I liked most about hearthstone when I played.
- Manite
Yes, there is an arena mode, like Hearthstone's.
RUNIN: Norse mythology set (awaiting further playtesting)
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I'm here to tell you that all your set mechanics are bad
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As the board fills up your are more likely to use the draw card card or +1 faeria options on the power wheel, escalating the game slightly. Also there are a large number of designs that bring the game to a conclusion such as the Green legend I think we talked bout or the cycle of super expensive 8/8's that get cheaper based on how many times things happen. (1 cheaper for each event you have played this game, 1 cheaper for each enemy unit that has died this game etc etc.)
Finally the faeria collection requires you to have a board presence, meaning as both players get a larger board presence that it is easier to cast larger units, swinging the game in one direction or another to a conclusion.
EDIT: The game is now available on early access for $25. Also check out the trailer HERE. and the New Website
Are you designing commons? Check out my primer on NWO.
Interested in making a custom set? Check out my Set skeleton and archetype primer.
I also write articles about getting started with custom card creation.
Go and PLAYTEST your designs, you will learn more in a single playtests than a dozen discussions.
My custom sets:
Dreamscape
Coins of Mercalis [COMPLETE]
Exodus of Zendikar - ON HOLD