JRPG-based CCG - Looking for feedback

[Lv3Bidoof]

For the past several years (in fact, it's been so long I've almost lost count) I've been developing my own CCG.  As the title suggests, I used characters from several different JRPGs. Initially I used mostly Final Fantasy characters but I started using other characters and games that really inspired me.  I still work on it a little bit from time to time mostly as a design exercise, since I'm in love with designing games both electronic and non-electronic.  I've tried to develop a couple other concepts for CCGs on my own, but this is the design that has stuck with me the most.

Anyways, I've mostly kept this as a game to be played with friends but when I discovered Lackey I decided that I wanted to share this with another community to get some feedback from people I haven't met.  I'd like to (eventually) tie this game to an original IP so I don't have to worry about stepping on toes and other copyright issues.  Alas, I have no solid idea of what sort of world the game would take place in and no ability to make pretty art.  I've grown too accustomed to using images culled from Photobucket and Google image search.

As far as the rules go, they're fairly complete.  To date, I have also drafted close to 400 cards.  The only major thing I don't have is a good name (I'm very open to suggestions...)

I think I've written enough about the background.  Here are the rules:

Overview

In this TCG you play a character that has access to powerful spells and allies from a variety of different backgrounds and sources.  During the game, you will face monsters played by your opponent in an effort to defeat you.  However, you are able to force your opponent into combat with your own monsters as well.  If you are able to reduce your opponent?s HP to zero before they do the same to you, then you win the game!  It's a straightforward battle-type TCG.

Starting the Game

Each player starts the game in play with a 50 card (minimum) deck and one Class card that represents the player and the abilities they have.  The cards in their deck represent the Allies that they will enlist to help fight opposing forces, powerful Magic cards used to deal damage and defend, Event cards that offer utility, and Enemy cards which are used to attack the opponent and reduce their HP to 0.

Card Types

The first type of card is the Class card.  These cards represent the player and begin the game in play.  They determine how much HP each player starts out with and that abilities that they can fight with.  Class cards are a DARK BLUE color.



Class cards are able to use various Magic cards, as well as its combat abilities in order to defeat opposing Enemy cards.  Class cards are placed in your BACK ROW.


The second type of card is the Ally card.  The represent the characters that you enlist to help you fight off the enemies that your opponent will send against you.  You can only have one Ally card in play at a time, although some cards may adjust this limit.  During your turn, you may send an Ally card you control to the discard pile in order to make room for another Ally.  Ally cards are a LIGHT BLUE color.



Ally cards go into your deck and can be played from your hand, usually with no cost.  When you play them, you place them in your BACK ROW and use them to attack opposing Enemy card using their combat abilities or Magic cards.  They function similar to the way your Class card does.


The third type of card is the Enemy card.  They represent various creatures and villains that have only one goal: to defeat your opponent.  They often have abilities that will hinder your opponent and damage them.  Enemy cards are colored GREY. 



Unlike Allies, Enemy cards have a cost that must be paid before they can be played.  The cost is almost always paid using Enemy Points (EP).  You gain 5 Enemy Points at the start of your turn.  These points carry over from turn to turn so you may either spend them quickly to put early pressure on your opponent or save them up to drop an unstoppable beater.  When you play an Enemy card, it goes into your FRONT ROW.


The fourth type of card is the Magic card.  These cards are divided into two subsets: Attack Magic and Defense Magic.  These cards enable your Class and Ally cards to deal significant damage to your opponent's Enemy cards or heal damage from your own Class or Ally cards.  When a Magic card is used, you follow its effect and then put it into the discard pile.  Magic cards are colored GREEN.




The last type of card is the Event card.  These cards represent various events and twists of fate that have an immediate impact on the state of the game.  They often have a variety of different effects, from gaining additional EP or drawing cards.  Event cards are played during your turn and may be played as often as you wish (but before you declare any attacks).  Once an Event card has been played it is discarded.




Turn Structure

Each player begins the game with their Class card in play and a starting hand of 6 cards (maximum hand size is 7).

A typical turn goes like this:

Draw Phase: Draw a card (unless it is the first turn of the game).
Resource Phase: Add 5 Enemy Points to your total.
Main Phase: During your main phase, you may do the following as often as you like:
-Play an Enemy card from your hand by paying its cost.
-Play an Ally card from your hand (if you have no space to do so, you may discard one of the Allies you already have in play).
-Play an Event card from your hand.
Combat Phase: In this step your Ally, Class, and Enemy cards will attack your opponent.  With the exception of Enemy cards that just entered play, each of those cards is allowed one Combat Action.  An Enemy card may use it's combat action to attack an opposing Class or Ally using one of its combat abilities.  An Ally/Class card may use its combat action to attack an Enemy with a combat ability OR use a Magic card from your hand instead of an ability.
End Phase: During this phase you resolve "end of turn" effects.  Also, if the turn player has more than 7 cards in their hand they must discard down to 7.

Play alternates back and forth until all but one player is eliminated.  A player is eliminated when their Class card has sustained damage >= their HP or if they are unable to draw at the start of their turn.

A Typical Field



The Front Row: Contains all of your Enemy cards.
The Back Row: Contains your Class card, your Ally card.  Any Defense Magic cards that stay in play as part of their effect also typically go here.

Combat

Each card has it's own combat ability to use during combat.  During each of your combat phase, your cards get one action to spend.  Enemy cards may spend this action to use a combat ability, but Class and Ally cards may spend their action to use a combat ability OR a Magic card from your hand.

Targeting
When using combat abilities or Magic, cards in the BACK ROW may only target cards in the FRONT ROW, and vice-versa.  The only exception to this is if the card uses a combat ability or Magic card that restores HP.  If a combat ability deals 0 damage, it does not require a target unless it includes a secondary effect that does.

Most combat abilities deal damage.  The number in the circle to the left of the ability is how much damage the ability will do, while the color of the circle is the type of damage.  Some cards have weaknessess or strengths against certain types of damage.  These strengths and weaknesses are listed at the bottom of the card.  When you want to use a combat ability, you declare which ability you want to use as well as the target for that ability.  Then you resolve the damage and the effect (if there is any).



Defense
A card's defense guards against Physical damage.  When the card would be dealt physical damage, you subtract the card's defense from the damage done (to a minimum of zero).

Elemental Modifiers
For the other four types of damage, a card will have a multiplier in a colored circle if it has a weakness/resistance to a particular element.  For example, a x2 in a yellow circle would indicate that the card takes twice the normal damage from Lightning damage, while 1/2 would indicate that the card takes half the normal damage.  Heal indicates that damage of that type will heal the card instead of damaging it.

Some damage is considered to be non-elemental damage.  That damage is unaffected by Defense or Elemental Modifiers.

Deckbuilding

Decks are normally a minimum of 50 cards.  All non-Unique cards are limited to four copies.  Unique cards are limited to one copy each.

Cards have also been assigned rarities, so if I can get my pack definitions sorted out the game can be played using a Draft or Sealed Deck format.

That's all there is to it.  I look forward to feedback or comments.  I have created a small plugin for the game complete with just over 200 cards.  If there is any interest, I can post it.

Thanks for reading. 

[Saethori]

Interesting basis... but needs a lot of polish. I've got a couple comments and ideas, but I'll just list out the big ones here.

- So far, the game to lack any resource management or limitations whatsoever (other than the "Enemy" cards' cost). Situations like that tend to lead to decks filled with naught but the best cards, which leads to very little variety. This could probably be improved by placing certain restrictions in place; effectively restrict what kinds of allies or spells a given class could use.
- Combat sounds confusing and not well-thought out. It's really difficult for me to make heads or tails of how it's supposed to flow from your description.
- Nomenclature and card design could both use revamps.

I've actually got enough knowledge about both various JRPGs and CCG Design Theory to help out on this. Chat me up in Yahoo or AIM and I'll contribute to this game to the best of my ability.

Other than that, it kind of has potential, as an otaku-appeal game.
-

[Typherion]

I think it looks really good, especially the card back.

I don't think every card needs a resource mechanic in this game. Since you can only have 1 ally in play at a time they can be balanced on that basis. Magic and Events can be balanced against each other, and Enemies require spending EP.

How many allies / enemies / magic / events does a typical 50 card deck have?

I have a couple of suggestions if you are interested:

If it is important for players to be able to check each other's discard pile, you may want to move it to the front for easier access and visibility.

I noticed the class card doesn't have its card type written on the card and the card type appears in a different location on Magic and Event cards. Personally, I would want to have the card type written on every card in the same location for easier checking.

The class and ally cards look very similar. Perhaps using colours that are more different might help separate them.

I really like JRPGs, I even bought a ton of them I can't even read from Japan, so I'm interested in seeing how you go with this. Good luck!

[Lv3Bidoof]

@Saethori

Thanks for the feedback.

As far as card costs go, cards other than Enemy cards sometimes have a "discard X card(s)" from your hand cost to them (similar to the way Pok?mon balances some of its Trainer cards or Yu-Gi-Oh! balances its Magic/Trap cards).  With very few exceptions, Enemy Points are to be spent on cards that will allow you to mount an offense so you don't have to worry about wasting those resources on a defense.

Combat is always the hardest part for me to explain.  In a sense, it plays out a bit like Pok?mon, where you choose an attack and perform that attack.  Only in this game each of your cards is allowed to choose an attack each turn and Ally/Class cards are limited to attacking Enemy cards and vice-versa.  It's the hardest part to explain but when I'm demonstrating the game newbies seem to latch on fairly quickly.

Any suggestions as to how I can revamp the card design?

I'd welcome an opportunity to discuss design over AIM.  Hit me up at RabidWalrus2000.


@Typherion

The location of the deck/discard pile is really irrelevant (as it is in most games I play).  I just chose to arbitrarily put them there on the diagram I presented.

As far as card ratios per deck, most decks I construct for demonstration purposes have ~ 20 Enemy cards 10 Magic, 15 Events, and 5 Allies.  Many Events offer card draw and tutoring abilities (to offset the fact that some cards are Unique).  Depending on the deck that can fluctuate quite a bit, but those are the ratios I use to create balanced decks.

I'll probably change the color of the Class cards.  I just haven't settled on an alternate color yet >_<