System Down: The Customisable Hacker Card Game!

[3XXXDDD]

Updated the OP.

[Dabem]

I'm not sure having a draw value is the way to go. It's an interesting idea, but it is one more stat and thing to keep track of.

P1: "I attack with malware"
P2: 'I don't have any defenders left so I have to take it'
P2: 'What the draw value of that card you just attacked me with'
P1: "2"
P2: 'And how much damage does it do?'
P1: '3, so you have to discard one more card from the top of the deck.'

I dunno. I don't hate it. It actually presents some interesting possibilities of making some cards able to keep more cards from you opponent's hand. I just don't think most players will want to do algebra to discard X-Y cards. You explained it simply in the rulebook. Just make sure to test it with others (without explaining it, let them try and figure out the rulebook themselves) to make sure it doesn't detract from the fun.

At some point you should definitely have a playtesting session with two friends who are completely unfamiliar with the design thus far. Have them play each other without your help using only their cards and the rulebook.

Also what was the decision on drawing cards? The rulebook should at least mention it. If you don't draw except by being damaged that should be stated, with the additional rule to prevent getting stuck with a suck hand.

[3XXXDDD]

I wasn't sure about it but the Recycle-Draw Mechanic doesn't do much to stop your Opponent from beating you down since your Quantity of Resources will never change, only the Quality, which doesn't present any Risk to the Offending player. I think I may have done it in a terrible manner now that I think about it. It shouldn't be X-Y because I'm now doing what I did when treating it as a stat. I should probably change it to something like

Power Value - 3
Draw Value - 2

1. Mill 3 Cards
2. Then, (you may?), Draw 2 Cards.

That's probably a better way of doing it.

Recode was a name suggested to me for the Draw Value.

Also, I thought I did mention it?

Draw ? Turn Player may draw a card from their deck; If they do, they return a card from their hand to the bottom of their deck.

Sound good or still confused?

[Dabem]

so if you draw then you are down 5 'health'? X+Y?

Is this one of the more powerful cards or just a common scenario? With only 40 cards in my deck that's an 8th of my deck. I may avoid the draws just to conserve some health.

This is very close to being something incredibly awesome, it just needs to be finely tuned.

Recode makes sense to me for the draw mechanic. Maybe download for the mill/draw?

The draw mechanic as written seems fine. I'm sorry I skipped over the phases part and missed it.

[3XXXDDD]

Yes. Down 5 Cards if you draw. Also It's just an example of what could happen, weaker virus may have no recode at all. So don't look too deep into the specifics of it until we come to proper Card Design stage of the game. By the way was thinking more along the lines of 50 card decks considering it's also a resource based deck.

Yup, that's why I was thinking about the optional (may?) in brackets. (in reference to skipping draws in order to conserve health)

I was thinking more like Infected/Corrupted for the Mill (if anything).

Also that's cool, just making sure.

[Dabem]

I was thinking more like Infected/Corrupted for the Mill (if anything).

That sounds good. I meant in regards to the cards you draw from the attack. Recode to me made sense for the 'throw away to get a card mechanic' because it made it sound like you were refining your hand.

I agree to not to look too closely at things yet. I'll let the numbers fix themselves in playtesting.

[Typherion]

I wasn't sure about it but the Recycle-Draw Mechanic doesn't do much to stop your Opponent from beating you down since your Quantity of Resources will never change, only the Quality, which doesn't present any Risk to the Offending player.

I think this is fine. There are two sides to the coin:
Wanting the mechanics to help the losing player make a come back; or
Wanting the mechanics to reward players for playing well by letting them build up advantage.

The "take X damage = draw X cards then discard X cards" model is still my favourite, because it's elegant and I think letting the losing player improve their card quality is a big enough advantage. If you have "answer" cards in your game, then a player taking lots of damage will get to keep digging through their deck to reach a good answer for the opponent's threats.

With the other models you are proposing, there might be a risk that a losing player will not want to attack the winning player, because if they do, they will be giving the winning player even more resources to crush them with.

I guess as with all things, playtesting will be the key.

[3XXXDDD]

You do have a point and this game was made with the intention of punishing over-extension severely, having a draw mechanic could make that all sorts of sloppy.

Having a draw & recycle mechanic would either prevent players from being reckless and provide players with answers.

However that could also conflict with the current draw-phase mechanic and would force players to gain advantage through sheer beat-down or some clever control card.

I doubt I could have a Draw 1 - Recycle 1 for the base Draw Mechanic and a Draw X, Recycle X for the battle catch up mechanic. If I did, the game would likely be slow (not necessarily a bad thing) and force conservative players lest one of them takes an minus to early and has an incredibly hard time recovering.

[3XXXDDD]

Too tired to make an index of cards; so just throwing previous ones here;

Quarantine
BVC: 1
Return 1 target Data to the owner's hand.

Firewall
BVC: 1
You can only activate this card when your opponent declares an attack; All critical damage done during that battle is reduced to 0.

Quick Update
BVC: 2
Discard 1 Card. Draw 2 Cards. You can't activate another ?Quick Update? until after your opponent's next turn.

Delete
BVC: 3
Destroy 1 target Data.

Pop-Up Blocker
BVC: 6
You can only activate this card when your opponent activates a Variable; Negate the activation and destroy that Variable.

Quick Download
BVC: 2
Reveal 1 Data Card from your deck and place it on top of your deck (after you shuffled the deck.). You can't activate another ?Quick Download? until after your opponent's next turn.

Sort Icons
BVC: 2
Look at the top five cards of your deck and place them back on top of your deck in any order you like.

Recurring Infection
BV: -1
When this card is destroyed as a result of battle and sent to the discard pile, draw 1 card.

Data Logger
BV: -2
When this card inflicts critical damage to a player, that player discards a card.

Undetected Trojan
BV: -3
This card can't be targeted by any Variables that destroy.

Alpha Client
BV: +1
When you call this Unit, you can reveal 1 ?Beta Client? from your deck and place it on top of your deck (after you shuffled the deck.)

Beta Client
BV: +2
When you call this Unit, you can reveal 1 ?Release Client? from your deck and place it on top of your deck (after you shuffled the deck.)

SK-17
Release Client
BV: +3
You can discard this card from your hand to add 1 ?Alpha Client? from your deck to your hand.

Synchronized Fire (or Parallel Circuitry)
Data Input
3
This attack is an additional -1 for each bot attacking.

In the clouds
Data input
2
You may move a file from the desktop to it's owner's archive.

Abort
Data Input
3
Target opponent skips their system phase.

Retry
Data Input
4
You may move a card from your recycle bin into your hand

Y/N
Data Input
2
Your opponent chooses: You may draw a card, OR they must delete (discard) a card from their hand.

Refresh
Data Input
1
Return 1 Card on the field to it's owner's hand.

Buffering
Data Input
3
Search your Directory for 1 Card and add it to your Archive. During the start of your next turn add that card to your hand.

Cancel
Data Input
5
Cancel 1 Card your opponent attempts to activate or upload and terminate that card.

Delete
Data Input
4
Terminate 1 Program.

Version Variation
Anti-Virus/Updater
+3
If a System was not de-activated during the turn this card terminated a Virus, you may draw 1 card during this turn's end phase.

Seeker
Anti-Virus/Scanner
+3
Scan: During your System Phase, you may select 1 Virus with a RAM of 3 or less and terminate that program.

Alpha Test
Anti-Virus/Updater
+1
When you upload this Card, you may search your directory for 1 ?Beta Test? and place it on top of your directory (after you shuffle your directory)

Beta Test
Anti-Virus/Updater
+2
When you upload this Card, you may search your directory for 1 ?Pilot Test? and place it on top of your directory (after you shuffle your directory)

Pilot Test
Anti-Virus/Updater
+3
Once per turn, when you upload an ?Alpha Test? or ?Beta Test?, you may draw 1 Card. You may only control 1 ?Pilot Test? at a time. You can discard this card from your hand to add 1 ?Alpha Test? from your directory to your hand.

TOBOR [which is robot backwards](or a much better name)
Anti-Virus/Firewall
1
If this file is defending a system bot files do no damage.

CVC [Center for Virus Control] (or some better name)
Anti-virus/Quarantine
+3
Quarantine: Each time this antivirus successfully defends a system you may choose a virus file and flip it face down. If this file leaves play all virus files that it affected face up.

Internet Virus-Scan
Anti-Virus/Suspicious
+3
When you play this file you may search your deck for virus file with the suspicious keyword

Key
Virus/Data Logger
-3
When this card attacks and is not terminated by an Anti-Virus, you may select 1 random card in your opponent's hand and look at it.

Corrupting File
Virus/Datalogger
-2
When this Virus de-activates a System, Your opponent must discard a card from their hand.

Persistent Pop Up
Virus/Datalogger
-1
When this card is terminated, draw a card.

Trojan Horse
Virus/Hidden (or Trojan depending on what you prefer the keyword to be)
-3
This file is played into your archive instead of the desktop. If this file is in your archive during the system phase you may attack with it. If you do it is moved to the desktop.

System Shut-Down Sleeper
Virus/Malware
-5

Noticed Threat
Virus/Malware
-1

Domo.Arigato
Virus/Bot
-1
This file cannot attack a system unless another bot file is too. (The wording seems clunky but you get the point.)

Asimov
Virus/Bot
-1
This Virus must attack if another bot file is attacking.

Hmm, as for Recode values, lets just put 1 RV for every 2 Power. (so 0 RV for 1 or 0 PW)

[3XXXDDD]

Here are a few more (some might just be copy/edits).

Alpha Test
1/Anti-Virus/Database
When you upload this card, you may search your Directory for 1 "Beta Test" and place it on top of your Directory (after you shuffle your Directory).
1

Beta Test
2/Anti-Virus/Database
When you upload this card, you may search your Directory for 1 "Pilot Test" and place it on top of your Directory (after you shuffle your Directory).
2

Pilot Test
3/Anti-Virus/Database
You may send this card from your hand to the Recycle Bin to search your Directory for 1 "Alpha Test" and place it on top of your Directory (after you shuffle your Directory).
2

Buggy Scanner
1/Anti-Virus/
You may Terminate this card to Terminate a Virus Program.
1

Quarantine
2/Anti-Virus/
You may return this card to your hand to return a Virus Program to it's owners hand.
2

Password Field
1/Anti-Virus/
When this card defends, choose one of the Virus Cards it's defending against and return that card to it's owner's hand.
2

Clean File
2/Anti-Virus/Benignware
3

Diomedes' Pony
1/Virus/Trojan
This card cannot attack. When you upload this card, If your Opponent's RAM is +2 or more, you may switch control of this card.

Diomedes' Mare
2/Virus/Trojan
This card cannot attack. When you upload this card, If your Opponent's RAM is +4 or more, you may switch control of this card.

Diomedes' Stallion
3/Virus/Trojan
This card cannot attack. When you upload this card, If your Opponent's RAM is +6 or more you may switch control of this card.

Pop Up!
1/Virus/Adware
When this Program is terminated, you may draw a card.
1

Recurring Pop Up!
1/Virus/Adware
When this card is terminated, upload a "Recurring Pop Up!" from your Directory, then shuffle your Directory.
1

Pop Up! Link
1/Virus/Adware
When this Program is terminated, you may upload an "Adware" from your Directory, then shuffle your Directory.
1

Morris Worm
3/Virus/Worm
You may terminated this card to upload 2 "Internet Worm" cards from your Directory, the shuffle your Directory.
3

Internet Worm
2/Virus/Worm
You may terminate this card to upload 2 "Net Worm" cards from your Directory, then shuffle your Directory.
2

Net Worm
1/Virus/Worm
1

Empty File
3/Virus/Malware
2


Refresh
1/Input
Return 1 Program to the Host's Hand.

Boost
1/Input
Select a Program and add +2 to it's power until the end of the turn.

Drain
1/Input
Select a Program and add -2 to it's power until the end of the turn.

Restore Item
2/Input
Return Target File from your Recycle Bin to your hand.

Disconnect
2/Input
Target opponent skips their system phase.

Cancel
3/Input
Cancel Target Input.

[3XXXDDD]

I'm looking over this and was thinking what if this was placed on a Grid System? Say 5x4

You would have 5 Anti-Virus Cards on the first Row. These would essentially be your life or what is blocking it. Then you play Virus Cards on the second row, they could move to the next row if it was empty during the next turn or they could defeat a virus card, then move to the next row to attack the Anti-Virus card.

Players would be able to play down another Anti-Virus if one got destroyed but if 5 Anti-Virus get destroyed, you lose. So in playing an extra one to increase RAM, You're also at risk of giving more opportunities to lose.

Roughly anyway.

[Dabem]

Interesting.

Where would the new AV card go if you placed down more than 5?